Lewis Hamilton to leave McLaren As speculated earlier this month by Eddie Jordan, Lewis Hamilton is to leave the McLaren's team after agreeing a three year deal to race for Mercedes from next season. The move to Mercedes was announced on Friday and has caused huge repercussions throughout Formula 1 �Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motor sport, along with a passion for winning which I share,� said the 27-year-old Hamilton, the 2008 champion and winner of 20 grand prix including three so far this season. �Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the world championships.� Mercedes have won one race since they took over the Brawn GP team in 2009 but principal Ross Brawn said Hamilton�s arrival meant they could now match any team on the grid. �The arrival of a driver of Lewis�s calibre is a testament to the standing of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One and I am proud that Lewis shares our vision and ambition for the success of the Silver Arrows,� he said. �I believe that the combination of Lewis and Nico will be the most dynamic and exciting pairing on the grid next year, and I am looking forward to what we can achieve together.� There was no word on Schumacher�s future plans, with the 43-year-old former Ferrari ace widely expected to retire for the second time after making a comeback in 2010. �I have had three nice years with the team which unfortunately did not go as well as we all would have wanted on the sporting side,� Schumacher, who could remain with Mercedes in an official capacity, said in a statement. �I wish Lewis well and for the team to achieve the success we worked so hard for in the build-up. I would like to thank the team for their trust and all the guys for their unconditional commitment. I will now concentrate on the next races.� |
