2023 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[SiLo]

They should look at Alonso and his performances and use it as a metric to judge against. I think Lewis will still be able to win a title in 2 years time if the car if there to fight for it.

[AR3-GP]

I think that Mercedes will have to have a different rear wing in Monza, something even smaller than the one from Spa which only achieved 334km/h with the DRS. Perhaps the Spa rear wing in combination with a very small beam wing could be used.

The top cars in Monza will likely reach 340-345km/h on the straight.

[ringo]

Hamilton said he wouldn't drive for another team.

I am a fan, but I think he talks too much some times. He weakens his own hand by appearing to be easy to keep. He cannot demand much money or benefits if Mercedes know he is not volatile or a mercenary. Also if he does leave, it would mean his words mean nothing, and his new team will have to be cautious with him.
He would be better off keeping people guessing and not say much about what he feels, even if deep down merc is where he wants to retire. Alonso plays the game of contracts well. You will have zero clue about where he will go and for how long or how much.
I would like to see him at Ferrari or Redbull, but he has committed so much verbally to mercedes that a move would look very awkward.
Staying at Mercedes would require a deal that goes up to December 2026, long enough to see if the team can build the fastest car for the new regulation.

[j_ste]

Hamilton said he wouldn't drive for another team.

I am a fan, but I think he talks too much some times. He weakens his own hand by appearing to be easy to keep. He cannot demand much money or benefits if Mercedes know he is not volatile or a mercenary. Also if he does leave, it would mean his words mean nothing, and his new team will have to be cautious with him.
He would be better off keeping people guessing and not say much about what he feels, even if deep down merc is where he wants to retire. Alonso plays the game of contracts well. You will have zero clue about where he will go and for how long or how much.
I would like to see him at Ferrari or Redbull, but he has committed so much verbally to mercedes that a move would look very awkward.
Staying at Mercedes would require a deal that goes up to December 2026, long enough to see if the team can build the fastest car for the new regulation.

Alonso plays the game of contracts well? I mean, the only game alonso has played well in fifteen years is playing himself.

Lewis will sign his contract when he is good and ready. Like he has always done

[ringo]

I didn't say the choices were good.
But he does get a lot of money for picking slow cars to drive.

[chrisc90]

CONFIRMED: Lewis Hamilton signs new contract with Mercedes through to 2025, with George Russell also confirmed for that stretch #F1

https://x.com/chrismedlandf1/status/169 ... B6rHbJDvyw

[AR3-GP]

And that’s that!

[Cs98]

CONFIRMED: Lewis Hamilton signs new contract with Mercedes through to 2025, with George Russell also confirmed for that stretch #F1

https://x.com/chrismedlandf1/status/169 ... B6rHbJDvyw

Wonder what the plan is for 2026 then? I don't think he wants to retire, so was there any reason not to extend the contract into the new regs? Swapping teams would be a complete gamble at that point. I sense a simple one year extension at the end of 2025.

[DGP123]

Wonder what the plan is for 2026 then?

Simple extension, if he wants. Two years is a long time though. Could suddenly lose his mojo, or just suddenly have had enough of F1. Team will have Kimi Antonelli to call upon by 26’, or scoop up another leading driver.

[AR3-GP]

Wonder what the plan is for 2026 then?

Simple extension, if he wants. Two years is a long time though. Could suddenly lose his mojo, or just suddenly have had enough of F1. Team will have Kimi Antonelli to call upon by 26’, or scoop up another leading driver.

Mercedes has never signed a rookie driver to their team.

[mkay]

Wonder what the plan is for 2026 then?

Simple extension, if he wants. Two years is a long time though. Could suddenly lose his mojo, or just suddenly have had enough of F1. Team will have Kimi Antonelli to call upon by 26’, or scoop up another leading driver.

Easier said than done if they're still an upper-midfield team by then.

[Just_a_fan]

Wonder what the plan is for 2026 then?

Simple extension, if he wants. Two years is a long time though. Could suddenly lose his mojo, or just suddenly have had enough of F1. Team will have Kimi Antonelli to call upon by 26’, or scoop up another leading driver.

Easier said than done if they're still an upper-midfield team by then.

Er, they're currently second in the constructors' title race behind the most dominant car of its era. I guess that's one definition of "upper-midfield" but most drivers would be happy in such a seat.

[DGP123]

Wonder what the plan is for 2026 then?

Simple extension, if he wants. Two years is a long time though. Could suddenly lose his mojo, or just suddenly have had enough of F1. Team will have Kimi Antonelli to call upon by 26’, or scoop up another leading driver.

Mercedes has never signed a rookie driver to their team.

Things change. That’s life

[AR3-GP]

Simple extension, if he wants. Two years is a long time though. Could suddenly lose his mojo, or just suddenly have had enough of F1. Team will have Kimi Antonelli to call upon by 26’, or scoop up another leading driver.

Easier said than done if they're still an upper-midfield team by then.

Er, they're currently second in the constructors' title race behind the most dominant car of its era. I guess that's one definition of "upper-midfield" but most drivers would be happy in such a seat.

The drivers are flattering the car a bit. By contrast, Stroll is making Aston look worse than they are. Merc are not necessarily convincingly the 2nd fastest car anywhere. In fact that mantle went to Mclaren, Aston, and Ferrari on more occasions than not.

I might not have said "upper-midfield" , but maybe OP could have simply said "If they don't actually make inroads to the deficit to RB" since that is the more relevant matter, not whether they are 2nd in the WCC. You can be 2nd, and 1 second off.

[Just_a_fan]

Easier said than done if they're still an upper-midfield team by then.

Er, they're currently second in the constructors' title race behind the most dominant car of its era. I guess that's one definition of "upper-midfield" but most drivers would be happy in such a seat.

The drivers are flattering the car a bit. By contrast, Stroll is making Aston look worse than they are. Merc are not necessarily convincingly the 2nd fastest car anywhere. In fact that mantle went to Mclaren, Aston, and Ferrari on more occasions than not.

Team, not car. The comment was that they're an upper midfield team. They're not. As a team, they're outperforming those with ostensibly faster cars. With a faster car, they'll be leaving those others behind.