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Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard feels that Lewis Hamilton might not be interested in a long-term recovery project with Mercedes. The F1 legend is in the last season of his current contract and there have been rumors that a new deal is imminent.
Hamilton was also one of the drivers who used to claim early in his career that he would not continue in F1 beyond a certain age.
Talking about that claim, David Coulthard admitted that Lewis Hamilton is not the only driver to have ever made that claim and there have been quite a few drivers in the past that have done the same. Having said that, looking at Fernando Alonso continuing to perform at almost 42 years of age, Hamilton will feel that he can emulate that.
Coulthard did however caution that Hamilton will only commit to Mercedes if he's confident that he can win with the team next season. The driver will not be looking at a two-three-year project before the car is good. Coulthard told PA:
“I am sure there are quotes from drivers when they were younger, who said they could not see themselves racing into their late 30s and beyond. I am sure Lewis will have said something similar. But he’ll look at Fernando Alonso, and think ‘if Fernando, who is 42 this month, is still competitive, then why not me?'"
He added:
“However, the only reason for Hamilton to hang around is to try and win races and compete for championships. Scoring points will not change his life. He needs to see what Mercedes can show him that gives him the confidence he will be competitive next year, rather than having to stay around for another three seasons.”
Lewis Hamilton's relationship with Mercedes precedes Toto Wolff
David Coulthard felt that there was no possible scenario where Lewis Hamilton will have a fallout of sorts with Mercedes. The driver has been associated with the brand much before Toto Wolff ever joined the team and such a long relationship does not end abruptly.
“I don’t think there is any realistic chance that Lewis will leave Mercedes unless there is a major fallout," Coulthard said. "And I can’t see that happening. Who would the major fallout be with? Even if it was with Toto, Lewis’ relationship with Mercedes’ parent company Daimler is much longer than Toto’s emergence as team principal of Mercedes.”
Lewis Hamilton's contract negotiations have continued to meander for a while now. It is interesting to see the driver not announce his contract at Silverstone because it also means that there are still some negotiations pending on both sides. All this is doing is fueling speculation around Mercedes and that is never a good thing.
