Lewis Hamilton fans hoping for news of a new contract are set to be waiting for a while longer, after it was revealed by London Insider that sources have informed them that the 38-year-old is delaying talks until August.
It was widely expected that Hamilton was going to announce a multi-year contract extension with Mercedes before this year’s season-opener in Bahrain, after team principal Toto Wolff hinted at the end of the 2022 season that talks would take place over the winter.
The sources which have informed London Insider of the latest developments in Hamilton’s contract saga are the same sources which informed the publication that Hamilton wouldn’t be signing a deal before the start of the new season, despite Wolff’s comments.
Mercedes have since refused to comment to London Insider on when a contract will be signed.
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Hamilton recently revealed at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that talks are taking place; however, there is growing belief that he’s waiting to see how much Mercedes can improve before agreeing to an extension.
If Mercedes fail to improve in the coming rounds, then the likelihood is that he will need to leave the Silver Arrows if he wants to claim an unprecedented eighth world title, given that he’s currently unable to challenge for podiums or victories.
As things stand, Hamilton will be entering next season as a free agent, meaning time is of the essence for both Hamilton and Mercedes.
Hamilton remains very upbeat about the Brackley-based team, though, and has gone as far as saying that the team’s “harmony” is the best he’s “seen in all these years”.
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“For the team, no, I don’t feel like I need them to prove [anything] to me. I think we’ve proved time and time again over the years that we have strength in depth,” Hamilton said in February.
“We still have all these incredibly talented individuals within the team. As I said, you don’t lose that ability. We’re continuing to try to improve our processes, we’re continuing to try to be smarter in how we approach things, and with our communication.
“I think there’s the best harmony within the team that I’ve seen in all these years. We’ve got a real, fresh young group of engineers and people that have just come into the team over the past year as well, so it’s an exciting time for the team, and I don’t plan on being anywhere else.”