Report: Lewis Hamilton wants Mercedes to accept 3 conditions before signing contract extension

Mercedes driver Lewis hamilton has experienced a tough last couple of years in Formula 1.

The controversial end to the 2021 season saw Max Verstappen come out with bragging rights and a maiden F1 world championship, while the following year saw Hamilton being handed one of the worst Mercedes cars in recent history.

At the age of 37, it is possible for one to imagine that this would be enough to make Hamilton call time on what has been an illustrious career.

However, it is believed that the Stevenage-born driver is still hungry to compete for an elusive eighth world championship.

Mercedes suffering so much last season and Hamilton failing to win a single race for the first time in his career have only added to his motivation level.

Hamilton and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff have both spoken about how a contract extension is just around the corner, despite Lewis being contracted with the team till the end of the 2023 season.

However, no progress in terms of an announcement by either party has made fans question whether Hamilton will indeed hang up his boots, especially since Mercedes has signed youngster Mick Schumacher as its reserve driver.

What does Hamilton want?

Lewis Hamilton. Credit: thesportishere.com
Lewis Hamilton. Credit: thesportishere.com

Hamilton, however, seems to have three main demands which are being deliberated by the Mercedes hierarchy. These are largely responsible for the delay in any announcement.

Firstly, Hamilton wants a clause that confirms that he will be offered a prominent position at Mercedes following the end of his racing career.

Hamilton has plenty of knowledge and success and it is unlikely that this is a big problem for Mercedes, who themselves are likely to be happy to enjoy Hamilton’s association for a long time.

The second demand is a bit of a sticking point for Mercedes.

Hamilton wants to be allowed to attend far lesser promotional events and sponsorship engagements as he would much rather spend that time with his family.

“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of Zoom dates in the contract rather than actual present days which means I have to fly less,” Hamilton had famously said after the COVID pandemic.

The last point being considered is Hamilton’s financial demand.

It is widely regarded to be the last racing contract that he will get in the sport, and naturally, Hamilton will be hoping to find lucrative terms.

In the last round of negotiations, his initial demand of a $200 million contract was cut short to $150 million.

The British driver will hope that his relationship with Toto Wolff can help provide a breakthrough in negotiations and get him the best deal possible.

It has been reiterated by Mercedes in the past that they are 100 per cent backing Hamilton and the deal will be closed over the winter.

Whether they accept all his clauses, however, remains to be seen.

Read more: Zak Brown explains why he sacked experienced Daniel Ricciardo for 21-year-old ‘rookie’ Oscar Piastri

Add Comment