Hamilton delays Mercedes contract talks

Lewis Hamilton says he hasn’t started contract negotiations with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff yet but remains confident of completing a deal as he shares values and goals with the reigning Formula 1 world champions.

Having joined Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton has gone on to dominate F1 winning five world drivers’ titles with the German manufacturer while also helping the team seal six consecutive world constructors’ championships in the V6 Hybrid era.

Speaking at pre-season testing, Hamilton confirmed he hasn’t started contract talks with Mercedes but is relaxed about nailing down his next F1 deal over the coming months with the defending champions.

“We haven’t sat down. I know Toto is keen to but right now the focus is on trying to make sure I am fit and ready for the season ahead as it ramps up,” Hamilton said at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. “You want to start on the front foot so it is not something I really get bogged down with at this period of time.

“I think as a team we are always very clear with our plans, we update each other often in terms of our thinking so none of us get crazy with thoughts or conversations happening elsewhere.”

Hamilton had been linked to a Ferrari move after holding informal talks with the Italian manufacturer but has since played down the switch while the team remains keen to retain Sebastian Vettel having already secured Charles Leclerc with a long-term contract.

The six-time F1 world champion feels the key to his next contract at Mercedes will be about sorting out the “small details that really matter” which cover his activities outside of the sport.

“It is usually the small details that really matter,” he explained. “I’ve been really fortunate within this team, people always talk about freedom in this team as if it is a bad thing but it is not at all.

“When I joined Mercedes they allowed me to be who I am to be and where I want to be rather than keep me constricted or ask me to be a certain way or to speak a certain way or dress a certain way which is often what you see at other places.

“I think it has been great and there are all these question marks over all the different things that I do and everyone has seen the results that I have over these few years so I am able to continue to prove that it is actually encouraging and helps me be more engaged and be an even better driver than I thought I could be.

“Going into more fine details and what my next five to 10-year plan is and how the decisions made now will impact the future and that allows me to put certain things in place so that when I do stop and hang up my helmet I am able to continue to do other things. That will be in the small print of what we talk about but that’s what we will mostly be talking about.”

Hamilton also confirmed he held informal chats with Daimler board members Ola Kallenius, Chairman, and Britta Seeger, head of Mercedes-Benz Cars marketing and sales, at last week’s Laureus Awards where he was jointly-crowned Sportsman of the Year with Lionel Messi.

“I was just at the Laureus Awards with Ola and Britta from the Daimler board and I continue to feel great within the family so I don’t know when we will sit down and talk but I don’t see a particular rush,” he said. “I think our goals are aligned so in the coming months I am sure we will sit down.”

Hamilton’s current Mercedes F1 deal expires at the end of this season.