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May 5, 2015

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Hamilton to Ferrari rumor gathers pace

Growing rumors of Lewis Hamilton’s potential move to Ferrari are being fed by the fact that the defending Formula One champion has yet to sign a new contract with Mercedes.

Hamilton at Ferrari, with the Briton competing for top-driver status against four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, could rival the days when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost were fighting — and feuding — for the title.

The prospects for enticing more interest in the sport are mouth-watering, as F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone well knows. For now, the sport is more in the spotlight for losing iconic races like this year’s German Grand Prix, with fears over whether the Italian GP in Monza will continue beyond 2016.

Mercedes without Hamilton, who has won three of the four races this season and nine in 11, would mean a massive hole to fill. Teammate Nico Rosberg just missed out on the title to Hamilton last year, but there are still question marks about his ability to handle pressure at the very highest level. The German has only one win in the past 15 races and hasn’t beaten Hamilton — who has clinched four straight pole positions this year — so far in qualifying.

Furthermore, Rosberg is already showing clear signs of frustration, accusing Hamilton of driving in a way intentionally designed to scupper his chances two races ago in China, and berating engineers on his race radio for the car’s lack of speed. No wonder the 30-year-old Briton is in such a strong bargaining position.

Hamilton knows Mercedes could fall way behind Ferrari if he left, while Ferrari would boast the strongest line-up in many years: two drivers who have six titles between them — four for Vettel, two for Hamilton — which could well become seven if one of them wins this year, and 76 race wins so far.




 

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