Hamilton renews contract with Mercedes through to 2020

British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes signed a two-year contract extension with Mercedes, the racing team announced Thursday.

When he completes this new contract extension in 2020, the four-time world champion Hamilton will have completed eight seasons with Mercedes, the longest he has stayed with a racing team, reports Efe.

"This contract extension has basically been a formality since Toto (Wolff) and I sat down during the winter, so it's good to put pen to paper, announce it and then get on with business as usual," Hamilton said in a statement published on the club's official website.

"I'm very confident that Mercedes is the right place to be over the coming years," Hamilton added.

Meanwhile, Mercedes F1 racing team boss and former racing driver Toto Wolff praised Hamilton saying: "There is not much about Lewis as a Formula One driver that hasn't been said already - he is one of the all-time greats and his track record speaks for itself."

"But what I enjoy most about working with him is getting to know the man inside the racing helmet, his relentless drive for self-improvement, his emotional intelligence as a team member and his loyalty to those around him" Wolff added.

Hamilton, 33, also stressed that he has never been happier with any other team like he is with Mercedes, and that both he and Mercedes have always been, "on the same wavelength both on and off track - and I am looking forward to winning more in the future."

On Jul 8, Germany's Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) took advantage of a bad start by Hamilton from pole position to lead the early stages of the 52-lap race at the Silverstone circuit, preventing the latter from a record sixth win at the British Grand Prix.

Mercedes said in a statement that since Hamilton joined the team in 2013 he had won three world championships and 44 Grands Prix.

The team added that since making his F1 debut in 2007, every single Grand Prix Hamilton had driven in had been powered by Mercedes-Benz engines.

Hamilton's career total of 65 F1 wins placed him second on the all-time list behind Michael Schumacher, the team said.--IANS

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