Lewis Hamilton's current contract expires at the end of this year; the seven-time F1 world champion is in talks with Toto Wolff about a new deal to stay in Formula 1; watch the Canadian GP from Friday with all sessions live on Sky Sports F1
Friday 16 June 2023 06:46, UK
Lewis Hamilton was reluctant to give away too much on Thursday about his negotiations for a new Mercedes contract but admitted progress has been made.
Hamilton's current deal expires at the end of this year and he has held talks with team principal Toto Wolff between the last race in Spain and this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.
Wolff revealed earlier this week Hamilton's future will be resolved soon and that "we are talking more days than weeks".
"We had a good meeting just recently. They are very complex contracts. It's not just a simple driving contract," said Hamilton.
"Right now I'm planning to be here and racing for a decent chunk of time. You have just got to explore all avenues in the sense of how you can continue to expand your partnership with such a great organisation. It's not as easy as just saying 'go ahead', and I don't have to be in a rush."
He added in Thursday's press conference: "I've seen Toto. We have talked several times. We have a great relationship. It will get done when it's done. If that's next week, in a month's time, as long as it's done I'm not really bothered."
Asked whether progress has been made, the seven-time world champion answered: "Yep. Nothing else new to add."
In 2021, Hamilton created Mission 44 in a bid to improve diversity in motorsport after the Black Lives Matter protest the previous year.
The 38-year-old revealed his last contract with Mercedes two years ago had terms about diversity when questioned if the topic was part of the discussions he has had with Wolff.
"We already covered a lot of that already in the previous contract. We have an amazing group of people in the factory that are really focused on Ignite," said Hamilton.
"There has been huge progress within our team since we first had serious conversations. With Mission 44 I'm really proud of where we have got it to. We are now funding 25 or 26 different organisations out there.
"Starting to really have an impact and hopefully we will have a fresher chain coming through with more diversity."
Sky Sports F1's David Croft says no announcement about Hamilton's future will be made this week as negotiations continue.
"As far as I understand it, nothing this week from Lewis Hamilton and a contract announcement. I know we had some words of teasing from Toto Wolff at the start of this week," said Croft.
"Both Lewis and Toto were together in New York where they may or may not have had a contract chat or two. But Lewis made it clear that the last time he spoke publicly about this is it was his management team that were sorting out the contract negotiations.
"But as far as I'm aware, the Mercedes team are not preparing a press release, nothing is on standby to go out this weekend. And a Lewis contract which is more likely to be two years, I would have thought, with an option maybe of a year on top of that.
"Lewis is more concentrated on trying to add to that wonderful record here in Montreal of seven wins and six poles. If he does manage a win this weekend he will equal the most amount of wins at a particular track."
Friday June 16
6pm: Canadian GP Practice One (session starts at 6.30pm)
7.45pm: The F1 Show
9.45pm: Canadian GP Practice Two (session starts at 10pm)
Saturday June 17
5.15pm: Canadian GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30pm)
8pm: Canadian GP Qualifying build-up
9pm: Canadian GP Qualifying
11pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Sunday June 18
5.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Canadian GP build-up
6:55pm: The Grandstand with Daniel Ricciardo and Will Arnett (via red button)
7pm: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
9pm: Chequered Flag Canadian GP reaction
10pm: Ted's Notebook
