Lewis Hamilton put an end to the soap opera and announced its continuity in Mercedes. Yes, the most successful partnership in Formula 1 in recent times will remain together for at least a year. They were months of negotiations between the British seven-time world champion and the executives of the German team, with orders, claims and clauses for all tastes. And although the contract numbers were not disclosed by the parties, in the last hours it emerged how much the man who equaled Michael Schumacher will win. And the figure is striking, since it will double what the second highest paid driver in the category will receive.
According to the British newspaper The Sun, Hamilton signed his renewal with Mercedes in exchange for an annual salary of 40 million pounds sterling that includes all the bonuses that he had been fighting in recent times. That works out to almost $ 55 million. Little if compared to the annual soil of Lionel Messi, the one that the newspaper published The world and it generated a stir in and around Barcelona.
However, if you put him on a par with the other drivers in the category, Hamilton takes them light years away. Like on the track, of course. Double (and a little more) what will go into the box now of the Dutch Max Verstappen, who will receive 25 million dollars of Red Bull. And it is four times what the top Ferrari and McLaren drivers will win, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc and the Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
A curiosity: Valtteri Bottas, the Finn who is the side of Hamilton and who usually wins races that the Briton does not win, signed a much smaller contract: just eight million dollars. It is even less than what the Spanish Carlos Sainz, Ferrari’s new bet, and Fernando Alonso, the champion who returns with Alpine -ex Renault-, which will receive 10 and 9 million dollars, respectively.
Sebastián Vettel, the German who left Ferrari and this season will race for Aston Martin -the former Racing Point-, was in 2020 the second highest paid driver with just over 40 million dollars when he was still under the Ferrari umbrella. Now he will have to settle for just over 18 million US currency.
It is clear that Hamilton is worth every dollar they pay him. He was world champion with McLaren in 2008 and with Mercedes (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020), the team with which he smashed all the Formula 1 records one by one: greatest number of victories (95), of podiums (165) and pole positions (98).
“I am very happy to start my ninth season with my teammates at Mercedes. Our team did amazing things together and we can’t wait to continue our success,” said Hamilton, who signed for just one year and opened the door to speculation about his career. future after the 2021 season.
Hamilton claimed his seventh Formula 1 title last year, matching Schumacher’s record. Photo EFE / EPA / TOLGA BOZOGLU
Tot Wolff, head of the German team, explained the reason for the short extension of the link with the seven-time champion. On the one hand, the economic uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic, which caused a collapse in the sale of vehicles around the world. On the other, the transition that the automotive sector is going through.
It should also be remembered that next year the category will introduce a new regulation change that will imply a radical change in the concept of car design and also a reduction in the budget limit, which will be set at 140 million dollars.
“We agreed to make it one year first because 2022 will see a major regulatory change. We also want to know how circumstances unfold in the world and in the company. There are uncertainties that affect the way in which sport can operate. and that influence our revenues, television money and sponsorship income, “commented the Austrian manager.
“The Daimler and Mercedes company is in a great transformation towards electric mobility that requires investments, it is a very different financial environment from years ago,” he added.
“As long as Lewis enjoys driving, he is more than capable of continuing beyond 2022,” said Toto Wolff. AP Photo / Kenan Asyali
Wolff also stressed that, by delaying the signing of the contract – they wanted to start discussing it before the close of the 2020 championship, but the pilot was infected with Covid-19 and the start of the talks was delayed for the end of December – both parties agreed on “postpone the negotiation on 2022 for later”.
“There was no disagreement in opinion. It was just that we felt we had to sign the 2021 contract because we have to get going, and find time later this year to discuss the future. As long as you enjoy driving, you are more than qualified to continue beyond 2022, “Wolff said.
Champion conditions
As reported by various British media, Hamilton put his signature on the new contract under certain conditions. The most controversial, la “cláusula Verstappen”, which gives the champion the right to choose his partner until 2023, which could prevent the Dutch driver from reaching Mercedes for years to come.
A similar situation occurred in 1984 in BrabhamAt that time, he had Bernie Ecclestone as the main person in charge. On that occasion, the future president of F1 wanted to bring Ayrton Senna as a teammate to Nelson Piquet, champion in 1983. But the latter did not like the idea. Nor to the main sponsor of the team and Ecclestone had to give in. “I weighed everything carefully: in the end, peace in the team was more important to me,” he recalled.
Verstappen, left, and Hamilton, right, during a press conference last year. Photo FIA / Via REUTERS
Although it seems that Wolff will not face that dilemma because he himself was in charge of denying the versions about the veto to Verstappen.
“About the specific clauses that appeared in some media, I don’t know where they came from because none of that is true. Everything is false. What’s more, I read it and found it interesting, but the truth is that no specific clause was discussed at any time with the pilot. He has never asked in the last eight years to choose his partner. But it is also a team decision, “said the Austrian.
He also denied the versions that claimed that a part of Hamilton’s salary would come from the money that enters the team for television broadcasting rights.
“There is no basis for that rumor. None of that was part of our negotiations.” assured.
Hamilton and Mercedes will launch a foundation to create more diversity in F1, a cause to which the driver is deeply committed. Photo REUTERS / Hamad I Mohammed
The only request that Hamilton made and that Mercedes gladly accepted was to continue working together to generate greater diversity and inclusion in the category and in motorsport, a cause to which the driver is very committed.
“I am determined to continue the path that we have begun to take to make the sport of motoring more diversified for future generations and I express my appreciation to Mercedes for having provided me with unconditional support in my fight to address this issue,” said the Briton.
With that goal in mind, Hamilton and Mercedes will jointly create a charitable foundation. “It inspires me to see all that we can build together,” commented the pilot.
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