Mercedes had hoped to have an update on a contract extension for seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton by the time the series arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Despite ongoing talks, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton revealed on Thursday in Montreal that he had no update on his future at Mercedes.
Mercedes had hoped to have an update on a contract extension for seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton by the time the series arrived at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Despite ongoing talks, Hamilton said on Thursday in Montreal he had no update on his future. He had been scheduled to meet with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who had hinted a resolution was imminent.
Hamilton, who turned 38 in January and is seeking a multi-year extension, played coy as to how talks have progressed. Asked if he and Wolff had 바카라śhooked up바카라ť as scheduled, the British driver tried to brush it off.
바카라śWe바카라™ve never hooked up,바카라ť Hamilton deadpanned.
The moderator then clarified to ask if the boss and driver had met for a pizza.
바카라śWe바카라™ve never had pizza,바카라ť he replied.
On the third attempt, Hamilton sort of acknowledged contract talks had happened with no deal struck.
바카라śI바카라™ve seen Toto, we바카라™ve talked several times,바카라ť said Hamilton. 바카라śYeah. Nothing else real to really add to it.바카라ť
It was far less information than Wolff had offered last week during a CNBC interview when asked about Hamilton바카라™s future.
바카라śIt is going to happen soon, and we are talking more days than weeks,바카라ť Wolff said on the 바카라śSquawk on the Street바카라ť program. 바카라śWe have such a good relationship that we dread the moment that we need to talk about money. From a team바카라™s perspective, Lewis and Mercedes have gone back a long time.
바카라śWe both joined the team in 2013 together, and from a professional relationship, we now have a friendship. It has been a wonderful time,바카라ť Wolff continued. 바카라śHe is the most important personality in the sport. He is so multi-faceted, not only the racing, but also off track, so we need to keep him in the sport for as long as possible.바카라ť
Hamilton started his career with McLaren, which was Mercedes-powered, in 2007. He made the move to the Mercedes team in 2013 and has scored 82 of his record 103 F1 victories driving the Silver Arrows. Hamilton has won six of his seven championships with Mercedes.
He바카라™s in the final year of his existing contract and has insisted he wants to extend his career and stay with Mercedes, despite persistent rumors he바카라™s being courted by Ferrari. The Canadian Grand Prix had been circled as a celebratory spot to announce a contract extension because it바카라™s both the site of Hamilton바카라™s first career F1 victory back in 2007, and, his seven wins at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is tied with Michael Schumacher for most in F1 history.
Not having it buttoned down on that timeline did not bother Hamilton. 바카라śI don바카라™t really have a huge amount to say on the contract side of things,바카라ť Hamilton said. 바카라śIt바카라™ll get done when it바카라™s done. If that바카라™s next week, if that바카라™s in a month바카라™s time, as long as it gets done it doesn바카라™t really bother me.바카라ť
Hamilton has previously denied he바카라™s been approached by Ferrari.
Despite the lack of news on his contract, he remained upbeat about Mercedes바카라™ recent performance, which included a surprise 2-3 podium finish for Hamilton and teammate George Russell in Spain two weeks ago.
바카라śWe바카라™ve been making progress in the car and last race was just phenomenal, we바카라™ve all been buzzing back at the factory, the whole team just has this new energy and it kind of feels like we have a North Star,바카라ť Hamilton said. 바카라śWe know where we바카라™re going, we know how to get there, so everyone바카라™s just churning away and working as hard as possible.
바카라śI바카라™m excited coming here. We generally don바카라™t know whether this track suits our car and the car바카라™s characteristics but the weather may change that and we바카라™ll see.바카라ť
Hamilton, who has not won a race since the 2021 season, noted he didn바카라™t need to do a rain dance based on a forecast that is calling for wet weather all the way through Sunday바카라™s race.
Red Bull enters the Canadian Grand Prix a perfect 7-0 this season and is seeking its 100th victory Sunday. For Max Verstappen, the defending race winner, a victory would be the 41st of his career and tie him with the late Ayrton Senna for fifth on F1바카라˛s all-time win list.
바카라śMax has been doing an amazing job, he바카라™s had such an incredible career so far and he바카라™s for sure going to surpass that,바카라ť Hamilton said. 바카라śWe바카라™re working on (our) car so we can slow him down.바카라ť