Lewis Hamilton is ready to commit his long-term future to Mercedes to stay in Formula 1 for another five years.
Hamilton will turn 38 in the off season but, despite one of the toughest seasons of his illustrious F1 career in which Mercedes have been off the pace for the most part, he is ready to sign a deal to race on well into his 40s.
Speaking in the build-up to Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix, he hinted he could race on for five more years at the top of the sport.
Hamilton’s current deal expires at the end of next season but team boss Toto Wolff said at the weekend that he had held talks with Hamilton over a contract extension. Wolff revealed Hamilton had said, ‘look, I have another five years in me, how do you see that?’”
Of Wolff’s remarks and a potential five years more in the sport, Hamilton said: “Possibly, yes, I’m feeling good. I love what I’m doing. We have a lot of work to do, a lot to achieve still. So, I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.
“It’s not that I’m not sure, I know what I want to do. I plan on staying longer. It’s just not set in stone how long. I plan on staying with Mercedes for the rest of my life, that’s a definite.
“It’s more figuring out what we are going to do down the line, even beyond racing I want to be building with Mercedes and thee is a lot that Mercedes can do.”
The build-up to Sunday’s race as well as last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix has been overshadowed by reports of breaches in the cost cap by Red Bull. The team have denied any wrongdoing and look likely to be exonerated of any major breach when the FIA releases its findings of last season’s spend by the grid on Monday.
Hamilton said action had to be taken if there was any wrongdoing whoever the team. He said of the findings, which had originally been due to be published on Wednesday, “I would like to think that if it’s been delayed because it’s been taken very seriously and I trust that Mohammed [bin Sulayem, the FIA president] is taking it seriously and will do what is right for the sport.
“I think it would be bad for the sport if action wasn’t taken if there was a breach but I don’t know if there is so I’ll wait.”
