Formula 1: Ferrari heat up Lewis Hamilton switch rumors

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto added fuel to the rumor that Lewis Hamilton will sign with the team for the 2021 Formula 1 season.

The Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari rumors continue.

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has added fuel to the fire, stating that the team are happy that the 34-year-old Briton’s contract with Mercedes expires after the 2020 Formula 1 season and that he will be available for the Prancing Horse to potentially sign.

As for Ferrari’s current two drivers, Charles Leclerc signed a long-term deal that reportedly runs through at least the 2022 season when he joined the team ahead of the 2019 season as the replacement for Kimi Raikkonen.

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Sebastian Vettel, meanwhile, signed a three-year contract extension with the Italian team in August of 2017, and that contract expires next season. Given his recent struggles, namely the unforced errors and the points that he has thrown away for himself and the team as a result, there is speculation that he won’t be back with the team in 2021.

Hamilton himself has not ruled out driving for Ferrari one day, and based on what he and Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff have had to say as of late, it is clear that a return to the Silver Arrows in the 2021 season is no guarantee. He signed a two-year contract extension with the Brackley-based team in July of 2018.

Here is what Binotto had to say about the matter, according to Independent.

"“Lewis is certainly an outstanding driver, a fantastic driver, and knowing that he is available in 2021 can only make us happy. We are happy with our drivers, but at one stage next season we will start discussing and understanding what to do.”"

Hamilton is a six-time champion, and all four of the other drivers in Formula 1 history who have won at least four titles have driven for Ferrari at some point.

He will be the favorite to win next year’s championship and tie Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven titles, and a seventh title would set him up to potentially break Schumacher’s record of eight in 2021, possibly with Ferrari, the team with which Schumacher won his final five championships.

The 2021 season also presents an interesting scenario in that it will be the first season in which the new budget cap is utilized, which will reduce the spending of top teams Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Racing.

However, driver salaries are exempt from that cap, so we could potentially see bidding wars among some of these teams for the top drivers, including Hamilton. Would Hamilton really turn down a massive offer to drive one of the red cars?

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When the 2021 Formula 1 season rolls around, will Lewis Hamilton be in Ferrari red, will he still be at Mercedes, will he be elsewhere or will he have retired from Formula 1? Perhaps most importantly, will he be a six-time champion or a seven-time champion? The 2019 season hasn’t ended yet, so expect this speculation to only continue to heat up.

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