Lewis Hamilton Linked With Mercedes For 2013

Lewis Hamilton has been linked with a move to Mercedes for 2013, in a switch which would most likely see Michael Schumacher retire after the current season. The Briton has been strongly linked at staying with McLaren for next season, however recent events have thrown cat amongst the pigeons with regards to his future with McLaren.

According to BBC pundit and former team owner Eddie Jordan, Lewis Hamilton has already signed a deal to become a Mercedes driver next season. Although many members of the Formula 1 fraternity have strongly disregarded these rumors, the allegations have sent shockwaves through the sport, with McLaren and Mercedes both issuing separate statements denying the rumors. With Lewis Hamilton’s contract with McLaren coming to an end after this season, speculation has been ripe on where the 2008 World Champion will be come the start of the 2013 season.

“I believe Hamilton and Mercedes have already agreed personal terms and a deal could be imminent.” Explained Eddie Jordan to the BBC. “I can now confirm his people have had meetings with Mercedes. 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.”

Eddie Jordan, who ran his own F1 team between 1991 and 2005, believes such a deal would be highly beneficial for Hamilton’s management team, who Jordan believes are currently trying to make Lewis Hamilton a major global star. Lewis Hamilton has only ever raced for McLaren so far throughout his highly eventful, and relatively short, Formula 1 career.

“Hamilton has not agreed terms with McLaren yet.” Continued Eddie Jordan, “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.”

Both McLaren and Mercedes have strongly denied these rumors, however if Michael Schumacher does decide to finally retire at the end of this season, a vacant drive with Mercedes could prove enticing for Hamilton, who has endured a rocky couple of seasons with McLaren. With Mercedes expected to finalize their 2013 driving line-up no sooner than October, rumors such as these will continue to circulate.

If Lewis Hamilton does jump ship to Mercedes, the next question everyone will be asking is who will fill the vacancy at Woking? Force India’s Paul di Resta is currently favorite, however the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen could also be a possibility if the Finn fails to win a race this season. Naturally everything is just rumors and allegations at this stage, however anything seems possible in what is quickly becoming one of the most interesting and unique seasons of Formula 1 racing for many decades.

Picture Copyright © McLaren F1 Team

Lotus F1 Team Terminate Group Lotus Sponsorship

After months of debating between Tony Fernandes of Caterham (formerly Team Lotus) and the Lotus F1 team (formerly Renault) regarding the use of the Lotus name in Formula 1, the Lotus debacle has taken another jolt as the Lotus F1 Team have now terminated its title sponsorship deal from Group Lotus. 

However, even though this means Group Lotus will not be sponsoring the Enstone based team, Genii Capital owner Gerard Lopez has expressed his desire in keeping the Lotus name within Formula 1. 

“The sponsorship agreement and the obligations of Lotus have been terminated.” Explained Gerard Lopez in an interview with Autosport, “We are happy to carry the Lotus name as we believe it is a good name for F1. We funded the team last year and the year before for whatever delta was missing. We would prefer to have sponsors up to the full amount – but if we have to fund it then we will fund it. When we changed the name from Lotus Renault to Lotus, it opened up the door for a title sponsor. So if you take into account the fact we signed Unilever, probably the biggest sponsorship agreement this year in F1, and we signed Microsoft, which is huge news as it is a brand that has never been in F1 before, we have a wide space for sponsorship. If we sign a title sponsor now, we will end up with a better cash flow situation than this team ever had before.”

After last seasons’ confusion over the Lotus name, with Tony Fernandes being forced to change his team name from Team Lotus to Caterham, thus allowing Renault to change to Lotus F1, it seems the confusions are not yet over. 

However, all Kimi Raikkonen will be worried about is getting a clean and ‘normal’ race under his belt in China, as the Iceman continues his return to Formula 1. 

Picture Copyright © Lotus F1 Team

Thai Grand Prix The Next Asian Event To Join F1?

Thailand looks set to be joining fellow Asian nations’ Singapore, Korea and India in hosting a Formula 1 event in the near future. The proposed venue is a street circuit at Ratchadamnoen Avenue in the capital city of Bangkok, which has been favored over a new and costly permanent circuit at Pattaya.

In 2010, Mark Webber demonstrated his Red Bull RB6 around Ratchadamnoen Avenue. It is the owner of Red Bull – Dietrich Mateschitz – that has fueled the recent speculation of Thailand hosting an F1 race in the future.

“The idea is good. We are in talks.” Said Red Bull owner, Dietrich Mateschitz, “Thailand could host a Formula 1 race in the next two or three years, [Bernie] Ecclestone agrees with the idea. We may sign an agreement soon. I can’t give you details because it is not my responsibility. All I can tell you is that a race could take place here in the next two or three years. I remember that a lot of people watched the show [Webber’s demonstration] and a race here will be successful.”

There has only ever been one Thai driver in the history of Formula 1, in Prince Bira who competed in 19 races throughout the 1950s including the first official FIA Formula 1 race at Silverstone in 1950.

If Thailand did host a race in the future, it would become the 9th Asian Grand Prix on the calendar. With the addition of a second American Grand Prix in 2013 and a Russian Grand Prix in 2014, the Formula 1 calendar is becoming dangerously packed with events. This will undoubtedly mean the loss of further Grands Prix, with the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka and the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa two races which are currently not contracted beyond the 2012 season.

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