McLaren raise their offer to Lewis Hamilton – Formula 1 news
McLaren have raised their offer to their driver Lewis Hamilton so as to keep him in the team for 2013 and to dissuade him from moving to Mercedes.
Hamilton’s deal with the Woking based team will end at the conclusion of this season and there have been many speculations that the British driver is not going to renew his agreement.
Moreover, he has been surrounded by many rumours which are stating that he may join the Silver Arrows in the next year as a potential replacement of their driver, Michael Schumacher who according to many reports will take retirement from the sport after
this season.
Meanwhile, it has been reported in some British newspapers which include, the Guardian and the Daily Mail that the British team has offered their driver an additional sum of money in order to counter with the offer of the Brackley based team.
However, McLaren have put a limit on the sponsorship of the 27-year-old to avoid any kind of clashes with their commercial partners while Mercedes have allowed him to track for worthwhile personal sponsors.
Although, the British squad seems to be quite confident regarding the contract but their team principal, Martin Whitmarsh has not made any kind of projections about it.
“We will see what we can do. I am not going to make any predictions,” he said.
On the other hand, Formula 1 CEO, Bernie Ecclestone has said that the 2008 world champion is presently evaluating the two deals.
“I don't think Hamilton knows what he will do,” Ecclestone said. “These last couple or three races he has been doing very well. He had made up his mind that he was going. Whether he has changed now little bit I don't know.”
In addition, it will be important to mention that Former F1 driver, Niki Lauda believes that there will be no big changes in the driver line-ups of the teams in the coming year.
“I don't see any mouth-watering switch being made,” he said. “Hamilton will stay with McLaren.”
Though he added, “That is what I say today. Without knowing what I am talking about!”
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