There were some speculations regarding the contract situation of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. New shocking reports suggest that we might not see the legendary racer in the Tri-Star car next year.
The billion-dollar man was reportedly going to receive one of the most expensive deals of the sport as it included a title of brand ambassador even after the Brit retired from racing.
Why Mercedes rejected Lewis Hamilton’s new deal?
As we all know, Lewis Hamilton’s contract expires this season, and he desperately needs an extension or a renewal. LH currently earns £27.5m plus a £15m bonus if and only if he clinches the F1 title, but, in his new contract, he would like a safer option of an extra £15m guaranteed. This is where Mercedes and LH have seemed to hit a roadblock.
Lewis Hamilton aims to set a contract that would stand the test of time and achieve long-term targets for the racer. However, the silver arrows are “not prepared” to comply with Hamilton’s demands for a 10-year ambassadorial role post-retirement. This would let the Brit take home £10m every year.
Lewis Hamilton exit rumors
Neither Mercedes nor Lewis seems willing to end their 10-year relationship, but the seven-time F1 champion should “lower his demands to get a deal signed”, as reported by the team. While there are rumors about Lewis Hamilton retiring and him moving to rival teams, F1 commentators believe he will stick with Mercedes itself, and the contract will be announced during the Silverstone race.
Mercedes source claims Toto Wolff unhappy with Lewis Hamilton contract demandhttps://t.co/krCxESnWie
— F1 NEWSHUB (@formulanewshub) June 25, 2023
The champ has not been able to register a race win since 2021. Hence the team’s hesitation is completely justified, as they are in a conundrum of whether to scout for young talent like Mick Schumacher or invest and bank again in the old-timer’s experience and wisdom.
Drivers in the final year of their contract:
🇬🇧 Lewis Hamilton
🇺🇸 Logan Sargeant
🇳🇱 Nyck de Vries
🇯🇵 Yuki Tsunoda
🇩🇰 Kevin Magnussen
🇩🇪 Nico Hulkenberg
🇨🇳 Zhou Guanyu— Car 😮 TP TITLE LEAD!! (@CarGoVroomFast) June 25, 2023
It’s not just Lewis Hamilton who is reaching the end of his contract. Some of the other racers that are nearing a similar situation are;
Logan Sargeant for Williams, Nyck de Vries for Alpha Tauri, Yuki Tsunoda for Alpha Tauri, Kevin Magnussen for Haas, Nico Hulkenberg for Haas, and, Zhou Guanyu for Alfa Romeo.
With a massive shift in driver standings and the many seat openings, it will be interesting to see Hamilton’s next move. He could stay with Mercedes for one more year, sign a contract for the next decade, or even move to a rival team.
What do you think the Briton will do next? Share with us in the comments.
