Suggestions for Lewis Hamilton’s replacement🎶 at Mercedes have included some of Formula 1’s big names.

Fernando Alonso - and even the retired Sebas♒tian Vettཧel - have cropped up in conversation for who could replace Ferrari-bound Hamilton.

Toto Wolff was even asked about the fantasy signing of Max Verstap𝓀peꦓn.

But Oscar Piastri, despite a hugely impressive rooke F1 season, has not had much backing until his name was mooted on the Sky 💦F1 show.

Natalie Pink𝓰ham first tipped her Hamilton replacement: “I’d like to see Alex Albon in there. I think he deserves it.

“Going to Will꧙iams was brilliant for his career. It boosted his confidence.

“But now it’ไs time to take a step ba🔜ck to the front of the grid.”

Martin Brundle added: “They will be looking at Fernando Alonso, Albon, 🐎don’t forget Es༒teban Ocon is within the Mercedes family, kind of on-loan to Alpine.

“Carlos Sainz has got to be on their list. I think that’s their s💯hortlist.”

But Karun Chandhok added a name: “I’d like to see either Sain♔z or Oscar Piastri.

“We know Oscar has a contract with McLaren. But [his manꦚager] Mark Webber has negotiated plenty of F1 contracts in the past and I’m sure there will be an escape clause somewhere, 💧as we’ve seen with Lewis.

“Oscar’s debut season was b🌃rilliant. He had weaknesses in his race pace, no doubt about it, but he has another season to build on that.

“I think Oscar and George as a line-up at Mercedes is 🍬a good one🅺.”

Pinkham asked: “But if you’re Oscar and Mark, would you go🌼 to Mercedes if you’ve seen that Lewis has left?

“And leave McLaren, which may be a better bet?”

Chandhok repl༺ied: “It’s whether you think it’s a better bet. With the new engine formula coming in 2🤡026, I’d want to go to a works team, as Lewis did in 2014.”

Whoever comes in will be alongsid💃e George Russell, who delivered Merc♕edes’ sole grand prix victory of the past two seasons in 2022 in Brazil.

𝓡Damon Hill said: “George will be sat there thinking: ‘Now it’s my time, he’s 🗹left!’

“He will want to be rꦺegarded as the future of the tea♛m, as the strong hope.

“So whoever comes al💖ongside him will have to fit into🔯 that.

“The fact that we are not thinking that Mercedes have George there, and will be as strong as ever, just s💟hows the size of the hole that Lewis has left.”

Pinkham had the final say: “Alex and Ge👍orge are best ma♛tes, remember…”

Williams have already issued a strong reminder that Albon’s contract runs until the e🐲nd🦩 of 2025 so he won’t be a free agent who Mercedes can acquire easily.

Alonso, at Aston Martin, will become a fr�🔯�ee agent at the end of this season, however.

It’s a similar story for Sainz at Ferrari. He will be rep𝐆laced by Hamilton next year and is seeking a new landing spot.