Would Mercedes Fire Hamilton?

[Jericoke]

http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/10675526/lewis-hamilton-reportedly-facing-the-sack-or-suspension-over-his-abu-dhabi-gp-rebellion

I'm pretty sure this is just smoke, but then I thought Hamilton would win his fourth WDC, so what do I know?

What would happen if Hamilton did lose his seat at Mercedes?
Would a top team kick out a driver to make room for Hamilton?  Would Ferrari send Kimi on sabbatical again?

Or would Hamilton spend a season at Manor?  Sit out a season entirely?

Is it possible that Hamilton would find himself forced out of the sport as team owners/management collectively decide they won't allow drivers to get away with open defiance?  (In the USA this is called collusion and technically illegal, would this be a problem in the EU?)

[Steve A.]

I doubt he will even be suspended,  if he was a "normal"  employee then he would probably be out if a job but he's not.  He will be spoken to but that's about it.
I can't picture him in a Manor though,  I doubt he has the temperament to build a team up,  as Button and Alonso have had to do to a certain extent with Honda.  And they have done it with professionalism.

[Andy B]

If you read most of the other team principles comments they cannot understand why Mercedes thought this would not happen and that they wanted to interfere.
I was impressed with how Lewis controlled it and believe even if Vettel had passed Nico Lewis had it covered.
As to sacking him who would you replace him with? Maybe buy out Alonso's contract from McLaren but then we know how temperamental he can be so maybe better the devil you know!
I'm looking forward to Lewis's book already.

[Dare]

Shuoh he yes will he of course not.Who would replace
him?Anybody...most people have so little respect for
Rosberg so I figure if he can be WDC then anyone can

[cosworth151]

Hamilton knew he was perfectly able to drive away from any non-Mercedes on the track. Once Seb or Max got around Nico, Lewis would have just driven off into the distance.

F1 sometimes likes to call itself a high speed game of chess. Hamilton was playing it like a Grand Master.

[Scott]

I don't know if he could have done it anyway, didn't Rosberg only have to finish 3rd?  So even if Danny or Seb got past Rosberg, there isnt much that Hamilton could have done to push him back to 4th.  He would have had to hope Rosberg panicked and made a mistake, which is why I think he waited way too late for that tactic.  He should have started right after they both had their pit stops.

[John S]

Course they wont fire him, they want to win races and the constructors title again in 17.    Who can they put in the car who is better, or at least nearly as good as Lewis. 

[Jericoke]

Course they wont fire him, they want to win races and the constructors title again in 17.    Who can they put in the car who is better, or at least nearly as good as Lewis. 

Assuming they keep their technical lead, they could win the WCC on the back of Rosberg's second WDC, and wedge my fat ass into the second car.

They might decide having the best car is enough, and hire an inexpensive driver who is 'good enough'.  I'm sure they could poach a driver from Force India, Williams or even Manor.  It would be hard to convince the board to hire an F1 rookie, but with F1 failing in Germany, maybe there's  a DTM driver who can bring attention back to F1.

[Scott]

Um...Wehrlein?  He has time after time put that Manor where it had no right to be this season.  If Merc don't pen him in pretty soon, he'll be poached by someone else.

[John S]

Um...Wehrlein?  He has time after time put that Manor where it had no right to be this season.  If Merc don't pen him in pretty soon, he'll be poached by someone else.

Think you'll find he has a contract with Mercedes and it would cost a real lot to break it, can't see anyone putting that sort of money on the table for Pascal's services.

[Ian]

Fernando springs to mind as a great replacement.

[Scott]

Um...Wehrlein?  He has time after time put that Manor where it had no right to be this season.  If Merc don't pen him in pretty soon, he'll be poached by someone else.

Think you'll find he has a contract with Mercedes and it would cost a real lot to break it, can't see anyone putting that sort of money on the table for Pascal's services.

But that is my point.  Merc have a great driver ready to go who could easily help them retain the title. 

As for contracts, as we've seen before, it's just paper and if a top team offers a race seat, he will take it, with or without knocks.