Sir Lewis Hamilton’s boss Toto Wolff has indicated that this could be the seven-time world champion’s final season at Mercedes.
After months of negotiations, Hamilton ended his long-running contract saga with Formula One’s all-conquering team when a deal was announced on Monday, less than seven weeks before the new campaign gets under way in Bahrain.
But Hamilton, who is this season bidding to win an unprecedented eighth crown, and his Mercedes team agreed only on a 12-month extension – raising the possibility that the Briton may be heading for his final hurrah in a Silver Arrows.
Hamilton will be 37 next year, and tellingly there was no mention of a plus-one option in Monday’s contract announcement. Team principal Wolff, who has overseen six of Hamilton’s seven championships, also admitted Mercedes must acknowledge life after their superstar driver.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, 23, is considered the natural successor to Hamilton’s throne, while Williams’ George Russell, 22, impressed as his countryman’s replacement at the penultimate round in Bahrain last year.
Verstappen has long been admired by Wolff, and Russell, a member of the Mercedes young driver academy, is entering the final year of his Williams contract.
“Lewis needs to decide what his future holds for him so I wouldn’t want to comment on where he stands (in 2022),” said Wolff.
“On the other side, the team needs to decide long-term what we are going to do about our drivers.
“Valtteri (Bottas) and Lewis have our 100 per cent commitment and loyalty for 2021. We will support them with everything we have. We will then look beyond this year and say what is the line-up that we imagine in 2022 and onwards?
“Our first discussion will be with Valtteri and Lewis in respecting our values of loyalty and integrity, but on the other side, the young drivers are the future and we need to consider how we want to set ourselves up for the years beyond.
“As long as Lewis enjoys racing he is very capable of going longer. He looks after himself, physically and mentally, so I don’t think in terms of ability that ends in 2021. But in the end, it is his decision.”
Hamilton, who was knighted in the New Year Honours, has been in the unusual situation of being out of contract since his £40million-a-year deal expired on the final day of December.
He surpassed Michael Schumacher’s record number of victories last season, and emulated the German by galloping to his seventh title with three rounds remaining at November’s Turkish Grand Prix.
During 2020 he also became a leading force for change, urging Mercedes and F1 to improve diversity. Indeed, an element of Hamilton’s new deal includes a joint commitment with Mercedes for greater diversity and inclusion. The world champions will also retain their anti-racism black livery for Hamilton’s eighth title tilt.
Perhaps surprisingly, there was no reaction from Hamilton on his social media channels to Monday’s announcement.
Toto Wolff is excited to continue working with Sir Lewis Hamilton (PA)“I am excited to be heading into my ninth season with my Mercedes team-mates,” he said in a press release.
“Our team has achieved incredible things together and we look forward to building on our success even further, while continuously looking to improve, both on and off the track.
“I’m equally determined to continue the journey we started to make motorsport more diverse for future generations and I am grateful that Mercedes has been extremely supportive of my call to address this issue.
“I’m proud to say we are taking that effort further this year by launching a foundation dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the sport. I am inspired by all that we can build together and can’t wait to get back on the track in March.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel