Mercedes should remain unchanged

One of the biggest talking points in Formula One at the moment is about what team Lewis Hamilton will be driving for next season.

It doesn’t matter if the F1 circus has rolled into Hungary, Belgium or the streets of Singapore, the back drop to every race weekend for the past few months has included speculation surrounding the 2008 Formula One World Champion.

Will he stay with McLaren or will he make the surprise move to Mercedes.

Some have speculated that if he made the move to Mercedes AMG it would be to replace seven time former F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, who many predict [including F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone] will retire for a second time at the end of this season.

Other rumours have even suggested that Nico Rosberg’s seat at Mercedes isn’t quite guaranteed, although the man himself believes otherwise: ‘I will definitely be in the Silver Arrow next year. I look forward to the next season, and even more race wins,’ Rosberg told German news agency DAPD as quoted by Sky Sports.

The German also spoke about who he thought should be his team-mate at Mercedes next season, as he appears to be locked into a contract for 2013 and it would appear that Rosberg is someone who isn’t too fond of change: ‘I think it would be right if Michael [Schumacher] stays, We get along well, the competition is good. Michael is still at a very, very high level on the road. It is a challenge to race against him. We push the team forward well.’

Meanwhile McLaren have continued with the line that they have no plan B in mind if Hamilton does make the move away from the team.

The 2013 car is already in the design process with the assumption that both Jenson Button and Hamilton will remain behind the wheel next season.

Sky Sports Ted Kravitz believes that if Hamilton was to make the move then McLaren’s first move would be for 2007 Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen.

Raikkonen drove for the team before he made the move to Ferrari and is currently under contract with Lotus for the remainder of the year. He does hold a performance related clause in his contract which would offer him a new deal, but it isn’t clear if that clause is in Kimi’s or Lotuses favour.