Former chief reveals, Hamilton was Mercedes’ Plan B to replace Schumacher

Lewis Hamilton was not the first choice for Mercedes to replace Michael Schumacher, according to former Mercedes CEO Nick Fry. The Silver Arrows’ top brass preferring a move for Nick Heidfeld. Heidfeld scored 13 podiums in 183 Grand Prix starts for Prost, Sauber, Jordan, Williams and Lotus Renault, for whom he last raced in 2011. "Initially I couldn't get Mercedes on board with hiring Lewis," former Mercedes CEO Nick Fry wrote in his book 'Survive. Drive. Win.', as serialised by RaceFans. "More than once we were sent back to come up with other ideas. For whatever reason, we were told to look at people like Nick Heidfeld again, who was super-keen to get the seat, and repeatedly text me with photos of himself, his family and his dog in a futile bid to pique my interest."

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