As it stands Lewis Hamilton will be out of a contract after the end of the 2023 season. There have been rumors that Mercedes and the British driver are planning to extend their stay, but this has not stopped other teams from approaching him.
Lewis Hamilton has won 7 World Championships. He is one of the most talented drivers on the grid. He is also planning to win more Championships in the near future. However, he is 38 years old and is approaching the general retirement age for drivers.
Ferrari President, John Elkann has reportedly approached Lewis Hamilton with a contract to drive for Ferrari in 2024. Lewis Hamilton would be a great addition to the team. However, the contract was reportedly rejected as he only wants Mercedes.
🚨| Lewis Hamilton has rejected an offer to drive for Ferrari in 2024!
Ferrari president John Elkann contacted and submitted an offer to Lewis, who politely declined.
LH only wants Mercedes đź–¤ pic.twitter.com/Z3ZW8Ktu7H
— Mercedes-AMG F1 News (@MercedesNewsUK) August 12, 2023
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton is a partnership that has lasted for over 10 years now. The team has won 8 WCCs in a row with huge credit to the British driver. So there is no surprise that there is a sense of loyalty between the two.
However, we have not heard any official announcement from either party that a contract has been signed. But, Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton have been very open about wanting to extend their contract.
How long will Lewis Hamilton stay at Mercedes?
With Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes feeling positive about an extension in the works, there are reports that it will be a 2-year extension. During the weekend of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Sky Sports junior reported asked Toto about Hamilton’s contract. Although Toto did not officially say anything, he whispered into the young journalist’s year that it would be for 2 years. The young reporter then leaked it to the media.
If this is true, the contract would make sense given Hamilton’s age. It would also give him enough time to win another championship. There is no doubt that Lewis hopes to add to his collection of Formula 1 Championships. He has equaled the record of Michael Schumacher with 7 but is looking to break that record in the next couple of years.
🚨| Toto Wolff has confirmed that development “has almost stopped” on the W14.
Full focus on the W15 🔜 pic.twitter.com/EuwdRgwZTm
— Mercedes-AMG F1 News (@MercedesNewsUK) August 7, 2023
Of course, in order for Lewis to win a Championship, the team will need to provide him with the right machinery. In the 2022 and 2023 seasons, the team has failed to do so. However, they are making some improvements in the car’s performance.
The team has now stopped bringing in major upgrades for the W14 and has decided to concentrate on the development of the W15 for the 2024 season. reports suggest that the W15 will be inspired by the W11 which dominated the grid in 2020.
Let’s see how Mercedes develop their car and if Hamilton can win a Championship with it and see if Hamilton will extend his contract with the 8x WCC constructor.