London - Being in the right place at the right time is a mark of a successful Formula One driver - a truism that will almost certainly lead Lewis Hamilton to agree a new deal at Mercedes, possibly within the week.
The double world champion has chosen shrewdly throughout his career by hitching himself to McLaren in the early years and then moving to Mercedes for the 2013 season, despite the aristocracy of British motor racing advising him to stick with his existing team.
The importance of making the correct decision was reinforced on the podium after Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix, when he saw Sebastian Vettel on the top step after the German’s own successful move from Red Bull to Ferrari.
DISASTROUS MOVES
Hamilton, who finished second, also thought of Fernando Alonso, whose career management has been disastrous since he left Renault in 2005, the year he won the last of his two world titles.
The Spaniard then walked out on McLaren when he could have won a third championship, went back to Renault as a stop-gap, joined Ferrari while it was moribund and returned to McLaren this season as they are slowly coming to terms with new engine partners Honda.
Alonso managed less than half of Sunday’s race before a cooling problem intervened. Vettel, in only his second race for Ferrari, won in the car Alonso had just vacated.
“It’s nice to see Ferrari back up,” said Hamilton. “I sat next to Sebastian and thought to myself, ‘What is Fernando thinking?’ I remember when I left McLaren and came here, we were better the next year. I had a good feeling then, but he’s almost done the opposite of what I did. It could have been him today. It’s just strange how things turn out.
“McLaren are a fantastic team. It looks bad now but I’m sure they’ll get it together. Before you know it, it will be the three of us fighting, I’m pretty sure.”
Alonso’s predicament is a terrible shame because he was the heir who supplanted Michael Schumacher as the German approached his first retirement in 2009.
Hamilton, 30, does not want to fall into the same trap, and says he is ready to sign a new contract with Mercedes for three more years beyond this season.
HAMILTON NOT JOINING FERRARI
The tantalising prospect of his joining Ferrari, where he is hugely admired by president Sergio Marchionne, seems remote. They have Vettel and Hamilton is already part of a top team. No matter Sunday’s result - Hamilton beaten on pure pace by Vettel’s Ferrari - Mercedes are the team of the moment.
Asked about signing for Ferrari, Hamilton said: “No, don’t be silly. My contract at Mercedes should be done this week. There’s no reason why not. Honestly, it’s 99.6 per cent done.”
The exact terms of drivers’ contracts are kept secret, but it is thought that Hamilton will get more than his current annual £20 million (R360m) salary, though probably not match Vettel’s deal at Ferrari, which could be worth up to £35m (R630m) if he collects all his bonuses and extras.
The Mercedes board want their team to be cost-efficient and will not pay the Earth even for a driver of Hamilton’s talent.
CHINA TO FAVOUR MERCEDES?
As well as tying up the contract, Mercedes will spend the fortnight before the next race in China responding to the Ferrari challenge. It is believed that the cooler temperatures expected in Shanghai will favour Mercedes, but at least their defeat after eight successive wins relieved the monotony.
“I don’t think Ferrari’s win is a one-off,” said Hamilton. “I don’t think they were lucky or it was a fluke. There’s always talk that they are easier on their tyres.
“I think we’ll manage. We’ve got a great group of people, a great approach, and from this we’ll take a step back.
“Second for me and third for Nico (Rosberg) is still good but they’re too close to us in the championship, so we’ll work very hard to analyse. It was not a kick; it was a pinch. We have now got a race on our hands.”
That is good news for the sport and hope for all the teams.
Daily Mail