“Maybe me and Toto get into the ring!” Lewis Hamilton confirms he will extend with Mercedes ‘unless…’

It's being said that Lewis Hamilton could retire at the end of 2023 if his car isn't good enough - but the Briton has put these 'rumors' to rest.

“Maybe me and Toto get into the ring!” Lewis Hamilton confirms he will extend with Mercedes ‘unless…’

Toto Wolff (L) and Lewis Hamilton (R)

After the events of the 2021 season finale, there were rumors floating around that Lewis Hamilton could opt to retire. Thankfully, that did not come to be the case. He drove in 2022, but if anything, it went from bad to worse. While in 2021 the car was very competitive and Hamilton only narrowly lost the title, in 2022, Mercedes were nowhere near being good enough. By their standards, that is.

The Silver Arrows only won one race all season – with George Russell leading a 1-2 finish in Brazil. But there was definitely not a lot of joy for Hamilton all year. The package was simply not good enough to compete for the title. Even in 2023, from the team’s statements, it seems that it won’t be competitive right away. But there is hope that they can compete with Red Bull (and perhaps Ferrari) eventually.

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He is yet to sign a new contract at Mercedes, with his current deal expiring at the end of 2023. Considering all this, it’s been said by Jenson Button and Damon Hill that the delay in the contract extension could be because Hamilton wants to see just how competitive the W14 is. But the Briton has now put the rumor mill to rest – there is no ‘hold up’ on his contract.

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As per Sky Sports, the seven-time world champion said: “Having a difficult year, like we had last year, I’m still here. Whether or not we have a difficult year [this year]… I’ll still be here. I’m a fighter, and we fight as a team. I love the challenge of finding solutions and I still believe I’m able to put the car in places that perhaps others are not able to, and I love that challenge.”

Read More: Jenson Button: Lewis Hamilton could retire after 2023 if Mercedes fail to deliver again

Lewis Hamilton: No ‘hold-up’ on contract extension with Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton

Obviously, it would be great for the team and Lewis Hamilton if they could be competitive from the get-go, but it may not be possible. In any case, fans, Hamilton, and the team themselves will really find out this weekend where they stand. For Hamilton, though, it’s all about the ‘journey’. He said: “Of course I wish to be starting the season with a great car, but it’s the journey I think that really counts.”

Hamilton asserted that he and the team ‘fully support each other’: “There is no hold-up with our contract. I’ve always been very, very relaxed and don’t feel like I need to get it done right this second. I have a great relationship with Toto [Wolff] and Mercedes and we fully support each other. I’m really excited about the future together and the work we’re doing on and off the track. We’ll get there unless something catastrophic happens… maybe me and Toto get into the ring!”

Everyone, perhaps even the team, expects Mercedes to be behind Red Bull and Ferrari. But it remains to be seen just how far behind they will be. There may not be much of a gap at all – or it can be significantly less than there was in 2022. But this has been complicated by the ascent of another possible challenger – Aston Martin. Some are putting the team as their dark horse, and some even put them above Mercedes’ in the pecking order.

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