“We’re making a new contract”: At the US Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton announced for the first time in an interview with selected media, including “Motorsport Network”, that he would continue his career in Formula 1 beyond his current contract ( runs until the end of 2023) would like to continue.
Naturally, a week later, at the Mexican Grand Prix, that statement was a big theme at Hamilton’s media engagements and the seven-time world champion took the opportunity to emphatically reaffirm his intention to continue his career. He even sees “no limit” as far as the years to come are concerned, says the 37-year-old.
“I’m planning to sign a multi-year contract with my team,” Hamilton clarifies that he’s not thinking about moving to Ferrari, as was the case a few years ago. In 2019, it is said, he met twice with Ferrari President John Elkann. However, the talks never reached the status of serious negotiations.
The fact that Hamilton now wants to hang on for several more years represents a change of course. In the past he had always asserted that he could not imagine driving Formula 1 races when he was over 40. It’s different now: “I don’t know what the next five years will bring.”
Hamilton does not (or cannot) reveal exactly how long he wants to continue. With a wink, he says: “If Fernando stops, then maybe I’ll reconsider, because then I’d be the oldest in the field!”
Alonso shows how it’s done!
Fernando Alonso, Hamilton’s McLaren team-mate from 2007, is 41 by the way – and has just signed a multi-year contract with Aston Martin that will see him continue as a Formula 1 driver until at least the end of 2024.
“I think there’s a lot we can still achieve together,” Hamilton said. “I don’t feel old at all. My training keeps me young. Reaction times and concentration are not an issue. My starts have been the best all year. There are so many things I do to make sure I’m fit and at my best stay.”
“Eventually,” he admits, “some things will start to slow down, but I haven’t noticed that yet. You have to ask yourself each year if you’re still willing to train as hard or even harder than you did when you were.” started. Is it worth giving up so much time to train and work with the team?”
“If the moment should ever come when I’m just swimming along, then I don’t belong here anymore. Then I don’t deserve this position anymore. But I constantly question myself whether I’m still willing to make these sacrifices. And they The answer to that is: Yes, I am!”
“I’m a lot more grounded than I used to be, comfortable in my own skin. I have a home in England where I spend time when I’m with the team and then my family often comes over to visit. My whole environment is better than just a few years ago, so I feel like we can win more World Cups with this team.”
That’s what Toto Wolff says about the new contract
But the first thing to do is to put the new contract on paper. The current one expires at the end of 2023. After so many negotiations that Hamilton and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff have already conducted, this should happen relatively quickly. Wolff has already made it clear that Hamilton can stay with Mercedes if he wants to, that is “one hundred percent certain”.
Wolff says: “We haven’t started talks yet. We want to finish the season first and then, like last time, use the quieter time in winter. At that time we also started during the winter holidays, and then it’s about two Took months. We haven’t done that yet.”
“But Lewis is now much more than a racing driver for us. Although we are not yet talking about the end of his career, it is very important to talk about his role as an ambassador for Mercedes and the many sponsors we have, and about the impact it is having on our expanded universe.”
The fact that the Mercedes brand can sell the Hamilton success story for decades and draw on it in its external image, that the time after the active career as a racing driver is also regulated, could be a key factor for Hamilton’s new contract.
Age limits are being pushed further and further
Age, however, is not. Wolff (50) knows: “If age were no longer a problem, I could try again!” But: “You can see that today’s athletes are pushing the boundaries in terms of age.”
“Fernando performs at a very high level. Tom Brady, for me the best athlete in the world, is still on the field, tackling and throwing balls, and he’s 43 years old. As long as you take care of yourself and develop your cognitive sensors, you’re stuck there are still many years left in him. I’m sure that will be the case here in the team.”
Hamilton’s liberties: A key to success
In addition, Mercedes has always allowed Hamilton the freedoms he wanted to claim for himself. When he was younger it was more about tolerating his extravagant party life, today it’s about supporting Hamilton’s social projects and making time for his second careers, for example as a film producer or owner of the Denver Broncos.
“Toto has always been an amazing leader who has allowed me to do all these things,” says Hamilton. “Niki [Lauda] used to scold him a lot: ‘How can you allow him to do that?’ But in the end, they all came to the conclusion that it’s in everyone’s best interests to help people do the things that matter to them.”
Ultimately, these freedoms have meant that Hamilton can now imagine driving for Mercedes longer than originally planned. “Being a racing driver,” he says, “is a great thing. But first I had to see how I could grow beyond this role.”
Wolff made it possible for Hamilton not to be an either/or, but to reconcile his second career with his first career as a racing driver. Mercedes even actively supports its social projects “Mission 44” and “Ignite”. And he can take care of them without letting his racing skills slip.
“I have a great group of people guiding these things and taking these things in the right direction. Because I know what it’s like to be overloaded and distracted. I don’t allow that. It’s about the right balance. I say to many Things no. I’m asked every day if I could participate here and there. But I’ve learned to say no to many requests,” emphasizes Hamilton.
Hamilton: That’s why he doesn’t have any children yet
“If I know something is going to affect my preparation, that it’s going to get in the way of my training or my time with the team, then that’s a resounding no. That’s how I deal with friends and relationships. I don’t have a relationship, I I don’t have kids. My car is my baby. And Mission 44. Those are the things I put my energy into.”
The fact that he still has it at all, after 16 years in Formula 1, is “not a matter of course. I’m just so predisposed. I was always good at sports as a child.” Now that he’s getting older, it’s getting harder and harder to maintain the level, Hamilton admits. That’s why he switched to a vegan diet a few years ago, for example.
Another example: “I recently did Pilates with a friend of mine who is an Olympic athlete. It was fun because we’d never done it before. We’re always adding new things to my training schedule to be more specific in our daily routines . At 22 I didn’t train like I do today.”
“It was,” explains Hamilton, “a conscious decision. And it’s also about mental well-being, being able to find an inner balance in life, protecting the energy balance and thinking carefully about what things you invest time. It’s a combination of several factors.”