2021 AMG Mercedes F1 Team

[dans79]

Mark Hughes seems to think this will be Bottas's last season with the team, and that he already knows it.

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arti ... rrival-mph

Tuesday he seemed a curious mix of resolve and resignation. Reflective ahead of the battle and maybe knowing already what the outcome is likely to be. But ready to dig deeper than ever before regardless. As the song says, One more cup of coffee for the road. One more cup of coffee before I go. To the valley below.

[Manoah2u]

Mark Hughes seems to think this will be Bottas's last season with the team, and that he already knows it.

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arti ... rrival-mph

Tuesday he seemed a curious mix of resolve and resignation. Reflective ahead of the battle and maybe knowing already what the outcome is likely to be. But ready to dig deeper than ever before regardless. As the song says, One more cup of coffee for the road. One more cup of coffee before I go. To the valley below.

We all know it. Not only that, it's his last season in F1 anyway.

[Jolle]

I guess Bottas’ future at the Mercedes team depends 100% of Hamilton. Russell is a sure bet for the team in 2022.

[El Scorchio]

I guess Bottas’ future at the Mercedes team depends 100% of Hamilton. Russell is a sure bet for the team in 2022.

Agree.

I'd be very surprised if Bottas doesn't have other offers on the grid though, if he does leave the team. Whether they are offers he would want to take up are another matter.

[Jolle]

I guess Bottas’ future at the Mercedes team depends 100% of Hamilton. Russell is a sure bet for the team in 2022.

Agree.

I'd be very surprised if Bottas doesn't have other offers on the grid though, if he does leave the team. Whether they are offers he would want to take up are another matter.

I think it all depends where there is a seat available. Renault, Williams, Aston Martin and even Ferrari (in a second driver role) would be possible, despite the constant criticism from members here.

[djones]

Despite last season being short and Hamilton missing a race, he still managed to get more wins than Bottas has in his entire career combined.

I see no reason why after Mercedes any team would want him in their car. His race performances are consistently poor and it's not like he is young or brings strong sponsors.

EDIT - If I were Mercedes I would have put Russel in the car for 2021. Because if Hamilton leaves at the end of this year you would want a fast and up to speed (with the car/team) driver ready to fight for the championship in 2022.

[NathanOlder]

Despite last season being short and Hamilton missing a race, he still managed to get more wins than Bottas has in his entire career combined.

I see no reason why after Mercedes any team would want him in their car. His race performances are consistently poor and it's not like he is young or brings strong sponsors.

EDIT - If I were Mercedes I would have put Russel in the car for 2021. Because if Hamilton leaves at the end of this year you would want a fast and up to speed (with the car/team) driver ready to fight for the championship in 2022.

Maybe Mercedes already know Lewis won't leave. Lewis talks a lot about loyalty, so if he said he will stay, I think Mercedes will trust him.

[Manoah2u]

Despite last season being short and Hamilton missing a race, he still managed to get more wins than Bottas has in his entire career combined.

I see no reason why after Mercedes any team would want him in their car. His race performances are consistently poor and it's not like he is young or brings strong sponsors.

EDIT - If I were Mercedes I would have put Russel in the car for 2021. Because if Hamilton leaves at the end of this year you would want a fast and up to speed (with the car/team) driver ready to fight for the championship in 2022.

Maybe Mercedes already know Lewis won't leave. Lewis talks a lot about loyalty, so if he said he will stay, I think Mercedes will trust him.

Didn't make him stay at Mclaren though. When he gets a better offer elsewhere, he'll go.
And like Mclaren, @ Aston, he'll still be Mercedes-involved.

He wants more 'to say' in the team decisions and stuff like that was mentioned before. If Aston Martin grants him this 'wish', and Stroll grants him a big paycheck, he'll be gone in a flash. Have Stroll Sr make sure the Aston Martin safety cars will have 'Black Lives Matter' on their spoilers and Lewis will sign.

Meanwhile he'll still be driving essentially a Mercedes car/team, be 'just as safe' for the WDC, grab his 9th and 10th with AMR, beat Vettel in the same team, and glorify his name forever getting rid of the name he's only a champ because of the AMG car, and get some LH44 edition Aston Martins out there.

[PowerandtheGlory]

Despite last season being short and Hamilton missing a race, he still managed to get more wins than Bottas has in his entire career combined.

I see no reason why after Mercedes any team would want him in their car. His race performances are consistently poor and it's not like he is young or brings strong sponsors.

EDIT - If I were Mercedes I would have put Russel in the car for 2021. Because if Hamilton leaves at the end of this year you would want a fast and up to speed (with the car/team) driver ready to fight for the championship in 2022.

Maybe Mercedes already know Lewis won't leave. Lewis talks a lot about loyalty, so if he said he will stay, I think Mercedes will trust him.

Didn't make him stay at Mclaren though. When he gets a better offer elsewhere, he'll go.
And like Mclaren, @ Aston, he'll still be Mercedes-involved.

He wants more 'to say' in the team decisions and stuff like that was mentioned before. If Aston Martin grants him this 'wish', and Stroll grants him a big paycheck, he'll be gone in a flash. Have Stroll Sr make sure the Aston Martin safety cars will have 'Black Lives Matter' on their spoilers and Lewis will sign.

Meanwhile he'll still be driving essentially a Mercedes car/team, be 'just as safe' for the WDC, grab his 9th and 10th with AMR, beat Vettel in the same team, and glorify his name forever getting rid of the name he's only a champ because of the AMG car, and get some LH44 edition Aston Martins out there.

Brilliant!

[NathanOlder]

Time will tell but I can't see it unless Mercedes pull back and only stay as an engine supplier.

I mean where have all the rumours gone about Lewis joining Ferrari, and everyone wants to drive for the Tifosi?

Going from Mclaren to Mercedes was a step up and a step closer to Mercedes who were behind him from day 1, Once they stepped back from Mclaren and started their own team it wasn't a move away from 'home'. So Aston will only be an option if Merc move away, and if that happens Lewis will have to move anyway.

[Manoah2u]

Time will tell but I can't see it unless Mercedes pull back and only stay as an engine supplier.

I mean where have all the rumours gone about Lewis joining Ferrari, and everyone wants to drive for the Tifosi?

Going from Mclaren to Mercedes was a step up and a step closer to Mercedes who were behind him from day 1, Once they stepped back from Mclaren and started their own team it wasn't a move away from 'home'. So Aston will only be an option if Merc move away, and if that happens Lewis will have to move anyway.

Ferrari was always pretty questionable, not the least thanks to the failed past projects there, and because indeed his loyalty. The Reds now have their seats completely filled and the situation there wouldn't attract any big players right now, with all due respect to the current line-up.

From all the teams, it's RedBull most likely to 'challenge' for another WDC but with Honda's departure and 'freeze' even that is highly questionable.

It's most likely Hamilton will stay with Mercedes, unless things aren't certain to be the best for him the coming seasons.
And that one-year contract is a sign things aren't that clear cut at all.

One would argue that nobody would even hesitate to sign Hamilton's 'demands'. The fact that the same team that they were ultra-successfull with, actually doesn't, and that in the end they come up with a one-year deal because they couldnt 'agree' on the 'rest' (the following years) shows there's more to it than at first sight.

This, to me, opens up options to look / go elsewhere / just stop.

Every driver will look at his options, so that's really not important. Stopping is an option, but if he wanted to, he would have announced it and stopped right now already. He's definately going to atleast TRY for getting 10 titles.
He also has weight behind him, and he was denied. And let's not forget also some past serious friction with Mercedes.

Again, he can essentially get 95% of what he's driving now at Aston.
Bottas is trash and i'm confident Lewis in an Aston can beat Bottas in a Mercedes.
The only remaining variables are:
Russel / Verstappen.

Lewis plays it safe for 2021, stay at Merc. 2022 will see changes, and Aston Martin is certain to invest more than Mercedes is willing to. Merc has met their goals, Aston wants to meet them. Aston Martin also is the team that has shown to do the most with the smallest budget (ForceIndia legacy).
Building a pink Merc and now a green Merc is clearly part of a plan.

I am certain Hamilton would happily jump in on this plan given the right circumstances and offer.
Circumstances are already there, now all that's missing is the offer.

And Stroll Sr has already indicated an offer would definately be worth putting on the table.

Again, i'm not saying that it will happen.
However, thinking that 'loyalty' will keep him at Mercedes is just plain wrong.
Don't forget, 2016, Hamilton very much remembered how much loyalty Mercedes gave back to him.

[Zynerji]

I...cant....even...

[El Scorchio]

I don’t see how Aston are ever a better option while Mercedes is still a works team.

It’s retirement or Ferrari for Hamilton after he’s done at Mercedes. There’s no point in him signing on for a ‘project’ elsewhere. He will have retired by the time it comes to fruition.

2022 is either Hamilton and Russell or Bottas and Russell.

[MKlaus]

It’s retirement or Ferrari for Hamilton after he’s done at Mercedes.

does ferrari need him or want him? leclerec is doing a good job with the current situation. if the car is there to fight at the front, he has shown he can deliver. if hamilton goes to ferrari and if the car is still what it is, what can he do more. so its either mercedes or retirement.

[El Scorchio]

It’s retirement or Ferrari for Hamilton after he’s done at Mercedes.

does ferrari need him or want him? leclerec is doing a good job with the current situation. if the car is there to fight at the front, he has shown he can deliver. if hamilton goes to ferrari and if the car is still what it is, what can he do more. so its either mercedes or retirement.

I meant more in terms of what Hamilton might desire to do with his career after leaving Mercedes rather than Ferrari would actively pursue him. In his mind, it'll be Ferrari or retirement. For Ferrari, it would depend on whether they think Hamilton +1 would do a better job than what they have. But I think retirement is far, far more likely.

I'm going a bit off topic as this is going to become about Ferrari if I carry on this train of thought, so I'll leave it there!