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Hamilton to Mercedes? (24 posts)

Topic tags: Hamilton, McLaren, Mercedes

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MattB said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

BBC’s Andrew Benson reckons Hamilton will move to Merce

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/19489930

Thoughts?

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Magnificent Geoffrey said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

I actually believe Bernie might have been trolling with his Schumacher comments to Jordan at Spa. I often say Bernie’s lost it, but there are times when I think he’s too intelligent and knows EXACTLY what he’s doing. Stuff he says like his MSC comments, or about the medals system in 2009, or track shortcuts or sprinklers to help spice up the racing and even his comments about Susie Wolff – they all might be deliberate ploys to generate media stories and interest in the sport/publicity. At least, I think they might be.

To be honest, though, I would be very, very surprised to see Hamilton move away from McLaren.

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Chalky said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

I just read it too. I’m not convinced that Hamilton would benefit from going to Mercedes. Surely he doesn’t need to move for financial reasons? Therefore staying with McLaren would make more sense.

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mrgrieves said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

Interesting that the BBC have gone heavy with this story! Should be be surprised Hamiltons people are talking elsewhere? He’s already had talks with Ferrari and Red Bull so Mercedes would be next on the list i’d guess. I Still dont expect him to move down the field to Mercedes and something tells me Schumacher will have been back for 3 years and 3 years only but i really really hope Schumacher stays and get a decent car after the false dawn of the 2012 car

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infernojim said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

I know, I’m in the team with the fastest car on the grid and still within striking distance for the wdc this year – think i’ll move to the 6th best team next year??!!

If it wasn’t ej talking about it i would have a lot more belief in this story.

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Andy Redden said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

I have many problems with that article.

1. Why would Hamilton leave the fastest team at the moment for one that is struggling, maybe this could be understood if he went for Red Bull or Ferrari.

2. Why would he join a team that are even more likely than HRT of leaving the sport.

3. My biggest big bear however is the constant over estimating of Paul Di Resta. I have no doubt he would hardly be mentioned if he wasn’t scottish. Whilst I do think he’s down at Senna and Maldonado’s level, he isn’t to the standard of Perez and Hulkenburg (as seen in the championship). And certainly not at Raikkonen, Hamilton or Buttons level or that of the level of Mclaren.

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matt90 said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

I don’t see it. Does Hamilton really want more money and fame more than success? I doubt it. Mercedes don’t look like a great proposition until 2014, and that’s hardly guaranteed. At McLaren he has stability with a team which has contested for wins for 6 straight years, and for championships for 5 of the last 8 years. He’d be a fool to leave. McLaren would probably also be fools to let him leave, although it opens up the possibility of Raikkonen returning- di Resta could also step up, but Kimi strikes me as a better driver to contrast Button.

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Keith Collantine said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

The plot thickens. Or thins:

A McLaren spokesman said: “We have been told by Lewis Hamilton’s management team that the story is untrue.”

— Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) September 5, 2012

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Fer no.65 said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

They are already saying it’s not true, which doesn’t surprise me. I don’t buy it.

I also don’t like the constant hype about Di Resta. Sure, he’s good, but ever since the first race of 2011, they’ve been tipping him for a drive at Mercedes. It’s annoying.

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PJA said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

Although I wouldn’t tend to believe the article as the source is Eddie Jordan, last weekend after everything that happened I thought that if the opportunity to go to another top team turned up then I wouldn’t be surprised if Hamilton took it.

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raymondu999 said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

Do I think it will happen? No.

But I’ve been missing a good top-teams shakeup for a while. The last shakeup (as opposed to just drivers switching teams) in my view was 2007. The top teams’ players, since 2010, has been far too stable in my view. I’d love some change at the top please! (I don’t mean different winners, I mean different drivers driving for different teams)

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Juan Pablo Heidfeld said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

I think I’ll wait for a more credible source than Eddie Jordan

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raymondu999 said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

Apparently McLaren “has been told by Lewis Hamilton’s management team that the story is untrue.”

That’s very carefully worded IMO. The story is that Lewis has agreed to a deal – but has not signed a deal – and this deal could possibly be imminent. If Lewis is talking but hasn’t agreed to a deal, then the story is “untrue.” If Lewis has agreed on a handshake, and is about to sign, but XIX management considers the signing date “not imminent,” then the story is “untrue.”

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bag0 said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

While it might be untrue, I dont think Hamilton will have so mutch options in the coming weeks.
He should have signed a new contract with McLaren weeks ago, but after his latest actions he might not have that option.

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Girts said 8 months, 2 weeks ago:

This makes sense. I actually had the same thoughts earlier today, before seeing the BBC article.

It is clear that Lewis’ relationship with McLaren is very difficult at the moment. The infamous tweet and the following comments by the other team members clearly indicate that. I don’t believe that Paddy Lowe himself really believes that Lewis ‘didn’t really appreciate the nature of that information’. He’s a 27-year old F1 world champion, not a Formula Ford rookie, who doesn’t understand the sensitiveness of telemetry data. Because of the same reason, Martin Whitmarsh’s admission that ‘some things he is yet to learn’ only makes Hamilton look worse if it makes any sense at all.

Hamilton is obviously frustrated with the situation he currently finds himself in. I don’t think that the decision to leave McLaren has been a foregone conclusion for a long time (perhaps it still isn’t decided). But it is very likely that McLaren’s refusal to pay him as much as he wants and disagreement on the other clauses in the potential contract such as the maturity of it, combined with the team’s struggles this year and Hamilton’s own bad luck have lead to a dead end in the agreement talks.

If that is the case, then where can Hamilton go? If Schumacher really leaves Mercedes, then this is a no-brainer. There is no other team that both would be ready to take Hamilton and could give him better chances to fight for victories. Hamilton should go there, hope for the best and probably wait for better opportunities to come, such as a seat at RBR in 2014.

I am pretty sure that if Schumacher retires and Hamilton moves to Mercedes, then this will be only good for F1.

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