F1: Mercedes team not for sale and Lewis Hamilton dismisses knighthood talk

Mercedes-Benz deny sale reports

A “well-placed” Mercedes-Benz source has told Carscoops that the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula 1 team is categorically not for sale.

Reports earlier this week claimed that the company is looking to sell its F1 team but stay in the sport as a constructor and engine supplier.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

However, in response to the reports the anonymous source has confirmed to Carscoops that this is not the case.

This season the Silver Arrows have secured a sixth successive constructors’ championship while star driver Lewis Hamilton has won his sixth career F1 title.

Lewis dismisses knighthood talk

After winning his sixth F1 world championship there have been calls for Lewis Hamilton to be knighted. But when asked about the prospect the British driver said he has not given it much thought, Pitpass.com reports.

The 34-year-old said last weekend in Brazil: “I don’t really like to think too much about it. Just the fact that people have mentioned it, it’s already an honour, but it’s not been something that I’ve been chasing in my life.

“If, at any point, that was to happen, I don’t particularly know how I would handle it. I have stood in front of Her Majesty the Queen before and it was pretty incredible and I think she’s just awesome.

“Again, I don’t think it’s going to happen, and again, it doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t. It doesn’t mean I'm not British. It doesn’t mean I’m not continuing to try and raise the flag as well as I can but I do appreciate all the support I’ve had from my fans and also from the British media.”

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine. Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Max and Red Bull in ‘contact’ over future

GrandPX.news reports that Max Verstappen’s management are in “contact” with Red Bull Racing over their joint future.

The 22-year-old, who won last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, is only under contract with Red Bull for 2020 - a year in which there must be a title challenge, says his manager Raymond Vermeulen.

Speaking to Dutch publication Formule 1, Vermeulen said: “It was a very good weekend, with excellent strategic decisions, and Honda - it all fit.

“If you want to be world champion, this must be the level, and it must be the level every time. Because if Max has the package, this is Max’s level.”

When asked about any future deal, Vermeulen, who manages Verstappen alongside the driver’s father Jos, added: “We have contact. Myself or Jos are always there and we keep in touch.

“The team is under pressure as it wants to go for the title next year, and that is the most important thing for now. Next year is the moment of truth.”