In recent weeks, it has been reported that Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have been struggling to agree a contract extension due to the seven-time World Champion demanding a pay rise and Daimler, Mercedes’ parent company, being unwilling to pay him such a salary while it is cutting costs.
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However, the Mercedes F1 Team has now responded to these rumours, branding them as “pure fiction” and insisting that “there are no reasons to be concerned.”
Last month, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said he is confident that Hamilton and the Silver Arrows will ink a new deal “sooner or later”.
Specifically, the Austrian said it could take until March, just before pre-season testing, for Hamilton and Mercedes to agree a new contract.
“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,” Wolff said when asked about Lewis Hamilton’s future with Mercedes.
“He [Lewis 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 prioritised 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,” Wolff added.
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