'No one is irreplaceable, that includes Hamilton'

  • Published on 08 Dec 2015 08:23
  • comments 4
  • By: Rob Veenstra

An unnamed team boss thinks Mercedes could seriously consider dropping Lewis Hamilton. The German team's chief, Toto Wolff, warned dramatically after Hamilton won the 2015 title that, for the sake of harmony, the bitterness of the feud between the British driver and his teammate Nico Rosberg must stop.

It also followed Hamilton's sudden late-season performance slump, with theories suggesting he lost motivation or began to party too hard. A social media post over the weekend on 'Snapchat' captured Hamilton obviously drunk and declaring in a video selfie: "We've had lots of vodka". And another post, this time at Instagram, fired off rumours the 30-year-old may actually be leaving Mercedes, as he added the caption: "On the move".

"Lewis is a complicated mix of self-confidence and insecurity," the unnamed team boss told London's Times newspaper. "He has this incredible focus, so that whatever he is doing outside, he can turn up, get in the car and do his job. But he drives for a team that is torn now between what he does on the track and what he does off it."

"There is a Teutonic streak of correctness at the highest levels in Mercedes and they don't like what they are seeing at the moment," the boss, who has reportedly known Hamilton since he was a child, added. One senior executive told me no one is irreplaceable -- and that includes Lewis." (GMM)

Replies (4)

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  • ianf1

    Posts: 185

    It does feel like an exit strategy is being planned for him. Mercedes must have enough confidence in the car at the moment to believe that they will win championships whoever they put in the car (excepting Pastor...), so why should they tolerate unbecoming behaviour? I'd like to see Magnussen in there myself... that would be interesting!

    • + 0
    • Dec 8 2015 - 09:45
  • K Dun

    Posts: 1

    I would love to see that also, the kid needs to be giving another go in F1

    • + 0
    • Dec 8 2015 - 11:52
  • Pompey

    Posts: 84

    I think the Mercedes car is so advanced that the unnamed team boss has too much time on his hands. Leave the results to speak for themselves.

    • + 0
    • Dec 8 2015 - 16:04
  • khasmir

    Posts: 893

    "Lewis is a complicated mix of self-confidence and insecurity", well said but I think it's 25% over-confidence and 75% insecurity ;)
    I think almost any of the current F1 drivers can win the championship with that car, even Maldonado ;)

    • + 0
    • Dec 8 2015 - 18:01

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