’Too early’ to consider Hamilton for 2021 - Binotto

"Today the 2019 season is just ending"

By GMM

2 December 2019 - 10:04
'Too early' to consider (...)

Mattia Binotto says it is "far too early" to speculate about whether Lewis Hamilton will sign up with Ferrari for 2021.

The Hamilton-to-Ferrari rumour was a hot topic in the Abu Dhabi paddock, and after winning the race the Mercedes driver didn’t even deny that he recently met with Ferrari chairman John Elkann.

"Everything that happens behind closed doors is obviously private," said the Mercedes driver.

"But I think for many, many years I’ve never ever sat down and considered other options, because we’ve been on a straight path ahead."

Sebastian Vettel’s contract at Ferrari expires at the end of next year, raising the prospect of a Hamilton-Charles Leclerc Ferrari lineup.

Leclerc says he wouldn’t mind.

"In the end, we are in Formula 1 and we want to fight against the best," he said.

"I’ve had a big opportunity this year to have Seb next to me who is a four time world champion and I’ve learned a lot from him and you can always learn from this type of champion."

Ferrari team boss Binotto, however, is not ready to consider the Maranello team’s 2021 lineup just yet.

When asked about Hamilton and 2021, he told the Italian press: "It is far too early to talk about it.

"Today the 2019 season is just ending and we are all focused on 2020, which is the most important thing," Binotto added.

As for Hamilton’s current boss Toto Wolff, who is being linked with Chase Carey’s top F1 job, he admits Ferrari has a chance of signing up the six-time world champion.

When asked to name a percentage chance of Mercedes re-signing Hamilton for 2021, Wolff told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "I would say 75 per cent.

"Between late January and February, we will try to set a date to discuss it, but I still have great hopes that our relationship will continue. I just don’t have full control of it.

"When Lewis left McLaren for Mercedes, everyone said he was making a mistake, but he proved them wrong. So I won’t make the mistake of underestimating Ferrari’s potential," Wolff added.

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