Lewis Hamilton is scheduled to engage in crucial discussions regarding his contract with Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff, on Monday. This eagerly anticipated meeting will serve as an opportunity for both parties to deliberate and negotiate the terms of their future collaboration.
In the vibrant city of Barcelona, whispers of strain between the illustrious seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, and his teammate George Russell reached a boiling point when the duo encountered a high-speed collision during Q3.
While Mercedes attempted to downplay the incident, the astute observations of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher suggest that there might be deeper layers to this unfolding saga.
“George didn’t want to give Lewis a slipstream and closed the door. That is my analysis,” he told Sky Deutschland.“The young challenger wants to replace the top dog. They don’t get along that well in private either.”
Even Hamilton’s ex-teammate, Nico Rosberg, has gone as far as proposing that an apology from Hamilton himself might be in order. Rosberg’s unexpected suggestion adds an intriguing twist to the narrative, fueling further speculation and discussion surrounding the situation.
“It reminded me a little of 2016,” that season’s world champion told Sport1. George didn’t want to let Lewis pass, but he apologized afterward. I also think Lewis should apologize because he was the car that was behind,’ Rosberg quipped.
“In the end it was unfortunate,” Rosberg added, “but I think there will still be serious discussions.
“We can’t forget that this rivalry at Mercedes is already intense – George is really there and pushing Lewis very hard.”
This sentiment appears to be mirrored in the contract negotiations as well, as reports suggest that Mercedes has exercised their option to extend George Russell’s contract until 2025.
In contrast, the 38-year-old Lewis Hamilton has yet to finalize his agreement, leaving his future beyond 2023 uncertain. The disparity between the contract situations of the two drivers adds another layer of intrigue to their ongoing saga.
The seven-time world champion after sensationally securing a P2 finish at the Spanish Grand Prix remarked: “Well, I haven’t signed anything yet but I think we’re meeting with Toto tomorrow, so hopefully we can get something done.”
Hamilton adamantly refuted any claims of dropping any hint regarding a virtually finalized 2024 contract. The acclaimed driver clarified that such speculation is unfounded, emphasizing that the details of his future agreements are still being diligently worked out.
“Yeah, it wasn’t a subtle hint,” he insisted. “We’ve had so many meetings. It’s just another one of the meetings that we’re having.
“And you can see from my result today that my performance is not affected by that.”
Expressing his optimism, Toto Wolff stated on Sunday that he foresees the upcoming meeting with Hamilton to be a brief affair, estimating it to last no more than “half an hour” before reaching a mutually beneficial resolution.
Furthermore, a spokesperson from the team echoed this sentiment, affirming that there are no significant obstacles hindering the swift conclusion of the deal.
The timing of these discussions also comes as a welcomed development for Toto Wolff, coinciding with the team’s introduction of their improved ‘B’ car. This upgrade marks a notable stride forward for a team that faced challenges throughout 2022 and 2023 with their unconventional ‘no sidepods’ concept.
The positive progress made by the team adds an encouraging backdrop to the ongoing contract negotiations.
“The direction of development is right, it’s going uphill. But it’s like a share price – there can also be setbacks,” said Toto Wolff
Hamilton subtly implied that Mercedes should strive to strike the right “balance” between ongoing upgrades to their 2023 car and shifting their attention towards next year’s car.
This delicate equilibrium, he suggested, is crucial for the team’s success as they navigate the challenges of the current season while keeping an eye on future endeavours.
“They (Red Bull) are so far ahead and ultimately Max will continue to win this year,” he said.
“That means they can start on their development for next year sooner, earlier than anyone else if they haven’t already – and that’s the danger.”
