Former Formula 1 team owner and now BBC pundit Eddie Jordan, has claimed that Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have agreed terms for the 2013 season, which would see the 27-year-old replace Michael Schumacher.
Speculation has linked the 2008-champion with Mercedes for a number of years now, but he has been contracted to McLaren up until the end of the current season.
Meanwhile Bernie Ecclestone hinted that Schumacher has made plans to exit the sport for a second time at the end of the year, leaving an opening at the Anglo-German team.
“I’m sorry that he’s [Schumacher] leaving us not being a winner, because he is a winner,” Ecclestone said in Belgium, before he backpedaled when asked if he knew for certain the German was retiring again: “I don’t know, I don’t know,” he added.
Jordan though is certain that the McLaren driver has agreed to join Mercedes as the seven-time world champions replacement in 2013.
“I believe Hamilton and Mercedes have already agreed personal terms and a deal could be imminent,” Jordan told the BBC.
“I can now confirm his people have had meetings with Mercedes.
“Bernie Ecclestone made it clear to me live on television on Sunday that Schumacher was leaving, although Schumacher later played it down.
“So it would appear Michael is leaving and Lewis is arriving at Mercedes.”
The 64-year-old is adamant that the deal has gone ahead and explained the reasons behind why it makes sense to part ways after six years together.
“The team have made it clear they cannot offer him as big a salary as his current $15m (£9.42m) deal, which was negotiated before the global financial crisis.
“On top of that, McLaren have to pay for their Mercedes engines for the first time next year,” he added.
