Hamilton wasn't "ready mentally" to sign new Mercedes deal during lockdown
Hamilton wasn't "ready mentally" to sign new Mercedes deal during lockdown
Lewis Hamilton has no regrets over missing a window of opportunity during Formula 1's lockdown period earlier this year to sign a new contract with Mercedes.
With the season just over six weeks away from concluding, Hamilton has yet to put pen to paper on a contract extension with the team, despite both he and Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff insisting the desire is to continue.
On reflection, given the free time that was available prior to the F1 season finally starting in early July, Hamilton and Wolff should have sat down and discussed terms given the latter has often stated there has since been no time to do so due to the cramped calendar.
Hamilton, however, has claimed that over the first half of the year when the world was dealing with Covid-19, he was not in the right frame of mind to mull over a new deal.
"I think Hungary last year, Toto was already talking about signing the contract," revealed Hamilton. "Of course, the pandemic wasn’t then.
"I look back and think ‘Maybe I should have signed it then’ but I think things happen at the right time and I definitely wasn’t ready mentally at the time.
"I wanted to give myself space mentally to really think about what I want to do, think if there are any adjustments I want to do, how can we get more out of each other, how can I give them an easier time, and sometimes it’s better quality over quantity.
"So, I’m constantly working on the relationships I have, and it’s a long process, and I think we’re still growing together. I definitely don’t think its over, I really want to continue.
"I think once we get the job done and the stress of the bubble and everything passes us I think we can get into whatever uncomfortable or comfortable position we need to be in and get it done so we can continue.
Hamilton's sights are now set on securing his seventh world title, which is likely to be at the Turkish Grand Prix on November 15 if nothing untoward occurs during this weekend's Emilia Romagna GP at Imola.
A spanner, however, has been thrown into the works in that F1 is set to implement a driver salary cap from 2023. Whether that speeds up the timeline between Hamilton and Mercedes remains to be seen.
Before you go...
Perez and Hülkenberg can wait for Red Bull decision - Horner
What can Formula 1 expect on its long-awaited return to Imola?
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
EXCLUSIVE: Hamilton engineer reveals top drivers' key characteristic
- 4 minutes ago
Red Bull now pressured into MISTAKES insists F1 rivals as title race heats up
- 1 hour ago
F1 News Today: Vettel CONFIRMS stunning comeback as Red Bull boss issues Verstappen statement
- 1 hour ago
F1 fan celebrates Verstappen failure with OUTRAGEOUS permanent change
- 2 hours ago
Wolff opens up on WHY Mercedes are 'very bad'
- 3 hours ago
F1 winner Sainz shares RAW images from surgery and recovery
- 3 hours ago
F1 Race Calendar
-
GP BAHRAIN
29 Feb - 2 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP SAUDI ARABIA
7 - 9 Mar
Max Verstappen
-
GP AUSTRALIA
22 - 24 Mar
Carlos Sainz
- GP JAPAN 5 - 7 Apr
- GP CHINA 19 - 21 Apr
- GP USA 3 - 6 May
- GP ITALY 17 - 19 May
- GP MONACO 24 - 26 May
Related news
Hamilton and Cullen F1 fairytale COULD happen as clues reveal how
Hamilton 'emotional burden' heading into 2024 season revealed
Hamilton flooded with applications as F1 celebrity pal founds new team
Hamilton relationship 'ENDS' as F1 legend looks for celebrity date
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860