Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes announce two-year contract extension

F1

Lewis Hamilton will be driving for Mercedes for another two seasons, with Merc boss Toto Wolff saying the seven-time champion can continue "as long as he wants"

Lewis Hamilton, 2021 Mercedes

Hamilton will remain with Mercedes until the end of 2023

DPPI

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have announced a two-year extension to the seven-time Formula 1 champion’s contract.

The announcement continues what is statistically the most successful driver-team pairing in F1 history, with the partnership now set to carry on into its 10th and 11th year.

Much speculation swirled around Hamilton earlier in 2021 as to whether he might retire at the end of this season, with the Mercedes driver saying “I’ve achieved everything I want to achieve” and that he would “keep adding it one [year at a time] if we have to”.

Since then, Hamilton has made much more positive noises about continuing in grand prix racing and now both parties have agreed to commit in the medium-term, Brackley signing Hamilton up for another two seasons.

It appeared that with the new technical regulations coming in for 2022, the end of this season might be a natural time for Hamilton to call time on his career, but it now appears the current reigning team and champion want to tackle F1’s new dawn together.

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“It is hard to believe it’s been nearly nine years working with this incredible team and I’m excited we’re going to continue our partnership for two more years,” Hamilton said.

“We’ve accomplished so much together but we still have a lot to achieve, both on and off the track. I’m incredibly proud and grateful of how Mercedes has supported me in my drive to improve diversity and equality in our sport. They have held themselves accountable and made important strides in creating a more diverse team and inclusive environment.

“We’re entering a new era of car which will be challenging and exciting and I can’t wait to see what else we can achieve together.”

Toto Wolff added that Hamilton can continue with Mercedes “as long as he wants”.

“As we enter a new era of F1 from 2022 onwards, there can be no better driver to have in our team than Lewis,” Wolff said. “His achievements in this sport speak for themselves, and with his experience, speed and race-craft, he is at the peak of his powers.

“We are relishing the battle we have on our hands this year – and that’s why we also wanted to agree this contract early, so we have no distractions from the competition on track. I have always said that as long as Lewis still possesses the fire for racing, he can continue as long as he wants.”

Attention now turns to Mercedes’ second seat. Valtteri Bottas has endured his worst start to a season with the Silver Arrows so far, and the Finn is now under pressure after Mercedes junior driver George Russell’s cameo at Sakhir last year – a race the young Brit almost won.

Mercedes will want to be able to maintain the fight with Red Bull in the constructors’ championship – a fight it’s currently losing. Russell may represent a better chance of fighting Red Bull and Brackley might want to have its 2022 driver line-up complete by the summer break, with a decision thought to be possibly imminent.