As long as the contract with record world champion Lews Hamilton at Mercedes, which expires at the end of the year, has not been extended, the speculations at the Formula 1 racing team will not cease.

Most recently, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc is said to have moved into the Silver Arrows’ sights, but now team boss Toto Wolff has made a statement.

 

Leclerc in the picture to swap with Hamilton?

Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, rumours persist that Charles Leclerc will switch to Mercedes for the new season and take over Lewis Hamilton’s cockpit.

Leclerc has been described as Ferrari’s “unhappiest” driver, frustrated by his lacklustre pace against Verstappen, but mechanical problems and operational errors have left Leclerc in the dust.

 

 

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Ferrari in a state of crisis

The departure of aerodynamics chief David Sanchez, who is understood to have offered to resign to move to McLaren, has thrown the rest of the Ferrari team into disarray. Some of Sanchez’s fellow engineers at Ferrari have also allegedly passed on their CVs to other F1 teams in recent months, with several employees said to be considering their options.

It will be crucial for team principal Frederic Vasseur to stop the rot as soon as possible to avoid the situation getting out of hand, although for now he remains convinced that a title challenge with Red Bull will soon take shape if Ferrari can continue to work hard to catch their Austrian opponents.

 

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Hamilton’s Mercedes future uncertain

The 25-year-old, who has a contract with the team until the end of 2024, has recently been linked with a possible move to Mercedes in the near future, with Lewis Hamilton’s long-term future at the German outfit uncertain.

By the time the teams leave Baku, April will have passed and we’re still waiting to hear from one of F1’s biggest stars.

Lewis Hamilton’s next contract is always a hot topic, but with Mercedes’ disastrous W13 for 2022, the conversation has started earlier than usual.

The question on everyone’s lips was whether Mercedes could come back and give Hamilton a car capable of delivering the title as he chases a record eighth drivers’ championship.

 

 

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Lewis Hamilton P5️⃣
George Russell P1️⃣1️⃣

Toto Wolff reflects on Mercedes' Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying 👇 pic.twitter.com/krzCVgyYJX

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) April 28, 2023

 

 

Leclerc & Wolff denies rumour

After the Monegasque himself had denied the rumours several times, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff waved them off on Friday on “Sky”:

“I haven’t had a single conversation with Charles, only discussed with him at the airport whether we were going to Starbucks or not. We’ve been on the road with Lewis for ten years, and that’s not going to change.”

The Ferrari driver was last mooted at Mercedes by Italian journalist Leo Turrini:

“The fact that Leclerc is talking to Mercedes is an open secret. Everyone knows that. From the garage in Maranello to the Indian Ocean.”

 

 

Hamilton wants to stay at Mercedes

Subsequently, former world champion Damon Hill had also fuelled the rumours.

“I think Charles Leclerc would be a good bet,” the Briton said. The 25-year-old is a great talent “who many believe is wasted at Ferrari”.

Hill, however, based his assumption on the fact that Hamilton does not want to compete in the new season and is ending his career. However, the 38-year-old says he is not thinking of an early Formula One retirement or a move to another racing team.

“I continue to feel at home. It is family. I can imagine staying with Mercedes until the end, to be honest,” Autosport had quoted the seven-time world champion after the Melbourne race.

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