Lewis Hamilton may wait until the end of the season to decide on his future in F1
Lewis Hamilton says he may wait until after the end of the season to sort out his future, as speculation linking him with other teams continues
The Briton's contract with McLaren expires at the end of the current season, but Hamilton says his main focus right now is the championship fight, which he admitted he did not expect to be so hard this year.
Hamilton has only raced in F1 with McLaren, having made his debut with the team in 2007.
The 2008 world champion says he has not even started talks about extending his deal with the team.
"I haven't even discussed it," Hamilton told reporters in Canada on Thursday. "It is just because I underestimated how difficult the season was going to be. I underestimated how busy I would be, and then I also realised how unimportant it is at the moment.
"The championship is more important than what I have to do for my next contract. My future at the moment is not important. I might not even see next year. So what is important is that I capitalise on maximising this year."
When asked if the decision could wait until the end of the season, he said: "Possibly. Possibly."
Despite rumours linking him with rival teams like Red Bull or Ferrari, Hamilton insists he is not even considering anyone right now.
"I am not looking at anyone. I am just trying to focus on this season and trying to focus on winning. I have other people to worry about those kinds of things, and when the time comes and we sit down and they what do you want to do, then I can give them an answer. But I don't have to do that at the moment and I am not even thinking about it."
He added: "I could sit down if I wanted to. But I have a job at the moment and I am not in no rush, no rush at all, so there is no need to do it now."
Previous article
Raikkonen expects fewer issues with Pirelli's supersoft tyres in Canada
Next article
Williams to run aggressive new rear wing design in practice for Canadian GP
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Albert Park Circuit Modifications Project
Mercedes-AMG F1 Team: Bahrain GP Race Debrief
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. BEN ANDERSON looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says NIGEL ROEBUCK
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of car-racing titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Are we at peak F1 right now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How crucial marginal calls will decide the Red Bull vs Mercedes battle in F1 2021
The longer Red Bull can maintain a performance edge over Mercedes, the better the odds will be in the team’s favour against the defending world champions. But as the Bahrain Grand Prix showed, many more factors will be critical in the outcome of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.
