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Hamilton replaces Schumacher at Mercedes
Following the signature of the commercial agreement with FOM this week by Mercedes-Benz, the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton has signed a three-year agreement to race for the team from the 2013 Formula One season.
Lewis’ career has been supported by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren since its earliest days. In 2000, he and Nico Rosberg were team-mates at TeamMBM.com in Formula A karting. Lewis drove with Mercedes-Benz engines during his two seasons in the Formula 3 Euroseries, winning the 2005 championship, and every one of his 104 Formula One starts so far have been powered by the three-pointed star.
Lewis is one of four drivers, along with Juan Manuel Fangio, Mika Häkkinen and Jenson Button, to have won the Formula One world championship with Mercedes-Benz power. With 20 Formula One victories, he is equal with Mika Häkkinen as the most successful Mercedes-Benz Formula One driver.
The recruitment of the 2008 world champion marks the start of a new chapter for the AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Lewis will replace Michael Schumacher, who has contributed significantly to the development of the Silver Arrows works team over the past three years.
During this time, the team achieved the milestone of the first victory of the modern era for a works Silver Arrow, when Nico Rosberg won this year’s Chinese Grand Prix, and has scored five further podium finishes to date.
In parallel, Mercedes-Benz has put in place the right technical structure and given the team in Brackley and Brixworth the tools it needs to achieve long-term, durable success in Formula One. In the near future, three-time world champion Niki Lauda will also bring his extensive experience to the role of non-executive chairman of the team’s board of directors, further reinforcing the strength in depth at AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
The signing of Lewis Hamilton completes the AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver line-up for the 2013 season alongside Nico Rosberg. Nico won his first Grand Prix this year in China and will enter his fourth season with our team.
Michael Schumacher
“I have had three nice years with the team which unfortunately did not go as well as we all would have wanted on the sporting side. I wish Lewis well and for the team to achieve the success we worked so hard for in the build-up. I would like to thank the team for their trust and all the guys for their unconditional commitment. I will now concentrate on the next races.”
Lewis Hamilton
“It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge and I am very excited to begin a new chapter racing for the AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which I share.
“Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the world championships.”
Ross Brawn, Team Principal – Mercedes AMG Petronas
“On behalf of AMG Petronas Formula One Team, I would first of all like to thank Michael Schumacher for the important contribution he has made to the growth of our team over the past three seasons. His energy and commitment have never wavered, even when results have not matched our own expectations, and we are determined to finish the 2012 season together on a high. As always, it has been a pleasure to work with Michael.
“Looking ahead to 2013, I am delighted to welcome Lewis Hamilton to our team. The arrival of a driver of Lewis’ calibre is a testament to the standing of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One and I am proud that Lewis shares our vision and ambition for the success of the Silver Arrows.
I believe that the combination of Lewis and Nico will be the most dynamic and exciting pairing on the grid next year, and I am looking forward to what we can achieve together.
“Over the past three years, we have been putting in place the foundations and building blocks that are needed to compete regularly for the world championship. Behind the scenes, we have assembled a team that is technically stronger, more experienced and better resourced, thanks to the support of Petronas and all of our loyal team partners.
The potential is now there to match any other team on the grid, which is the minimum standard for a Mercedes-Benz works team. Our task is now to translate that potential into on-track performance for next season and beyond.”
Norbert Haug, Vice President – Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Mercedes-Benz has supported Lewis throughout his career, from karting, to Formula 3, to our successful partnership with McLaren, and it will be a very nice moment for all of us in the team to see him at the wheel of a works Silver Arrow next season, following in the tradition of British Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix drivers Sir Stirling Moss and Richard Seaman.
“Of course, it takes a great driver to replace such a legendary and successful one as Michael Schumacher. Over the past three years, Michael has been a great driver and an exemplary ambassador for AMG Petronas Formula One Team. His experience has been an important factor in guiding the development of our team in Brackley and we extend our sincere thanks to Michael for his loyalty, team play and commitment. We will be working very hard together in order to achieve the best possible results in the remainder of the 2012 season.
“The central task of any racing team is to deliver a car that allows the drivers to fully express their talents. In the 52 races for our works team, we have achieved a number of important milestones, including an historic victory for Nico Rosberg in China this year. We know that it is now time to take the next step, in order to deliver consistent front-running performances in the tradition of the Silver Arrows. Every single person in our team is working with total commitment and focus on achieving this ambition.”
Source: Mercedes Press Release
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29 Comments
Bad Move Lewis!
Indeed, thats the end of Lewis.
LOL
Hello money, goodbye World Championships.
Merry Christmas Sergio !
What a shame! I don’t beleive that Lewis moved just for the money though- surely the aforementioned 2014 chassis and end of Mclaren receiving Mercedes engines for free had a lot to do with it. I mean Lewis is not happy when he is not winning- I refuse to beleive he did it just for the money.
big drivers should take risks.
What were you thinking Lewis?!?
Part of being a great driver is choosing the right team to drive for. Echoes of Jaques Villeneuve?
:roflmao:
What…have I missed something??? Lewis Hamilton has switched to ze Silver Arruws? Never…. When did that happen??? Gosh, Lewis…. Michael gone? Who’d thought….???
We’ve all heard the rumblings, but I can’t believe it happened. We’ve heard the same rumors about Vettel to Ferrari and that never materialized. As a McLaren fan I’m truly disappointed. Perez is a great young driver but by no means a replacement for Hamilton. I had a friend tell me "Formula 1 just got a lot less interesting". I hope he is wrong…
What? Why disappointed? McLaren have two great drivers, with great talent. Jenson and Perez….. All this fuss about Hamilton going, he isn’t the team…he is ‘just’ a driver, yes a very good one, but a driver. McLaren goes on with a talented young fast driver and the smooth operator Button. Great combo.
Good luck Lewis with your three years at the Silver Arrows.
:sick:
The question why comes to mind
Lewis may need more than luck if the Mercedes doesn’t move forward.
Personally I think this makes 2013 MORE interesting.
Sergio may be young but if pressure doesn’t get the better of him, he could do extremely well.
Mercedes may have convinced Hamilton with their talk of 2014 targets, but lets not forget, McLaren are in it to win it EVERY year, including 2013. I bet Jenson is quite happy too
Now, just to put the icing on the cake, I want to see Michael go to Sauber, the Sauber continue to improve, and then we’ll see another Shumacher victory!
That is exactly what I thought!
And ironically the team is essentially the same team that Villeneuve went to all those years ago. They had masses of money in those early days of BAR and have never really developed beyond anything more than just above midfield, except for the one Brawn season where they made great effective use of the double diffuser.
Could see it happening when it was mentioned it was over his paycheck, he’s shown his real colours! Was kind of hoping that Di Resta would replace him but I like their choice in Perez, he’s proved already he has talent and I look forward to see what he can do with a McLaren under him!
It is early days. Lewis is hoping he can copy Schumi when he went to Ferrari – see what happened then……. Then again I could be wrong and Lewis is greedy? TBH, I am now sick of this whole affair now.
i didnt think the lure of more money would entice him to leave mclaren. although he wants more freedom to earn money away from the team,mercades offered that :sneaky::sick:
tbh i think Mclaren have the better deal here, Button and Perez together. Perez is gonna be quick from the off and he definately has the potential to win the championship if his performances in the sauber are anything to go by
It would be horrible for lewis if mclaren win next year…after all, barring mistakes/inconsistency, they have had the fastest car.
However, he hasn’t come 2nd in the championship or 3rd for that matter since 2008.
He has failed to win in cars that weren’t quite there and people will always say he only had success because of mclaren…so perhaps this isn’t such a bad move. with mercedes backing and the fastest driver (nobody can dispute that based on qualifying this year) together, i wouldn’t be surprised if they start to compete more seriously. some regulation will come in and mix things up anyway.
Great drivers take teams that are not winning and turn them into champions . Schumacher did it with Ferrari , now it’s Lewis’s chance with Mercedes , Let’s remember Mercedes have already shown this season that they’re not as far off winning things as you think . Rosberg won a race and Michael got a pole . Schumacher has also had some bad luck mechanically which has given Mercedes less points than they could have had . Personally I think Lewis will relish a new team . Perez is also a great young driver so it’s a good move from McLaren to sign him up too . Michael will probably retire for good now , but I’d love him to bag one more win before he retires . It probably won’t happen , but then no one expected the likes of Maldonado to win a Grand Prix in a Williams earlier in the season so it’s not impossible by any means .
Schumacher turned Ferrari into champions by getting key personnel from his old team Benetton to join Ferrari. While the team name changed you can argue it was essentially the same team – Schumacher, Byrne, Brawn and Stepney. Maybe Lewis’ plan is to get Mercedes to poach key McLaren staff?
Good change in the lineups, interesting to wait and see how will it work for the 2 teams.
Now Michael can replace Massa :p
Here comes the MONEY !!!!!!!!!!
Lewis is actually going to be getting less in wages than he would have done at McLaren , according to the media ( although he’ll have more say with his own deals etc ) , so I certainly don’t think his decision is all about money .
There are also rumours about Michael completing a driver merry-go-round and going to Sauber , but we’ll have to see if that turns out to be true . Sauber have been good this season so if that does happen he’d certainly have a decent seat next year .
No Ferrari did that not Schumacher.
I don’t see Hamilton taking anyone of significance with him to Mercedes, according to someone in their aerodynamics team Hamilton is not liked at McLaren HQ because of his aloof attitude where as Button is more down to earth and a nice guy to work with. Hamilton has raw talent to drive fast but I don’t believe he has the ability really great drivers have of being able to tell the team what the car is doing badly and help fix it like Schumacher, Button or Alonso can. It’s been said by engineers Schumacher was like a data logging computer, he could drive hundreds of test laps and then recall a particular lap at a particular corner where the car did something. We’ve heard Buttons radio at numerous times during the season saying x or y was wrong with the car then suggest something to fix it or have input into a great race strategy or make one work by nursing tyres where as Hamilton only seems to be able to go out and drive the wheels off.
I think this decision was heavily directed by Hamilton’s management team who are more well known for their music industry expertise. Mercedes are a risk nobody has a crystal ball so who knows how much better they will be in the long run but the fact is McLaren are front runners now and have been for a long time, you don’t just suddenly forget how to win but Mercedes are still very much learning, so if the reports are true McLaren matched Mercedes pay deal then all it comes down to then is the issue over personal sponsors which McLaren were very limiting. So with that said it really is about the money is it not? Hamilton should have stayed with his father managing him.
In 2014 when we will see new type of engines in Formula One Mercedes is one of the engine suppliers that has already experience and tons of data.
Don’t expect much from them next year but the year after Ferrari and,Mercedes will be the two teams to beat imo.
why would MS go to Sauber?..i just dont see the logic….it takes a long time for a driver to aclimathize to a new team..MS is 43!…..Sauber is not a WDC winning team,MS will not go there…he is simply to great for that ..,he will retire at the end of the year