Domenicali hopes "incredible" Hamilton stays in F1
Stefano Domenicali says he hopes Lewis Hamilton quickly concludes a deal with Mercedes to stay in Formula 1, calling him an "incredible man" and praising him for bringing a “different dimension” to the series.
Hamilton clinched a record-equalling seventh F1 drivers’ championship in 2020 with Mercedes, but is yet to sign a new contract with the team for the coming season.
The British driver is widely expected to agree to a new deal in the coming weeks with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, but currently remains unconfirmed for 2021.
Mercedes junior George Russell has been tipped as an eventual successor to Hamilton at the team, having served as a stand-in for last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix after his compatriot tested positive for COVID-19.
Recently-appointed F1 CEO and president Domenicali said he is eager to have both drivers on the grid in the future, but hailed Hamilton’s non-sporting work as being a worthy addition to the championship.
“I had already many, many years in the past to manage drivers, to see what is the best one or the other,” ex-Ferrari team principal Domenicali told select media including Motorsport.com. "Both [Hamilton and Russell] are incredible drivers.
"I have in front of me a picture that when I was receiving the trophy of the Ferrari constructor champions in 2008, and Lewis was receiving the trophy for the drivers’ championship.
“He is an incredible driver, he’s an incredible man, he's an incredible athlete that has more than that, and has given to Formula 1 a different dimension that is over the sport, I would say.
“Therefore, as soon as we will know what will be his future, I think that it will be great to see him fighting for something that no-one would have thought possible to achieve after the Michael [Schumacher] era.
“George has shown the potential, and as Toto was saying, he will be a future champion, no doubt. So it's a matter of having both so far for me, with my responsibility, because both they can do great stuff for Formula 1.”
Hamilton can move clear of Schumacher’s championship tally with another title in 2021, having already surpassed the German’s total of race victories and pole positions.
As well as sweeping to the championship last year, Hamilton also engaged in a lot of off-track work to condemn racial injustice and promote the Black Lives Matter movement.
Asked how important Hamilton was to F1’s global reach, Domenicali said: “Lewis for sure is a massive ambassador of Formula 1. He can also be seen as an ambassador of other values or other points that are really relevant."
Hamilton's future has been one of the main stories of the off-season, but Domenicali appreciated the 36-year-old has "an important decision for his life" to make.
The Italian added: “I really hope that we can have these announcements soon, because what he is going to fight for this year is something that from a sporting perspective is incredible.
“I can imagine the pressure and the dynamic on how we wants to reach this new record because that will be an incredible story to tell.
"The only thing I can say that I really hope that, personally, if they're still talking between Toto and Lewis, it's great.
“I just remind them that we have the first of the test and it is not important, but the first race will be the end of March in Bahrain. I really would like to see Lewis and Toto being together for that event.”
Related video
Haas: Grosjean, Magnussen could return as F1 substitute
Hill: Turning down Stewart in 1997 "broke my heart"
Why 2022 could be Leclerc's best chance to end his Monaco F1 curse
Charles Leclerc's ill-fortune at his home Formula 1 race is well-established. But his single lap pace and over longer runs during Friday practice will leave the Ferrari driver upbeat that he can make up for his Barcelona disappointment by finally recording a finish and perhaps even banking 25 world championship points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix...
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...