Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton has reiterated his desire to remain with the Mercedes team going forward.
Hamilton is out of contract at the end of the 2023 campaign and there is mounting speculation regarding his next move.
Mercedes has struggled since the start of the 2022 season when new technical regulations were introduced, and he is yet to take a race win since the start of the new era.
Some pundits have tipped Hamilton to seek a new challenge after the end of the year due to Mercedes’ struggles.
However, Hamilton asserted that he wants to remain with the Brackley-based squad until he calls time on his stay in F1.
“I feel amazing about it,” when asked how he felt regarding his future with Mercedes beyond 2023.
“I continue to feel very much at home, it’s family. I see myself being with Mercedes until my last days, to be honest.
“If you look at the legends, like Sir Stirling Moss was with Mercedes until the end of days.
“That’s been the dream for me, to one day have that, or, I have that, so just continuing on with that and just continue to build with the brand.
“I’ve got some amazing allies within the team, I’ve got great relationships here.
“I think just for me personally, as long as I continue to help the team, as long as I can continue to help drive the team forwards and help contribute, then that’s where I want to stay.
“If there’s ever a point where I feel I’m not able to do that, then it’s time for a youngster to come in and take my seat. But I’m still feeling pretty young and in pretty decent shape.”
Hamilton praises Russell for Jeddah performance
Mercedes has once again started the 2023 season on the back foot, and is not currently in a position to challenge Red Bull at the front.
At the first two rounds of the year, Hamilton has struggled more at the wheel of the W14 than team-mate George Russell.
Russell was the leading Mercedes last time out in Saudi Arabia, a performance that has received praise from Hamilton.
“I think from my choice of words over the weekend I really want to reiterate how great a job George did on the weekend,” Hamilton said.
“The thing that I was commenting on was there’s one specific thing we can change in the suspension which you have to do over Friday night and when you make that change once you start FP3 you can’t change it for the rest of the weekend.
“So when you do make that change you’re basically rolling the dice, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
“I’ve done it in the past and sometimes it hasn’t worked and sometimes it has. It worked great for George and he did a great job.
“The thing that I was lacking in the race was a lot of front end which that set-up gives you, so in hindsight that would have been great.
“However we took lots of learnings from it, I think race pace was quite decent, particularly in the second stint, and for us to move forwards and get a fourth and a fifth I think was great points for the team and a great result considering where we are in terms of performance deficit.”
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