Hamilton to Mercedes confirmed today

[David]

I'm totally gutted Perez is going to McLaren, I had really hoped he would end up at Ferrari. Maybe Heikki could be the man to replace Massa. 

Wait a bit David, let the boy polish the rough edges, Ferrari will retain the polished gem, once it would be ready

I live in hope F1! 

[lkjohnson1950]

Mclaren commits it's drivers to make appearances for all their sponsors large and small. In addition the drivers cannot endorse any product that might conflict with a team sponsor. Merc has fewer sponsors and commits their drivers only to themselves, I believe. So if Lewis wants to say " I use Castrol in all my cars" he can. So line 'em up. Driving shoes, gloves, airlines, sunglasses, all money in his pocket.

[F1fanaticBD]

They are beind paid as much as a substantial portion of a budget of a mid-field team, and still they want more from sunglass, shoe, and underwear endorsements?(Sorry if I offended anyone, but its hard for me to keep the lid on)

If all that you wanted, why don't become an actor or a businessman or whatever that makes money and nothing else. Just giving up a team, a winning team, for the sake of endorsement is simply unacceptable, almost a disgrace to the name of a racing driver.

I want Jensen to not only pass him, but to lap him over and over again, so that everytime a Mclaren make a pass, he realizes, I could have been in that car.

[David]

I sympathise with your strong views on this one F1 but you know what they say, money makes the world go round, and as I said in other posts I reckon Lewis and his management are certainly in it for the bucks now. In the ideal world it should be purely about the racing, and in Lewis's early days before F1 it was, but within the lime light of Formula 1 the money becomes just a big a part of it, nature of the beast! Can't say I would be any different in his position.

Can't help thinking Ron Dennis would be smarting a bit with Lewis leaving the team given the nurturing he gave him. That's the only reason other than money that I think would have kept him there, respect and gratitude for Ron and the team that gave him the chance from a young age...... but then is that as far fetched as it should be about the racing. 

[stealthhaggis]

:yahoo:YaHoooooo 
Perez will drive a McLaren!!!
Finally I have someone to cheer for


ps  no offense Haggis but Mexico isn't in South America... at least not yet.. 

It's close though right?!

Doh!

[Irisado]

I suspect that Hamilton might see this as a long term investment, as far as results are concerned, but Mercedes are going to have to up their game drastically.  McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all look to have superior design teams, and Lotus can't be ruled out either.  Continued rules stability also keeps midfield runners, such as Force India and Sauber in the hunt too, adding to the problems Mercedes could face.

[F1fanaticBD]

Long term investment as in for what? I have a feeling Mercedes is trying buy their way into Formula 1, and signing Lewis does give air to that theory. But they should learn from Toyota and Honda, money never gives you the success,its the overall team and philosophy that brings the success. Sauber had the least of budget, Lotus had 1/3rd of Renaults budget,and look just where they are now. In my opinion they had far more better result than Mercedes, though they have not won any race this season. And Mr. James Key's appointment in the Torro Rosso may throw another fighter in that mid-field.

So Mr. Lewis Hamilton, we are up for your tantrums, so how soon will you start to delivering them?

[lkjohnson1950]

I think this is about Mercedes acquiring a driver they know is in the top rank, so they have no doubts about whether their drivers are holding them back. There has to be some doubt in management about MS' and Nico's ability to get the most from the car.

[Williamsfan]

That is a very good point.  No one really knows at the moment whether the car is mediocre or if the drivers are not at the correct level to maximise the potential.  Hamilton will undoubtedly take away one possibility (although I would have thought he will take time to adjust to any quirks in the way the Mercedes works on track).  Rosberg certainly has had a lot of doubters over the years and has not really had a driver to genuinely challenge him since his debut season (when Webber beat him).  Since then he had Wurz and the might of Nakajima to deal with whilst at Williams and Schumacher at Mercedes who really no one is certain of his level now.  

[Willy]

Ross Brawn is a huge talent and well worth anything it takes to be able to work with him.
Hamilton will do well to get away from Macca where he has been his entire racing career. As they say" a change is a good as a rest' and this will give him new life and focus.
Plus Brawn will be able to take what natural talent Hamilton brings and shape him in a new direction. To much hype and media focus at Macca.

[Scott]

As an F1 fan, I don't have to like it, and if things don't work out for Lewis long term financially, I won't be sad.

[Dare]

Maybe in hind sight Mclaren should have kept Alonso.He
takes good cars and wins with them.

[Ian]

Ferdie does well in a sometimes not so good car as well.

[Scott]

Maybe in hind sight Mclaren should have kept Alonso.He
takes good cars and wins with them.

No kidding...wonder what the shape of F1 would be if Mclaren had released Hamilton and kept Alonso.  I suppose Button would never have been allowed to join the team though.

[Irisado]

Regarding the Mercedes comparison with Toyota and Honda, I was under the impression that Merc was actually spending relatively little money (for a manufacturer) on its Formula 1 effort.

I could be wrong, and this may well have changed now that they have opened up more financial resources to secure Hamilton.  I seem to recall, however, Ross Brawn telling the BBC last year that Mercedes actually didn't have as much in the way of financial resources as some were suggesting.