Horner and Vasseur welcome the extension of Hamilton’s contract
The boss of Red Bull and his counterpart at Ferrari have been asked about Lewis Hamilton's contract extension at Mercedes. Both acknowledge the importance of the Briton for the sport and admire the level at which he is driving at 38 years old.
On Friday, Mercedes put to rest any remaining doubts by announcing the [extension of Lewis Hamilton’s contract for two additional seasons](/f1/actualite/31515-officiel-mercedes-prolonge-hamilton-russell-jusqua-2025.html). The British driver will still be there in 2024 and 2025, the year he will celebrate his 40th birthday.
Arriving in 2013, Lewis Hamilton has won 6 world championships with Mercedes. But since last year, the German team has struggled to regain the top spot, and the future of the seven-time world champion remained uncertain. While everything seemed settled for an extension a few months ago, the announcement took some time to be made, allowing many rumors to flourish.
“We therefore need to have drivers like Lewis on the grid.”
Finally, number 44 won’t go to Ferrari or retire, but will stay in Formula 1 for at least two more years. The announcement of his contract extension prompted reactions from team managers during Friday’s press conference. Christian Horner, the boss of Red Bull, spoke highly of the British driver despite their rivalry and the tensions that arose during the 2021 season.
Well, I think it’s great that he’s extending his contract. Yes, he’s a big name in Formula 1. He’s a global name in the entire sport and obviously the most successful driver in Formula 1 history. So, for him to extend this relationship, I think it’s good news for the sport. I think it’s always great to race against him and yes, he’s obviously fit and motivated. I think, you know, Fernando has set a new age limit in Formula 1. And it just shows that age is not a barrier if you have the motivation, commitment, and passion to do it.
An opinion shared by Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal of Scuderia Ferrari, who believes that F1 needs drivers like Hamilton on the grid.
« I think that personally, but I am not the only one, we were not surprised by the extension. It is good for the sport. I think Lewis is a mega driver and it is very important for F1 to keep him on board and at the top. He always does a very good job as well, if you compare him to his teammate, he is always there and he makes strange mistakes. So we need to have drivers like Lewis on the grid and it’s a good thing.»
Frédéric Vasseur also knows Hamilton very well, who won the GP2 championship title in 2006 with ART Grand Prix, the team founded by the Frenchman.
