(Motorsport) Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes future remains unclear as the seven time World Champion has not yet signed a contract extension despite it being described as just a “formality”. The 38 year old has had an underwhelming start to the season for Mercedes this year and is already 31 points behind Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen while the Silver Arrows are 67 points behind in the Constructors Standings. So the question remains, what’s next for Lewis Hamilton’s career?

Hamilton has always publicly expressed that he is keen to remain at Mercedes for the foreseeable future. At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Hamilton said that he had “no plan” to leave and that he felt “amazing” about his future with the team. He said “I’ve got some amazing allies. I’ve got great relationships here. I think, for me personally, just as long as I can continue to help the team, as long as I can continue to help drive the team forwards and really contribute, then that’s why I want to stay. 

“If there’s ever going to be a point where I feel like I’m not able to do that, then it’s time for a youngster to come in to take my seat. But I’m still pretty young, in pretty decent shape. I continue to feel very much at home. It’s family. I see myself being with Mercedes till my last days, to be honest. If you look at the legends, Sir Stirling Moss was with Mercedes till the end of days. So, that’s been the dream for me to one day have that… well I have that, so I mean just continue on with that and continue to build with the brand.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is also confident that Hamilton will be with the team until at least 2024. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Wolff said “I don’t want to engage in discussions with other drivers, because I’m happy with the ones that are in the team, that’s for sure. At the moment, there is no Plan B. It’s Lewis. I think that he would tell us early enough. I don’t think that Lewis would say: ‘I can’t do this any more. I’m out of here tomorrow’.

“I think that he would tell us early enough. I don’t think that Lewis would say: ‘I can’t do this any more. I’m out of here tomorrow’. He would always feel the responsibility for the team. He wouldn’t leave the team alone. Drivers can always make decisions [like that], but he wouldn’t let us down.”

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