Lewis Hamilton has again ignited rumours that he may leave the McLaren team in the near future if they can’t produce a car which is capable of delivering championships.
The 2008-world champion gave his bluntest warning yet, claiming ‘loyalty has its limits’ – the 26-year-old is the most loyal driver having competed in 73 races with a single team, more than any other, overtaking Jim Clark who competed in 72 races with Lotus before his death in 1968.
“I have got only a short period in Formula One and I want to be competitive,” he is quoted as saying by the Guardian. “I want to win championships.
“If you’re in a good enough place and you’re happy then there’s no need to go anywhere. But loyalty has its limits,” he warned.
This comes after Martin Whitmarsh claimed he wanted to sign the Brit for another ten years, which would likely see out the remainder of his F1 career.
Despite this, he cautioned the team, adding: “I’ve always enjoyed racing here [at McLaren] and would like to continue but at the end of the year you have to assess what position you’re in and what’s happened.”
In reply to the competitiveness of Red Bull, a team who would likely sign him if they had the chance, he says ‘they’re just getting better’, further praising their performance.
“They’re better this year [than last],” he added. “They’re just getting better. The car is the quickest so now they can focus on other areas. Their pit stop is the fastest. They’re in and out … boom … it’s like clockwork.”
