Hamilton hits back at both Jenson Button and Damon Hill over new deal

‘It’s people creating rumours without facts’: Lewis Hamilton hits back at both Jenson Button and Damon Hill by insisting he WILL sign a new Mercedes contract amid doubts over the car… with his current £40m-a-year deal to expire at the end of this season

• Jenson Button and Damon Hill had cast doubt on whether Hamilton would stay 
• Seven-time world champion Hamilton committed to fighting for Mercedes
• Admitted he wished Mercedes had a great car but ‘it’s the journey that counts’ 

Lewis Hamilton has criticised two former world champions, telling them that he will sign a new deal at Mercedes.

The British star was responding to Jenson Button and Damon Hill, who cast doubt on whether Hamilton would want to fight on if he was driving a substandard car.

Ahead of Sunday opening Bahrain Grand Prix, the 37-year-old was asked if he was going into the season thinking of it as his last hurrah. ‘Not all all,’ he insisted.

‘It is ultimately people creating rumours without facts, and it is never helpful, and you would have thought that they would both know me by now.

‘I have been with Mercedes since I was 13 and despite a difficult time last year, I am still here, and whether or not we have a difficult year this year, I will still be here.

Lewis Hamilton has insisted that he will fight for Mercedes and will sign a new contract with them

Hamilton hit back at former world champion Jenson Button who had cast doubt over whether he would sign a new deal

‘I am a fighter and we fight as a team. I love the challenge of findings solutions and I still believe I am able to put the car in places that perhaps others are not able to.

‘Of course, I wish we were starting the season with a great car but it is the journey that really counts.’

Team principal Toto Wolff revealed at the launch last month that negotiations had opened. Hamilton is currently signed up until the end of this season, on a £40million-a-year contract. 

His enthusiasm seems undimmed despite Max Verstappen cantering to a second title last season while Mercedes bounced around the track, as clearly the third best on the grid, behind Ferrari and Red Bull.

Hamilton added: ‘There is no hold-up with our contract. I have always been very, very relaxed and I don’t feel like I have to get it done right this second. I am in a very fortunate position.

‘It will get done when we are ready. I have a great relationship with Toto and with Mercedes and we fully support each other.

‘I am really excited about the future together and really proud of the work we are doing, on and off the track and the potential of new things that we can do moving forward.

‘We will get there unless something catastrophic happens between me and Toto and we get in the boxing ring, but other than that we are good.’

Hamilton was also responding to doubts from another former world champion Damon Hill

Team principal Toto Wolff revealed at the launch last month that negotiations over a new deal had opened

Hamilton appeared reasonably relaxed as he faced the press in the Sakhir paddock, despite the evidence of testing last week that seemed to suggest a serious advantage for Red Bull. 

The word from within Mercedes is that they need time and development to draw level. Ferrari again appear second best with Aston Martin right on Mercedes’ tails, and even ahead by some estimations.

Of Verstappen, Hamilton said: ‘I cannot really comment on Max, but it is always possible that you can take your eye off the ball as an athlete because once you have something sealed the pressure does switch. It is different and you can sleep more and you don’t have to push in your training as much. But he will very, very, very confident.

‘They developed an amazing car last year, blew away all the records and won pretty much everything. They were not even pushing at the end of the season and they were way ahead. I don’t see that changing at the start.’

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