Lewis Hamilton has hinted that he will remain with Mercedes for the remainder of his career, after praising the manner in which the manufacturer manages its drivers.
Hamilton, 32, has been affiliated with Mercedes throughout his Formula 1 career, racing for the Mercedes-powered McLaren team from 2007-12, before moving over to his current squad for 2013.
Hamilton’s current three-year deal expires at the end of 2018, and when asked whether the Briton would consider a move elsewhere, he said: “It’s difficult to say.
“I’m so happy where I am, when I joined this team, I couldn’t have imagined, it being – and this is regardless of our results – I couldn’t have dreamed of it being better.
“I’m pretty sure there’s no other team that has this environment. Pretty certain of it.
“If I was to move, I’d have to try take what we have here and implement it somewhere else, but do I really want to do that?
“I mean… of course I look at other teams that I’ve admired. I look at Williams and think ‘how cool would it be one day to drive for Williams and help them get back to the top’.
“But I don’t have a magic board and how long that would take or if that’s even possible, but just because I admire Frank [Williams] and the Williams team for its history.
“McLaren; I’ve been there obviously and done that, had a great, great experience with them. [There's] no other team except for Ferrari obviously that could ever be interesting.
“Right now I love being here, I love the people that I work for, the people I work with, and what the company represents.”
Hamilton also noted the potential for a post-Formula 1 career with Mercedes, commenting: “I love that when you’re a Mercedes driver, there’s no other team in the whole [of] sport I think, that takes care of its own like Mercedes does.
“So to kind of turn your back on that and leave that behind, that’s a very, very difficult call to make.
“If I was to jump ship from here it would be when I stop [driving].
“Mercedes takes care of its own drivers, whether it’s including them in event, including them in commercials, you continue to be an ambassador for the brand, every single driver they’ve done that, so it’s a lot to throw away.”
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