Ex-F1 champion Damon Hill tells WHY Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes deal could be delayed

Lewis Hamilton

Ex-F1 champion tells WHY Hamilton's Mercedes deal could be delayed

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are yet to agree terms over a new contract

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Thursday 29 June 2023 18:57

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Damon Hill has suggested that the delay to Lewis Hamilton's new Mercedes contract is due to "bureaucracy", as he theorised that the 38-year-old is set to sign a deal with the Silver Arrows that extends "beyond his racing career".

As things stand, Hamilton will be out of a contract when the chequered flag waves in Abu Dhabi in November.

Both the seven-time world champion and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff have insisted that it is just a matter of time before the pair put pen to paper.

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Yet Hill, the 1996 F1 champion, believes that the shape and structure of the deal is causing a delay to an agreement being reached.

Hill: 'There is a bit more bureaucracy in this deal'

“The talk is that Lewis is finalising a much longer-term deal that goes beyond his racing career,” Hill told the Press Association (via PlanetF1).

“The car company itself is involved, so there is a bit more bureaucracy in this deal.”

Hill: Admirable Lewis kept chin up after Abu Dhabi

Hill added that he found it 'admirable' how Hamilton had kept pushing after the controversial results of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021, the year which ended his winning streak when it came to drivers' championships.

“It is admirable the way Lewis kept his chin up after what happened in Abu Dhabi,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton is still yet to extend his stay with Mercedes beyond the end of the 2023 season

“He got back on with the task in hand and he is driving better again this year than he has done before. He is starting to gel with that car now and he has solved some of the problems he faced.

“So I would be amazed if he doesn’t want to go out on a high by winning that eighth title, and he is absolutely motivated by that. He has got that longevity and he looks after himself.

“He needs a competitive car, half-a-chance, and someone like Lewis will rise up to that challenge and find more in himself. At the moment we are seeing a happier Hamilton, and a happy Hamilton is a fast Hamilton.”