Schumacher’s indecision behind the recruitment of Hamilton?
According to Autosport, if Lewis Hamilton was contacted by Mercedes to replace Michael Schumacher, it is because the seven-time World Champion remained indecisive for too long about his future as a driver. His prolonged reflection would thus have condemned him to leave the Stuttgart manufacturer's team.
The real summer saga of Formula 1 this year, [the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes AMG in 2013](#) in place of Michael Schumacher kept the entire F1 world on edge, from top team directors to occasional observers. It is, in any case, the second time that Michael Schumacher, despite his unmatched record, is gently pushed out.
But according to information from our colleagues at *Autosport*, the German may have sabotaged himself, as Lewis Hamilton was not strictly the first choice for Mercedes. The German team had indeed given priority to the native of Hürth-Hermülheim, who was then contemplating his career options after three challenging years with Mercedes. A decision to continue would logically have led to a contract renewal for the German, which would not have triggered the complex game of musical chairs leading to Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at the team managed by Ross Brawn and then to Sergio Pérez’s transfer to McLaren.
But after the break, the German team reportedly grew impatient with the length of the “Kaiser’s” deliberation, fearing that the delays might become too short to retain the possibility of hiring a sufficiently skilled driver in case the seven-time World Champion decided to end his career. This is what allegedly triggered the initial discussions between Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, which have recently concluded.
According to *Autosport*, Schumacher was reportedly aware of the negotiations between the 2008 World Champion and the Brackley team, and had come to terms with the idea of leaving Mercedes AMG and potentially making contact with other teams if he wished to continue his racing career. His manager, Sabine Kehm, was even seen in discussions with officials of the Swiss team during the Singapore Grand Prix. However, Michael Schumacher’s future in Formula 1 is not guaranteed, and it remains to be seen whether he himself wants to continue his career.
