I can't imagine how weird and awkward the atmosphere and situation in the McLaren garage must be, when Lewis is around. He can't expect to have the full team support behind him.
Of course he can. This season he is scoring more points for their WCC title bid than Jenson so they are going to keep pushing to get that title. If they try and screw him over out of a WDC shot they'll miss out on the WCC in the process. They might not care about Hamilton winning the WDC but the WCC is too lucrative to miss out on out of spite.
I'm sure Perez is an exciting prospect for the rest of the team, but I'd bet my hat that McLaren will miss one of the best drivers in the world. Am I still the only one who thinks it's somewhat embarrassing that McLaren lost Hamilton?
Any team would miss a driver like that. Like Ferrari would miss Alonso and RBR would miss Vettel.
I agree with you, from a McLaren point of view it seems like they didn't think there was anywhere for him to go and so didn't put up enough fight to keep him until it was too late. Maybe they thought that since they nurtured him that he would stay there regardless.
I hope he does well at Merc. I doubt it'll be next year so Vettel and Alonso are probably rubbing their hands together at the prospect of having a 2 man shoot out for the title.
I think it's a good move for him, he'll have the chance to try and show that he is a petulant child that the internet seems to think he is, and to try and lead that team through the next 3 years as the rules change.
I do fully expect him to beat Rosberg in 75% of sessions though.
I do like McLaren and Perez though and I've even started liking Alonso. Next year my order of cheering will be:
1) Hamilton
2) Button
3) Perez
4) Alonso
5) Webber