“Lacks commitment on both sides”– Former Red Bull driver on instable Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes relationship

“Lacks commitment on both sides”– David Coulthard on the one year deal signed between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes for 2021.

Lewis Hamilton’s contract extension was one big talking point post-2020 Formula 1 season, and it took multiple weeks for Mercedes to zero down a deal that was mutually accepted.

But the biggest twist was that it was only a year-long extension, and for Former F1 driver David Coulthard it is a sign of instability in the team.

“I think it’s possible. I think a one-year contract lacks commitment on both sides,” Coulthard said. “You know, I get that you say, ‘well, let’s leave things open because new regulations coming in, you know fundamentally different cars and 2022’.”

“But they are not going to learn any more about each other this year that they don’t already know. In terms of the relationship between Mercedes and Lewis, he’s been with Mercedes power since he started in Formula 1. He had backing from Mercedes and McLaren in karting.”

“So I don’t see and buy into the fact that you might pop up at Ferrari or something like that. He’s not going to do a change of force like Michael (Schumacher) did going from Ferrari to Mercedes, so I think it just shows doubt in their minds which cannot be a good thing.”

Mark Webber feels Lewis Hamilton still has time.

Whilst Coulthard is predicting an end of an era for Hamilton in Mercedes, Mark Webber feels that hamilton nevertheless still has a future in F1 for at least till 2024.

“Even Lewis at eight and a half out of 10 is still going to be dangerous; he’s driving brilliantly- so why not go a bit longer? You don’t have a great deal to lose in my opinion when you’re that amazing, and I still think he’s got more in him and you are retired a long time.”

“But he has also been here a long time, and we forget how early he started.”

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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