McLaren door open for Hamilton

Martin Whitmarsh has not ruled out the possibility of Lewis Hamilton returning to McLaren one day.

Hamilton leaves the team at the end of the season having spent 14 years with them since signing as a 13-year-old.

He will join Mercedes on a three-year deal, where he will replace Michael Schumacher, who on Thursday announced he is to retire at the end of the season.

McLaren had been privately confident of retaining Hamilton’s services, and the team have been left very disappointed by his decision to turn his back on them for a new challenge.

In McLaren’s 46-year history as a constructor only one driver has ever left the team for another Formula One team, only to return later.

That man was four-time world champion Alain Prost. The Frenchman spent his rookie season with McLaren in 1980 but left for Renault, only to return in 1984 and go on to win three titles.

Hamilton had said earlier this week he would be prepared to drive for McLaren again one day and team principal Whitmarsh would not rule out the possibility of 2008 world champion Hamilton following in Prost’s footsteps, although he acknowledges such a scenario is a long way off.

Speaking after watching Hamilton record the second-fastest time in practice for tomorrow’s Japanese Grand Prix, he said: “Yes, certainly, I think it is a possibility. But he is joining a strong team in Mercedes.

“I don’t think he will be coming back any time soon, I am sure they have a good contract and they will want to work with him.

“I don’t think Lewis’ intention is to hop from team to team on an annual basis and I am sure that is not Ross (Brawn’s) intention either, but never say never, as they say, and let’s see what happens in the future.

“I think people want to talk about it a lot obviously and we are trying to focus on doing the job we are here to do.

“The relationship between the team and Lewis is a good one, it is a respectful relationship between McLaren and Mercedes as we are competing and we don’t have a problem with anything that has happened with Lewis’ decision or anything else.

“In the future – and I don’t think it will be in the short term – who knows?”

Even though Hamilton is leaving for pastures new, he and McLaren still have title glory to strive for this season. The Briton lies 52 points adrift of championship leader Fernando Alonso with six races remaining, including this weekend’s race at Suzuka.