Silly season 2021-2022-2023

[the EDGE]

No contract is required to drive an F1 car in a race. That’s purely and agreement between a driver and a team

He is already on the FIA official entry list

Are you sure? There has to be some sort of agreement to establish responsibilities, for example in case of the accident or other mishap.

As long as a driver holds an FIA super licence he is free to race in F1 as long as he partakes in at least 1 practice session before qualifying

As I said, a contract would be an agreement between a team & a driver, the terms of which has nothing to do with the FIA or F1

For example Lewis and Merc could verbally agree at 8.59am on Saturday morning that he will drive the car for that weekend only, for X amount of money, shake on it, and off he’d go at 9am in FP3

The Hulk didn’t have a pre-existing contract with RP when he filled in for Perez last year

[Big Tea]

There is a contracts recognition board, and all contracts must be accepted and signed off before a driver can race for a team. I recall reading that Hulk only just got the OK back in time when he stood in. How this would effect a driver who was previously signed by a team I do not know, but I assume that there would have to some recognition to cover insurance liability, taxes, fees etc.

Also, do the drivers not have to pay up the fee to F1/FIA to be able to race? or is this done when the licence is issued, and who pays? team or driver?

[Jolle]

A normal drivers contract is around 80-100 pages. Most of the teams and drivers have a kind of ctrl C, ctrl V style contract where lawyers from both parties can skip trough most. Apparently the HAM-AMG contract isn’t one of those standards. So, lots of details and lots of new discussions, which take time and probably 100’s of letters (plus most lawyers aren’t that quick ).
In most of those contracts the team pays for super licence and insurance (and in the case of Hamilton these are high, 10mln high). He needs at least his insurance before doing any kind of work for the team, depending of course what he does.
Seeing that both team and Hamilton aren’t short on cash, this should just take a couple of phone callls to be covered.
When a contract is signed it goes to the board indeed. I assume if it’s a new style contract and that they need time to study all the inns and outs as well, Hamilton will get a provisional go-ahead to commence working for the team. Neither the FIA or Liberty can afford to ground him on their own technicality

[RedNEO]

BREAKING - Mercedes will sign Hamilton for 2021 but keeping open about 2022 and beyond

Hamilton does not get a three-year contract
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will not sign a three-year contract with Mercedes. "I don't think so," said Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff in an exclusive interview with RTL / ntv. Because of the budget cap that has been in effect since this year and the new F1 rules from 2022, the team has to "keep your eyes open", according to the Austrian.

However, Hamilton will "soon" sign a new working paper and also drive for the Silver Arrows in 2021, assured Wolff. In the end there must be a "sensible agreement, and we are not far from it". Wolff explains in the video what makes the negotiations so complicated.

https://www.rtl.de/cms/lewis-hamilton-f ... ssion=true

Looks like they’ve got a pick of either Max or George or both for 2022. Lewis might not wanna stick around for that fight especially being on a lower salary. Bottas definitely out for 2022.

[GalacticHitchHiker]

BREAKING - Mercedes will sign Hamilton for 2021 but keeping open about 2022 and beyond

Hamilton does not get a three-year contract
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will not sign a three-year contract with Mercedes. "I don't think so," said Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff in an exclusive interview with RTL / ntv. Because of the budget cap that has been in effect since this year and the new F1 rules from 2022, the team has to "keep your eyes open", according to the Austrian.

However, Hamilton will "soon" sign a new working paper and also drive for the Silver Arrows in 2021, assured Wolff. In the end there must be a "sensible agreement, and we are not far from it". Wolff explains in the video what makes the negotiations so complicated.

https://www.rtl.de/cms/lewis-hamilton-f ... ssion=true

Looks like they’ve got a pick of either Max or George or both for 2022. Lewis might not wanna stick around for that fight especially being on a lower salary. Bottas definitely out for 2022.

The article makes no mention of Bottas. Where are you getting that from?

[RedNEO]

BREAKING - Mercedes will sign Hamilton for 2021 but keeping open about 2022 and beyond

Hamilton does not get a three-year contract
Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will not sign a three-year contract with Mercedes. "I don't think so," said Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff in an exclusive interview with RTL / ntv. Because of the budget cap that has been in effect since this year and the new F1 rules from 2022, the team has to "keep your eyes open", according to the Austrian.

However, Hamilton will "soon" sign a new working paper and also drive for the Silver Arrows in 2021, assured Wolff. In the end there must be a "sensible agreement, and we are not far from it". Wolff explains in the video what makes the negotiations so complicated.

https://www.rtl.de/cms/lewis-hamilton-f ... ssion=true

Looks like they’ve got a pick of either Max or George or both for 2022. Lewis might not wanna stick around for that fight especially being on a lower salary. Bottas definitely out for 2022.

The article makes no mention of Bottas. Where are you getting that from?

That’s totally me just speculating but think about it.. they are first and foremost replacing Bottas with either George or Max. Then kind of leaving it open for Lewis to stay another year depending on if they get Max or not.

[prince]

With Lewis Hamilton kept on tenterhooks, it would be plausible to see a 2016 repeating where ultimately, a WDC would be engineered for Bottas this year and will be kept for 2022 and beyond with George joining in from 2022. That would be something for Mercedes as a brand to have produced 3 WDCs in a span of 8 years of their dominance and they would have a WDC on contract even if Lewis doesn't continue beyond 2021.

[Phil]

I had somewhat assumed that Mercedes might be hesitant on retaining Hamilton for too long, given possible options on Max they might have and Hamiltons age. Of course I would hope to see him at Mercedes beyond 21, especially with the new regulations coming in for 22, but we'll see I guess.

[ringo]

I think the accountants don't want to keep Hamilton there, but the team does.
They may see Russel and Max as a new project that can start from the bottom up for much less money; and Bottas given a greater chance of being champion driving against one of the new guys; after which he will be let go.
Hamilton may not want a pay cut, as it could be a bluff by Mercedes, but at the same time he wants to continue driving for them. I can see Lewis driving for Ferrari, or even Redbull in 2023.

[GalacticHitchHiker]

I don't understand why Mercedes would both want Bottas to win a championship and want to let him go. Wouldn't it make them look terrible to fire a driver who just won the WDC?

[Manoah2u]

I don't understand why Mercedes would both want Bottas to win a championship and want to let him go. Wouldn't it make them look terrible to fire a driver who just won the WDC?

Bottas won't win a WDC, so that makes things easy.
And in case that he does, he won't make another one, and he'll be done anyway as he won't have any goals to set.

[Just_a_fan]

, a WDC would be engineered for Bottas this year

Would Max and RBR be in on this plan?

[prince]

, a WDC would be engineered for Bottas this year

Would Max and RBR be in on this plan?

I am 100% sure Toto Wolff genuinely believes they are a championship "threat" like they have been all these years (I can hear him saying that in Austrian accent). If I know him well, he even thinks Ferrari would be a genuine "threat" too. I trust him.

[Just_a_fan]

, a WDC would be engineered for Bottas this year

Would Max and RBR be in on this plan?

I am 100% sure Toto Wolff genuinely believes they are a championship "threat" like they have been all these years (I can hear him saying that in Austrian accent). If I know him well, he even thinks Ferrari would be a genuine "threat" too. I trust him.

In 2020, if you take away Hamilton, there was a genuine fight between Max and Bottas. Same number of wins, seconds and thirds. It was only that Max had a handful of retirements more than Bottas that prevented Max beating Bottas in the title race. I reckon that if it had just been the two of them fighting for the title, it would have gone either way.

[Big Tea]

Remember though, Toto and Merc have to factor in events if Hamilton was driving a different car. It is not how they would do V Ferrari or Red Bull it is how they would do with Hamilton in one of those teams and not in the Merc.

And before anyone asks, Yes, I do think it could make that much difference to the end of season positions.