Hamilton contract could wait until eve of 2021 testing - Wolff
Mercedes says it could wait until the eve of Formula 1 pre-season testing in 2021 to firm up Lewis Hamilton's new contract.
The world champion's current deal finishes at the end of this year, and it seems inevitable that he will agree to stay on at the German car manufacturer.
But while normally such contracts have been finalised by this stage, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has delayed Mercedes and Hamilton agreeing terms.
Furthermore, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has spent a lot of time recently focusing on agreeing his own contract extension to remain on board for the next three years, as well as a new shareholding arrangement with chemical company INEOS.
Speaking on Friday, Wolff said that there was no concern that things had not been settled with Hamilton yet – and he was clear that there was no urgency to rush things.
"From my point of view, we had such a successful run at championships in the past seven years, that there is no reason not to continue," said Wolff, when asked about the latest situation.
"He [Hamilton] is on the top of his game and he will be for a while. And that's why continuing together is a no-brainer.
"If you refer to why haven't we got a signed contract? The reason is simple. We always prioritized about getting this championship done, and not being distracted by sometimes difficult discussions, as is the nature of negotiation. But then COVID struck.
"So it has delayed us a little bit, but we are not worried in eventually getting it done.
"We are putting no special date to it, because we don't want to be put under pressure from you guys [the media] while it's not signed yet. So sooner or later, it needs to be done. At the latest before we go testing."
Due to the late finish of the 2020 F1 season, pre-season testing will not begin until the start of March in Barcelona next year.
Although Hamilton is likely to command a hefty salary as part of his new deal, Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius said he had no doubt that the Briton was the right man for the German car manufacturer.
"I think Lewis Hamilton is the greatest, or one of the greatest race drivers of all time," he said. "I've known him since he was a teenager.
"I think his dedication and professionalism when it comes to how he has dedicated his life to being the greatest is remarkable and applaudable. And he's a nice guy, too.
"So we would like to continue this partnership. And then it's up to Toto in his role to get that done."
Related video
Previous article
INEOS becomes Mercedes shareholder as Wolff extends deal
Next article
Perez replaces Albon at Red Bull for 2021 F1 season
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Lewis Hamilton |
| Teams | Mercedes |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
What needs to “change” for Red Bull is ending Verstappen’s errors
OPINION: Going up against the dominant force of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton was always going to demand the best from Red Bull and Max Verstappen. But after making a couple more errors during the Portuguese Grand Prix, the Dutch driver showed there's a small gap he still needs to close in the 2021 Formula 1 title fight.
The "subtle" Red Bull upgrades that kept it in the Portugal F1 mix
Red Bull's Portuguese Grand Prix fortunes were decidedly second best to Mercedes', but the result skews the potential that the team had at Portimao. With a new set of updates, the team looks good going forward into the rest of 2021's spicy F1 competition
Portuguese Grand Prix driver ratings
The 2021 Portuguese GP will for several drivers go down as a weekend of missed opportunities amid imperfect track conditions that caused struggles with tyre warm-up. But the performances of a select few stood out from the crowd
The five key tests Hamilton passed to claim Portugal victory
Just as he did in 2020, Lewis Hamilton had to come from behind to win the 2021 Portuguese Grand Prix. Only this time there were two rivals he had to pass, among the several challenges he had to overcome, on his way to securing a 97th grand prix victory
Imola 1994: Memories from Ayrton Senna’s F1 rivals
The tragic events of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix changed Formula 1 forever. Here, 17 of the drivers who took part explain how they coped with the devastating deaths of Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna.
The data that leaves both Red Bull, Mercedes uncertain of supremacy
Lewis Hamilton topped the crucial FP2 session on Friday as F1 returned to Portugal, but his Mercedes team cannot be sure it has the edge on its Red Bull rivals. As cool temperatures and wind combine with the still-slippery surface to present drivers with quandaries over set-up and tyre warmup, there's still everything to play for come qualifying.
How in-form Norris is staking his claim as Britain's next F1 champion
As a highly-rated Mercedes junior, George Russell is naturally billed as Lewis Hamilton's heir apparent where Britain's next Formula 1 champion is concerned. But he may face competition for that accolade from Lando Norris, fresh from a confidence-boosting run to third at Imola whose rise is being accelerated by his McLaren team’s revival
The biggest headache F1 faces over its sprint race experiments
The news this week that F1 has green-lit 'sprint qualifying' races that will determine the grid for three grands prix in 2021 was met with a blend of excitement and scepticism. But before those in both camps can be vilified, F1 must first work out what its criteria is for success - and what will justify making them a more permanent fixture
