[Jeff Higgins]

I have struggled for the entirety of Hamilton's career to either like or respect him. I was getting close on both accounts about a year ago. Last season reset both to "zero".

I would dearly, dearly love to see Mercedes sign Russell. I would love to see Russell subsequently win a world drivers' championship, running away. I would love to see Hamilton languish in a second or third tier car, trading mid pack (or worse) qualifying spots with a lackluster team mate.

I think such a turn of events would say loudly and clearly, beyond doubt, that it has been the car, not the driver. I firmly believe there have been four or five, maybe as many as half a dozen other divers in the field who, given that car, would have flat driven away from Hammy. I would love to see the situation develop, in the last season of essentially "this" car, to showcase just that.