Autosport Podcast: F1 Emilia Romagna GP review – F1

Lewis Hamilton’s remark that there is “no guarantee” he will continue in Formula 1 after his current Mercedes deal expires dominated the aftermath of his Emilia Romagna GP win.

The six-time world champion extended his lead in the drivers’ championship further over team-mate Valtteri Bottas at Imola after the Finn’s car was hobbled by debris which cost him an estimated 50 points of downforce, and which left his team at first in disbelief at what it was seeing on the monitors.

Hamilton took full advantage of a Virtual Safety Car coinciding with his switch from medium to hard compound tyres, but such were Bottas’s problems that it was always likely the Briton could have completed the move on-track, as Max Verstappen managed before a sudden tyre failure abruptly ended his race.

PLUS: Would Hamilton have won at Imola without VSC fortune?

But after the race, Hamilton’s comments in the press conference were cause for debate amid expectations of a different role for long-time team principal Toto Wolff, who gave the firmest indication yet that he is seeking a successor.

Autosport’s Grand Prix editor Alex Kalinauckas is joined by Jonathan Noble, Jess McFadyen and Stuart Codling to consider the future of the all-conquering Mercedes team, which secured its record-breaking seventh F1 constructors title in Imola, as well all on-track the action from the condensed Emilia Romagna race weekend.