If that's the case there must be something we don't know. These championships haven't been hard fought and Hamilton has done the bare minimum required to seal them both. I assume he would concentrate more on the job if faced with a sterner external challenge.
True. But to get the maximum return from your most expensive driver it would make sense to back your most valuable asset? I'm just thinking if they would possibly get rid of him it would be because either his performances are not up to scratch and the titles were more of an effort or he isn't making enough money for Mercedes in and outside of racing. If it's because of rosberg they would get rid him right? Easy to do as he only has 1 year left anyway and you would do whatever to keep your main investment happy. If one driver does go though maybe we will see a Mercedes, Ferrari, mclaren merry go round. Just in time for 2017
The difference between winning and losing is so marginal these days, even the slightest advantage will help a driver, so if either of the Merc drivers had to go into combat against a sustained challenge from Ferrari or Red Bull, who would the smart money be on to come out on top if you had to pick between HAM and ROS in such a fight? A change would be good however, as you say it mayshake up the driver market a bit, which always gives a bit of renewed interest for a season. As a pairing, it seems to have done a Senna/Prost and the hassle is no longer worth having both drivers in the same team.
Please take this in the spirit it's intended! The margin for the last 2 years has never been larger. I'd bet on Ferrari/RedBull Dramatic much? This is like diet, caffeine free, Senna/Prost lite Other than that I would 100% agree!
You've got a pretty close minded view of the situation, it's not like Mercedes are being forced to run one car and have to pick their best horse to drive it. Hamilton's undoubtedly the better driver but if he was sacked he'd be replaced, and Mercedes might feel they'd be better off with Alonso or Ricciardo alongside Rosberg. The question isn't "if you had to pick between Hamilton and Rosberg in such a fight", it's "if you had to pick between Hamilton and someone else in such a fight". If they sacked Hamilton they'd be in the market for a world class driver, if they sacked Rosberg they'd probably be looking to replace him with a Massa, Kovalainen type driver who'll be too far behind to create any friction. Not that I think Mercedes are thinking about replacing either driver, it's just a warning to their drivers, Hamilton moreso than Rosberg I think.
I'd contend that they already have a Massa type driver i.e. one who is quite capable of coming first/second in the best car, but will get beaten by a good driver in a slower car a few times a season. Mercedes big problem is that Lewis doesn't have a comfortable margin over him. They either need a Kovaleinen i.e. someone who regularly won't get the best out of a good car or a team leader who will have that margin. Big question therefore is how competitive do you think Rosberg would be against Alonso, who would seem the obvious and "available" replacement.
Mercedes are in F1 to help sell high end luxury vehicles to the more well-to-do. Lewis Hamilton is a wannabe gangsta chav.
A team looking to appeal to the refined, well-to-do gent... Sponsored by Monster Energy... Maybe they're actually marketing to the eastern European cabbie.