(Motorsport) With the Bahrain Grand Prix on the horizon, seven time World Champion Lewis Hamilton enters the final year of his Mercedes contract and the Silver Arrows are not looking like genuine title contenders in the upcoming season. While talks between Hamilton and Mercedes are ongoing, the two parties have not reached an agreement yet with reports emerging that the team’s failure to compete against Red Bull is causing a delay in the extension. However, Hamilton shut down the rumours by saying at the Sakhir paddock on the eve of the first practice session before the 2023 Formula 1 season gets well and truly underway.

“Having a difficult year, like we had last year, I’m still here,” he said. “Whether or not we have a difficult year [this year]… I’ll still be here. I’m a fighter, and we fight as a team. I love the challenge of finding solutions and I still believe I’m able to put the car in places that perhaps others are not able to, and I love that challenge. Of course I wish to be starting the season with a great car, but it’s the journey I think that really counts.

“There is no hold-up with our contract. I’ve always been very, very relaxed and don’t feel like I need to get it done right this second. I have a great relationship with Toto [Wolff] and Mercedes and we fully support each other. I’m really excited about the future together and the work we’re doing on and off the track. We’ll get there unless something catastrophic happens. Maybe me and Toto get into the ring! Whether or not we have the equipment to fight for a championship, we’ll find out. I do believe I’ve got the team that is still championship-ready. There are some positives there and I think it’s a good foundation to build on.”

Mercedes will undoubtedly hope that their 2023 car is a big improvement on last year’s model. In order to solve the porpoising issue, the Silver Arrows have completely redesigned the aerodynamics of the car while retaining the sidepod design of last season. While the porpoising issue appears to be resolved from the evidence gathered in pre-season testing, the 2023 Mercedes is slower than reigning champions Red Bull and do not enter the season as favourites.

Lewis Hamilton has claimed that it’s extremely important for the 2023 car to work flawlessly as there is no alternative to the current design. He said “Naturally we arrive here with a much better understanding of the challenges ahead. I knew from the moment I drove the car where we were and the challenges we would be facing. On a positive, not having the bouncing this year is a huge plus.

“We can focus now on pure performance so I’ve been encouraged to see the focus of everyone in the team, they’re so focused on getting us back to the top. We’re not where we want to be at the start of the season, but this still is a multi championship-winning team and group of people.”

Hamilton’s teammate George Russell is optimistic of Mercedes’ 2023 season. He said “It probably wasn’t the smoothest three days we could have hoped for, but I think… I went back to the UK and was on the simulator… the learnings, the findings we found, I think is going to put us in better stead for this weekend. I think we had a really good time between the test and the race to analyse what happened.

“There were a few things going on with the car that we didn’t quite expect, but we’ve been able to resolve pretty easily. We were just working in slightly the wrong window. So we’ll put that change in for this weekend. There are definitely positive signs, and I’m not saying we’re going to find that lap time deficit to Red Bull, but I’m definitely more comfortable than I was on Friday night.”

Also read: Lance Stroll is deemed fit to race in the F1 season opener in Bahrain