F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

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MoFo
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F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by MoFo »

First, THIS ISN'T ABOUT WHETHER IT'S GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT! I don't want to re-litigate Abu Dhabi, the past season, or any of the various shenanigans. I'm just interested in the what-if.

So...

Mercedes is floating the rumour that Hamilton may not return next year. You have what... two months until the 2022 season winds up. You need someone - anyone - with a superlicense. What do you do?

Maybe a surprise return for Kimi? Or a well deserved call-up for Piastri? I'm assuming most of the grid is locked in to contracts, unless they have a 'better team' clause... but it could also mean some interesting shake-ups in the grid.
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by daveyman »

I think he'll settle down and stay, to leave now would seem petulant. I don't think he'd drop the team in it like that either. Russell isn't a guaranteed top liner, probably is tho, and there isn't really a safe pair of hands available. It would certainly be an interesting way of checking how binding Vettell or Alonso's current contracts are...
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by steinietrabi »

MoFo wrote: Sat Dec 18, 2021 1:12 pm First, THIS ISN'T ABOUT WHETHER IT'S GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT! I don't want to re-litigate Abu Dhabi, the past season, or any of the various shenanigans. I'm just interested in the what-if.

So...

Mercedes is floating the rumour that Hamilton may not return next year. You have what... two months until the 2022 season winds up. You need someone - anyone - with a superlicense. What do you do?

Maybe a surprise return for Kimi? Or a well deserved call-up for Piastri? I'm assuming most of the grid is locked in to contracts, unless they have a 'better team' clause... but it could also mean some interesting shake-ups in the grid.
Where is your source?
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by MoFo »

It's been all over the F1 news, from a press conference with Wolff.
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by Steffen_T »

I would expect Mercedes to either get Lando Norris or - if they can't get Norris - Sebastian Vettel.
They are both driving for Teams powered by Mercedes engines and so there is the chance for Mercedes to make their engines cheaper to get the driver out of his contract. I don't expect Mercedes to take a rookie or someone without recent driving expirience.

But I see these Hamilton-retirement-rumors similar to the often mentioned possible withdrawel of Red Bull. I think it is just an easy way to express their dislike of the recent events.
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by JamesB »

I know the aim of the thread is not rating the likeliness of the rumor, but can’t resist :mrgreen:
I see it more a mind game from Toto to make us see how terrible was the injustice. I think if Toto really thought it’d happen, the less he’d want would be to spread the rumor to put pressure on Lewis and also on Mercedes.
Anyway let’s play the game.
Vettel is already in the Mercedes orbit. Alonso looks also an obvious choice.
Er... maybe “EL PLAN” was that?? 8)
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by CK »

Actually, the first time that a hint that Hamliton might quit was from an interview of him after the race by Sky TV.

It is a possibility. Hamilton is not young anymore. He's been in F1 long enough and has achieved a lot that others can't even dream of. Why would you continue when the whole thing just give you grieve. A lot will depend on how FIA handles the "clarification exercise". I don't have a lot of faith in it when I read the statement from FIA. It is more of a shift of blame to someone else but FIA.

I hope the new FIA president is not stupid enough to impose any penalty on Hamilton skipping the gala. This will be the last nail in the coffin if FIA is stupid enough to do it.
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by JamesB »

CK wrote: Sat Dec 18, 2021 6:42 pm I hope the new FIA president is not stupid enough to impose any penalty on Hamilton skipping the gala. This will be the last nail in the coffin if FIA is stupid enough to do it.
Motorsport.cm diit. Sulayem: "No forgiveness" if Hamilton breached FIA gala rules
By:
Jonathan Noble
Dec 17, 2021, 5:37 PM
New FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says Lewis Hamilton can be given "no forgiveness" if he is found to have breached Formula 1's rules in missing the annual prize-giving gala.
THen prospects are not exactly good... :roll:

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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by cbk57 »

I will guarantee two things Lewis is going to retire for one. Lewis is not retiring in 2022 for two. Seriously Lewis is on the back side of his career but that back side has a few more years left. Is it two or 5 who knows. I doubt it is 10.
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Re: F1 Silly Season: Winter Edition (or, What if Hamilton Retires?)

Post by JamesB »

cbk57 wrote: Sun Dec 19, 2021 10:18 am I will guarantee two things Lewis is going to retire for one. Lewis is not retiring in 2022 for two. Seriously Lewis is on the back side of his career but that back side has a few more years left. Is it two or 5 who knows. I doubt it is 10.
Gotta be my English, yours, or both! :lol: :lol: but I did not grasp a thing of the reasoning, sorry :D :oops:
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