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The questions around 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton’s contract remain, but we have been given another clue about when we will get this surely imminent announcement. Former driver and team boss Eddie Jordan has come out and said: “I expect Lewis will sign within a week, I cannot see it going into February.” If he is correct Mercedes have 4 more days to announce Lewis’ new deal, before 1st February.
Jordan caused some controversy recently when he said Mercedes should ‘show Lewis the door’ as he is asking for more than the team is willing to pay, but his thoughts seem to have changed as he now thinks a signing is imminent.
Eddie Jordan and his metaphorical crystal ball have a history of predicting Mercedes next moves, as he successfully predicted INEOS’s investment in the team before it was announced. Team principal of Mercedes Toto Wolff has said the deal is now with the lawyers but should be signed before the first race in Bahrain.
Mercedes do of course have other options with drivers, namely George Russell, but if all else fails reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne or even Formula E driver Nyck de Vries (who tested for them in the young driver’s test) could step in, if the deal falls through too late for Mercedes to pull George out of his Williams contract. All of these talks are well and good but Mercedes, and Wolff’s, ideal situation would be to get Lewis back in the car, and break the record for most championship won. His salary requests may be expensive, but a company like Mercedes could afford them.
The actual reason for the hold up remains unclear, but keep checking Formulanerds website and social media, as we will publish the news as soon as it breaks.
Credit: planetf1.com