Do you think Hamilton will leave McLaren at the end of this season?

By i11usive
in The Sporting Arena

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16 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you think Hamilton will leave McLaren at the end of this season?


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Grand Master

Noir Angel

Posted
Posted

Mercedes is about his only hope to get into another top team, and do they really offer him a better choice than McLaren? in my opinion, no. He'd be silly to leave.

Grand Master

Lingwo

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I can't see him going. If he does, then something happened at Mclaren that is changed his mind or more likely going for the money. Mclaren will always be at the top fighting for the championship.

Mercedes for the past three years haven't really shown any indication they can fight for the championship. They are getting better but i still doubt putting Hamilton in this years car would have helped their results. The can has been unreliable.

Other than Red Bull or Ferrari, there is really nowhere else for him to go. Whatever happens he has lost all respect from his fans, he has once again acted like a child and gone about this all the wrong way. He is one of the best natural talents in the sport and he acts like this.

Grand Master

Dan~

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OK, he won yesterday, but I honestly think McLaren will get rid of him to be honest.

Look at what he did just last weak with the telemetary.

He is a bad apple and I honestly feel like he needs a year out. Learn what respect is and grow up a little.

Grand Master

MarkusDarkus

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OK, he won yesterday, but I honestly think McLaren will get rid of him to be honest.

Look at what he did just last weak with the telemetary.

He is a bad apple and I honestly feel like he needs a year out. Learn what respect is and grow up a little.

Yea right. Like McLaren would do that. If they took on Button with his history (I know he is calm now) they aint got a problem with Hamilton.

  • 3 weeks later...
Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

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  • Subscriber²
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It's a done deal apparently:

Lewis Hamilton to leave McLaren for Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton is to leave McLaren after signing to race for Mercedes from next season.

The move, predicted by BBC Sport earlier this month, will be announced on Friday and will have huge repercussions throughout Formula 1.

It has forced Michael Schumacher out of Mercedes but it it is not clear whether the German legend will go back into retirement or look for another team.

Sauber driver Sergio Perez has signed as Hamilton's replacement at McLaren.

Hamilton's decision is a huge blow to McLaren, who will now have to do without the speed and inspirational talent of a man they have nurtured since he was 13 years old.

And it is a correspondingly massive coup for Mercedes, who have struggled since returning to the sport as a team owner in 2010 by buying the then world champion Brawn team.

Hamilton has been offered unequivocal number one status and will be partnered by German Nico Rosberg.

Although Hamilton's salary at Mercedes will be larger than the one he was offered by McLaren, and he has more opportunity to earn money through personal sponsorships and endorsements, sources close to the 27-year-old insist he has switched teams with a view to long-term performance.

McLaren have the fastest car this season, while Mercedes have slipped backwards after a promising start to the year.

But Mercedes have sold the move to Hamilton on the basis that they are preparing for a huge push in 2014, when new chassis and engine rules are introduced.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who masterminded Ferrari's years of domination in the early 2000s, has been instrumental in persuading Hamilton the move is the right decision for his future.

Hamilton, whose failure to win more than one world title so far in his career rankles with him, is banking on Brawn being able to conjure a similar period of domination at Mercedes.

Schumacher's future is uncertain. Sauber team boss Peter Sauber said a week ago that he would offer the seven-time champion a drive if he became available.

But despite the Swiss team's strong performances this season, that would be seen as a significant comedown for a man who was expected to win on his return.

Instead, Schumacher's comeback after three years in retirement has been a huge disappointment - he has scored only one podium finish in three years.

Source: BBC Sport

Grand Master

+Frank B. Subscriber²

Posted
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The plot thickens.

Perez takes place of Mercedes-bound Hamilton at McLaren

Sergio Perez will drive for McLaren in 2013, the team has confirmed.

Perez will take the place of Lewis Hamilton, who is widely believed to be about to confirm a move to Mercedes.

A trio of podium finishes in his second season so far has marked Perez out as a driver of the future.

?I?m thrilled and delighted to have become a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver,? said Perez.

?The McLaren name is one of the greatest in the history of Formula 1. For more than 40 years McLaren has been a team that every racing driver has aspired to drive for ? I was brought up on the great stories of Ayrton Senna?s many world championship triumphs for McLaren ? and I?m truly honoured that they?ve chosen me to partner Jenson from 2013 onwards.?

Perez added: ?I?d like to thank Carlos Slim Jr, who has helped me since I was 14 years old, without whom I wouldn?t be where I am today.

?Our journey together over the past eight years has been an incredible one, and I?ll do everything in my power to deliver with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes the results that he and I have been working so hard and so long to achieve together.

?As I say, I?ve worked very hard to get to this stage in my career, and I?m now massively looking forward to this next even more exciting stage. It?s fantastic that all the sacrifices I?ve made are now paying off.

?For example, I remember very clearly the first day I left my family, when I was 15, to live in Germany to race in Formula BMW. It was tough for me ? I was sleeping in a restaurant at that time ? but the dream of one day becoming a Formula 1 driver kept me going through those difficult days.

?Finally, I?d like to thank my beloved family, who?ve encouraged me at every turn, and last but far from least the people of Mexico, my home country, whose magnificent support I?ll do my very best to reward with future successes with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.?

Source: F1 Fanatic

Grand Master

Chicane-UK Veteran

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  • Veteran
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Interesting signing in Perez... he's had some excellent drives this year so perhaps with an even better car he could be championship material?

Grand Master

Lingwo

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I was wrong completely.

I think it is a bad move for Hamilton. I'd understand if it was Ferrari because they are proven world champions and proven they can build competitive cars. Mercedes so far have yet to show they can build a championship winning car. So i think this is clearly money motivated.

Good news for Perez though, hopefully he can do well with Mclaren.

Grand Master

Mr. Gibs

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I was wrong completely.

I think it is a bad move for Hamilton. I'd understand if it was Ferrari because they are proven world champions and proven they can build competitive cars. Mercedes so far have yet to show they can build a championship winning car. So i think this is clearly money motivated.

Good news for Perez though, hopefully he can do well with Mclaren.

I agree with this. A lot of races over the past few years MSC has been having trouble because the car let him down, it seems like every other race there's something wrong with the car.

Grand Master

TheLegendOfMart

Posted
Posted

I was wrong completely.

I think it is a bad move for Hamilton. I'd understand if it was Ferrari because they are proven world champions and proven they can build competitive cars. Mercedes so far have yet to show they can build a championship winning car. So i think this is clearly money motivated.

Good news for Perez though, hopefully he can do well with Mclaren.

Wasn't that long ago Button was dominating in the Brawn GP car. Mercedes has a good technical team that has had this season to gel, Aldo Costa (Ferrari), Geoff Willis (Red Bull) as well as current technical director Bob Bell.

I wouldn't count Mercedes out just yet.

Grand Master

Lingwo

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Wasn't that long ago Button was dominating in the Brawn GP car. Mercedes has a good technical team that has had this season to gel, Aldo Costa (Ferrari), Geoff Willis (Red Bull) as well as current technical director Bob Bell.

I wouldn't count Mercedes out just yet.

Oh no, i'm not counting them out at all. It just seems quite a big risk for Hamilton who was in a good position at Mclaren.

Perhaps he honestly wants a new challenge.

Either way it is a very interesting shake up and will be interesting to see what happens next season. With Mclaren getting rumoured Ferrari favourite, Perez. Who will they turn to if they get rid of Massa?

Grand Master

theyarecomingforyou

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Posted
I agree with this. A lot of races over the past few years MSC has been having trouble because the car let him down, it seems like every other race there's something wrong with the car.

True, but Rosberg doesn't seem to have as much of an issue with the car. And don't forget that the McClaren pit crew has let down Hamilton spectacularly this year. Hamilton isn't happy with the team and a change could be a great thing for his career, especially as Mercedes has improved a lot over the years. A lot will change come 2014 with the new engine requirements, so even if next year is a write-off it could be a good move in the medium-term.

I think the move by Perez is far more interesting and will certainly give him an opportunity to shine. I'm very much looking forward to next season, especially if Massa is kicked out of Ferrari (he's been a complete waste of space).

Experienced

+Cryton Subscriber²

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  • Subscriber²
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Hamilton leaving McLaren so he has more freedom to "build his brand" is dumb. He'll never win another race with Mercedes, let alone a championship, so all his brand will stand for is disappointment and selling-out.

Grand Master

Mike

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Wasn't that long ago Button was dominating in the Brawn GP car. Mercedes has a good technical team that has had this season to gel, Aldo Costa (Ferrari), Geoff Willis (Red Bull) as well as current technical director Bob Bell.

I wouldn't count Mercedes out just yet.

You do realise Honda bank rolled the Brawn GP car for over 18 months? Thats the only reason they were quick at the start, they were one of the worst at progressing in terms of pace and were no where near the quickest at the end

Grand Master

Mr. Gibs

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True, but Rosberg doesn't seem to have as much of an issue with the car. And don't forget that the McClaren pit crew has let down Hamilton spectacularly this year.

Yeah Rosberg seems to be more lucky with it. MSC has had to retire from 6 out of the 14 races so far due to car issues, and 2 of them he had an accident. Remember China when it was going to be a 1-2 finish for Mercedes and the pitcrew didn't put on MSCs wheel correctly? He's just had an incredibly unlucky year. And I agree that Mclaren's pitcrew have been pretty **** this year too but at least their car has been doing good.

It'll be sad to see MSC (he's my favorite driver and all) but maybe he should have just stayed out of F1. That way his reputation would have remained "untarnished."

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

Zoom7000

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Posted

I would have rather McLaren went for Di Riesta to replace Hamilton and Perez gone to Ferrari to replace Massa. Perez may edge out as the slightly better driver, but I think there is more to see from Di Riesta in a better car. It would have been nice to have kept that British feel about the team.

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