Mercedes, McLaren’s engine suppliers and former co-owners, have won once – in
China this season – since they took over the title-winning Brawn GP team at
the end of 2009.
“I’m not really focusing on next year, I want to focus on this year. This is
one race at a time and I’m trying to take this team to the top,” Hamilton,
who has been backed by McLaren since he was a teenage go-karter, said on
Sunday.
“I’m trying to help them as they are trying to help me to win both
championships. It is an incredible team and I have a great relationship with
them so I’m really looking forward to the future,” added the 27-year-old.
Hamilton arrived in Monza after Eddie Jordan, the former team owner now
employed as a pundit by BBC television, said a deal was imminent with
Mercedes for Hamilton to replace Michael Schumacher.
The report set the tone for the weekend, with Hamilton and McLaren doing their
best not to be distracted by the constant rumblings of the paddock rumour
mill.
Hamilton is represented by XIX Entertainment, who also look after the affairs
of former England soccer captain David Beckham and tennis player Andy
Murray, and Whitmarsh expected a new impetus to talks now the last European
race of the season was out of the way.
“I can imagine we’ll have some conversations before Singapore,” he said,
referring to next week’s 14th round of the 20 race championship.
“Predicting the timing of when two get to dance is always dangerous,” he
cautioned, however. “My feeling is that this is a great team for Lewis to
stay in.
“We are a winning team, Lewis is a winning driver and there is a lot of sense
in us working together.”
While next year’s car is under development, having a driver who could possibly
leave at the end of the year and take details with him was of no concern.
“Most of the focus with Lewis and the technical programmes is about what we
are doing now,” said Whitmarsh. “Developing next year’s car is the work of
technologists, engineers and designers.
“The drivers, apart from when they sit in it, are not that intimately involved
in the process.”