'McLaren up Hamilton offer'

[Dare]

From Planet F1

Mclaren is the only team available to give him a shot at
the WDC.Exceptfor his own mistakes he should have 2 WDC's
and without help from Glock he'd have none.

Mclaren has been like a good parent to his spoiled child,use your head
Lewis and stay with your family.


McLaren are determined to hang onto Lewis Hamilton and the team have reportedly increased their contract offer to the 2008 World Champion.

Hamilton, whose deal with the Woking squad runs out at the end of the season, he has been strongly linked with a move to Mercedes with many claiming the German manufacturer are offering him a lot more cash than his current team.

The 27-year-old refused to discuss his future during the Singapore Grand Prix, but he is expected to make an announcement in the coming days.

McLaren's executives were in Singapore over the weekend and media reports suggest they have upped their offer.

Hamilton's current five-year deal is worth about £75million, or £15m a year, but McLaren's initial offer was thought to be well below that while Mercedes were willing to fork out more.

The Guardian though reports that 'McLaren have increased their offer to Lewis Hamilton in an attempt to see off a bid from Mercedes, placing an extra £2m a year on top of the £10m already on the table'.

It adds: 'According to sources at McLaren, the money on offer from Mercedes is not as substantial as the £20m a year that has been reported. It is fair to say that Mercedes, who hold a board meeting on Wednesday, have been prepared to match McLaren's terms, with more money on offer through image rights.'

Meanwhile, Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone believes Hamilton is not sure what to do.

"I don't think Hamilton knows what he will do," the F1 supremo is quoted as saying on ESPNF1.

"These last couple or three races he has been doing very well. Before that, why he was upset I don't know, but he was definitely going to move no matter what. He had made up his mind that he was going. Whether he has changed now a little bit I don't know."

[vintly]

These sorts of figures make me ill, but I guess that's part of the game.

Get on with it Lewis, make a decision and make it quick. 

[F1fanaticBD]

Lewis for god Sake finish this nonsense, stop playing being fool, sign it and seal it..and help us doing those..

[Scott]

I'm a little sorry Mclaren blinked first.  I'd rather see Perez in a Mclaren than a Mercedes or Ferrari.

[Jericoke]

I'm a little sorry Mclaren blinked first.  I'd rather see Perez in a Mclaren than a Mercedes or Ferrari.

The commentators on Speed think that Perez is a bad fit for McLaren, what with his sponsor, Telmex, being a competitor for their sponsor Vodaphone.

[Scott]

He won't need to bring money to his next contract is my guess, so it shouldn't matter.

[lkjohnson1950]

Rumors are about that McLaren may be losing Vodafone as a sponsor, so Telmex might be a better fit than we realize.

[F1fanaticBD]

Rumors are about that McLaren may be losing Vodafone as a sponsor, so Telmex might be a better fit than we realize.

If Mclaren looses Vodafone as sponsor, I will miss this silver livery with Vodafone logo

[Ian]

Too true BD, it's a great livery.

[Scott]

Rumors are about that McLaren may be losing Vodafone as a sponsor, so Telmex might be a better fit than we realize.

If Mclaren looses Vodafone as sponsor, I will miss this silver livery with Vodafone logo

I still miss West

[Ian]

Yeh, West was good too Scott.

[Scott]

I thought Vodafone looked better on the Ferrari

[Jericoke]

Rumors are about that McLaren may be losing Vodafone as a sponsor, so Telmex might be a better fit than we realize.

If Mclaren looses Vodafone as sponsor, I will miss this silver livery with Vodafone logo

I still miss West

McLaren has been pretty good about creating iconic looking cars in F1.  Obviously there's nothing that compares with a red Ferrari for recognition, but the red and white Marlies were very distinct, as has been the silver West and Vodaphone cars.  Will McLaren continue the silver once their ties with Mercedes have been severed? 

If they continue to aim to be a 'British' team, will they try to bring back British Racing Green like Jaguar did?

[lkjohnson1950]

Technically, they are not a British team. Bruce was from New Zealand and the first cars were orange.

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/pic/323/McLaren-M14A-Cosworth_1.html

[F1fanaticBD]

Technically, they are not a British team. Bruce was from New Zealand and the first cars were orange.

When they win they play the national anthem of Britain, I guess that is pretty much British to me. But hats of Lonny for pointing out that it was started and still bears the name of a kiwi.