The retirement of Lewis Hamilton from Formula One has become the never ending rollercoaster of ‘will he? Won’t he?’ Lewis Hamilton’s future in the sport was in question at the end of the 2020 season as he concluded the year with no contract to drive for 2021. Mercedes and their British star finally inked in a one year extension just before pre-season testing and then finalised a two year deal during the summer to the end of 2023.

Then came the season finale in Abu Dhabi 2021. Mercedes and Hamilton believed they had been drastically wronged by race director Michael Massi and Lewis unfollowed F1 and was silent on social media for over a month.

 

 

Hamilton’s silence fanned the flames of speculation

Into this void poured speculation over Hamilton’s future. The F1 soothsayers debated would Lewis take a sabbatical or even retire? ‘Reports’ emerged from insiders suggesting that the was to be a parting of the ways.

Toto Wolff fanned the flames of speculation during the winter months when he refused to give assurances when interview by Sky F1 that Lewis would continue in Formula One. The Mercedes boss spoke of his “disillusionment” and stated Lewis “will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on that Sunday”.

As we now know Hamilton clearly worked through the pain and dissatisfaction and arrived at the 2022 seasons pre-testing in Bahrain full of hope. Though by day 3 the British drivers’ hopes appeared to be dashed as he told reporters, “we have considerable amount of pace to find”.

 

 

Lewis writes off season at F1 Bahrain testing

“Obviously it’s a little bit too early to have that kind of thoughts but at the moment I don’t think we’ll be competing for wins,” he predicted.

As the season progressed things went from bad to worse for Lewis as his new team mate George Russell outperformed him week in and week out.

Hamilton’s disillusionment with the Mercedes W13 peaked in Baku when at the chequered flag he could barely lift himself from the car – such had been the battering he’d received from the porpoising. This together with Sebastian Vettel’s shock retirement announcement saw Lewis give a number of interviews where he mused about life after Formula One.

 

 

Hamilton creates new outside F1 interests

Following the launch of his film company Lewis revealed, “I’ve spoken to people who have said ‘look, when I stopped it all came crashing down, I wasn’t prepared to do other things, I hadn’t taken time to learn any other crafts, other skills, and I don’t know what my other passions are, so I didn’t really focus on trying to understand what those are and create pillars’.

The flames of speculation were once fanned again because Brad Pitt and Hamilton were agreeing a deal to see him as executive producer on a new Formula One film.

Toward the end of the season, Lewis indicated now he in fact was looking for a new multi-year deal with Mercedes suggesting his Formula One career would now extend beyond the current deal to the end of this season.

 

 

Wolff provides no assurance of a new deal with Lewis

However, no news has emerged of any negotiations taking place though several weeks after the 2022 season finale Toto Wolff told F1’s Beyond the grid podcast he was “certain” negotiations would begin soon.

The latest in the Hamilton retirement roller coaster comes from German publication Bild who reveal Hamilton has admitted he often thinks about quitting F1 despite promising to remain in the sport for a few more years. The Mercedes driver claimed he sometimes wakes up and feels he doesn’t want to continue with F1.

 

 

Lewis Hamilton reveals feelings of wanting to quit

“Sometimes you wake up and have this feeling: ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’,” said Lewis. 

“And sometimes you wake up and think: ‘I can do other things all my life, there’s definitely more I want to achieve’. 

“It won’t be a huge time now, but I will definitely stay.”

The most likely scenario is that Lewis will sign an extension to his current deal which ends in December, however there will be performance clauses contained within. It’s normative for a team to write in performance clauses for drivers when agreeing options to extend a contract.

 

 

A Mercedes contract with options for Lewis to break

Yet as is likely with Lando Norris, his long term deal with McLaren may well allow him to exit were the team to fail to deliver him a car that reaches certain agreed objectives.

Lewis may well do the same as he has indicated he would like to finish at the top of his sport rather than fighting to reach Q3 and just score points.

It’s unlikely Mercedes will slump to the form of an Aston Martin which sapped Sebastian Vettel’s will to continue. Yet if the team from Brackley is unable to deliver a car capable of winning races on a regular basis, will Hamilton really be satisfied after being part of one of the most dominant era’s a driver or team has delivered in the history of Formula One.

READ MORE: Verstappen wary of “toxic” Hamilton fans

Can it be the start of the @F1 season already? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/UBhzaodD6T

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) January 4, 2023