Hamilton to replace Schumacher at Mercedes in 2013?
After Vettel, it is now Lewis Hamilton's turn to be considered by the German press as a potential replacement for Michael Schumacher at Mercedes if he retires at the end of the season.
Barely had the 2012 season begun when transfer rumors for 2013 already started buzzing in the paddock, prompted by the fact that many driver contracts would be ending at the season’s close, suggesting a potential game of musical chairs among the top teams. The futures of Mark Webber, Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton, and Michael Schumacher with their respective teams are thus uncertain, and in its Sunday edition, the Bild indicates that the future of the 2008 world champion could be linked to that of the seven-time German world champion.
Indeed, although Ross Brawn recently explained, regarding Michael Schumacher, that if his performance and interest are still present, then a contract extension would be an attractive possibility, the German team would have a plan B to recruit Lewis Hamilton, who is still negotiating to extend his contract with McLaren: If we already had a plan B, we would not be wise to talk about it publicly. Before discussing it with Michael, it is not on the agenda, declared Norbert Haug.
Thus, while he recently stated that he wanted to clarify his situation at the beginning of the season, the British driver reportedly has numerous exit options, leading, according to rumors, to Ferrari, Red Bull, or now, Mercedes.
Regarding the star brand, other rumors during the off-season suggested that the Stuttgart manufacturer was interested in Sebastian Vettel, whose contract with Red Bull will end in 2014, as well as Kimi Räikkönen. Less high-profile at the moment, Paul di Resta’s name also appears on the list of potential successors to Michael Schumacher, in case the latter retires. The Scottish driver is supported by Mercedes, with whom he notably won the DTM championship in 2010.
But according to a survey published by Bild, it is the Marussia driver, Timo Glock, who is favored by German fans, with more than 50% of the votes, to replace the four-time champion, compared to 3.9% of votes in favor of the option Lewis Hamilton: « These are just speculations » commented a spokesperson in Sport1. « There are no negotiations with any driver and we will speak, in due time, only with Michael. For the moment, our focus is entirely on the start of the season », the nineteenth for the German driver in the premier category of motorsport.
