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Lewis Hamilton’s F1 future might be resolved as early as earlier than this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Hamilton has six months to run on his £40million-a-season take care of Mercedes, however crew principal Toto Wolff stated his famous person driver is on the point of agreeing new phrases.
“It’s going to occur quickly, and we’re speaking extra days than weeks,” Wolff advised CNBC’s Squawk on the Avenue programme in New York, when requested about Hamilton’s contract negotiations.
“We try onerous [to get it done before the Canadian Grand Prix]. I’ll see him at present and perhaps we are going to speak about it.
“Now we have such a great relationship that we dread the second that we have to speak about cash.”
Hamilton, 38, met with Wolff the day after the final spherical in Spain within the hope of rubber-stamping a contemporary contract with the Silver Arrows.
It’s anticipated that the British driver’s extension shall be a multi-year deal, extending his keep in F1 past his fortieth birthday.
“Lewis is a very powerful persona within the sport,” added Wolff.
“He’s so multi-faceted, not solely with the racing, but additionally off observe, so we have to maintain him within the sport for so long as attainable.
“From a crew’s perspective, Lewis and Mercedes have gone again a very long time. He has by no means raced for some other model than Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton is near signing a brand new Mercedes deal
(AP)
“We each joined the crew in 2013 collectively, and from knowledgeable relationship, we now have a friendship. It has been a beautiful time.”
Hamilton, who has not gained a race since his contentious championship defeat to Max Verstappen on the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi, is already 83 factors off the title tempo this 12 months.
However Mercedes’ current upturn in kind has offered Hamilton, who completed runner-up to Crimson Bull’s Verstappen at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, with renewed hope that his dream of a file eighth world title will not be over.
Nonetheless, Wolff warned: “The lead to Spain was a well-deserved reward for everybody’s efforts at Brackley and Brixworth to carry our replace package deal to the observe.
“We had been happy with the way it carried out, and it’ll present a brand new baseline for us to construct from.
“However we should additionally handle our expectations. It was a circuit that suited our automobile, and we must always anticipate our direct rivals to be stronger within the subsequent races.
“The hole to Crimson Bull is massive and it’ll take a lot of onerous work to shut that down. However, we’re up for the problem.”
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