‘If Mercedes won’t pay Hamilton, someone else will’

Mark Scott
Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton PA

Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, has said that if Mercedes won’t pay Lewis Hamilton’s salary then someone else will despite the cost-cutting F1 world we live in.

Formula 1 teams up and down the paddock are watching the pennies as the recovery process from the extended break due to the global health pandemic begins.

But Mercedes are still going to have to splash the cash if they are to commit Hamilton to a new contract with his current deal set to expire at the end of the 2020 campaign.

Hamilton reportedly earns £40million a year at the Silver Arrows, making him the highest-paid driver on the grid.

But Marko does not envisage any problems for Mercedes as their sponsors can help foot the bill.

“Someone else will pay it,” Marko is quoted by grandpx.news.

“Petronas only has to transfer a little less to the team and send it to Hamilton instead.”

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Following those comments, Marko feels the introduction of a driver salary cap is an “essential” need for the sport.

“A limit on the driver salary is essential,” he added.

“Of course we still have to fulfil the current contracts, but we must do something in this area as soon as possible.”

As for Red Bull’s current drivers, Marko has called on Alex Albon to prove that he deserves a seat on the 2021 grid with the team.

“He has to earn his seat,” Marko added.

“During the first negotiations about these races in Spielberg, we campaigned for Formula 2 and Formula 3 to be there too.”

“That is more important for us than for the others, as we rely on these youngsters. We need to see how they are going.

“We have two drivers in Formula 2 and three drivers in Formula 3. Our driver choice for 2021 is based on who is quick and worthy enough to step up.”

While Alex Albon is contracted to the team for 2020, Max Verstappen has a deal in place until the end of 2023 after signing a new contract with Red Bull back in January.

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