Toto Wolff confirm 'first chat' with Lewis Hamilton over Mercedes contract extension

Race winner Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates winning a 7th F1 World Drivers Championship with Mercedes GP Executive Director Toto Wolff on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Turkey at Intercity Istanbul Park on November 15, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Toto Wolff, during the launch of the Mercedes W14, revealed that he has had the 'first talks' about a contract extension with Lewis Hamilton.

Hamilton was also asked if he needed to prove anything to the team so that they extend his contract. He replied that he doesn't feel the need for it because they have proved themselves multiple times in the past. He said (via F1):

"For the team, no, I don’t feel like I need them to prove [anything] to me. I think we’ve proved time and time again over the years that we have strength in depth."

Lewis Hamilton's current contract will last until the end of the 2023 season. So, while it is not a worry for the Briton at this point in time, a contract in Formula 1 is extremely crucial. This is despite the fact that there seems to be no reason that Wolff would not want Hamilton to not stay with the team.

He has been extremely successful with them and has been the reason for the team's uplift in the last seven years. At the same time, Wolff earlier told the media that Hamilton is expected to stay with the team for a longer time and that his contract will be extended. Even Hamilton has signaled multiple times that he would remain with the team for a long time.

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Toto Wolff positive about Lewis Hamilton's contract extension

As mentioned above, Toto Wolff is positive about Lewis Hamilton's contract extension with the team. However, he stated that it is hard to commit to a timeline despite opening the talks for the same. He said:

"I think as I said before, we’ve done a few of these contracts in the past and they change little from iteration to iteration, so it’s not usually complex – apart from the obvious terms."

He added:

"We’ve had a first chat, but I don’t want to commit to any timeline, because it’s not important for him nor for us at that stage. It runs a full year and we’re going to find the right time."

Lewis Hamilton has been a big advantage for the team over the years. He has been the face of Mercedes and is arguably one of the best drivers in the history of Formula 1. Although the 2022 season was a bit of a downfall for the Briton, he is expected to climb back to glory in the upcoming season with the W14.