With just a few races remaining on the 2012 calendar, Formula One now heads into its “silly season,” where drivers on the bubble scramble to find rides for next year, while top-shelf stars near the end of existing contracts quietly shop their wares among other (presumably higher-paying) teams.
While rumors of Lewis Hamilton’s departure from McLaren have been circulating for months, it was hard to imagine the British driver moving to another squad. That’s why the news of Hamilton’s departure comes as such a surprise, especially since he’s headed to Mercedes (who currently supplies engines for McLaren). Taking Hamilton’s place alongside Jenson Button (who’s staying put for 2013) will be Sergio Perez, an impressive driver with lots of talent who has lacked a winning car to date.
As you may have guessed, Hamilton will be replacing Michael Schumacher at Mercedes, who will once again hang up his Nomex at the conclusion of the 2012 season. Hamilton will race alongside Nico Rosberg (a friend and former teammate from Hamilton’s karting days) at the Mercedes squad.
Perez’s departure leaves a vacancy at Sauber, a team that has shown a bit of promise in 2012. Don’t expect to see a big-name driver chosen to fill that seat, even though Ferrari’s Felipe Massa will likely be out of a job at the end of the season.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
