Lewis Hamilton has already emphasised several times that he sees his future in Formula 1 at Mercedes. The racing team from Brackley, for its part, also never tires of declaring that an extension of the contract with the 38-year-old British driver beyond the end of 2023 is only a formality.
Instead of an official confirmation, however, there have been increasing rumours that Ferrari is luring Hamilton with a record contract. If Red Bull driver development consultant Helmut Marko is to be believed, this is a good tactic on the part of the Scuderia.
Mercedes can’t offer a Championship
It is no secret that Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 record world champion, feels at home at Mercedes. However, it is also not a secret that the veteran is used to driving at the front and that the Silver Arrows cannot offer him this opportunity at the moment, or likely the near future.
According to Helmut Marko of the currently dominating Red Bull racing team, however, there is another aspect that is really upsetting Hamilton – and could drive him into the arms of Ferrari?
Two things that annoy Hamilton
“There are two things that really annoy Hamilton. Firstly, that he is no longer world champion and will have a hard time becoming one again in the future,” Marko told F1-Insider.com.
The 80-year-old stresses, however, that it is very uncertain whether a move to Ferrari would increase Hamilton’s chances of winning another title. And at Red Bull there is simply “no place for him”.
According to the Austrian, however, there is another circumstance that upsets Hamilton.
“Apart from the sporting perspective, Lewis is anything but happy about the fact that he is no longer the highest-earning driver in Formula 1. That’s Max Verstappen now. At least he could change that with Ferrari’s help.”
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Verstappen rivaling salary on offer from Ferrari
The Daily Mail recently reported that Ferrari is said to be luring Hamilton with a €46 million mega-contract. According to the paper, Ferrari president John Elkann is even already in close contact with Hamilton. Verstappen, however, is said to receive around 50 million euros per season at Red Bull, so Maranello would have to stretch a little further to fulfil Hamilton’s supposed wish.
Ultimately, however, anything other than Hamilton staying with Mercedes would be a sensation. Especially since the long-time Formula 1 record holder would have to justify some of his statements.
For example, he told ESPN:
“I’ve been thinking about the Ferrari drivers and watching them on the screens at the track, and of course you wonder what it would be like to drive in red. But then I go to my team, to Mercedes, and that’s my home. I’m happy where I am. I haven’t signed a contract yet, but we are working on one.”
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