Lewis Hamilton FINALLY agrees new F1 deal with Mercedes
BREAKING NEWS: Lewis Hamilton FINALLY signs new deal with Mercedes as seven-time world champion opts to compromise on his demands for a £40m-a-year, three-year contract by putting pen to paper for a season
- Lewis Hamilton has come to an agreement with Mercedes to sign a new deal
- The seven-time world champion had been holding out for £40million a year
- A lack of alternative seats and the current climate has seen him relax demands
Formula One world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton has finally signed a new one-year deal with Mercedes for the 2021 season.
The news was confirmed by the all-conquering team this morning after months of deliberation and delay, and with just over a month before pre-season testing gets underway.
It is believed that Hamilton, who was knighted in the New Year honours, was compelled to compromise on his original pay demands of £40million a year given the financial climate and his lack of alternative seats.
Hamilton became the sport’s most successful driver every last year after breaking Michael Schumacher’s all-time win record and drawing level with the German’s achievement of seven titles. He has won 74 of his 95 race wins with the Brackley squad.
The 36-year-old’s previous deal lapsed in 2020 but he will now race for Mercedes for a ninth season, and will partner Finn Valtteri Bottas in the black-livered Mercedes again this year.
Part of the deal involves a commitment from Mercedes to continue to work with Hamilton on seeking ‘greater diversity and inclusion in motorsport’, and will work on creating a new joint charitable foundation.
Formula One world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton has finally signed a new one-year deal with Mercedes for the 2021 season
Hamilton became the sport’s most successful driver every last year
The F1 team revealed the agreement on Monday with Hamilton’s signature in a Twitter video
In a statement, Mercedes said: ‘The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team is pleased to announce that the reigning Formula One World Constructors’ Champion and the reigning F1 World Drivers’ Champion will continue together in 2021.
‘The Mercedes works team and Lewis agreed a new contract which will see one of the sport’s most successful ever collaborations continue for a ninth consecutive season.
‘A significant part of the new agreement builds upon the joint commitment to greater diversity and inclusion in motorsport that was made last year by Lewis and Mercedes.
‘This will take the form of a joint charitable foundation, which will have the mission of supporting greater diversity and inclusion in all its forms in motorsport.’
Lewis Hamilton has signed a new one-year deal with Mercedes, the team have announced
Part of the focus behind his renewal is to continue leading the fight against discrimination
Hamilton (front) is chasing a record eighth Drivers’ Championship to stand alone in history
Team Principal Toto Wolff (right) said both sides are ‘hungry’ to achieve even more success
Hamilton is chasing the eighth championship success, and seventh with his current team, that would put him ahead of every other driver in history, including Schumacher, the Ferrari legend who won seven titles in the Nineties and early years of this century.
The 36-year-old joined Mercedes in 2013 and has since gone on to win 74 Grands Prix races as well as six Drivers’ Championships.
‘I am excited to be heading into my ninth season with my Mercedes team-mates,’ Hamilton said.
‘Our team has achieved incredible things together and we look forward to building on our success even further, while continuously looking to improve, both on and off the track.’
He added: ‘I’m proud to say we are taking that effort further this year by launching a foundation dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the sport.
‘I am inspired by all that we can build together and can’t wait to get back on the track in March.’
Mercedes are unveiling their new car for the 2021 season on March 2 and told fans that both of their drivers would be in place before the unveiling.
Hamilton has won 74 of his 95 race wins with the Brackley squad
British superstar Hamilton made history last year but a new deal proved difficult to agree
Today they finally revealed their 2021 pairing with a one-year agreement struck with Hamilton.
Team Principal Toto Wolff was relaxed that it would come to pass, he is delighted to have resolved the issue given Hamilton’s previous contract expired on December 31.
‘We have always been aligned with Lewis that we would continue, but the very unusual year we had in 2020 meant it took some time to finish the process,’ Wolff said.
‘Lewis’s competitive record stands alongside the best the sports world has ever seen, and he is a valued ambassador for our brand and our partners.
‘The story of Mercedes and Lewis has written itself into the history books of our sport over the past eight seasons, and we are hungry to compete and to add more chapters to it.’
Hamilton is currently training in America for the new season, which is due to start in Bahrain on March 28.
The Brit, who was knighted in the latest New Year Honours, spent Sunday night watching his friend Tom Brady win a seventh Super Bowl title.
‘Welcome to No 7,’ Hamilton told the legendary quarterback.
Hamilton had targeted a £40million-a-year deal but eventually relaxed those demands
He has signed a one-year deal and is currently relaxing ahead of the start of the new season
