Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton is now unsure whether to leave McLaren or join Mercedes.
“I don’t think he knows what he will do,” Ecclestone told ESPN. “These last couple of races he has been doing very well. Before that, why he was upset I don’t know, but he was definitely going to move no matter what. He had made his mind up he was going. Whether he has changed now I don’t know.”
Hamilton was initially offered a pay cut of a third on his £10million-per-year deal by McLaren, putting him on a par with teammate Jenson Button. That was understood to be McLaren’s final offer, however, it has now been suggested the team have increased that by a further £2million.
The 27-year-old Briton is fourth in the overall standings, 52 points behind leader Spaniard Fernando Alonso, heading into the last six races after suffering a gearbox failure during the Singapore Grand Prix. Hamilton has won three races this season, in Canada, Hungary and Italy, and finished on the podium in the opening three races in Australia, Malaysia and China.
Button demands swift action from McLaren
Meanwhile, Button has called on McLaren to quickly resolve their mechanical problems if they want to avoid the season ending in failure.
McLaren’s challenge has been undermined as they have only managed to get one car home in each of their last three races. Running second in Italy, Button was forced out with a fuel system issue, while in Singapore on Sunday a gearbox problem wrecked Hamilton’s hopes of a win in a race he was comfortably leading.
“It is affecting us in the constructors’,” said Button as McLaren trail Red Bull in the championship by 38 points. “It is such a shame because the team in every other area are doing such a good job. But two failures in two races is not what McLaren are about, so we have to solve these issues and move forward.
“The pace of the car is there, so that’s why it is tough as well. We know we are throwing away a lot of points — 43 in the last two races - so yes, it is pretty tough.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2012.
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