(Motorsports news) Seven-time world champion Hamilton revealed in an exclusive interview in Austin that he plans to sign a new F1 contract. Hamilton’s existing Mercedes F1 contract expires at the end of the 2023 season, but in the interview he made it clear that he is looking to continue in the sport as he goes in search of a record-breaking eighth world championship title..

At the age of 37, Hamilton has shown no signs of slowing down even through a difficult campaign that has seen his team struggle to challenge the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari. Hamilton now has three races left this season to avoid the first winless season of his F1 career, having tied Michael Schumacher’s record for 15 wins in every season with a victory in 2021. Hamilton felt it was “difficult to say” how this year’s struggles with Mercedes had impacted his motivation but he made it very clear that his passion and determination in this sport and the motivation to turn things around remained as strong as ever.

Hamilton and Mercedes have worked very hard through the season to try and understand the issues with the W13 car, particularly the propoising they faced in the early part of this season. The team’s overall developments have helped bring it closer to the pace setters, allowing Hamilton to come within seven laps of victory last weekend in Austin, only to lose out to Max Verstappen in the closing stages who subsequently had a faster and fresher set of tyres but nonetheless the result was positive sign for Toto Wolff and co. Hamilton credited the work that everyone at Mercedes has put in this year, saying it was “beautiful to see the journey that everyone individually”.

Asked on Thursday in Mexico how much longer he expected to stay in F1, Hamilton replied: “I’m not putting a limit on it, to be honest. I’m planning to do a multi-year deal with my team. I really, really don’t know what the next five years [hold], I think we’re still trying to work on that. There’s a lot of great things that are being put in place, like I’ve just launched a [film] production company this week. But I feel great, like in mind and body. I think there’s more stuff to achieve together. I just don’t know [how long].”

Hamilton joked that if former teammate and rival Fernando Alonso left F1 then “maybe I’ll think about it twice, because I’ll be the oldest driver then. Each year you have to ask yourself what you’re willing to give, [to] give as much if not more than when you first started. Are you willing to give up all your time to prepare and train and work with the team and deliver? If there’s ever a moment that I’m arriving and I’m just coasting along, that’s when, firstly, I don’t belong here and I don’t deserve a position here, and when I should stop. I question myself whether I’m able to do that and whether I want to do that, and the answer is yes. We obviously have a championship that we need to get back, and I love the mission and that challenge with my team” said Hamilton.

“We’ve gelled together, pooled together, pulled up closer to each other, been more open and, with a room really full of men more often, them showing more of their vulnerability.That’s been a really interesting process, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. I can’t wait for the time that we get back to success, that we finally get that win and we get that championship. It’s going to make all these tough moments worthwhile.” Hamilton added.

Also read: Mexico Grand Prix to remain on Formula 1 calendar until 2025