2016 Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team - Mercedes

[Phillyred]

I think once they have the constructor's championship locked up then we'll see some activity. Honestly though, I think Lewis should seek greener pastures after this year despite his contract through 2018. I think a seat at Ferrari would be nice.

[dans79]

I think once they have the constructor's championship locked up then we'll see some activity. Honestly though, I think Lewis should seek greener pastures after this year despite his contract through 2018. I think a seat at Ferrari would be nice.

I find that highly unlikely, as Merc is a perfect fit for his lifestyle. If I had to place a bet, I think it would be more likely he drives Nico out.

[Phillyred]

I think once they have the constructor's championship locked up then we'll see some activity. Honestly though, I think Lewis should seek greener pastures after this year despite his contract through 2018. I think a seat at Ferrari would be nice.

I find that highly unlikely, as Merc is a perfect fit for his lifestyle. If I had to place a bet, I think it would be more likely he drives Nico out.

Agreed about the lifestyle aspect, but I just wonder how much longer Mercedes can stay on top and give Lewis the car he needs to challenge for more WDCs.

[ClarkBT11]

I'd like to see both drivers in a car that isn't the best. That's when they prove that's why they get paid top dollar and put a dog of a car on the podium.
Have those days gone with the Pirelli's?
What is Rosberg like with a car with bad balance? You could think of drives with Hamilton were he outperforms his car like every other world champion.

[Gettingonabit]

I find this talk about Rosberg being the fall guy at Merc strange, how can anyone be sure it isn't Ham that would get the chop? I haven't seen anything in what Toto has said that indicates it would necessarily be Ros.

If his position was tenuous in the team I would have expected Toto to at least apportion the blame for Austria to the guilty party - but he hasn't.

Or have I missed something?

[Jolle]

@jolle

Lauda spilling the beans in this makes him far from innocent.

That was what I was saying I thought? Not good from ham to do that and not good from Niki to tell the press, especially when Ham is doing the upmost to keep any form of dissatisfaction contained within the team.

[Jolle]

I find this talk about Rosberg being the fall guy at Merc strange, how can anyone be sure it isn't Ham that would get the chop? I haven't seen anything in what Toto has said that indicates it would necessarily be Ros.

If his position was tenuous in the team I would have expected Toto to at least apportion the blame for Austria to the guilty party - but he hasn't.

Or have I missed something?

They did it publicly after Belgium '14. Didn't work. They will keep this internally. That's why the only statements and interviews about it was in very general terms. Only Niki, right after slipped up with saying "looks like Nico". After Barcelona the same, even the drivers were very quiet.
After Austria Hamilton of course didn't care and was more like "whatever, I won". The only one who went into detail was Rosberg. Not his best moments.

[dans79]

I find this talk about Rosberg being the fall guy at Merc strange, how can anyone be sure it isn't Ham that would get the chop? I haven't seen anything in what Toto has said that indicates it would necessarily be Ros.

If his position was tenuous in the team I would have expected Toto to at least apportion the blame for Austria to the guilty party - but he hasn't.

Or have I missed something?

Lewis already has a very large contract, that would probably cost Merc a lot of Money to cancel. Nico's contract is up at the end of the season, and he hasn't signed an extension yet. Also, Merc would take a larger PR/marketing hit for firing Lewis.

[Jolle]

I find this talk about Rosberg being the fall guy at Merc strange, how can anyone be sure it isn't Ham that would get the chop? I haven't seen anything in what Toto has said that indicates it would necessarily be Ros.

If his position was tenuous in the team I would have expected Toto to at least apportion the blame for Austria to the guilty party - but he hasn't.

Or have I missed something?

Lewis already has a very large contract, that would probably cost Merc a lot of Money to cancel. Nico's contract is up at the end of the season, and hasn't signed an extension yet. Also Merc would also take a larger PR/marketing hit for firing Lewis.

I don't agree with the PR bit. Firing the wild kid can almost have a positive effect, firing the calm family man always has a negative effect.

The problem is only that Rosberg has the unwanted behavior, not Hamilton.

[Just_a_fan]

I find this talk about Rosberg being the fall guy at Merc strange, how can anyone be sure it isn't Ham that would get the chop? I haven't seen anything in what Toto has said that indicates it would necessarily be Ros.

If his position was tenuous in the team I would have expected Toto to at least apportion the blame for Austria to the guilty party - but he hasn't.

Or have I missed something?

Lewis already has a very large contract, that would probably cost Merc a lot of Money to cancel. Nico's contract is up at the end of the season, and hasn't signed an extension yet. Also Merc would also take a larger PR/marketing hit for firing Lewis.

I don't agree with the PR bit. Firing the wild kid can almost have a positive effect, firing the calm family man always has a negative effect.

The problem is only that Rosberg has the unwanted behavior, not Hamilton.

What would be the PR effect of firing the massively successful black guy and keeping the much less successful white guy? Positive or negative?

Or how about firing the Brit and keeping the German just after the Brexit vote? Remembering also that the team is British in all but name.

Dropping the champion has been done before, of course. Notably, Williams did it twice: first with Mansell and later with Hill. Both Brits dropped by a Brit team having just won the title. Then, of course, it was about salary demands and Williams has never paid his drivers top dollar.

The reality is that the Hamilton/Rosberg relationship is marketing gold for Mercedes. They're in the media constantly because of it but not in a bad way, really. Compare Ferrari and Mercedes currently. Who would you rather be - the famous supercar maker or the boring saloon car maker beating them even with two battling drivers? Toto might be hating it but I bet the MB board aren't.

[Jolle]

Lewis already has a very large contract, that would probably cost Merc a lot of Money to cancel. Nico's contract is up at the end of the season, and hasn't signed an extension yet. Also Merc would also take a larger PR/marketing hit for firing Lewis.

I don't agree with the PR bit. Firing the wild kid can almost have a positive effect, firing the calm family man always has a negative effect.

The problem is only that Rosberg has the unwanted behavior, not Hamilton.

What would be the PR effect of firing the massively successful black guy and keeping the much less successful white guy? Positive or negative?

Or how about firing the Brit and keeping the German just after the Brexit vote? Remembering also that the team is British in all but name.

Dropping the champion has been done before, of course. Notably, Williams did it twice: first with Mansell and later with Hill. Both Brits dropped by a Brit team having just won the title. Then, of course, it was about salary demands and Williams has never paid his drivers top dollar.

The reality is that the Hamilton/Rosberg relationship is marketing gold for Mercedes. They're in the media constantly because of it but not in a bad way, really. Compare Ferrari and Mercedes currently. Who would you rather be - the famous supercar maker or the boring saloon car maker beating them even with two battling drivers? Toto might be hating it but I bet the MB board aren't.

I agree with you that MB has the best two characters to refelect their wide range of products and image. I think Hamilton especially did a great deal to make MB less boring.

The simplest solution is to do a clarckson, just not renew Rosberg's contract.
But for Hamilton, it would be reletive easy to stir up some controversy and let him off like that (but they won't)

The matter of fact is, even with his busy social-network life, Hamilton is very professional on and around the track. Almost can't believe this is the same guy as in 2011, Mercedes has done him good.

[dans79]

I don't agree with the PR bit. Firing the wild kid can almost have a positive effect, firing the calm family man always has a negative effect.

The problem is only that Rosberg has the unwanted behavior, not Hamilton.

It depends on the demographic you are targeting with your pr/marketing.

[PlatinumZealot]

Toto said the crash in Austria has no bearing on Nico's contract because he has allowed the drivers to race and he can easily fix it all with team orders. I think Nico is here to stay. It is Lewis I feel will bail out after things get too awkward. The owners want the home grown German boy to win not the cuckoo that Ross Brawn put in the nest.

[iotar__]

Toto said the crash in Austria has no bearing on Nico's contract because he has allowed the drivers to race and he can easily fix it all with team orders. I think Nico is here to stay. It is Lewis I feel will bail out after things get too awkward. The owners want the home grown German boy to win not the cuckoo that Ross Brawn put in the nest.

Complete and utter nonsense easily disproved with unpleasant reality. Count how many times Mercedes wanted Hamilton to win in the last season 2 and (the horror of actual world) he actually did, against as you eloquently put home grown (list below). Brawn didn't put Hamilton there anyway, Lauda and Ecclestone did.

Of course the fact that Brawn is British as is Lowe, Whiting - avoided penalties (recent - Spain and not recent - Germany '14 blatant changing line in the braking zone) and many others:
- sporting director Clear
- main strategy bloke,
- Rosberg's RE etc.
is conveniently not included in your nationality equation. Dishonest and common double standards. It wasn't British bias that gave Hamilton one title at McL and two chances for titles (2010, 2007) he himself spectacularly blew, was it?

Is this the current (someone else earlier) nonsense that is sold to excuse pace (Austria, Baku), crashes (Baku, Spain), dirty driving (Canada) and starts failures (just about every race with some competition)? This situation won't affect Rosberg contract that's the only part that is true but how convenient is that the contract is not signed and Wolff can still talk about (for 100th time).

If you want someone who prefers Hamilton winning and openly said it many time check Bernie Ecclestone - person who can affect technical and sporting rules and decisions, that has influence over money transferred to teams and FIA. You don't see a problem and consequences (blatant penalties ignores like in Spain)?

Code: Select all

- team orders not used in Hungary on a different strategy to lose a win and disadvantage a driver who only lost the lead through 
- lying about the reasons "We cannot ask either driver to give up positions or jeopardise their own championship chances for the benefit of the team."
- team orders used in Monaco against the leading driver on the same strategy in favour of Hamilton
-  different reactions to Spa and on the other hand to Spain (without a doubt biggest of them all), Bahrain, USA, Japan, the real world of internal penalty against Rosberg and zero or small reaction against Hamilton. Every single one of the those ends in collision caused by Hamilton had Rosberg stayed on track or not braked
- strategy - Barcelona, Bahrain '14 (save fuel and different tyres) , Australia '15 (save fuel to attack on the last lap), Silverstone '15 (wrong pitstop when Rosberg  was quicker and closing) when Hamilton was in front,   something opposite when it was Rosberg in front (USA, Brazil or indeed Austria '16 tyres and undercut) Can find more but how about you provide some examples?
- engine and other problems of unprecedented magnitude that started at Monza (two engine failures), continued in Russia (bizarre pedal malfunction) and Japan '15 (engine at the start) that decided '15 championship
- Singapore "servicing substance contamination" at the crucial late stage of '14,  that was one of most important elements deciding championship, it happens to Hamilton Rosberg is most likely WC
- reaction to Hamilton's excuses after getting thoroughly beaten and outpaced by Rosberg in the last part of the '15 season and him lying about strategy (nothing wrong with those as proven in Brazil), invented very late and backwards car excuses (minor pre Singapore changes) I don't recall any investigations into Rosberg's slumps in form. Would that be unequal treatment based on nationality to you?

About the last example: Lauda's revealing that Hamilton is a liar now (we're good fiends ) is pointless, at that moment they didn't say he was lying but announced BS marketing "investigation into Hamilton's slump in form". With no conclusion because answers were known and simple - Rosberg was better. The same reason as now - not made up excuses.

[Just_a_fan]

I think once they have the constructor's championship locked up then we'll see some activity. Honestly though, I think Lewis should seek greener pastures after this year despite his contract through 2018. I think a seat at Ferrari would be nice.

Vettel won't want Hamilton in the other car.

Hamilton wants to win so he'll want to be in either the Mercedes or Red Bull. With the more aero focussed 2017 regs, RedBull might be a good bet if Mercedes suggests he leaves them early.

There's only three teams that can afford Hamilton. He's at one, one has a star driver who won't want the competition. That leaves the third which is RBR.