McLaren prepared to offer Lewis Hamilton more than Mercedes

It has been reveled that McLaren are prepared to offer Lewis Hamilton a far more lucrative amount per season than Mercedes, in a bid to see the 2008 World Champion remain a McLaren driver in the future. This comes as rumors continue to gather momentum of the Briton’s future in the sport.

With Lewis Hamilton’s future still unconfirmed, rumors within the paddock have been circulating endlessly with speculation that unarguably one of the fastest drivers in the sport could be on his way out of McLaren and off to Mercedes. Both parties have since denied these rumors, yet with McLaren allegedly approaching Sergio Perez as a possible replacement for the Briton, question marks still remain over Lewis Hamilton’s continuation as a McLaren driver.

After several bittersweet races for the McLaren outfit, with only one driver finishing each of the last three races, it is still firmly believed by many that Lewis Hamilton will remain a McLaren driver. With contractual negotiations still ongoing between Hamilton’s management team, XIX Entertainment, and McLaren, a final answer seems far from forthcoming.

With McLaren expected to offer Lewis Hamilton approximately £11.5 million per season, it is now understood that the Briton’s wage is no longer an issue as the contractual wrangling continues within the paddock. However, with Lewis Hamilton possibly open to more commercial freedom at Mercedes, it’s now a question of whether XIX Entertainment see a future at Mercedes more profitable than a future with McLaren. Due to how tightly controlled McLaren are with sponsorship deals, XIX Entertainment could prefer a future with Hamilton as a Mercedes driver and able to secure more commercial sponsorship deals than if he remained a McLaren driver.

Although nothing is set in stone yet, Lewis Hamilton’s future in Formula 1 is far from secure with either McLaren or Mercedes. McLaren will not wish to continue these negotiations for too long, as preparation for their 2013 car draws closer. With various sources within the paddock believing Lewis Hamilton will remain a McLaren driver, it’s unquestionable that the Briton has a big decision to make as the 2012 season draws to a conclusion.

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