After seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton signed on the dotted line for at least one more season in 2021, it has left many people talking about what could happen after this season takes place.
With Hamilton only agreeing to a deal for 2021, that leaves himself, teammate Valtteri Bottas and junior George Russell without a deal for 2022 meaning the fight to prove their worth this season will be as important as ever for all of them If they want it.
Some people are seeing this as a sign that Hamilton is seeing this as a chance to be the outright Greatest Of All Time in terms of titles and then bow out. Which is a possible theory, but others are seeing it as a cautious approach to the team and its future, a more realistic approach.
With a massive rule change coming in 2022, why would you agree to drive a car you do not know about with little aspirations left in the sport? As Hamilton already has seven titles, which could become eight by the end of 2021, why would he take the chance that Mercedes have got a great package for 2022 without seeing what will be produced first?
That is the more likely approach taken by Hamilton and his team. Having such a big rule change upcoming can let him be more cautious without committing to an immediate future with the accomplishments he has behind him. Why take the risk if he is not even sure he will want to be in the sport at that point?
Valtteri Bottas has a very different situation heading into the 2021 season. He needs to perform it is as simple as that. If Hamilton decides to stay around and does win the title, Bottas is going to have to be second at worst and very close behind to Hamilton to keep his seat for 2022. Anything less than that and he will be gone.
This has only become the case due to the performance George Russell gave at the outer loop at the Sakhir circuit filling in for the Covid stricken Hamilton. With such a talent waiting to get into the best team in the paddock it will not be too long before Toto Wolff pulls the trigger and get the future, his young talent, in the best car on the grid.
George Russell would seem to have the easiest ride of it in 2021. Dorilton Capital have only recently bought Williams so the full impact of their investment will not be seen until at least 2022. That being said Russell will still have to outperform his teammate and look ready to take the step up. He cannot get complacent and just expect the drive to begin to him.
Off the back of his great performance, despite the result, in his one off outing for Mercedes, there is little Russell can do wrong. Some would argue he is already ready for the promotion, so this season will not be of much use to him.
That will never be the case. Any gains made on this Williams will help getting a car closer to the 100% of the Mercedes and therefore better Russells knowledge. Also if he can battle well with the midfield that will only be a bonus as that is the one ting he has not done continuously yet in F1, down to the car though not himself.
The Williams of 2021 is the first to be named a B-Spec of last years car rather than an all new car for this season. Make of that what you will, if they have made massive gains and wanted the car to be remembered for this seasons performance or if they really aren’t expecting much change and are working more towards 2022.
No matter how this season works its way out, the talk of the Mercedes seat for 2022 will be an ongoing discussion from now until the day we have the lineup confirmed. It is left to the hands of the Drivers
Sports Insider by Gerren Scapens 