Sky F1's pundits chime in on Mercedes choice

©WRI2

Sky F1's team of specialists just added their two cents to the ongoing debate about who should replace Nico Rosberg at Mercedes.

Toto Wolff has vowed to name the lucky driver who shall partner Lewis Hamilton in 2017 by the end of the year.

While the most reasonable choice would call for the promotion of Mercedes protégé Pascal Wehrlein, or perhaps the recruitment of Valtteri Bottas, Sky's Martin Brundle, Damon Hill and Ted Kravitz are all hoping in their heart that a top name fills the prized vacant seat.

"In my head, it would be either Wehrlein or Bottas filling Nico Rosberg's seat, but in my heart it would Carlos Sainz or Fernando Alonso," said Martin Brundle. "A bit of a Spanish theme there but they will light the car up."

Damon Hill: "My head says that it will be one of the Mercedes options which would be Bottas or Wehrlein but my heart says that we would love to see a good rivalry. So what about Max Verstappen or Daniel Ricciardo?"

Ted Kravitz followed the same theme of mind and heart choices: "My heart says Max Verstappen or Fernando Alonso, preferably Alonso, and my head says Valtteri Bottas."

As a reminder, Valtteri Bottas, who is managed by Toto Wolff, has committed to Williams for 2017. One could envisage however his contract being bought out with Mercedes possibly offering the Grove outfit a rebate on its allocation of power units. as well as the services of Pascal Wehrlein.

The Williams family drives a hard bargain however and any negotiations are sure to give Mercedes a run for its money, literally!

FEATURE: Nico Rosberg in numbers

Mercedes: The candidates to replace Rosberg

From the cockpit: Felipe Nasr on his second set in F1

F1i Classic - Bowing out on a high

Silbermann says... Respect to Rosberg

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter