Toto Wolff ‘ABSOLUTELY’ expects Lewis Hamilton to renew his contract and Continue to be at Mercedes outside of 2023… despite the Brit’s turbulent and winless period with the Silver Arrows
Toto Wolff totally expects Lewis Hamilton to renew his agreement with MercedesThe workforce principal insisted there is ‘no reason’ for him to give up after upcoming seasonHamilton endured a tough season this calendar year and unsuccessful to seal a solitary race winThe 37-12 months-aged driver’s deal with the Silver Arrows will expire following 2023Wolff claimed an extension is ‘one of the topics’ Mercedes will explore this winter
Toto Wolff has urged there is ‘no reason’ for Lewis Hamilton to leave Mercedes immediately after the conclusion of upcoming year, admitting that the Brit’s deal will be ‘one of the topics’ his team will glance into during the wintertime split.
Hamilton’s upcoming in Method A person was speculated at the conclude of the 2021 marketing campaign immediately after his title tussle with eventual champion Max Verstappen finished in controversial conditions for the duration of the ultimate race in Abu Dhabi.
Whilst the 37-calendar year-aged returned to generate for Mercedes once once more past time, his team struggled with a hatful of challenges – notably a porpoising vehicle during the initially 50 percent of the yr – and he failed to record a single race gain as a end result.
Toto Wolff claims there is ‘no reason’ for Lewis Hamilton to stop Mercedes at the finish of upcoming calendar year
The 37-12 months-outdated star’s agreement with the Silver Arrows is set to expire after the 2023 campaign
Ahead of another title pursuit, Hamilton is established to return for the Silver Arrows following time alongside staff-mate George Russell, who completed earlier mentioned the 7-time champion in the standings previous calendar year.
In spite of a tough marketing campaign at Mercedes, Wolff ‘absolutely’ expects Hamilton to stay as a driver for the group over and above 2023.
He told F1’s Further than the Grid podcast: ‘Certainly, Lewis’ agreement is one of the topics that we will deal with over the winter.
‘There’s no agency deadline. Unquestionably, Lewis is part of the staff and the group is part of Lewis.
Hamilton endured a winless calendar year as Mercedes struggled for rate with their ‘porpoising’ motor vehicle
Wolff praised the seven-time winner for getting ‘hungry and eager’ forward of new worries
‘[There is] no cause [for that] to not carry on. I believe a person of his strengths is that he’s usually hungry, usually keen.
‘He’s a good sportsman but he’s also anyone who is particularly driven and identified.’
Hamilton earlier declared that he would not race outside of his 40th birthday – which would be in January 2025 – but is even now eager to hunt down a file-breaking eighth driver’s championship title.
Mercedes confirmed far more pace to the latter stages of past season and carved out their initial race gain of the year in Interlagos, with Russell topping the podium forward of Hamilton in 2nd.
Hamilton’s crew-mate George Russell thinks he has what it takes to problem for the 2023 title
Eager to set his name ahead as an early contender for subsequent season’s crown, Russell insisted that he now has what it usually takes to contend with Verstappen, who claimed a document-breaking whole of 15 race wins in 2022.
‘I imagine I’ve bought ample knowledge now that I really feel completely ready to struggle for a championship and be in a position to cope with the worries and challenges that occur with it,’ he advised Racer.
‘Obviously the likes of Lewis and Max have extra experience in that state of affairs. But if you go out and you place it on pole and get each individual race you will be environment champion. So you have just obtained to aim on smaller sized facts and it can be in your personal fingers, practically.’