Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton is struggling to get back to winning ways because Max Verstappen is enjoying hegemony on the grid. His current contract will expire after the end of the ongoing season. However, there is no confirmation of a contract extension as of yet despite tremendous media hype. But there are rumors that Ferrari showed interest in signing Hamilton.
The seven-time champion mentioned that he will stay with Mercedes as long as his relationship with Toto Wolff is tight. On top of that, the Mercedes boss echoed what Hamilton said, noting that they have emotionally extended the contract. All they need to do is to extend it formally. But as long as a final confirmation is not out there media and the fans will keep speculating. What if Red Bull signs with the rival team’s star?
Helmut Marko Says Hard No To The Idea Of Hamilton Joining Red Bull
Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko told Motorsport they would never sign Hamilton to provide Verstappen with the competition. Adding to that, Marko mentioned that TV viewers, the public, and journalists would love the news certainly. He feels that with Lewis Hamilton in the team, it would be hard to notice who is the faster driver and who’s the second. Also, Marko mentioned Red Bull looks forward to dominating the driver’s as well as the constructor titles.
That’s why hierarchy is essential, where people can know who’s the number one driver in the team. Helmut Marko also acknowledged that he can still see Lando Norris joining hands with Max Verstappen in the Red Bull team. But the Red Bull advisor is a hard pass on Hamilton. Helmut Marko fears another Ayrton Senna-Alain Prost situation will appear with Hamilton signing with Red Bull. In these scenarios, the driver-teammates only battle against each other, but the whole team has to suffer. With two superstars in one team, Marko believes the team always comes in second place.
The Fierce Rivalry Of Lewis Hamilton And Max Verstappen
The Dutchman broke the winning streak of Lewis Hamilton in 2021. From 2017 to 2020, Hamilton was enjoying utter dominance. Moreover, Mercedes dominated the whole turbo-hybrid era from 2014 to 2021. Lewis Hamilton was so close to winning his eighth title in the Abu Dhabi 2021 Grand Prix. He would become the first driver to win eight titles. But the former race director, Michael Masi, took a controversial safety car decision that helped Verstappen edge past Hamilton and win the whole thing in 2021.
In 2022, the governing body, FIA, fired the race director, but the damage was unrecoverable. Moreover, in 2022 a new F1 era began with the cost cap regulation that saw Mercedes fall very deep down. On the other hand, Red Bull rose to a whole new height altogether. The German team has won a single race in the Brazilian Grand Prix from last year to this year. This season Red Bull has won all races so far. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have been winless.
