2025 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari

[littlebigcat]

the team is now Russell's, Hamilton and Merc gonna have an akward year.

Mercedes will never be Russell’s

[basti313]

I don't think Hamilton makes it to Ferrari. I think he's 2024 WDC and simply retires.

Remember, Nico signed an extension in 2016 before he retired.

There is too much history to preserve at Mercedes if he hits 8xWDC. Heck, Merc could pay him $1B to retire and be THE brand ambassador.

I don't think we see him in red if the W15 is a championship capable car that mints him as the undisputed GOAT with #8.

Merc gonna beat Red Bull and Verstappen? I don't think so. And also I don't think Hamilton is gonna get the support that he used to get, the team is now Russell's, Hamilton and Merc gonna have an akward year.

Its literally worth 10B in marketing value for Mercedes Benz over the next 10 years to have Hamilton as their Brand ambassador. Do not think large amounts of money and effort are not still being invested into having Hamilton win so he is wearing Mercedes overalls for the history-making photos if he gets his 8th.

It's almost priceless.

Where does this come from?
Neither the brand strategy nor the current ambassadors fit Merc making a cent with any ambassador.

If it would have been about marketing value and money, they would have buttered him before signing the Ferrari deal. Or at least Ham would have asked for some butter on the toast. But I do not see how it is about money, it is about winning.

[Zynerji]

Merc gonna beat Red Bull and Verstappen? I don't think so. And also I don't think Hamilton is gonna get the support that he used to get, the team is now Russell's, Hamilton and Merc gonna have an akward year.

Its literally worth 10B in marketing value for Mercedes Benz over the next 10 years to have Hamilton as their Brand ambassador. Do not think large amounts of money and effort are not still being invested into having Hamilton win so he is wearing Mercedes overalls for the history-making photos if he gets his 8th.

It's almost priceless.

Where does this come from?
Neither the brand strategy nor the current ambassadors fit Merc making a cent with any ambassador.

If it would have been about marketing value and money, they would have buttered him before signing the Ferrari deal. Or at least Ham would have asked for some butter on the toast. But I do not see how it is about money, it is about winning.

Meh

[Cs98]

Its literally worth 10B in marketing value for Mercedes Benz over the next 10 years to have Hamilton as their Brand ambassador. Do not think large amounts of money and effort are not still being invested into having Hamilton win so he is wearing Mercedes overalls for the history-making photos if he gets his 8th.

It's almost priceless.

Where does this come from?
Neither the brand strategy nor the current ambassadors fit Merc making a cent with any ambassador.

If it would have been about marketing value and money, they would have buttered him before signing the Ferrari deal. Or at least Ham would have asked for some butter on the toast. But I do not see how it is about money, it is about winning.

Meh

Meh answer when asked to provide backing for a meh assertion.

[Zynerji]

Where does this come from?
Neither the brand strategy nor the current ambassadors fit Merc making a cent with any ambassador.

If it would have been about marketing value and money, they would have buttered him before signing the Ferrari deal. Or at least Ham would have asked for some butter on the toast. But I do not see how it is about money, it is about winning.

Meh

Meh answer when asked to provide backing for a meh assertion.

F1s entire existence is about marketing value, and certain things, like an 8xWDC in the most competitive sport in the world, are simply priceless.

If Hamilton wins 8 this year, his value to Mercedes over time is incalculable. Expect a big offer to incentivize retirement.

[Cs98]

Meh

Meh answer when asked to provide backing for a meh assertion.

F1s entire existence is about marketing value, and certain things, like an 8xWDC in the most competitive sport in the world, are simply priceless.

If Hamilton wins 8 this year, his value to Mercedes over time is incalculable. Expect a big offer to incentivize retirement.

Hogwash. If they thought he was invaluable they would have moved heaven and earth to keep him, but they didn't. I get it's fun to throw around words like "priceless" and "incalculable", but they are completely meaningless when you back them up with nothing.

[f1isgood]

Meh answer when asked to provide backing for a meh assertion.

F1s entire existence is about marketing value, and certain things, like an 8xWDC in the most competitive sport in the world, are simply priceless.

If Hamilton wins 8 this year, his value to Mercedes over time is incalculable. Expect a big offer to incentivize retirement.

Hogwash. If they thought he was invaluable they would have moved heaven and earth to keep him, but they didn't. I get it's fun to throw around words like "priceless" and "incalculable", but they are completely meaningless when you back them up with nothing.

Yeah this is basically it. Why would Mercedes not offer Hamilton what he gets at Ferrari and more, if they think* he is actually worth that? They don't think he's worth what Ferrari are offering, and decided to part ways in supposedly an amicable manner.

[Vanja #66]

Mercedes never got the chance to make a counter offer. He decided to leave them, explained why and his decision was final. It was all made quite clear and public.

[dialtone]

Mercedes never got the chance to make a counter offer. He decided to leave them, explained why and his decision was final. It was all made quite clear and public.

To think a 7x WDC is going to negotiate his potentially last contract like a normal first contract driver... This in itself is insulting from Mercedes.

[Vanja #66]

To think a 7x WDC is going to negotiate his potentially last contract like a normal first contract driver... This in itself is insulting from Mercedes.

I'm just here to remind the folk everything is public, available and verifiable The reality is Hamilton choses the team, not vice versa. As does Alonso, as does Max, as do Leclerc, Lando and Piastri even...

[AR3-GP]

The Merc situation was just not appealing to him. It’s that simple. You don’t leave when you are happy. People saying it’s not about the car are being naive.

In any case, no last minute counteroffer was going to save this. They already spent a year deciding what he was worth with the last contract and wasting his time with the last car. It’s dead.

[bluechris]

For me the relationship lasted too long and the last year's there were troubles so i understand Hamilton to seek a more pretty fiancé. A fiancé that he was eyeing her since he was a teenager at school (at least he things so, who am i to judge ).

[Luscion]

I think one of the reasons for him leaving Merc is them potentially not giving him a seat for 2026 which it seems like he has that with Ferrari. Obviously, there were only rumors about the higher ups at Merc not wanting to give him the 3 years he was asking for but also the way Toto talked about it, saying he knew their time with Lewis would naturally come to end eventually but expected it to be at the end of 2025

[Andres125sx]

Are you really so cheeky to state this after bashing Sainz at any minimal oportunity????

OMG

Last time - pointing out his many errors in races in the last 2 years is not bashing. He's proven to be at least as fast as Vettel compared to Leclerc and not maximising his chances hurts both him and the team.

Sure Vanja, sure...

It´s been too much bashing, for years, to now try to show yourself as a balanced fan

[mendis]

Meh

Meh answer when asked to provide backing for a meh assertion.

F1s entire existence is about marketing value, and certain things, like an 8xWDC in the most competitive sport in the world, are simply priceless.

If Hamilton wins 8 this year, his value to Mercedes over time is incalculable. Expect a big offer to incentivize retirement.

I have said this before. Mercedes is a bigger and far reaching brand than Lewis. Not every country follows F1 and Mercedes is well known in each of those, like the country I belong to. F1 is just a bit of an urban thing for a small populace in most countries. It's not the average F1 or Lewis Hamilton fan that buys the Mercedes line of cars on a regular basis. Mostly they are corporate honchos and elites, who would like to think they bigger than they are. They adopt brands that goes well with such a mindset and elevate their perception.

Apple is a brand that doesn't require a star as it's a matter of possession for those that think they are wealthy. Same goes for many designer brands. Same goes for Ferrari.