As drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso hold a greater stance in Formula 1 when it comes to competitiveness and skill, and are also admired for staying on the grid regardless of their ages, one might assume that being a Formula 1 driver comes with no age restriction.
That is, of course right, but age has an impact on performance and speed, and keeping in mind the cutthroat competition that hovers motorsport, an older driver is rather a liability for the team.
In conversation with the media, British driver Alex Albon talked about the dilemma of competing at an older age of 40. According to formu1a.uno, he said, “I think to be able to be in Formula 1 until you’re 40 you, realistically, have to be a generational talent to do it. All of us would like to be 40 and still be in Formula 1, but it doesn’t normally turn out like that. So I’m sure that there’s a lot of fire in Lewis’s belly to do that.”
38-year-old Lewis Hamilton had the fastest reaction time of any driver off the line in Zandvoort ⏱⚡️ pic.twitter.com/1I8D8wQ9ON
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) August 29, 2023
Hamilton, who is 38 years of age and heading toward 39, has recently officially announced his contract extension with the Mercedes team until 2025. Apart from him, teammate George Russell received a renewed contract as well for the same number of years. This means that Lewis will formally be a part of the team until he is 40.
Is Lewis Hamilton continue to drive in Formula 1 beyond 2025?
The itch to get hold of his 8th World Championship trophy is the primary reason that is holding back Hamilton from retiring. In an interview ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, the Briton stated that he has to get done with some “unfinished business’ which is the championship title that was robbed from him at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This proves that Hamilton seems to be in the business and not taking a leave anytime soon.
BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton re-signs with Mercedes until 2025!#F1 pic.twitter.com/Vi8jm5gNgD
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 31, 2023
There isn’t any evidence that his competitive edge has decreased despite the hardships he has faced in the last couple of months. On paper, Mercedes has everything it takes to compete with the dominant Red Bull, so winning another world championship is not out of the question. However, there’s an actual likelihood that Mercedes will continue to encounter complications until 2024.
The ten design teams’ advances and improvements which will influence 2024’s dynamics and have broad repercussions for years beyond, will determine Formula 1’s trajectory for the next few years. His choice of committing to Mercedes and Formula 1 for a further two years might be the exact thing he needed to get to his goals and bag him the anticipated title of world champion.