'If Hamilton fails to commit, you want Verstappen on board as soon as possible'

While the contract negotiations between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes drag on, speculation is rife from all sides. Initially, the reason why it is taking so long, but now also the consequences if both parties do not reach an agreement.

According to journalist Scott Mitchell of the-race.com, these negotiations have taken so long that you can no longer say there is absolutely no disagreement between the two parties. Although Mitchell believes that both Hamilton and Mercedes have no alternative, he does think that there are other drivers who see opportunities.

One of those is Max Verstappen. "He's one of the other key drivers defining the driver market," says Mitchell. "I'm sure he's looking at the situation with interest. And when you're in the situation Mercedes is in and you're not sure if Hamilton wants to commit, Verstappen is the driver you want on board at the earliest opportunity.'

The Dutchman, he believes, is, in fact, a guarantee of world titles if you give him the right car. Moreover, it is not unreasonable to philosophise about this switch, as Mercedes has already gone after Verstappen once before. That was back in his Formula 3 days, but Red Bull beat them to it because they could offer him a seat in Formula 1 straight away.