Mercedes Junior Wehrlein Bound For Sauber, Not Rosberg’s Seat

Ever since Nico Rosberg made the shock announcement of his retirement, hot on the heels of securing the world championship, all the motorsport press has been talking about is who would replace him. Among the favored contenders was Pascal Wehrlein, but the latest reports have him signing with another team for next season instead.

The 22-year-old German driver won the DTM championship in 2015, but never lost sight of his hopes to make it into the big leagues. He’s served as a test driver for Mercedes and several of its client teams, landing in the race seat at Manor last season to cut his proverbial teeth. But next season, according to reports, he’ll be driving for Sauber – a team that gets its engines from Ferrari but has previously collaborated with Mercedes (in sports-car racing especially).

If the reports prove accurate, it would take Wehrlein out of contention to replace Rosberg at the main Mercedes team. Apparently the feeling at the Silver Arrow squad was that he needed more experience before taking the champ’s spot alongside Lewis Hamilton. So he’ll be driving alongside Marcus Ericsson instead, leaving Felipe Nasr without a ride next season.

Wehrlein’s move to Sauber ostensibly leaves the door open to Valtteri Bottas to move to Mercedes. Though the highly rated driver was already confirmed by Williams for another season, the prospect of Felipe Massa postponing his retirement (and an assuredly large contract buyout from its engine supplier Mercedes) looks set to free Bottas up to take Rosberg’s place. He was reportedly spotted recently leaving the Mercedes team’s headquarters in Brackley, UK, fueling rumors of the Finn’s imminent defection.

Finland has produced the fifth highest number of F1 champs – after the UK, Germany, Brazil, and Argetina – with four titles split between three drivers: Nico’s father Keke Rosberg, double-champ Mika Hakkinen, and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.