Robert Doornbos thinks that Lewis Hamilton will also drive for Mercedes next year, although he does not rule out a departure from the Brit at the end of 2021: “I don’t think Hamilton’s statement about his future is so strange, because there is a lot going on in the background. Mercedes. Team boss Toto Wolff will also wind down and Mercedes no longer wants to give Hamilton a sky-high salary due to the corona crisis and its financial consequences. I think Lewis will eventually extend his contract for one year so that he can keep his options open for 2022. He is of course already the best of all time, but that eighth title also beckons. Incidentally, I do not think that Verstappen wants to be the successor of Hamilton “, said Doornbos in the Peptalk program of Ziggo Sport.
According to the former Red Bull driver, every cycle will come to an end and he does not expect Verstappen to risk a switch at the end of 2021. “At some point a structure changes in a team, people start to leave and it it is very important that you know how to keep the right people in the right position “, with which Doornbos refers to the fact that several important people will also change positions at Mercedes when Wolff decides to fill in a different role in the team .
Doornbos also has every confidence in Red Bull, which in his eyes has already proven in the past that they know how to be successful in Formula 1: “Red Bull is of course not a car manufacturer and therefore they will be the future will have to build their own engine. Therefore, November 15 is an important day, because on that day they try to get to freeze the current engines. It remains to be seen how that day turns out, as the other manufacturers such as Ferrari do not agree with the introduction of this rule. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if Verstappen stays with Red Bull, as the team has proven in the past that they have been successful in winning four world titles in a row. “
The F1 analyst also hopes that even more rules will change in Formula 1. For example, De Doornbos mainly hopes for a change in the black rubber: “The tires are much too conservative at the moment, so you see that the drivers are forced to drive a lot in a controlled manner. That is why I think that there should be a change, so that drivers can reach the limit more. Yet I have seen enough great races and actions this season, there was certainly a spectacle. “
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