F1 News: Lewis Hamilton will "definitely extend the contract" with Mercedes
Questions have started to emerge about Lewis Hamilton's future in F1 after an underwhelming season for the typically dominant Mercedes team.
Mercedes has failed to produce a car capable of fighting for the championship this year, with the W13 only proving capable of fighting for race wins on select occasions throughout the season.
Hamilton has never completed an entire F1 season without claiming race victory, but Mercedes' slow start to these new regulations means he is uncharacteristically winless with just three rounds left in 2022.
Because of this, there has been a sense that Hamilton might be uninterested in extending his contract (which expires at the end of 2023) in a team incapable of fighting for World titles.
In an interview with AMuS, the 7-time champion made clear that his desire to continue racing is far from extinguished.
"The time has come again when you think about how to proceed. You analyse the past year and try to imagine what the next three or five years might look like.
"Where do I see myself? What do I want to do? What are my goals?
"Outside of sport, I have entered many businesses with a good chance of success. But I want to keep racing.
"I love what I do, I've been doing this for 30 years, and I've never felt the need to stop. I want to do even better. That's why I plan to be here for a longer time...
"Mercedes and I will definitely extend the contract. We will sit down in the next two months. I've been with Mercedes since I was 13 years old.
"This is my family. We've been through thick and thin... They stood by me when I made mistakes or whatever the press said.
"They were there through all the ups and downs. I believe in this brand and the people who work for us."
Despite now being the second-oldest driver in F1, Hamilton continues to compete at the highest level within the sport.
The old guard of Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso are demonstrating that age is just a number in Formula 1, so it remains to be seen what success Hamilton can attain in the final stages of his career.