Lewis Hamilton contract: ‘I plan on staying longer’ – Mercedes star says he won’t retire from F1 ‘any time soon’

Lewis Hamilton says he plans on “staying longer” in Formula 1, hinting he will sign a new contract and won’t retire from the sport any time soon.

The seven-time world champion will be 38 years old in January, but has seen Fernando Alonso still be competitive in F1 into his forties, with Hamilton himself showing no signs of slowing down despite not being in title contention this season.

“I plan on staying longer,” Hamilton told reporters ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. “It’s just not set in stone how long.

“I’m feeling good. I love what I’m doing. We have a lot of work to do, a lot to achieve still.

“I’m not planning on going anywhere, any time soon.”

Hamilton has pushed for more diversity in F1 in recent years and launched Mission 44, a charitable foundation created to help young people from under-represented backgrounds achieve their ambitions in wider society.

It’s one factor that is playing in the British driver’s mind as to how long he will be in the sport for.

“There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done in this sport,” added Hamilton.

“I can’t retire now because I’m only just embarking in helping shift and create a more open and inclusive environment here in this sport and I’ve got to stay to help that continue.”

How long will Hamilton be in F1 for?

Hamilton is statistically the most successful driver in F1 history with the most pole positions and wins.

Team principal Toto Wolff revealed Hamilton, who made his F1 debut in 2007, has told him he could race for another five years.

“The advantage is we speak a lot together,” Wolff told Channel 4. “Just last week we sat down and he says ‘look, I have another five years in me, how do you see that?’.

“Over time we have just grown together. We are totally transparent with each other.

“Lewis will be the first one to say ‘I can’t do this anymore’, because I feel I haven’t got the reactions anymore, or I’ve just lost fun doing it and there is another generation growing up that is just very strong.

“So I have no doubt that whatever we agree on a in contract extension, which is going to happen, that we both are always going to discuss, very openly, what does the future hold.”