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So the new season will start in March and Australia was planned as usual to be the opening track. Now it looks set to be cancelled. (March 21st)
I have heard via someone who lives in Australia that although Covid related, nothing to do with that per se. More due to the fact, they are not prepared to run it without spectators. It's a street circuit and they make millions from the fans and ticket prices.
I'm inclined to agree with that. The Covid Bubble teams have put in place seemed to work well, 3 drivers out of 20 catching a mild dose and 3 team staff...
It means that the Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for 28 March now looks poised to become the 2021 season opener.
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No point. I won't be saying any more. It's all been said.
I just get annoyed that folk start talking trash about 'his ego'.He actually SHOULD have an ego considering all he has done for Mercedes (notwithstanding the fact they have given him a race winning car which he helped develop)
The sponsorship he brings to Mercedes would pay his salary 5 times over.
Throughout his journey to the top, he has remained quite humble in my opinion.
Roll on March and Bahrain, whether Hamilton is in the Merc or not.
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Love your passion Den 
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@MI5 wrote:
Love your passion Den
Ah well some people love football and don't call Messi egotistical when he earns 104 mill a year for kicking a ball about.
I love F1 and wouldn't call LH egostistical if he is asking for 40 mill a year for driving a car at 200kph for our entertainment.
All a matter of perspective really.
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Oh I see. The Daily (Hate Hamilton) Express. That fount of all F1 knowledge.
They have been posting click bait articles for two weeks now.
Re Eddie Jordan....what I actually said was....
"As for Eddie Jordan, when did he suddenly become relevant? Never has been for years.
(Or has he been sitting in on the contract talks as well?)"
Lewis Hamilton is not my poster boy. He is my favourite F1 driver of this current era.
My poster boy of F1 is/was Ayrton Senna.
As I said, if Hamilton isn't racing next year, I will be sad but won't stop me watching F1. I've been following the sport for 50 years and don't intend to stop anytime soon.
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I missed this.
I'm entitled to prefer certain sources to others when it comes to F1 reporting @Anonymous
I prefer Motorsport, Autosport, F1:70 GP Fans and other F1 sources of repute.
Rags like Essentially Sports are usually written by students studying F1.
The reason I don't like the Express or Mail is because they are in the habit of creating headlines with little or no substance. Clickbait articles.
The Express online has gone to town on the Hamilton contract discussions. Often repeated, rehashed or quoted from 'a source'.
Today alone they have printed 2 articles about the contract.
Over the last 3 days we have had these.
According to them Eddie Jordan was alleged to have said, they should use the Ayrton Senna tactics on him. ie 'So he died, what a shame, there are plenty of other drivers out there to take his place'.
I don't think Eddie Jordan has any more information than anyone else. He was probably asked for his 'thoughts' and said what he felt.
There is obviously some sticking point in these negotiations. Is it money? Is it length of contract? Is it his support for BLM? Is it something else? Do they want George Russell and using him as a bargaining tool? Who knows?...but while we wait, the Express will keep printing articles just to make sure we don't forget Hamilton has yet to sign a contract!
However, Toto has said on the Mercedes AMG site, the rumours are untrue and the contract 'could be negotiated up until the end of February'.
As I said previously, I will be sad to see Hamilton go but still look forward to the first race in Bahrain, with or without him.
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@Anonymous
Yes, I know it was Ecclestone who said that about Senna initially.
It was Jordan who repeated it in his comments this week when he said he would kick Hamilton out.
It has also appeared in other more reputable F1 sources, so I'm in no doubt he said it.
He also said I'm on the phone frequently to Ecclestone, so I have a good idea of what's going on.
Not aware that Ecclestone is privy to what's happening with contract negotiations either.
There are also others who think the contract is signed. Just not announced.
I've reached the point now where I am past caring to be honest. If he's re-signed we will know when it's officially announced by Mercedes.
Their social media team is simply posting (on a daily basis) images from last year about LH and VB.
Of course there will be another great. It will take them a long time to beat the most successful F1 driver of all time and I won't be around to see it.
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Statement posted today, from Toto Wolff regarding Russell.
While some believed Russell had done enough to justify a seat with Mercedes immediately, Wolff is more cautious about things – and believes another year at Williams will be important for the youngster.
"Winning Formula 1 championships is about making the least amount of mistakes. And that only comes with routine and experience.
Mercedes expects these kind of sustainable performance levels. And that's why you need to give young drivers time.
Because as exuberant as they may be perceived after the performance that we've seen [at the Sakhir GP] from George, at the same time, young drivers will be criticised, and criticised quickly, when they make mistakes in such a high pressure environment like a top team.
That's why making experiences like in Imola, when he crashed behind the safety car and the learnings from that, are very important to form a driver that can perform at a sustainable high level."
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/russell-iron-out-mistakes-mercedes-wolff/5110511/
