Formula 1: 5 possible replacements for Lance Stroll in 2026

2. George Russell

A few months ago, George Russell reportedly emerged as a candidate for a seat at Aston Martin in 2026. Though he may not be their first choice, there is a possibility that the British driver could be dropped by Mercedes after his contract expires in 2025.

Toto Wolff’s dream of signing Max Verstappen will not be going away anytime soon, and the Mercedes team boss could look to pair him with Kimi Antonelli.

Russell has a chance next season to prove himself as the team’s lead driver, but he will need to drive more clean and composed races going forward. He has to manage his tires better, be more consistent, and not take risks with race strategies, such as what happened in Spa, where his one-stop strategy backfired when he had his win revoked for his car being underweight.

If anything, Russell will be the first to go, as Mercedes want to give their new rookie time to settle in and develop. But Lawrence Stroll would certainly appreciate the opportunity to sign Russell and pair him with Fernando Alonso. It could be a great opportunity for Aston Martin, as Russell is a fantastic driver and has been one of the best on the grid since his move to Mercedes.

An added benefit for the team would be that he would not command such a massive salary like Max Verstappen would, and Aston Martin could allocate those funds elsewhere for further improvement.