Schumacher and Hamilton not in a hurry to extend
Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, whose contracts expire at the end of 2012, are not in a hurry to extend with their respective teams as they have recently stated.
Michael Schumacher returned to Formula 1 at the beginning of 2010 after three years of absence. The seven-time world champion had signed at the time a contract covering two seasons plus one optional. This contract will therefore come to an end at the conclusion of the year 2012.
And while Ross Brawn, director of the Mercedes AMG team, and Dieter Zetsche, the head of Daimler, hope to see Schumacher extend at least for the 2013 season, the German driver has admitted that he is not in a hurry to decide on his future.
« I don’t want to talk about my directions, but I obviously have my own idea! I will sit down with the team when it is time to discuss the future. But there is nothing concrete I can say for the moment, » Schumacher told the official F1 website this weekend in Bahrain.
Another driver in the same situation, Lewis Hamilton. The contract binding the 2008 world champion to the McLaren team will come to an end at the end of 2012, but the British driver is allowing himself time to reflect for now.
«Everything is better this year. The team is better, the car is better, I am much better and I have my father with me. And it’s not fake. There is a real bond between us now. We are here. Things are going well and it shows in my performances. […] When I need to, which can happen at any moment as long as it’s before next year, I will decide on my future, » Hamilton told The Daily Telegraph.
Hamilton has never hidden that if McLaren was not able to offer him a car capable of allowing him to fight for victories and the title, he might look elsewhere. He has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Felipe Massa at Ferrari or Mark Webber at Red Bull.
