Hamilton’s move from the Brackley team to Ferrari at the end of this season leaves a prime seat available from 2025 onwards.
Mercedes has a strong focus on preparing its protégé Kimi Antonelli for an early graduation, and the young Italian remains a prime candidate.
One possible scenario is that Antonelli arrives in 2026, leaving the seat vacant for a driver willing to take a one-year deal, with Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon among the potential candidates.
However suggestions that in the wake of the Christian Horner controversy, Verstappen may be open to leaving Red Bull – with uncertainty over the potential of the Ford-backed power unit in 2026 possibly encouraging such a move – has opened up new scenarios, with Mercedes an obvious potential destination for him.
Team boss Toto Wolff, who tried to sign Verstappen in 2014, was seen talking to his father Jos in Bahrain last week.
Hamilton agreed that Verstappen would be of interest to Mercedes, while suggesting that he doubted that the world champion would leave his current team, especially given that he is contracted until 2028.
“I think my move has shown that anything's possible,” he said. “There's going to be a really interesting next six months or so. I don't have an extra scoop.
Source: Autosport