ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 27: Lewis Hamilton, from Great Britain, and Mercedes GP, and Max Verstappen, from the Netherlands, and Red Bull Racing, chat at the drivers’ parade alongside Nico Rosberg, from Germany, and Mercedes GP, before the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 27, 2016 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
There are speculations that Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes F1, has a list of potential drivers to replace Lewis Hamilton. One name that has been mentioned is the 38-year-old driver, who could potentially join George Russell. Other rumored replacements include Carlos Sainz and the highly-rated young driver Kimi Antonelli. However, it is unlikely that Max Verstappen, desired by Wolff, will make the switch in 2025. Other potential replacements include Esteban Ocon, Mick Schumacher, and even Sebastian Vettel.
One former world champion who will not be returning is Nico Rosberg. He has made it clear that he is not interested in replacing Lewis at Mercedes. Rosberg retired from F1 after winning the 2016 title because he did not have the desire to continue striving to beat his teammate. He believes one championship is enough and that age is not a factor.
Rosberg praised Fernando Alonso for his ability to continue performing at a high level despite his age. Alonso, who will turn 43 soon, is considered one of the greatest drivers of all time and a model of longevity in F1.
Another veteran driver, Lewis Hamilton, is also doing well at 39 years old. Although he may not be as dominant as before, he is ready to join Ferrari next year, adding a new chapter to his already impressive career. This move will mark the end of his successful partnership with Mercedes, which has resulted in seven world titles and 103 Grand Prix victories.
Next year, Hamilton’s eagerly awaited journey to Ferrari will begin, which Rosberg, like everyone in F1, is excited about: “He can continue performing at a high level until his mid-40s without any problems.
“Six months ago, Lewis was arguably the best driver on the current grid, along with Max Verstappen. The start of this season has been a bit more challenging for him,” said the German based in Monaco.
Regarding the seat Mercedes needs to fill alongside Russell, Rosberg is cautiously intrigued by the potential of Kimi Antonelli: “Antonelli is definitely a future superstar, but unfortunately it is still too early for him. And it is also too early for Toto to select him.”
There has been a lot of talk about Antonelli, 17, since he became the talk of the town in the F1 paddock. The Italian karting prodigy, who excelled in karting and F4, skipped F3 and went straight to F2, where many of the big names on the grid won the championship in their first attempt. Currently, Antonelli is in 9th place in the 2024 F2 standings after three of the 14 rounds.
Rosberg is cautious about promoting Antonelli directly to the Mercedes team without one or two seasons at Williams, where they would be happy to welcome the young driver and the financial benefits that would come with it for the Mercedes customer team.
The 2016 F1 world champion doubts that Antonelli is ready for F1 with a top team like Mercedes: “That’s asking too much because he hasn’t proven anything in F2 yet. That’s the minimum requirement to do well in F2 in order to be considered for F1. So, Toto needs to be patient and wait until summer or fall to make a decision.”
With Fernando Alonso signed with Aston Martin until at least the end of 2026 and Nico Hulkenberg confirmed with Sauber/Audi for 2025 and beyond, Mercedes is quickly running out of driver options. According to Rosberg, Carlos Sainz is the best choice for Mercedes.
He added: “But Sainz probably wants a multi-year contract, which doesn’t make much sense from Mercedes’ point of view. That’s what makes it so difficult, and that’s why Toto is closely monitoring Antonelli’s progress.”
Rosberg explained the impact of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari (which we consider the biggest news in F1 history) on the future of the German team: “Lewis has put Mercedes in an extremely challenging position.”
Since retiring from F1 at the end of the 2016 season, Rosberg has been involved in startup projects, vlogs, and occasionally joined the Sky F1 team for events like the recent Chinese Grand Prix.
His honest opinions, enthusiastic interviews in the paddock, and extensive knowledge of everything related to F1 make Rosberg a valuable addition to the sport’s conventional analysis.
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Portugal wins Euro 2020 in thrilling victory
The Portuguese national football team became champions of Euro 2020 in a thrilling final against Germany. The match, which took place at Wembley Stadium in London, ended with Portugal’s 2-1 victory. With this result, Portugal secures its second European title, reaffirming itself as one of the main powers in world football.
The first half was quite balanced, with both teams looking to attack. Germany took the lead with a goal from Müller in the 25th minute, but Portugal quickly responded and equalized with a beautiful goal from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 35th minute. The game continued to be contested with chances for both sides, but the score remained tied until the end of the first half.
In the second half, Portugal came back strong and dominated the actions. The pressure paid off at 60 minutes, when Bruno Fernandes scored the winning goal. From then on, the Portuguese team knew how to control the game and held onto the result until the final whistle. The Portuguese fans present at the stadium and the millions of fans around the world celebrated this historic achievement.
With this victory, Portugal solidifies itself as one of the best teams in the world. The team led by coach Fernando Santos showed a solid and efficient football throughout the competition, overcoming tough opponents and rightfully becoming champions.
Euro 2024 will be remembered in Portuguese football history as another chapter of glory. The Portuguese players showed determination, talent, and spirit in every match, winning the hearts of the fans and proving they deserve to be among the best.
Now, the Portuguese team returns home with the trophy of European champions and the certainty that they have left an indelible mark on world football. The Euro victory is a source of pride for all Portuguese, who celebrate this historic win and look forward to more victories in the future.
Portugal is the Euro champion!
