Lewis Hamilton says he expects to renew his deal with Mercedes before the end of the year, in the wake of Sebastian Vettel committing his future to Ferrari.
Hamilton, who joined Mercedes in 2013, signed a three-year extension mid-2015, which takes him through to the end of 2018, while title rival Vettel confirmed last week that he will remain with Ferrari until at least 2020.
Hamilton has previously spoken of his desire to remain with Mercedes on a long-term basis and he expects a new deal to be a formality.
“I don’t know if everyone expected [Vettel] to sign a three-year deal, but it doesn’t really change much for me to be honest,” he said.
“I had planned to extend with the team, which we will do at some point in the second half of the season or towards the end of the year.
“I know Toto [Wolff] has said that we will wait to the end of the season, and that’s generally because that’s what I like to do and there’s is no rush because we still have another year.
“I think the last contract went all the way into the mid-part of the [previous] season, so I know there is no rush and the team is fully committed to me.
“I’ve never picked up the phone and spoken to any of these other teams.
“I’ve made it very clear to the guys that I am not trying to weigh up my options and if I was I would say I would do my due diligence and see what options there are for me.
“But currently I have no plans to do that and it’s good for Sebastian that he has signed there. I think all things happen for a reason.
“In the plan that I have coming up – my five or six years I have left in the sport – that piece of the puzzle is now in place, so it makes my decision a lot easier.”
Hamilton also reiterated that he has no desire to be the number one driver in a team.
“It would be an unusual thing for me,” he said on being the favoured driver.
“I think we’ve all had an opinion about how Ferrari has done its business over the years, but regardless it has gone on to be one of the most successful teams, so it just goes over your head.
“It’s been proven, the situation I have been in for many years, where it’s not been like it is at Ferrari, it’s proven to be very powerful and championships have been lost due to that.
“I don’t really know, when I join this team, and every team that I have driven for, I have just asked for equal opportunity to be able to make the difference myself.”
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