Lewis Hamilton extends his contract with Mercedes by one year
The Mercedes team has informed the F1 world that its British world champion is continuing his adventure in F1 at the wheel of the W12.
This announcement is not a surprise, but it has generated a lot of ink, between negotiations and false suspense: Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have fueled the imagination of many Formula 1 fans.
The surprise comes more from the fact that the seven-time world champion extended his contract for only one more year, suggesting that the Briton is looking to achieve one last record in Formula 1.
If the Englishman hoped to sign his contract before Christmas, he ultimately had to wait an extra month. This signing is far from trivial; indeed, the Englishman and his Mercedes clearly appear as the best equipped to clinch the world championship title. Lewis Hamilton would then become the most successful driver in history, surpassing Michael Schumacher.
Mercedes driver since 2013, the Englishman still seems as motivated as ever to clinch victories in F1; « I am thrilled to start my ninth season with my colleagues at Mercedes. Our team has achieved incredible things together, and we hope to build even more on our success while continually striving to improve, both on and off the track. »
On track as well as off, as for several months, the Brit has been involved in the Black Lives Matter movement, but also by encouraging his fans to adopt a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
I am also determined to continue the journey we have started to make motorsport more diverse for future generations, and I am grateful that Mercedes supported me to this extent when I asked for this issue to be addressed. I am proud to say that we are taking this effort further this year by launching a foundation dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the sport. I am inspired by everything we can build together and eager to get back on track in March.
On the Mercedes side and its executive director Toto Wolf, they are greatly pleased with this signing: «Together, we have decided to extend our sporting relationship for an additional season and to launch a longer-term project to move to the next stage in our shared commitment to greater diversity in our sport.»
«Lewis has one of the best track records of all time in the sports world and is a valued ambassador for our brand and partners. The history of Mercedes and Lewis has been written in the history books of our sport over the past eight seasons, and we are eager to add new chapters to it.»
✍️ #AnnounceLewis pic.twitter.com/EFoDLGLDIl
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 8, 2021
