Hamilton says Vettel will not join Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton has scotched any suggestion of Sebastian Vettel joining Mercedes next season, saying: “I know he doesn’t want to be my team-mate.”

The imminent expiry of Vettel’s £39million-a-year Ferrari contract has heightened rumours that Mercedes could be tempted to prise the quadruple world champion from their closest rivals.

While the attraction of such a decorated German driver joining a German marque is self-evident, Hamilton is adamant it will not come to pass. “I think it is highly unlikely that he will be here, and I don’t think he wants to.

“I’m not under the impression that any of the bosses or any of the individuals within the team is unhappy with what is currently in place, so I find it hard to believe they would change that.”

It seems that Mercedes will keep faith with the ultra-dependable Valtteri Bottas, who has eclipsed all expectations since joining from Williams. Indeed, the Finn is the top scorer in the past six grands prix on 106 points, eight more than Vettel and 16 ahead of Hamilton.

For all that Hamilton is 14 points adrift of Vettel in the championship, Mercedes have hit upon a dynamic that works. Bottas is less disposed than his predecessor Nico Rosberg to engage in verbal jousting with the senior driver. At the last race in Hungary, Hamilton even gave up third place for Bottas on the last lap.

Vettel’s supremacy at Maranello, by contrast, is unquestioned. He benefited from preferential treatment over Kimi Raikkonen to win in Monaco this season and would hardly be tempted by a squabble for alpha-male status with Hamilton. “In terms of how the team operate, he would not be in the position he is now if he were here,” Hamilton said.

Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix marks Hamilton’s 200th race in F1.