Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is looking to secure a race win for a long time now. That is what he is focusing on at present. The last race that he won was back in the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. If Hamilton could win the next race in Abu Dhabi that year, the F1 community would have their first eight-time champion. But it was not meant to be, as Red Bull ace Max Verstappen changed the course of motorsport.
Team Mercedes narrowly missed out on the driver’s world championship in 2021. And, since 2022, the team has lost its grip on the title as it failed to build a fast and smooth car. The poor car is not helping the seven-time champion to get to his eighth title. That is why Lewis Hamilton has been winless for one and a half years. On top of that, his contract is set to end with Mercedes after this season. And now, everybody is talking about when Mercedes and Hamilton will confirm their contract extension. But looks like some issue is surrounding the extension deal that is bothering both Hamilton and boss Toto Wolff. But what is that? Keep reading to find out.
Lewis Hamilton Wants To Stay With Mercedes No Matter What
Since the start of the 2022 F1 season, there was a rumor that Ferrari showed interest in signing Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. But the rumor does not hold any firm ground. Despite that, the F1 fans are curious if Hamilton should change teams to get the opportunity to drive a faster car than what he is driving this season. Clearly, it could increase his chances of winning the eighth title. But Hamilton mentioned that he wouldn’t leave Mercedes as long as he had a good understanding with boss Toto Wolff.
On that topic, recently, a piece of new information came to light that Lewis Hamilton wants a ten years contract worth 245 million dollars. According to the seven-time world champion, he wants to stay part of Mercedes as a brand ambassador even after retiring as a racer. But the team is playing hardball as the Briton is no more a champion. That gives them an edge over Hamilton during these negotiations. Recently, Hamilton told Sky Sports, “These are very complex contracts. It is more than any driver’s contract.” The Briton also mentioned that he plans to be part of the great organization that he joined back in 2013. It is not easy to say go ahead without exploring all the avenues to extend the ten-year partnership even further.
Hamilton Is In No Rush To Sign Contract Extensions
Despite everything, Lewis Hamilton feels that he is in no rush to sign a contract with the team and the people he knows so well and for such a long time. There is a chance that the Mercedes team may announce the new contract extension in the Silverstone Grand Prix weekend. It would be a perfect place to confirm the renewal of the partnership.
But it is interesting to see if Mercedes will accept the value of $245 million. Or perhaps Hamilton accepts a deal any less than that to ensure his role as an ambassador in the future. From 2014 to 2020, it was Mercedes and Hamilton who ruled the grid. Lewis Hamilton won six titles during that period. Moreover, Mercedes won eight consecutive constructor titles and seven driver’s championships from 2014 to 2021.
