Mercedes-Benz

BERNIE ECCLESTONE has called on Mercedes to offer Lewis Hamilton a ‘take it or leave it’ contract.
Negotiations over the world champion’s seat in the coming season continue to rumble on.

Bernie Ecclestone has given his take on Lewis Hamilton’s contract sagaCredit: AP:Associated Press

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff had promised that an agreement would be found ‘soon’ but Hamilton remains the only driver on the grid without a contract.
Ecclestone, 90, ran the Brabham team in the 1970s and 80s before heading F1 itself for a number of decades and he set out how he would approach the Hamilton talks.
He told F1 Insider: “I would have made it quite clear to Lewis.
“Either you take what we offer you now – or you leave it.

“Everyone is replaceable. Only one person decides who drives here – and that’s me!”
Ecclestone recalled a similar negotiation with multiple world champion Nelson Piquet at Brabham in the mid-1980s.

Hamilton is yet to confirm his Mercedes seat for 2021Credit: PA:Press Association

Ecclestone recalled his attempt to bring Ayrton Senna to Brabham in 1984Credit: Reuters
An up-and-coming Ayrton Senna had caught the Brit’s eye but star man Piquet helped veto the call.
Ecclestone continued: “In 1983 we became world champion with Nelson Piquet.

“I had to decide who would drive alongside him in 1984. We had an extremely good test with a young Brazilian driver called Ayrton Senna.
“I wanted him. When Nelson heard about it, he really got upset and reacted like a defiant child.
“He absolutely did not want Senna as a team-mate. He immediately recognised his potential. But I didn’t care.
“Our main sponsor Parmalat didn’t want two Brazilians. I weighed everything carefully.
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“In the end, peace in the team was more important to me.
“But since I was also the head of the constructors’ association, I made sure that Senna got a job elsewhere, with Toleman.
“I knew he was going to be the future superstar, so I really wanted to see him in Formula One.”

Lewis Hamilton hikes to the top of a mountain every morning to ‘set his goals’ More

LEWIS HAMILTON’S delay in agreeing a new contract with Mercedes has become ’embarrassing’, according to Ralf Schumacher.
The Brit equalled Ralf’s brother Michael’s record of seven world championship titles last year.

Lewis Hamilton is yet to put pen to paper on a contract to race in 2021Credit: PA:Press Association

Ralf Schumacher, with brother Michael, believes a deal should have been signed by nowCredit: AFP

But a deal to race in 2021 is still yet to be signed, making the defending champ the last driver on the grid to agree to race next season.
For Schumacher, the delay has gone on long enough.
He is quoted by Speedweek as describing the situation as: “A shame and almost a bit embarrassing.”
He added: “It’s February now, and the most important man in Formula One, the seven-time world champion, has still not been confirmed.

“I always hear that it’s all about the money, but I hope that’s not true.
“Hamilton in particular, given his humanitarian streak, has to understand that you cannot demand 100 per cent in these times.

“And Hamilton also has to be clear – Formula One is bigger than any individual.

“Maybe Hamilton should give himself a jolt now.”
Schumacher, who won six F1 races during a decade-long career in the sport, also reminded Hamilton that Mercedes are not tied to the 36-year-old.
George Russell impressed when replacing Hamilton for a race last year.
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And the German believes the ‘risk’ of being permanently dropped for a younger driver is something the defending champ should ‘never forget’.
Reports this week suggested Merc have given their star a one-month deadline to put pen to paper.
Team boss Toto Wolff said recently that an agreement will be reached ‘soon’ but ruled out a three-year contract.
Former F1 chief Eddie Jordan has told SunSport that he believes Hamilton wants to negotiate a better cut of sponsorship and TV money.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reveals Lewis Hamilton arguing with Mercedes and curveballs thrown at lawyers in messy contract saga More

THE DOMINATION of Mercedes in Formula One is a ‘problem’ for the sport ahead of a familiar-looking 2021 season, says Eddie Jordan.
Lewis Hamilton is the clear favourite for a record-breaking eighth title with a team that has stood head and shoulders above its rivals for the best part of a decade.

Lewis Hamilton is the huge favourite for an eighth F1 world titleCredit: Reuters

Former team boss Eddie Jordan worries about Mercedes’ dominationCredit: Getty Images

F1 is set to enact a rule overhaul in 12 months’ time, partly as a result of Mercedes’ unchallenged supremacy.
But the year ahead is likely to look rather similar to the previous seasons that the Mercs, and 36-year-old Hamilton in particular, have dominated.
Former team boss Jordan told BBC Scotland: “The sport is in a difficult situation because no-one can put their finger on Mercedes.
“They do it better than anybody else.

“Racing Point won a race last year, that was amazing from Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen won the last race but that shouldn’t confuse people into thinking it will be much more open.
“Mercedes have the best people and the best engine, so how can they not win the championship? That’s a problem for me.
“It’s difficult to find the right sponsorship and you’re just not going to compete with that.”

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Mercedes were on pole for all but two races in 2020 and Hamilton won the title by 124 points despite missing the Sakhir Grand Prix with coronavirus.

The Brit is the final racer to be confirmed for the new season having so far failed to agree a new contract with the German marque.
Merc boss Toto Wolff recently claimed the deal will be signed ‘soon’ – but will not be a long-term contract.
Hamilton is enjoying a winter break in the United States, where he is hiking a mountain every morning amid the negotiations.
Last week, 72-year-old Jordan told SunSport that he believes the driver wants a larger share of the television and sponsorship money he helps bring into the team.
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He explained: “Lewis is saying, ‘Look guys, this is my salary, is this what I am being paid as a driver and for various other things that go along with the interviews and other aspects?
“‘But am I being compensated for bringing in sponsors? Am I being compensated for the arrival of Ineos?
“‘Am I being compensated for the increased television income you are getting as the constructors’ champion in the form of TV money?'”

Lewis Hamilton hikes to the top of a mountain every morning to ‘set his goals’ More

LEWIS HAMILTON will sign his new Mercedes contract ‘soon’, Toto Wolff has confirmed.
The constructors champions are the last Formula One team able to formally confirm their line-up for the 2021 season.

Lewis Hamilton is set to stay at Mercedes with team boss Toto WolffCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Negotiations are thought to have been thrown off by Wolff contracting coronavirus earlier this month with the team boss speaking of ‘curveballs’ delaying an agreement.
But, in conversation with German outlet RTL, the 49-year-old insisted that the deal will be signed ‘soon’.
The timing of the agreement will enable Hamilton to be in the car for the start of the new season and March’s testing in Bahrain.
Wolff stated his belief that the parties must come to a ‘sensible agreement’.

And he added that Mercedes and Hamilton are ‘not far’ from settling on a package.
The seven-time world champion is thought to be holding out for a £40million salary plus entitlements to TV and sponsorship earnings he brings to the team.

Initial reports suggested a three-year deal would be on the table.

But Wolff has asserted that that is not the case, given the upcoming rule overhaul for the 2022 season and F1’s introduction of a budget cap.
During talks, Hamilton has jetted off to the United States and recently told fans of his morning hikes across snowy mountains.
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Despite the lengthy delay in the Brit putting pen to paper, Wolff is adamant that the duo have maintained their strong working relationship.
The Austrian added: “Our relationship is not only professional, but also a friendship.
“Lewis is incredibly important, not only for our team, but also for the Mercedes brand.”

Lewis Hamilton hikes to the top of a mountain every morning to ‘set his goals’ More

LEWIS HAMILTON is maintaining his fitness ahead of the new Formula One season by hiking a mountain every day – while Mercedes contract talks remained deadlocked.
In an Instagram post from his wilderness hideout in the United States, the Brit revealed he is continuing to ‘set his goals’.

Lewis Hamilton is enjoying a winter of hiking in the United States

But he gave no mention of the £40million contract saga that continues to rumble on between himself and seven-time F1 constructors’ champions Mercedes.
Hamilton, 36, wrote: “Every morning I hike to the top of this mountain and I take some time to set my goals and intentions for the day.
“I’ve been training every day and at these altitudes, I find it’s the perfect place to push my mind and body to new heights to prep myself for the year and season ahead.
“Today, I’m sending you all positivity and light. I know these uncertain times can be dark but I want to ask that you don’t lose sight of your goals.

“Let’s keep each other motivated and focused. I believe in you.”
Hamilton may want to agree a new contract by March 12, when the new F1 season begins with testing in Bahrain.

Merc will unveil their 2021 car before then with last season’s anti-racism black livery maintained following the world champ’s impressive year speaking out against inequality.
Team principal Toto Wolff spoke earlier this month of ‘curveballs’ delaying a conclusion to negotiations.

He said: “The lawyers are working hard. We don’t make life easy for them, of course, when we both argue over Zoom and keep sending curveballs to the lawyers.
“But [Hamilton is] in America now and I’m here [in Austria]. At some point we will finalise it.
“It’s how it is with negotiations. You always come from different corners, but that’s quite normal.”
Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan has told SunSport that Hamilton may want a bigger share of sponsorship deals and TV money that he helps to bring to the team.

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Jordan explained: “Lewis is saying, ‘Look guys, this is my salary, is this what I am being paid as a driver and for various other things that go along with the interviews and other aspects?
“‘But am I being compensated for bringing in sponsors? Am I being compensated for the arrival of Ineos?
“‘Am I being compensated for the increased television income you are getting as the constructors’ champion in the form of TV money?’.”

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