F1 News: Lewis Hamilton's Contract With Mercedes Explored By Former World Champion

Speculations about Lewis Hamilton's future in Formula 1 have been rampant lately as the renowned British driver approaches the end of his current contract with Mercedes. Since his narrow defeat to Max Verstappen in the 2021 title decider in Abu Dhabi, questions have arisen regarding Hamilton's desire to continue in the sport. Uncertainty loomed until the launch of the 2022 season, leaving fans and pundits wondering if Hamilton would remain on the grid.

Mercedes' Declining Performance and Hamilton's Adjustments

The introduction of new regulations last year has caused Mercedes to slip from its dominant position in Formula 1. Once a powerhouse, the team has only secured a single victory since, courtesy of George Russell at the previous year's Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Since partnering with Russell at the start of 2022, Hamilton has faced a more level playing field with his teammate, unlike his previous advantage over Valtteri Bottas. The recent Miami Grand Prix witnessed Russell outqualifying and outperforming Hamilton, finishing in fourth place. Hamilton even had to yield to Russell as their strategies unfolded.

Mario Andretti's Perspective on Hamilton and Russell

Talking to PlanetF1.com, 1978 F1 World Champion Mario Andretti shared his thoughts on the situation. 

“I don’t think Hamilton is past his peak,” he said. “But the difference between he and George Russell is that Russell has never driven a car that is as competitive as the Mercedes.

“And Lewis Hamilton has never driven a car that’s as uncompetitive as Mercedes is at the moment. Lewis has always had the blessing of being with an extremely competitive car. Look at the McLaren times, when McLaren was at its peak – there he was. Now he has to fight a little bit harder to achieve what was easier to achieve.

“So he’s having a tough time just really getting that last bit out of it, whereas George has never really experienced a car just as strong that’s still able to run up front. So there’s the difference – you can draw your own conclusions, but I wouldn’t write off Lewis by any means at this stage.”

Hamilton's Contract Decision and Mercedes' Perspective

Regarding Hamilton's contract renewal with Mercedes, Andretti believes the decision rests solely in Hamilton's hands. 

“It’s hard to be able to determine from where we stand the relationship that he has in Mercedes, those things are very delicate,” he said.

“But look what he has brought to the team. There is no way that they will not give him every opportunity. I think the contract is probably up to him, not up to Mercedes at this point. That’s what I think from where I stand here.”

Hamilton's Career Longevity and Future Decisions

While Hamilton has expressed his desire to continue racing in Formula 1 for a few more years, his upcoming 39th birthday in January raises questions about his career longevity. Although some drivers like Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, and Michael Schumacher continued racing in F1 into their forties, such longevity is rare in modern Formula 1.

“This is a really difficult situation,” he admitted. “I know that I can only speak for myself – I love the sport so much that, if it was just for the love of it, I feel that I’d still be driving actively.

“Here’s my fear. I had seen some of my peers overstay, and maybe have not the best memories of their last times in the sport. I was really trying to, in my own mind, ask ‘When is it time? I don’t want to!’ but, you know, I wanted to have a positive memory of my last moments, my last seasons in the sport, and to know that I was still competitive and I still had a chance.

“It’s a personal thing, just how you look at it. From Lewis’ standpoint, I’m sure that he would love to have another championship under his belt and then say goodbye.

“Whether that’s in the cards or not, I don’t know. You can say, ‘Yeah, you should do this, you should do that’. But it’s up to the individual, to see how you’re looking at things and how you feel and all that.”