Daimler blocked Hamilton’s contract extension in November

It is a certainty that Mercedes wants to continue with Lewis Hamilton. After all, the Brit strings the championships together. According to the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, parent company Daimler on its own was not happy with the Brit’s demands.

For the coming season, all but one seat has been forgiven, from a technical point of view. Lewis Hamilton still does not have a contract for next year, despite his seventh world title this year. The Brit has also made no secret of the fact that he would like to continue with the team for a few more years.

Negotiations are only going slow, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. It is no longer a formal extension, as the various parties seem to disagree with the demands that are being put on the table. “In November, when Formula 1 went to Turkey, a contract was ready that meets Hamilton’s requirements: a four-year contract with a salary of 50 million a year. Daimler however put a stop to that,” says the newspaper.

Despite Hamilton’s strong performance, the parent company of Mercedes doesn’t want to bet so much on the British driver. “Daimler wants to go for a two-year contract, with an option for three years”. The company may keep an eye on Hamilton’s age, which turns 36 in January, or on the progression of the younger and much cheaper George Russell.

As a result, Lewis Hamilton is still without a contract for next season. “It remains to be seen what the results of the talks will be. Now however a third party has a stake in the matter: Ineos. The new deadline for the contract extension is now at the end of February, just before the start of the winter tests in Barcelona,” concludes the Italian medium.

Source: gpblog.com