Lewis Hamilton says he expects to remain in Formula 1 for at least another three years – longer than he previously intended.
The six-times world champion, whose contract to drive for Mercedes expires at the end of the 2020 F1 season, said the enforced break from racing earlier this year due to the global pandemic has given him renewed energy.Ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, which will be held without fans due to Covid-19 restrictions, Hamilton said he hopes to be able to race in front of fans at the track next year.
“I don’t think you can guarantee anything, but I plan to be here for sure,” he said. “That’s definitely the goal. So fingers crossed I will be here and we will have fans here next year.”
Hamilton said he is now thinking of staying in the sport longer than he previously planned as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown.
“In terms of how long I go, that’s a bit of an unknown. I would say that this Covid lockdown, after we had the first part of the season cancelled, whilst it was a negative in many ways, in some ways it gave a lot of life, a lot of energy to focus on some other things. And that bit of time off was really a bit of breathing space. So it has kind of give me a renewed bit of energy to perhaps go longer.”
The 35-year-old said he wants to ensure he can still compete at his best in the latter stages of his career.
“Ultimately, I want to be able to perform at the level that I’m performing at now forever. But obviously there is a point at which physicality and the mental side can tail off. And I don’t know when that’s going to be, but I don’t see that happening in a particular short term in the next two or three years.
“So I’m definitely going to be here hopefully for the foreseeable future. And also, we’re in a period of time, I mean, there’s not another driver from my background coming at the moment and I’m conscious of that as well.
“So I don’t know. I’m just going to try and I want to earn my position here. And I feel like every year I come back, it’s not a given, just because I’ve got world championships under my belt. I think you still have to earn the right to be here in terms of how you perform and continue to deliver. So my goal is to continue to deliver for as long as I can. So I do see myself going for at least another three years.”
2020 F1 season
- Pictures: Wrecked chassis from Grosjean’s Bahrain fireball crash to go on display
- Bottas vs Rosberg: Hamilton’s Mercedes team mates compared after 78 races each
- F1 revenues fell by $877 million in Covid-struck 2020 season
- Hamilton and Mercedes finally announce new deal for 2021 season
- F1 audience figures “strong” in 2020 despite dip in television viewers
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
30th July 2020, 18:12
I would not leave if I was him.
RB13
30th July 2020, 18:26
Good.
And at least 3 more years of hurt for his haters, lovely.
Jake
30th July 2020, 19:13
To be fair, if I were Lewis, I wouldn’t want to retire yet either! He’s got a chance to completely rewrite the record books! And with the new regulations being delayed to 2022, Lewis has a pretty good chance of not only taking WDC #7, but also beating Schumacher and taking #8 next year. He’ll stick around as long as Mercedes stays competitive. If they totally screw it up and they’re slow in ’22, he can call it a career and no one can claim he has unfinished business.
stefano (@alfa145)
30th July 2020, 19:14
Mashiat (@mashiat)
30th July 2020, 19:18
@alfa145 I assume it means how there doesn’t appear to be any black drivers in junior categories right now seemingly joining F1 anytime soon.
bob (@riptide)
30th July 2020, 20:19
Or working class British? Attend a kart meeting at the lower level and the make up of drivers pretty much reflects British society. I would guess the drop out is mainly governed by finance.
Martin (@mrtn)
30th July 2020, 22:07
I wonder who is the closest next black driver to reach to F1?
Brett Woods (@pertwee)
30th July 2020, 21:37
I think he means he also has a duty to represent. The media and fans are always pushing that he is this-or-that. So whatever. This-or-that is staying to represent. Brush your cleats off.
DonSmee (@david-beau)
31st July 2020, 0:20
He still wants to be role model until the next black kid comes along. Lol. Strange but I see what he is doing. Very selfless of him.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
30th July 2020, 19:19
This assumes he has a contract to drive, and with 6 World Driver Championship titles that shouldn’t be a problem. Most teams would want to employ him. However none of that means he has a contract to drive next year. If he doesn’t have a contract he won’t be here next year. I’m not sure why there’s a delay in announcing he’s signed a new contract with Mercedes. Presumably the delay means he hasn’t signed.
Mclaren
30th July 2020, 19:53
It’s all about marketing and the longer he waits the longer people talk about it.
svianna (@svianna)
30th July 2020, 19:31
We’ll see. If Mercedes F1 pulls the plug at the end of 2021, as some speculate, I can see Lewis trying out in another team (Scuderia) for one year. If successful, he could stay another year. If a dud, he’s done. Ego too large to be like Vettel and Alonso fighting for lower positions.
David (@davidjwest)
31st July 2020, 9:34
Yeah cos Alonso and Vettel don’t have any egos.
Kribana (@krichelle)
30th July 2020, 19:43
Yes Lewiss I can still dream of getting more caps signed at least. I got one cap signed in Austria 2017 after having to deal with a swarm of people on my back in the fan zone area.
Although with him staying, that could be bad news for Russell…
Qeki (@qeki)
30th July 2020, 19:57
Well somewhere in the future Hamilton needs to stop. He’s not young anymore but he is still at his very peak. It won’t happen today or tomorrow or next year but after a couple of years there will be a new generation of drivers knocking the door and “the old ones” need to move away. Of course F1 needs those guys like Alonso for example just because they are the best ones.
bob (@riptide)
30th July 2020, 21:00
Dont agree with that. Knocking the door so the old uns can move away? They need the keys to the house by taking his crown first before he needs to move on don’t you think?
us-brian (@us-brian)
30th July 2020, 20:28
Well, 2020 is not getting any better. Bad news keep on coming.
But like others said, he has no reason to quit. But I will be happy when he does retire, just as happy as I was when Schumacher retired.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
31st July 2020, 2:44
Ha! Agreed, Schumacher’s domination is why I lost interest in F1 in my teens.
yloops
31st July 2020, 7:35
Do you mind me asking why?
Wayne
30th July 2020, 21:15
Go go lewis! Which means stay stay stay in the sport and win everything break all the records and rub it in everyones face! Hahaha!
yloops
31st July 2020, 7:36
In in in in in in in in in in I mean out stay out haha
HK (@me4me)
30th July 2020, 21:26
It’s nice that he feels that way, but I just wish there was machinery for others to challenge him. 5-6-7-8-9 championships it doesn’t really matter anymore. At this point he’ll get them almost for free. He has one driver to beat, one that he’s beaten for years. Hamilton is just going throught the motions now. And actually, it’s a pitty that he doesn’t get to prove that he really is the best.
knightameer (@knightameer)
31st July 2020, 10:58
It’s not his fault that others are performing bad. What does he need to do to prove that he is the best? Sign for Ferrari knowing that they are the undisputed kings of screw-ups? I’m a Ferrari fan but Lewis is right to stay Put where he is now and win more accolades.
Tor
30th July 2020, 23:26
Well that was a given. Who would pass on where you just have to beat your team mate to be champion, and your team will only choose team mates that makes you happy.
DAllein (@)
30th July 2020, 23:46
Thumbs up!
We are all behind you!
We are team LH!
NeverElectric
31st July 2020, 0:00
Looking at the comments on this site on any articles involving Hamilton and Vettel, I fear F1 has become so toxic that it must change or else.
bob (@riptide)
31st July 2020, 9:44
Look at any comments on almost any site on any subject and you realise their is a toxic underbelly throughout society.
Tristan (@skipgamer)
31st July 2020, 2:43
I think, like many others, he wants to try the new cars… I think that is the plan for many of the older drivers…
David (@davidjwest)
31st July 2020, 9:35
You’re retired a long time, personally I say keep going while you are enjoying it. For Hamilton that means being successful.
If and when Mercedes pull out of F1 that might be the end.