Hamilton: Schumacher records not considered with contract

Lewis Hamilton says tmatching Michael Schumacher’s record seven Formula 1 world titles wasn’t a consideration when securing his new Mercedes deal but concedes with ‘the perfect scenario’ that’s what he’s working for.

The four-time F1 world champion can theoretically match Schumacher’s all-time total of seven if he clinches the crown this season and in both of his campaigns of his new two-year deal which was officially announced at the German Grand Prix.

While Hamilton didn’t shoot down the idea of aiming to match Schumacher he feels it’s something he can’t focus on with ‘an unimaginable number’ to reach.

“For me that just seems like an unimaginable number,” Hamilton said. “It doesn’t make sense to think you are going to win every single championship from now until the end of the contract.

“That’s the dream, the perfect scenario and nothing ever goes perfectly in general. So I didn’t set out for two years thinking that gives me the time to do that, but I am going to work towards it.”

Hamilton also refused to confirm if it would mark his final F1 contract before retiring from the sport as he looks to assess the future direction of the sport under Liberty Media.

It is believed Hamilton opted for a two-year deal, rather than the previous three-year contracts he has signed with Mercedes, to put him on the same cycle as it major rivals and before the first year of the planned major F1 rules shake-up for 2021.

“It’s impossible to say, I think, to say where you are going to be in two years, what I will feel like in two years’ time,” he said. “What I can tell you is that I still feel pretty great and I wasn’t expecting to be as excited as I am now to extend.

“I am also very, very conscious of how long it is beyond retirement. There are just so many great reasons to remain a part of the sport. Who knows where we are going to be in two years time? I could be completely different and want completely different things to what I want now.”

Hamilton replaced Schumacher at Mercedes after he retired from F1 in 2013.