The 2017 F1 Champion, Lewis Hamilton is considering other options amid contract renewal
Lewis Hamilton has a year left on his contract with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. That contract comes to a close at the end of the 2018 season.
But, the team nor the driver will want to wait to that point to make a decision on a renewal. From both sides, there needs to be a plan well ahead of time. Specifically for the team, who will need to find a replacement driver, in the case Lewis selects retirement.
So, it’s likely those negotiations are being carried out right now. It’s certainly on the mind of the defending world champion.
“It’s like the weather. It’s about trying to find the balance,” said Hamilton during an interview with selected media including Motorsport.com about his mindset regarding his future.
“I’ve currently got another year with the team and I do want to continue. But, I’m at that point where there’s that question.”
“You can’t come back to F1. Whatever happens, you are gonna miss it. If it’s next year, if it’s five years from now, you’re gonna miss it when you finish.”
“There’s a saying you stay as long as you can – I’m not quite sure about that exactly, but there is a lot of life left beyond it. There are things that I’ve missed in life.”
“I was talking to my best friend the other day about things that I do envy or look forward to, like living in one place, getting a routine, that’s my gym, I have game night with my friends here, my family.”
“Each year I stay in the sport, I delay those things. But from 40 onwards there’s so much time for it.”
“My auntie died from cancer and on her last day she said, ‘I’ve worked every day with the plan of stopping one day and doing all these different things, and then I ran out of time.’ So I’m battling with that in my mind.”
“So I do live my life day-by-day and try to live it to the maximum. So that’s what I’m fighting with – I want to keep racing but there are these other things I want to do. I want my cake and I want to eat it. I just want to make sure I choose the right time, but I think I will.”
Lewis Hamilton brings a specific flavor to F1. He bridges those gaps between sports and entertainment. His brings those world’s together. Which is certainly huge for the sport. He’s a walking talking billboard, to the world, for Formula One.
“I think I am a big part of the culture I bring to F1, where I’m from. Appreciating that more in other locations. Admiring that… The charity stuff I’ve done before, but I’m really starting to focus on the future as my time comes to an end in F1, putting things in place for that part of my future.”
“I have discovered these other strengths and qualities and I don’t mind going to start in a company at the bottom and working my way up, if that’s what I end up doing.
“I don’t mind doing an internship. I’m excited about learning new crafts. It’s exciting, it’s risky and I like the idea of that. It’s different if you’re worrying about pension and you don’t have the financial stability. So that helps. It’s just because it’s exciting. What am I going to do?”
In 2015, Lewis Hamilton signed a contract for $155 million. Since then he’s finished 1st (2015), 2nd (2016) and 1st (2017) in the F1 World Drivers’ Championship.
Lewis Hamilton is a 4-time World Champion in F1. He’s collected 62 wins, placing him 2nd on the all-time wins list, behind Michael Schumacher.
