Formula 1: 3 possible replacements for Lance Stroll in 2025

Aston Martin are looking to solidify themselves as one of the best teams in Formula 1, given their improvement since the start of 2023 and their current trajectory.

With the arrival of two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and several other personnel from top teams, it seems like they are just one piece away from making the jump they want.

That piece might well be replacing Lance Stroll with a driver who will do better at bringing out the best in the car. Amid rumors about Lawrence Stroll selling 25% of the team, here are five possibilities to replace his son from 2025.

1. Valtteri Bottas

Valtteri Bottas finds himself in a battle to secure a seat for the 2025 season. Since Bottas joined Sauber in 2022, he has done fairly well, given the fact that the team have produced some of the slower cars on the grid in recent years.

Some of the biggest issues Bottas has faced this season have to do with the C44 and its pit stops. This prevents him from truly showing his current capabilities.

Everyone knows how good the 34-year-old is, going back to his days with Mercedes, when his efforts were crucial to Lewis Hamilton’s race wins and driver championships. Additionally, the Finnish driver is still the fourth most decorated driver on the 2024 grid with 10 career wins and multiple runner-up finishes in the standings.

With Sauber signing Nico Hulkenberg for 2025 ahead of the 2026 Audi takeover, it indicates that Sauber will likely be looking outside the team's current lineup to fill that final seat, especially since Carlos Sainz Jr. is also still on the market.

Aston Martin would give Bottas another opportunity to show how good he can be in a competitive car. Additionally, signing Bottas and pairing him with Fernando Alonso aligns well with the trajectory Aston Martin are on. It will be up to the Silverstone-based team to properly pitch the project to him, as he does enjoy the environment and expectations of racing for a team in the midfield.