Mercedes will wait for "quiet time" in winter to sort new Hamilton F1 deal

Speculation about a move to sort an extension was prompted recently when Hamilton made it clear that he would soon sign again with Mercedes for beyond the end of 2023.

Speaking to selected media, including Autosport, Hamilton said: “We are going to do another deal.

“We're going to sit down and we're going to discuss it in these next couple of months, I would say.”

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says his squad is not looking for anyone else, as the seat was ‘100%’ Hamilton’s.

However, he felt that there was no rush to get things settled immediately – and that it would be easier to sort things out, including wider responsibilities beyond driving, once the season was finished.

“We haven’t started having talks,” explained Wolff. “We want to definitely finish the season and then find some quiet time over the winter like we have done last time around, that literally started in the winter holidays and lasted over two months. We haven’t done that.

“But he’s much more than a driver to us now. Although we’re not talking about a career end, it’s also important to speak about his role as an ambassador for Mercedes and the many sponsors that we have, and the implication he can have in our wider audience.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Hamilton has only raced with Mercedes engines in Formula 1, having originally joined its then partner McLaren at the start of the 2007 season.

He raced for the Woking-based team until 2012, winning the world title in 2008, before joining the works Mercedes squad in 2013. He has won another six championships with the outfit.

Reflecting on his relationship with the German manufacturer, Hamilton said he had no desire to join any of its rivals.

“My goal is to continue to be with Mercedes. I've been with Mercedes since I was 13. And it really is my family: Mercedes-Benz is my family,” he said.

“They've stuck with me through thick and thin. They stuck with me through being expelled at school. They stuck with me through everything that was going on through 2020. They've stuck with me through my mistakes, and shit that's been in the press; they've stuck with me through the ups and downs.

“I really believe in this brand. I believe in the people that are within the organisation. And I want to be the best team-mate I can be to them, because I think we can make the brand even better, more accessible, even stronger than it is. And I think I can be an integral part of that.”