“Hopefully over the next couple of weeks,” Lewis Hamilton wants new Mercedes F1 contract before Christmas

“Hopefully over the next couple of weeks,” Lewis Hamilton wants new Mercedes F1 contract before Christmas

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton made a speedy recovery just in time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after he missed the Sakhir Grand Prix owing to a positive covid-19 test. Hamilton, having already secured his seventh World Championship title, three races before the season drew to a close, finished the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the third place, just behind his Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas who finished on the second place. Max Verstappen won the race, ending his season on a high.

Lewis Hamilton is out of contract for the 2021 season as he decided to postpone any kind of talks till the world championship was settled in his favour. However, he tested positive in Bahrain which further delayed the talks. Both Mercedes and Hamilton have expressed their desire to continue their relationship which has led to 74 race wins and six world titles, which means that the deal is just a mere formality.

“Hopefully over the next couple of weeks,” Hamilton said. “We would love to get it done before Christmas, I think. I plan to be here next year. I want to be here next year. I think us, as a team, have more to do together and more to achieve both in the sport but even more outside the sport. I hope we can begin this week, discussions, and hopefully get it tied up before Christmas,” added Hamilton.

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No reason it shouldn’t happen: Toto Wolff on the new Mercedes-Hamilton deal

Hamilton-Mercedes deal is a mere formality and there is no reason it should not go through

Mercedes are one of the three teams to yet announce their driver lineup for the next season. Red Bull Racing and Alpha Tauri are yet to formalize on who will race for them. Mercedes have already announced Bottas as one driver, and it is just a matter of time before Lewis Hamilton joins the list. Toto Wolff, Mercedes boss is confident of cracking up a new deal and sees no reason why it should not go through.

“We will have this conversation,” Wolff said. “We were delayed. We always said we would do it after the title was won, and then the virus delayed us for another 10 days, two weeks. Now we just have to sit down, maybe virtually, maybe live,” he added.

Also Read: “It was a strange feeling, to be honest,” George Russell after vacating the Mercedes seat for Lewis Hamilton