2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[RonMexico]

. Sounds like to me there was 0 intention from Merc to have Lewis in the team beyond 2025

I think it's the other way around. Merc would have him if he wanted to stay, but they were fully expecting him to want to retire as a natural conclusion to his career for which he claimed Mercedes would be his last. This relationship is long in the tooth and Mercedes wasn't going to force Hamilton to stay but they weren't going to throw him out either.

Toto is a snake.. Lewis outplayed him

He has made a long list of errors so far this decade. I think it was a business decision to play hardball but at the end of the day their relationship might not have been all that rosy. George is Toto's puppet and Toto certainly needs to feel in control

[f1jcw]

I think it's the other way around. Merc would have him if he wanted to stay, but they were fully expecting him to want to retire as a natural conclusion to his career for which he claimed Mercedes would be his last. This relationship is long in the tooth and Mercedes wasn't going to force Hamilton to stay but they weren't going to throw him out either.

Toto is a snake.. Lewis outplayed him

He has made a long list of errors so far this decade. I think it was a business decision to play hardball but at the end of the day their relationship might not have been all that rosy. George is Toto's puppet and Toto certainly needs to feel in control

Basically it seems Merc didn’t want to renew Lewis after 2025, he was out the door at that point, and then scrambling/struggling to find a seat for 2026. He’s decided to jump early and embed himself in a team for 2026, much like he did with Merc 2013.

[mstar]

would it be funny if horner winds up toto and made a big offer to George if he is on a 1+1 ?? that piss off Toto so much he be driverless lol

[wiktor977]

Toto is a snake.. Lewis outplayed him

This.
I'm biased but I find this unbelivable, from a pure performance pov (Russell will carry the team ????) aswell as for the relation between Toto-Lewis

Toto made a bad gamble.. and Lewis outplayed him.. but George wants to be the alpha of the team

If Mercedes still has WC in mind, Russel will never be the alpha of the team. They have lost their alpha with Hamilton, now it's Toto's job to hire another alpha.

[mendis]

This thread is going to be something of a place this year with Mercedes closing doors on Lewis on development details of the car and using development parts in George's car. As the year progresses, we may see Lewis slowing either because he has given up on the car or George getting development parts leading to tussle.

Nobody stood behind Lewis like poor Toto did through thick and thin and he was so apologetic to Lewis when the car was bad, in return he is now being blamed and being called names. He unabashedly stated their goal as winning another title for Lewis despite having George alongside. George was unlike a compliant Bottas and so competitive was the reason for hate towards him, which I think would be dished to Charles I am afraid at Ferrari. Hopefully George can lead the team in the more competitive direction.

[101FlyingDutchman]

This thread is going to be something of a place this year with Mercedes closing doors on Lewis on development details of the car and using development parts in George's car. As the year progresses, we may see Lewis slowing either because he has given up on the car or George getting development parts leading to tussle.

Nobody stood behind Lewis like poor Toto did through thick and thin and he was so apologetic to Lewis when the car was bad, in return he is now being blamed and being called names. He unabashedly stated their goal as winning another title for Lewis despite having George alongside. George was unlike a compliant Bottas and so competitive was the reason for hate towards him, which I think would be dished to Charles I am afraid at Ferrari. Hopefully George can lead the team in the more competitive direction.

I agree with you. I bet Toto supported Lewis in being long term ambassador for Merc. Bet top brass decided against the “demands” whilst Elkann pulled out all the stops.
Toto has been utterly loyal to him so to now blame him is rather rich

[Sevach]

I think it's the other way around. Merc would have him if he wanted to stay, but they were fully expecting him to want to retire as a natural conclusion to his career for which he claimed Mercedes would be his last. This relationship is long in the tooth and Mercedes wasn't going to force Hamilton to stay but they weren't going to throw him out either.

Toto is a snake.. Lewis outplayed him

He has made a long list of errors so far this decade. I think it was a business decision to play hardball but at the end of the day their relationship might not have been all that rosy. George is Toto's puppet and Toto certainly needs to feel in control

This divorce is getting ugly already...

[mendis]

This thread is going to be something of a place this year with Mercedes closing doors on Lewis on development details of the car and using development parts in George's car. As the year progresses, we may see Lewis slowing either because he has given up on the car or George getting development parts leading to tussle.

Nobody stood behind Lewis like poor Toto did through thick and thin and he was so apologetic to Lewis when the car was bad, in return he is now being blamed and being called names. He unabashedly stated their goal as winning another title for Lewis despite having George alongside. George was unlike a compliant Bottas and so competitive was the reason for hate towards him, which I think would be dished to Charles I am afraid at Ferrari. Hopefully George can lead the team in the more competitive direction.

I agree with you. I bet Toto supported Lewis in being long term ambassador for Merc. Bet top brass decided against the “demands” whilst Elkann pulled out all the stops.
Toto has been utterly loyal to him so to now blame him is rather rich

I never understood why Mercedes would require a brand ambassador and I guess that's what Daimler board thinks too. Mercedes is known brand in every nook and corner of the world, including in places where F1 isn't a popular sport and has a segment of buyers loyally established. They have divested their stakes in race team to just keep 1/3rd of it. They are just a business house that does business without emotions.

Some report says it was Elkann who has played a major hand in pulling Lewis and Fred Vasseur is just a party that was informed. Charles is Fred's puppy and that's a difficult proposition for Fred now to manage his new lineup in 2025. Charles played a role in dumping Mattia Binotto that paved way for Fred to join Ferrari. Good luck to him.

[f1jcw]

Toto is a snake.. Lewis outplayed him

He has made a long list of errors so far this decade. I think it was a business decision to play hardball but at the end of the day their relationship might not have been all that rosy. George is Toto's puppet and Toto certainly needs to feel in control

This divorce is getting ugly already...

A lot of the ugly is coming from non Lewis/Merc fans who have a grudge against Lewis or Toto

[Cs98]

This thread is going to be something of a place this year with Mercedes closing doors on Lewis on development details of the car and using development parts in George's car. As the year progresses, we may see Lewis slowing either because he has given up on the car or George getting development parts leading to tussle.

Nobody stood behind Lewis like poor Toto did through thick and thin and he was so apologetic to Lewis when the car was bad, in return he is now being blamed and being called names. He unabashedly stated their goal as winning another title for Lewis despite having George alongside. George was unlike a compliant Bottas and so competitive was the reason for hate towards him, which I think would be dished to Charles I am afraid at Ferrari. Hopefully George can lead the team in the more competitive direction.

What do Rosberg, George, Toto, and future Leclerc have in common?

[Venturiation]

Aston Martin wanted james
What contract does he have?

[DGP123]

Rumours spreading like wildfire now. Wouldn’t believe 99% of what you read in the next few weeks.

[zeroday]

They didn't want him after 2025, they offered him a 1+1 deal instead of 2+1

Historically, Lewis prefers short contracts -- he knows his value and abilities so he doesn't need long contracts out of personal fear -- and so him going for a 1+1 seemed more like his choice more than MER preference. No one can deny he was getting frustrated by MER mistakes over these 2 years under the technical "leadership" of Mike Elliott (and some board negotiation decisions), and so he was giving himself an intelligent out. No way he would have signed a 2+1, even if MER wanted it. Lewis isn't stupid.

FER has given Lewis the key to the kingdom and a blank cheque -- he is back to being the highest paid driver in F1 and possibly the highest in the world again -- but you can bet good money Lewis has also signed a 1+1 contract with them too.

[AR3-GP]

Aston Martin wanted james
What contract does he have?

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/arti ... kMn1Z.html

[zeroday]

Loïc Serra who on the direction of the 22/23 cars disagreed with Mike Elliott.

Actually it was BOTH Serra and Hamilton that disagreed with Elliott. Serra left, and now Hamilton is leaving too. So i'm sure at least part of the reason for Hamilton leaving is because of Elliott's bad choices (and the engineering team not changing course once they knew, even when Hamilton kept telling them) that doomed Mercedes. I'm also sure poor negotiations by MER during contract time, and Hamilton's desire to be at FER before he retires, like all F1 drivers dream. Even Newey said the other day, his biggest regret is never working with FER nor Hamilton.