Lewis Hamilton doesn’t need any proofs from Mercedes to extend his F1 contract, as Toto Wolff adds on the talks happening.
Ever since joining Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton hasn’t looked back on the German manufacturer where they have won six titles together on the driver side and eight on the constructor side. After their regular success, only 2022 it shook a bit.
Hamilton had his first winless year, while Mercedes just managed to get one courtesy George Russell. With his contract to get over at the end of the year, there is a natural question mark on whether he continues on with his F1 career or puts on a brake.
For now, Hamilton isn’t looking to stop as he has been hinting for the last year or so. And he doesn’t need anything from Mercedes after their shortcoming in 2022. “No, I don’t feel like I need them to prove to me,” he said to media on call. “I think we’ve proved time and time again over the years that we have strength and depth.
“We still have all these incredibly talented individuals within the team, as I said, you don’t lose that ability. We’re continuing to try and improve our processes, we’re continuing to try and be smarter in how we approach things and with our communication. I think there’s the best harmony within the team that I’ve seen in all these years.
“And as I said, we’ve got a real fresh young group of engineers and people that have just come into the team over the past year as well. So it’s an exciting time for the team and I don’t plan on being anywhere else,” summed up Hamilton, who if extends his contract, should do it for a couple of seasons more rather than going for a larger deal.
From the team side too, Wolff is not too worried about Hamilton stopping or going elsewhere. As has been the case before, it is only a matter of time before they sit firmly to fully discuss and sign it off. They have already had their first talk on the same.
“As I said before, we’ve done a few of these contracts in the past,” said Wolff. “They change little from iteration to iteration. It’s not usually complex apart from the obvious terms. But no, we’ve had a first chat. I don’t want to commit to any timeline, because at that stage, it’s not important for him nor for us.
“It runs a full year, and we’re going to find the right time. As for his fitness and our capabilities, how he appears to me? Lewis is in great form, very positive, motivated, energised. Maybe the best I’ve seen so far in those 10 years, after the winter. He knows what he has with the team. We won eight constructors’ titles in a row.
“I’m not saying anything you don’t know, and we got it wrong last year. So the resource, the capability is there, and we just need to continue to develop like we’ve done last season. So I don’t think it plays on Lewis’s mind any doubt that the team can perform. We will eventually,” summed up Wolff, who doesn’t feel age will be a factor in this situation.
“His age, 38, plays no role for this next contract,” continued Wolff. “If you look at how well top athletes in the world have pushed the boundaries. Tom Brady is 44-45 and he’s on the pitch, throwing a ball and being tackled. So, the age plays no role.
“In terms of the contractual situation, we’ve always found good solutions that reflect his value for the team and for the sport. And on the other side, Mercedes is the place, it says clear that we’re going to do that. It’s almost not like a first priority, sitting down because this is going to be a journey that will continue,” summed up Wolff.
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