London – Mercedes has assured Lewis Hamilton of a spot if he wishes to remain in Formula One and believes he can mimic NFL legend Tom Brady and continue to race into his forties.
The seven-time world champion and record-setting winner of 103 races will turn 38 in January and has stated that he plans to sign an extension to the contract that expires at the end of 2023.
Toto Wolff told reporters at the Grand Prix of Mexico when asked if Mercedes, which has George Russell in its other vehicle, may consider another driver, “It’s 100% his seat.”
The Austrian stated that contract negotiations had not yet begun, despite the conclusion of both championships. In a season dominated by Red Bull and Max Verstappen, Mercedes still has ambitions of surpassing Ferrari for second place overall.
“We want to finish the season and then find some peace and quiet over the winter, just like we did last year,” added Wolff. “He is now much more to us than a driver.
“Although we are not discussing a career conclusion, it is necessary to discuss his role as an ambassador for Mercedes and the numerous sponsors we have, as well as the impact he can have on our larger universe.”
Hamilton is the second-oldest driver on the grid, behind double-world champion Fernando Alonso, who is 41 and signed with Aston Martin for a couple more seasons.
After an era of ever-younger drivers, with Verstappen making his debut at age 17 in 2015, Lance Stroll at age 18 in 2017 and Lando Norris at age 19 in 2019, Alonso and Hamilton are poised to test the limits at the other end of the spectrum.
Nigel Mansell won a race at the age of 41 in 1994, while Kimi Raikkonen won a race at the age of 39 in 2018.
“Today’s athletes are pushing the envelope in terms of age. “Fernando is performing at a very high level in my opinion,” remarked Wolff.
He also mentioned the instance of Brady remaining on the field while being tackled and tossing the ball at 45 yards.
“As long as he continues to take care of himself and develop his cognitive sensors, I believe he (Hamilton) has many more years ahead of him. Wolff expressed confidence that this would be the case inside the team.
Reuters