The firing comment has nothing to do with who is the better driver, it fits Wolff's comment that you can't have anarchy within a team as well as the expectation that those who know they're to follow orders when the team deems them necessary will, indeed, follow them. Add to that the fact it was made crystal clear just how serious the team were through their escalation to Paddy Lowe...and Hamilton will have known what that escalation meant. Wolff, et al, have set the tone for how that team will run. It's not a democracy and the drivers are employees who have freedom within boundaries set by the team. If they don't attempt to hold Hamilton accountable in some way, they'll set a precedent that says he can do what he wants regardless of orders from his bosses. Wolff has a lot to think about. Might even decide he needs to change the dynamic and give the drivers more free reign, but I doubt he will give up much control. That all said, they aren't going to fire Hamilton. Not going to happen. Nor will they fire the current WDC. At some point, probably soon, Wolff and Hamilton will have meeting and iron things out and I'd bet money there will be very clear expectations set for what happens when the team gives direction in the future. And in 2017 Hamilton and Rosberg will both drive for Merc.
Last couple of years we have heard Merc said that their primary concern was the Constructor's Championship, so once they had that locked up there shouldn't be "team orders". If Lewis get's anything more than a slap on the wrist I will be surprised. I don't believe that Merc wants to take the chance of alienating him as a driver when they have a new car coming. Who would you rather have driving for your team based on driving skill alone?
No argument here. The trouble for Wolff is Merc set specific priorities and if the Constructor Championship is settled their next priority is race wins. This may be where Wolff has room to give but prior to the race Hamilton knew the race win was the team's priority and those radio messages showed they hadn't changed that in any way in light of the circumstances of the race. Just saying Merc is a hierarchical org with some rigid rules and expectations. In the heat of the race they decided their employee needed to do something to secure their objective and he decided to risk it for his own benefit. Someone needs to give a little. Hamilton won and it was still a 1-2 so it might look in hindsight like he was right all along but the team thought they knew better and, given what could have happened if Vettel (or was it Verstappen?) had benefited from a free-ish tire change due to a SC period, may still feel like that win was down to luck rather than Hamilton making the better call. Wolff is in charge so the ball is in his corner but he really does need to either somehow make the hierarchy clear to Hamilton or change his and the team's stance going forward. It's a tough situation IF you want to be able to continue to call the races from the pits in those instances when you think you know things your drivers can't see. A skillful leader can make it work, regardless of the strength of the personalities he has to deal with. Your ball, Toto. Good luck with that. (Ps - I'll be surprised if Hamilton even gets that slap on the wrist. I expect a serious talk will occur and there'll be a handshake at the end. End of story.)
Me too...... I've said all along the problem wasn't just what he did, but that he did it to his teammate.
Sure, they're teammates, but also the biggest rivals. I see nothing wrong with winning the race at the slowest possible speed. The contructor's championship was decided, let them race!
I agree and think it was wrong for Merc to even suggest that Lewis should just stand by a let Nico win the DC uncontested. I would feel the same way if the roles were reversed. These two won you another CC, so there was no reason to pick a side. Unless Toto and the team had additional bonus money riding on another win, in which case they should be considered just as selfish as people are making Lewis out to be.
No one saw that coming! Including Mercedes! Wonder who they'll tap to take his seat? Silly season on overdrive now!
Enjoy your retirement Nico. As far as I am concerned it's a good move, retire on top. MB will have to pay big since all drivers seem to have signed contracts now. Will they buy someones contract out or bring in someone new? Time will tell.
Oh, man, now no one is going to believe me. I've been thinking the last couple days that Rosberg should retire now. Figured everyone would call me crazy so I didn't bother to post. I think it started with a quote from his father Keke in that interview I posted earlier. If he retires, he goes out on top and without ever losing a race after winning the title. (I wonder whether that's a first) But if he stays, just think how many jokes there will be about peaking in 2016. I also think watching Schumacher struggle when he came back with Merc had a big impression on him. Anyway, believe it or not, someone actually did see this coming... Well, sort of, didn't think he'd actually do it.