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Lewis Hamilton has neither lost his speed nor the need to be an F1 driver. That's the view of former British driver Martin Brundle. The F1 legend has been in negotiations with his team for a contract extension for a while now. There had been rumors of a possible retirement but those have been quashed by the drivers.
Since then, both Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton have hinted that contract negotiations have been going on and we could see the announcement very soon.
Talking about Hamilton's contract negotiations, Brundle backed the Mercedes driver and felt that he could see another 2-3 years of racing left in him. Talking about why a driver as established and as successful as him can continue to deliver, Brundle said that it all came down to the need of being an F1 racer.
Lewis Hamilton still had that need in him, as Martin told Sky Sports:
"I can easily see another two to three years. He's easily strong enough, fit enough, and mentally still fit enough. He's really got a spring in his step at the moment and enjoying his F1. It seems clear to me watching him in the press conferences and around the car. The current drivers have been in such good shape for a long time that they don't tend to get broken legs or bumps on the head these days either, thank goodness."
He added:
"That doesn't really matter with the contract because if your driver says, 'Do you know what? I've had enough', nobody will force you to get into the car. But I always say you don't lose the speed, you lose the need and Lewis has not lost the need to be a Formula 1 driver."
The wait for Lewis Hamilton's contract extension continues
The wait for the announcement of the contract extension continues. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff recently stated that the contract extension was just a few days away.
There had been reports of a contract extension becoming official during the 2023 F1 Canadian GP weekend, but that has not happened. Some reports even claimed that Lewis Hamilton was going to take a pay cut in his next contract, which would be a 1-year extension with another year as an option.
Many F1 pundits have weighed in on this debate, but there's hardly anything conclusive that could be said in this situation. In all likelihood, the team and the driver could possibly be looking at the home race in Silverstone as the one where they announce it. But for now, all we can do is speculate.
