Damon Hill has put his speculations on why the contract announcement is taking so long from the Mercedes camp.
Mercedes star driver Lewis Hamilton will be driving his 11th season for the team this year. However, the contract of Lewis Hamilton is yet to get an official extension.
Although many speculate the contract extension to be a mere formality and a piece of news that can come anytime, former F1 driver Damon Hill has given his reasoning for why the news might be delaying:
“At 38, Lewis is obviously getting on in terms of years, but he remains as quick as ever,” Hill wrote. “And as fit.
“With the way the drivers look after themselves these days, and power steering in the cars, I don’t believe there is any physical reason he could not carry on driving well into his 40s if he was motivated to do so. Fernando Alonso is living proof of that.
“The question is, what is keeping him here? Is it just about getting that eighth title? Will he retire if he does it? Or is it because he wants to keep racing for the love of it? Personally I can’t see Lewis driving around in circles trying to pick off podium places, as Fernando [Alonso] has been forced to resign himself to.
Both sides are playing the waiting game? Hill thinks so
Damon Hill has speculated that Mercedes’s competitiveness accompanied by the expansiveness of Hamilton might be a reason behind the delay. The side recently revealed their 2023 challenger – W14 after having a disappointing 2022.
Hill wrote: “Whatever the reason, Hamilton is out of contract at the end of this season. And it is going to be fascinating to see his next move. While both he and Mercedes have been saying for months that he plans to carry on, the fact remains that with less than a week until the first race of the year on March 5, nothing has yet been announced. It begs the question, why?
“One possible explanation is that both sides are waiting to see just how competitive Mercedes are before committing to a new deal.
“If they start 2023 miles off the pace, perhaps Lewis will be less minded to sign a new long-term deal? Or perhaps it is the team who are dragging their heels? Lewis does not come cheap. He gives Mercedes a lot but he costs them a lot too. In George Russell they have a young driver who might be capable of delivering a title in the right car.
“I don’t think anyone outside of Lewis and Mercedes know the answers to these questions but one thing we do know is it’s a critical moment in the career of one of the sport’s all-time greats.”
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