Shropshire Star

Hamilton could stay in F1 for five more years – Wolff

The Mercedes boss back the Briton to stay at the top of his game.

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Lewis Hamilton may race in Formula One for another five years, his Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed.

Hamilton’s £40million-a-season contract extension, which will rubber-stamp the driver’s status as Britain’s best-paid sportsman, is due to be announced.

Hamilton has made no secret of harbouring a career outside of F1. He is an ambassador for fashion label Tommy Hilfiger, while he recently emerged as a featured artist on Christina Aguilera’s song, ‘Pipe’, albeit under the mysterious pseudonym of ‘XNDA’.

But despite the lure of life away from motor racing, Wolff believes Hamilton, fastest in opening practice for the British Grand Prix on Friday, could remain in the sport until he is 38.

“He is reflecting about how much he loves racing and what happens when he doesn’t love it anymore,” Wolff said. “When could that be? In my opinion he has another five very good years in him.”

Hamilton’s next deal – which could be announced in Germany in a fortnight – will see the Briton remain with Mercedes, a team where he has won three of his four world championships, for at least another two years.

The conclusion of Hamilton’s next contract is set to coincide with the end of Sebastian Vettel’s current deal at Ferrari.

It is understood that Hamilton, 33, would be interested in ending his career with the Scuderia, and it is not beyond the realms that he might swap seats with his rival, whom he trails by one point ahead of his home race, for one final hurrah.

But Wolff added: “I am open-minded. If in two years we still feel the same about each other, then it would be clear that we will continue.”

Hamilton is bidding for a record sixth win at Silverstone, but his once-dominant team have arrived here under a cloud following strategy mistakes this season.

The most recent of which took place in Austria when the Mercedes’ pit wall, led by chief strategist James Vowles, failed to react to a Virtual Safety Car period, which resulted in Hamilton  dropping from first to fourth.

Mercedes took the unprecedented step of asking Vowles to apologise to Hamilton over the team radio.

“The mind-set we have tried to create in the team is that failure is allowed,” Wolff, 46, added. “Only if you are able to admit as a leader that you got it wrong then you can actually remedy the fault in the future.

“Lewis was in a very difficult position as he was running first, and controlling the race, and then he comes out of the pits in fourth. That was very difficult for him to digest.

“James and I have a lot of conversations, and when Lewis couldn’t get himself out of the negative spiral we agreed it was the right thing to do.

“You need a lion in the car that is giving it everything, and the best ones are also sensitive. We had to explain what went wrong to Lewis in order to put him in a better place.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner accused Mercedes of throwing Vowels under the bus, but Wolff stood by their radio call.

Reading a text message sent to him by Vowles after the race, Wolff said: “There were a number of unfair comments against you (Wolff) after Austria. I am privileged to have had the chance to work with you and continue to think in that manner. You have provided an incredible environment for me to grow and work. I am in a good place and, furthermore, I am glad I did what I did on Sunday.”

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