Lewis Hamilton says it is currently “unimaginable” to think he could equal Michael Schumacher’s record haul of seven F1 world titles by the end of his new Mercedes contract. After months of discussions and media speculation, Hamilton’s new Mercedes deal was finally confirmed ahead of this week’s German GP with the four-time world champion committing his future to the team and F1 until the end of 2020.
Including the remainder of this season, the contract extension means that Hamilton has at least three more attempts to add to his haul of four world titles. The Englishman and current chief rival Sebastian Vettel are currently tied with Alain Prost on four titles on F1’s all-time list, with only five-time champion Juan-Manuel Fangio and seven-time champion Schumacher ahead of them. Hamilton could theoretically win seven titles himself by 2020 but has insisted: “For me that’s unimaginable at the moment.
“I doesn’t make sense to believe you’re going to win every single championship from now to the end of the contract. Whilst that is the goal and that’s the dream, perfect scenario, nothing ever goes perfectly generally.
“So I didn’t set out in the two years saying that gives me the time to do that. I’m going to work towards it.”
Hamilton will be just weeks shy of his 36th birthday by the time his new Mercedes contract finishes and have competed in Formula 1 for 14 seasons. Hamilton: Rival team approached me .Asked if it was therefore possible that his new deal might be the last he signs in F1 before retiring, Hamilton said: “It’s impossible to say what I’m going to feel like in two years’ time. What I can tell you is I still feel pretty great and I wasn’t expecting to be as excited as I am now in signing to extend.”I’m also very conscious of how long it is beyond retirement. There are so many great reasons to remain a part of the sport but, who knows, maybe in two years’ time my life will be completely different and I will want completely different things to I want know. Time will tell.”
Lewis Hamilton recently thanked Mercedes for their patience after finally signing a new contract with them has described the length of his two-year contract extension with Mercedes as “strategic” and thanked team boss Toto Wolff for his patience as talks dragged out.
Hamilton has also revealed another leading team – either Red Bull or Ferrari – approached him as he dithered over signing a new deal with the world champions.
After months of negotiations stretching back to the start of the year, Hamilton’s new deal – believed to be worth £40m a year, making Hamilton the highest-paid British sportsman – was signed this week and announced on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s German GP.
“I really appreciate Toto being so patient with me because l am not the easiest,” said Hamilton. “Most people wouldn’t have given the timeframe l chose to take. But it shows the trust we have between each other.”
According to Hamilton, it was that trust which then caused the talks to drag out – or, more accurately, to be on hold – with the driver assuring the team he was not interested in moving elsewhere and the team content to wait for their prized asset to re-commit.
But asked whether Red Bull or Ferrari made contact as Hamilton and Mercedes continued to check the small print on his new deal, the 33-year-old confirmed:
“One did but I didn’t give it any air.”
Hamilton declined to elaborate further or clarify whether the team in question was Red Bull or Ferrari.