Hamilton Set for Move to Mercedes from McLaren


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Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of leaving McLaren to drive for Mercedes next season, according to BBC F1 chief analyst Eddie Jordan.

The former team boss says Hamilton will replace Michael Schumacher, who will retire from driving for a second time at the end of the year.
"I believe Hamilton and Mercedes have already agreed personal terms and a deal could be imminent," Jordan said.

In a statement Mercedes said they "do not comment on speculation".
But they added: "Until we are in a position to confirm our full driver line-up for next season, it is inevitable that there will be speculation around this topic."
A McLaren spokesman said: "We have been told by Lewis Hamilton's management team that the story is untrue.

"Negotiations between Lewis Hamilton and McLaren [over a new contract] continue."

It would appear Michael [Schumacher] is leaving and Lewis is arriving at Mercedes

Hamilton's management team XIX Entertainment also released a statement, saying: "As mentioned in the past by all parties, we are in advanced discussions with McLaren about a new deal.

"More importantly, at the moment, Lewis is focused on Monza [this weekend's Italian Grand Prix] and competing strongly for the championship."
However Hamilton's management have also approached Red Bull and Ferrari this summer but been rebuffed.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone hinted last Sunday that Schumacher was retiring.
Ecclestone told Jordan on BBC One: "I'm sorry that he's leaving us not being a winner, because he is a winner."

Asked if he knew whether Schumacher was retiring, Ecclestone added: "I don't know, I don't know."

Confronted with Ecclestone's comments, Schumacher insisted after Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix that he had not yet decided on his future.
"As I told [Ecclestone] yesterday I had not made a decision," said the German.

Jordan said he had since been investigating the situation and believed Hamilton, who has yet to agree a new deal to remain with McLaren, was on his way to Mercedes to replace Schumacher.

"Some weeks ago I said on TV that I felt Lewis was on the move and I had an idea at the time he had been speaking to Ferrari, which we now know is true," Jordan said.

"But I can now confirm his people have had meetings with Mercedes.
"Bernie Ecclestone made it clear to me live on television on Sunday that Schumacher was leaving, although Schumacher later played it down.
"So it would appear Michael is leaving and Lewis is arriving at Mercedes.
"Hamilton has not agreed terms with McLaren yet.

"In fact the team have made it clear they cannot offer him as big a salary as his current $15m (£9.42m) deal, which was negotiated before the global financial crisis.

"On top of that, McLaren have to pay for their Mercedes engines for the first time next year.

"Hamilton moving to Mercedes would also make a lot of sense in the context of his manager Simon Fuller, the man behind the Spice Girls and now David Beckham.

"Fuller is trying to position Hamilton as a major global star, like Beckham, and Mercedes is a much bigger global brand than McLaren.

"There has been some uncertainty over Mercedes' position in F1. The board is unhappy at the current performance of the team, but getting Hamilton would undoubtedly be a massive coup and it could give the F1 team some breathing space."

If Hamilton left McLaren, it would leave the team with a huge hole to fill.
Among the candidates for the vacancy alongside Jenson Button would be Scot Paul di Resta, currently at Force India, and Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen.
Di Resta, who has the same management team as Button after splitting with Hamilton's father Anthony, has continued to impress this season, his second in F1 with Force India.

Raikkonen, who drove for McLaren from 2002-06, was a candidate at the team for 2010 before negotiations broke down over money and team boss Martin Whitmarsh turned to Button.

Raikkonen returned to F1 this season with Lotus after two unsuccessful years in world rallying and although he has had some unconvincing weekends, his performances have been increasingly impressive.

BBC Sport understands Raikkonen is on course to satisfy performance clauses in his contract that would commit him to Lotus in 2013, which would mean any team that wanted him would have to pay Lotus compensation.
The 32-year-old Finn currently lies fourth in the championship heading into this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, one place ahead of Hamilton.

The Englishman's season has been hampered by early-season operational errors by McLaren which cost him about 40 points, and on Sunday in Belgium he was taken out in a start-line collision caused by Lotus's Romain Grosjean.
Hamilton is now 47 points behind world championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari with 200 available in the remaining eight races.

BBC Sport - Lewis Hamilton 'set for move to Mercedes from McLaren'
 
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Wow that's news to me.

Even last time Giancarlo Fisichella won a podium for Force India and left the team to join Ferrari.

Now who will join Force India?
 
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This news sent me in to a depression, i just hope he doesnt quit F1 (not as yet) , give it 2 more years and atleast 1 more title.
Eddie Jordan views have to always taken with a pinch of salt - lets wait and watch!
 
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Mclaren F1 Currently Have No Solution for Possible Hamilton Departure

McLaren F1 boss, Martin Whitmarsh has revealed that the team currently has no alternative, if Lewis Hamilton were to decide to make the switch to Mercedes, as of next year, mainly due to the fact that they want him to stay, if he chooses so.

Whitmarsh said:
"I haven't given plan B any thought [. . .] We want Lewis to stay, and we want him to stay if he wants to stay [. . .] I've a number of priorities, in terms of when you are trying to win a championship, and you divide your time, energy and focus on those things [. . .] One of them is making the car faster, better; another is dealing with all the operational issues to make sure you don't make mistakes, and the other is dealing with your own drivers [. . .] But rightly or wrongly I haven't spent a lot of energy on that subject [of drivers]."
Lewis Hamilton’s management team is currently in talks with Mercedes F1, in view of a possible switch for the British driver - a move which Eddie Jordan had deemed as a ‘sure thing’, when asked about the matter a while back.

Mclaren F1 Currently Have No Solution for Possible Hamilton Departure - autoevolution
 
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Lewis Hamilton signs three-year deal with Mercedes

Lewis HamiltonLewis Hamilton has signed a three-year deal with the Mercedes Formula One team and will replace seven times world champion Michael Schumacher, Mercedes said on Friday.

The move for the 2008 world champion comes after Mercedes-Benz signed a new commercial agreement with the sport's commercial rights holders, guaranteeing the team's long-term commitment. There was no word on Schumacher's future plans.

Austrian Niki Lauda, a triple world champion, will join the team as a non-executive chairman of the board. McLaren had already announced Mexican Sergio Perez as Hamilton's replacement.

Lewis Hamilton signs three-year deal with Mercedes | WheelsUnplugged
 
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Perez gets Hamilton's McLaren seat

Perez joins McLaren after two seasons in Formula 1 with Sauber, and a campaign where he has delivered three podium finishes so far
 
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Now the musical chairs start.I am surprised that Schumi may still be looking for a drive.
He should quit.Why tarnish such a great legacy by performing like mere shadow of his former self.

Coming back to Louis, I know some people are extremely frustrated and angry with Louis leaving Maclaren,I personally feel this is a good move.This will give Mercedes better chance next year for sure.And Maclaren are free to support the 100% pure blooded Brit in Button next year.[;)]
 
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Jackie Stewart: Mercedes a 'long term risk' for Lewis Hamilton

Jackie Stewart believes Lewis Hamilton is taking a risk for his long-term future by joining a manufacturer team in Mercedes.

Three-time Formula 1 champion Stewart says the potential for Mercedes to abruptly withdraw from the sport if it underperformed would unnerve him in Hamilton's position.

"I think Ross Brawn is a wonderful man. I think Daimler Benz is one of the greatest companies in the history of motorsport," said Stewart on the AUTOSPORT Stage with KX at AUTOSPORT International.

"But they have to win. The Silver Arrow has to win.

"Whether it was Stirling Moss and [Juan Manuel] Fangio, whether it was [Rudolf] Caracciola and the other great drivers of the thirties, when Mercedes were in the sport they had to win.

"And if they don't win, they get out.

"That's the risk. If for whatever reason, they do not win, it's a five-minute board meeting decision with a bunch of people on the board who are not passionate about motorsport.

"They like the results if they win. If they don't win, it's yesterday. And that takes five minutes.

"If you were looking at it in a conservative fashion, you'd say 'I've got to stick with McLaren because I know they're always going to be racers'. They will never be out of motor racing."

Stewart also believes Hamilton's inconsistency remains a stumbling block for the 2008 F1 world champion.

"When he's on form, he is the quickest," said the legendary Scot. "But [his ability] to do it consistently is not yet there."

Sir Jackie Stewart - AUTOSPORT International 2013 - YouTube
 
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Ecclestone comments make Hamilton ‘nervous’

Lewis Hamilton has admitted Bernie Ecclestone’s recent comments are making him “nervous”.

The F1 chief executive revealed recently that Red Bull – not Mercedes – was actually 2008 world champion’s first choice for 2013 when he made the decision to quit McLaren.

Now, in another interview, Ecclestone told Sportsvibe: “I like Lewis but it hasn’t appeared as though his feet have been on the ground in recent times.
“People think he’s arrogant, which he’s not, but that’s the perception of him and he’s only got himself to blame for that.

“I’m not sure the Pussycat has helped and also the fact that Ron Dennis at McLaren sheltered him too much. He was very good to him but when Ron stopped being hands on with the formula one team Lewis was like the rebel teenage son wanting to leave home.”

Hamilton told British reporters: “I’m not quite sure why Bernie keeps making comments about me.

“It makes me a little bit nervous because we have quite a good relationship.”
As for Ecclestone’s claim that Red Bull was his first choice, having ‘rolled his eyes’ initially at Mercedes, Hamilton answered: “There was no team I was particularly pushing for.

“At the end of the day I chose to be here and I’m happy here. It’s the best decision I ever made.”

Flavio Briatore, the former Renault boss, was asked about Ecclestone’s Hamilton comments, and said: “I think that is not true.

“(Niki) Lauda has been trying for years to bring him to Mercedes, to the point that he made him an offer he could not refuse,” he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Ecclestone comments make Hamilton ‘nervous’
 

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