Lewis Hamilton’s reluctance to sign an extension to his current contract with Mercedes has got rumours swirling about how long he will remain in the sport.
When pushed on his future, Hamilton has seemed to suggest he will continue at the team, as he remains keen to secure a record-breaking eighth Drivers’ title.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also appeared to be confident that Hamilton will re-sign for, at least, another season.
“Perhaps I sound naive,” Wolff said.
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“I find it hard to think of a plan B if Plan A is still my favourite,” he said when asked about considering a replacement for Hamilton.
“I don’t want to enter into conversations with other drivers because I’m happy with the ones we have.
“At the moment, there isn’t a plan B.
“There’s only Lewis,” he continued
The delay in signing the contract is believed to be because of Hamilton’s reluctance, rather than any concerns at Mercedes.
It has been suggested that the main area of contention is over Hamilton’s salary, with it thought that Mercedes want to cut his salary from the current estimated £29 million per year
“I think he will tell us in advance what he wants to do,” Wolff said.
“I don’t think Lewis will come to tell us that he is leaving overnight.
“The drivers of course have the right to make such decisions, but he will not abandon us like that.
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But at that point, if you think you are a team coveted by others, the right solutions will present themselves,” Wolff added.
With Hamilton currently sat in fourth in the Drivers’ Standings and the Mercedes not able to compete against the pace of the Red Bull, it seems unlikely he’ll be able to fight for the title this season.
So, if the British driver wants to break Michael Schumacher’s record, he’s going to have to race for another season while Mercedes tweaks the design of the car to make it competitive.