Hamilton close to signing new contract (If he gets to keep his trophies?)

I think that he waits for Schumacher's move... if the German retires he may try his luck with Mercedes, but honestly I think that he will stay with McLaren.

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Originally Posted by henners88

I don't think anybody here seriously thinks he will.

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;)

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Originally Posted by henners88

Apart from you of course :p

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I think he will eventually drive for Ferrari. Although I really don't think that he will for 2013, I don't think the reasons I've heard here preclude it however.

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Originally Posted by henners88

Hopefully 'if' he drives for Ferrari all his great years will be over. I couldn't imagine cheering for a Ferrari even if I don't support any particular team.

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Well that's the most pompous statement I've read in some time. ;)
I don't think you get it: Ferrari would have no interest in LH after

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Originally Posted by henners88

all his great years will be over"

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Originally Posted by Dr Giacomo Rappaccini

Well that's the most pompous statement I've read in some time. ;)
I don't think you get it: Ferrari would have no interest in LH after.....all his great years will be over

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That pretty much seals his never going there, doesn't it? :laugh:

:s ailor: snap ;)

I'll just grab my coat and.....

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

It has always been that way at McLaren. I remember Mika Hakkinen wanting to keep his as well and McLaren said that if he didn't like the situation that he could leave the team. I can't imagine McLaren changing this for Hamilton to be honest. They never did it for any other driver, so I don't see why they should do it for him.

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Yeah, they didn't change it for people like Senna or Prost, why would they change it for someone like Hamilton?

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Originally Posted by Zico

I cant believe I'd never heard of that before. I wonder what the reasoning behind such an unfair clause might be... because they can?

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Unfair? What is unfair about it? They pay insane amounts of money to the driver, they provide him with a top level car, what more can he ask for.

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Originally Posted by gloomyDAY

I never knew about this "tradition". This is pretty stupid and I feel bad for McLaren's drivers. Maybe if McLaren change this policy it won't take another decade to win another WDC.

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If I was a teamboss I would enforce the same rule. But yeah, sure, if they change that policy, the titles will just start coming in. LOL.

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Originally Posted by Hawkmoon

Only McLaren would come up with a policy like that. Or perhaps I should say only Ron Dennis would come up with a policy like that. Never has there been a more anally retentive figure in the history of sport.

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It is clearly one of the most clever ideas Ron has had.

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Originally Posted by Garry Walker

They pay insane amounts of money to the driver, they provide him with a top level car, what more can he ask for.

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To be allowed to keep his own trophies? :p

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Originally Posted by Zico

No chance!... If Lewis moves to Ferrari for next season I'll run a mile up the huge hill opposite my home in the buff! :p

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We'll hold you to that!

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Originally Posted by Zico

To be allowed to keep his own trophies? :p

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It's not like this is a new development at McLaren. And it was Lewis' personal choice to go and drive for that team.

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Originally Posted by Mark

It's not like this is a new development at McLaren. And it was Lewis' personal choice to go and drive for that team.

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Yep, I do actually agree. Having not heard about it before I was just a bit shocked that they even had this 'tradition'.

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Originally Posted by Garry Walker

It is clearly one of the most clever ideas Ron has had.

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I'm not so sure it's been that clever. McLaren have won 3 WDC in 20 years. Keeping the driver's trophies doesn't seem to have helped that much. :)

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Originally Posted by Zico

Yep, I do actually agree. Having not heard about it before I was just a bit shocked that they even had this 'tradition'.

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Red Bull also do it... as they are entitled to do, because they build the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXlRZ...layer_embedded

If Senna and Prost didn't get to keep their original trophies then I'm as sure as hell that Lewis shouldn't.

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Originally Posted by Matthew

Red Bull also do it... as they are entitled to do, because they build the car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXlRZfmvOZM&feature=player_embedded

If Senna and Prost didn't get to keep their original trophies then I'm as sure as hell that Lewis shouldn't.

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Are these the drivers originals though? Maybe I missed it...
With most teams the drivers trophy is awarded to and belongs to the driver. The constructors win their own trophies and thats the way it should be. I can see some value in keeping the trophy cabinets full at the team factories but does it have to be the drivers original ? I think thats a bit unnecessary and twisted.

On the other hand... Yep, if Senna and Prost didn't get theirs then why should Lewis expect anything different When its written in to contracts and the driver has accepted the situation then fair enough but you use the word "entitled"?... only legally Imo.

The problem here is obviously that , during the trophy ceremony , they put them down and spray the champagne .
It's then that the team steals it away and locks it in the glass cabinet , out of reach .

Lewis should be all for Bernie's medals idea , because it would hang around his neck , making it harder for evil Ron's henchmen to grab it .

If he likes trophies , though , I guess the only way to do it would be to slip it into his Pussy-cat dolls backpack he could put on in the ready room .

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Originally Posted by Zico

No chance!... If Lewis moves to Ferrari for next season I'll run a mile up the huge hill opposite my home in the buff!

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Bookmarked! :)

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Originally Posted by Bagwan

Lewis should be all for Bernie's medals idea , because it would hang around his neck , making it harder for evil Ron's henchmen to grab it .

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Not sure I would want Beelzeboss to receive medals; he may hang someone like Igornado by the neck (until dead) with one of them. :)

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Originally Posted by Zico

Are these the drivers originals though? Maybe I missed it...

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They are originals. At 2:54 you can see the 2010 Monaco trophy that was damaged on the ceiling of the rostrum.

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Originally Posted by Zico

With most teams the drivers trophy is awarded to and belongs to the driver. The constructors win their own trophies and thats the way it should be. I can see some value in keeping the trophy cabinets full at the team factories but does it have to be the drivers original ? I think thats a bit unnecessary and twisted.

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Unnecessary and twisted?

Top teams spend at least $200 million+ per year and employ 300+ people building a car they hope will simply compete for victory.

Of those 300+ employees, two are paid a combined salary of $15-$40 million per year by the team, in addition to sponsorship they earn elsewhere.

It is the team's prerogative to keep the driver's trophies if they want. It isn't like the team don't pay for the replica trophies to be made for the drivers either.

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Originally Posted by Zico

On the other hand... Yep, if Senna and Prost didn't get theirs then why should Lewis expect anything different When its written in to contracts and the driver has accepted the situation then fair enough but you use the word "entitled"?... only legally Imo.

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Ninety percent of the time, a superior driver can't win in an half-decent F1 car, but a half-decent driver can win in a superior F1 car.

That's the weighting behind my opinion anyway.

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

It has always been that way at McLaren. I remember Mika Hakkinen wanting to keep his as well and McLaren said that if he didn't like the situation that he could leave the team. I can't imagine McLaren changing this for Hamilton to be honest. They never did it for any other driver, so I don't see why they should do it for him.

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Originally Posted by Zico

I cant believe I'd never heard of that before. I wonder what the reasoning behind such an unfair clause might be... because they can?

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Originally Posted by gloomyDAY

I never knew about this "tradition". This is pretty stupid and I feel bad for McLaren's drivers. Maybe if McLaren change this policy it won't take another decade to win another WDC.

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Originally Posted by Hawkmoon

Only McLaren would come up with a policy like that. Or perhaps I should say only Ron Dennis would come up with a policy like that. Never has there been a more anally retentive figure in the history of sport.

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Originally Posted by Matthew

They are originals. At 2:54 you can see the 2010 Monaco trophy that was damaged on the ceiling of the rostrum.



Unnecessary and twisted?

Top teams spend at least $200 million+ per year and employ 300+ people building a car they hope will simply compete for victory.

Of those 300+ employees, two are paid a combined salary of $15-$40 million per year by the team, in addition to sponsorship they earn elsewhere.

It is the team's prerogative to keep the driver's trophies if they want. It isn't like the team don't pay for the replica trophies to be made for the drivers either.



Ninety percent of the time, a superior driver can't win in an half-decent F1 car, but a half-decent driver can win in a superior F1 car.

That's the weighting behind my opinion anyway.

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Great post.

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Originally Posted by Matthew

Ninety percent of the time, a superior driver can't win in an half-decent F1 car, but a half-decent driver can win in a superior F1 car.

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Damn! Immediately, two drivers come to mind! :D

It's not as if the Santander trophies are worth winning anyway.....,

No the Santander throphies are all identical and bland as ****, who'd want more than one.

Lewis is running out of cards to play and McLaren's hand is only getting stronger.

The only threat he can use is that he'll walk to another team if McLaren doesn't give him what he wants. RBR is fully booked up for next year and noone is going to believe he's going to end up at Ferrari alongside Alonso with their history, if Fernando even decides not to veto that move. Where else is anywhere near as good as McLaren over the long term? Or is he going to threaten them with a sabbatical? Good luck to him if he does.

Time to sign Lewis or torpedo your own career if you don't.

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Originally Posted by Malbec

Lewis is running out of cards to play and McLaren's hand is only getting stronger.

The only threat he can use is that he'll walk to another team if McLaren doesn't give him what he wants. RBR is fully booked up for next year and noone is going to believe he's going to end up at Ferrari alongside Alonso with their history, if Fernando even decides not to veto that move. Where else is anywhere near as good as McLaren over the long term? Or is he going to threaten them with a sabbatical? Good luck to him if he does.

Time to sign Lewis or torpedo your own career if you don't.

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Perhaps to Lotus, with Kimi coming to Mclaren?

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Originally Posted by Malbec

Lewis is running out of cards to play and McLaren's hand is only getting stronger.

The only threat he can use is that he'll walk to another team if McLaren doesn't give him what he wants. RBR is fully booked up for next year and noone is going to believe he's going to end up at Ferrari alongside Alonso with their history, if Fernando even decides not to veto that move. Where else is anywhere near as good as McLaren over the long term? Or is he going to threaten them with a sabbatical? Good luck to him if he does.

Time to sign Lewis or torpedo your own career if you don't.

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This post is all over the place. Threaten a sabbatical? Let us live in the real world for a minute.

Lewis has a few options open to him:

1) No one knows what will happen with MS in Mercedes yet

2) Alonso and Hamilton get on very well and are friends, despite what the press might try to tell you, and should Massa leave it is very possible he will move. I'd love to seem them as teammates again. I'm also unconvinced that Alonso has a veto clause in his contract. I have never seen any confirmed reports of this and it seems to be nothing other than rumor and conjecture. If you were Ferrari, whom would you choose, Massa or Hamilton? No contest - Hamilton wins every time.

Even if Alonso has a veto, it may not be a good idea for him to use it for his own position within the team. If Ferrari want someone, they'll get him.

3) Long term wise, it has been about 13 years since McLaren won a constructors championship. Unless they can turn that around very quickly I think Hamilton needs to move on. There is no point in being the nearly men year after year after year. That doesn't win you championships.

4) He has the option of trying for a shorter term contract, such as one year and see what options are open to him in 2013.

5) There is the possibility, although slim, that he could move to Lotus. Their line up isn't confirmed either.

So his options don't look too bleak to me really.

Saying that, he'll still be at McLaren ;)

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

1) No one knows what will happen with MS in Mercedes yet

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Sure he could go to Mercedes and its unlikely he'll ever win a championship again. Mercedes is not a top team. McLaren, Ferrari and RBR are.

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

If you were Ferrari, whom would you choose, Massa or Hamilton? No contest - Hamilton wins every time.

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I'd choose someone else completely. PdR, Perez, Kobayashi, Webber (yes I know he's signed up already). maybe Hulkenberg. Someone quick who has no history of having serious problems with Alonso. Its too much to risk and I think Ferrari are happy with having one very fast driver and one slightly slower one (Though Massa is taking the mickey a bit in this respect). Also Hamilton is likely to be asking for a lot more than Massa is, where would the money come from?

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

3) Long term wise, it has been about 13 years since McLaren won a constructors championship. Unless they can turn that around very quickly I think Hamilton needs to move on. There is no point in being the nearly men year after year after year. That doesn't win you championships.

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Through those 13 years McLaren have nearly always been in the championship hunt and I may be mistaken but Hamilton won a championship himself with them no? No other team has been anywhere near as consistent in being at the front, not even Ferrari.

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

4) He has the option of trying for a shorter term contract, such as one year and see what options are open to him in 2013.

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Very true.

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

5) There is the possibility, although slim, that he could move to Lotus. Their line up isn't confirmed either.

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Why would he? Like Mercedes Lotus simply hasn't delivered enough championship challenges through their recent history to suggest they'd be as good a place to be as McLaren. Their funding is shaky, less stable than any of the other frontrunning teams. The only reason he'd go there is if he knew he could move on to RBR a year later.

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

Saying that, he'll still be at McLaren ;)

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Yep, they're just quibbling over the details...