Rosberg contract with Mercedes expires

N ico Rosberg has six races in a row won. He leads the World Championship ranking with a maximum of 75 points. He is 36 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Some are already talking about the next world champion. But Rosberg still doesn't have a contract for next year. He's been driving for the brand with the star since 2010.

Mercedes doesn't seem to be in a hurry. It was very different with Lewis Hamilton. It couldn't go fast enough. Talks were held with the world champion about a contract extension from 2016 in Abu Dhabi in 2014. It then took until May 2015 until the contract was finally signed. The way there made a dozen headlines. 'Just because Lewis did everything without a manager and wanted to read each page three times', Niki Lauda looks back.

Is that called Man of the future maybe Wehrlein?

So what's going on with the Rosberg personnel? In the paddock you are already wondering: Is everything already clear or does Mercedes want to position its team with a younger driver for the future? Will the Silver Arrows pilot for the next few years be called Pascal Wehrlein? After all, the DTM champion found his way into the Manor cockpit under the care of team principal Toto Wolff. That gives rise to speculation.

Wolff replies to questions: 'Maybe we should really hurry up with Nico, as well as he is driving. But he has been part of our family for a long time. Therefore, both sides feel along with it comfortable with the situation. There is no reason not to move on together. ' Rosberg only says that he can still imagine working at Mercedes for many years to come, but that contract negotiations are not an issue at the moment.

A risky poker from Rosberg

Nico Rosberg also trades his contracts without Manager off. But is the World Cup leader already ripped off to play for time? It would be risky poker. If he keeps winning and the title becomes more and more likely, that's a good move. Because its price is increasing. If the pendulum swings back in the direction of Hamilton, Mercedes sits on the longer lever.

For Rosberg, there are no worthwhile options. Ferrari will hardly sign a second German. Red Bull prefers to use home grown products. McLaren has Stoffel Vandoorne up his sleeve. Otherwise there will no longer be any teams that are athletically attractive to Rosberg.

On the other hand, Mercedes has only limited options. A place in the Silver Arrow would come a little early for Wehrlein. Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are in the Red Bull pool until 2018. 'No chance for Mercedes,' waves Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko. That leaves only Fernando Alonso. He's got a contract with McLaren, but what does that mean about his past? The Spaniard is no longer the first choice because of his antics. Maybe that's why he's playing the team player at McLaren. To pep up his scratched image.