09/02/2018
NEWS STORY
When it comes to admitting we got it wrong, badly wrong, Pitpass holds its hands up in admitting that when Lewis Hamilton announced in 2012 that he was heading to Mercedes we thought he had taken leave of his senses.
Despite a tough(ish) debut season with the German team, during which he scored just one win - Mercedes fourth since its return to the sport as a constructor in 2010 - since the introduction of the new engine formula a year later he has never looked back, winning three further titles and finishing runner-up to his teammate in 2016.
Speaking to the media at the MTC, team boss Zak Brown, still clearly slightly euphoric following the clinching of that Dell deal, and anticipating a significant move forward this year courtesy of new engine partner Renault, told the assembled journos that it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Hamilton might one day return to his spiritual home.
"Lewis has history here, and he is very friendly with the shareholders," said the American.
"I don't think there's a team in the pit lane that would not be interested in having Lewis drive for them," he added, "us included. It would be great for any team. He is an unbelievable driver.
While since the move Hamilton has gone on to dominate the sport, the Briton widely fancied to claim the crown again this year and possibly again in 2019 and 2020, courtesy of Mercedes success with the hybrid formula, McLaren is but a shadow of the team he once knew.
Out of contract this year, though, as Brown admits, he is fancied by every team in the pitlane, but unless he opts to do a Schumacher and join an ailing team in order to aid its resurrection, it is unlikely that the Briton would consider Woking any time soon.
Indeed, to even consider McLaren at this moment in time the Stevenage Rocket would have had to have taken leave of his senses.