The Mercedes F1 team has reportedly stalled their talks with Lewis Hamilton about a potential contract extension as a result of their disappointing start to the F1 2023 season.
Hamilton finished the Bahrain Grand Prix in fifth, while his teammate, George Russell, finished seventh. Even though the results may not seem that poor, it was the manner in which they got them that was particularly concerning.
After dominating the turbo-hybrid era by winning eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, the Silver Arrows find themselves as arguably the fourth-fastest team.
Mercedes F1 team puts Lewis Hamilton contract talks on hold
According to The Independent, the Mercedes F1 team has been left rattled after their poor start to the new season.
Team boss Toto Wolff has told reporters that talks about Lewis Hamilton’s contract, which runs out after the end of this season, are not a priority at the moment.
Wolff said that they will not ‘throw in the towel’ yet for the current season and that 2024 was too far ahead to speak to Hamilton about a potential contract extension. However, he did admit that the 38-year-old is an integral part of the team.
“You heard Lewis on the radio. He is an integral part of the team,” explained the Austrian team principal. Wolff went on to add that it would be very easy for them to ‘throw in the towel’ and lose Hamilton.
However, he made it clear that they are not doing that, and are very keen on providing both drivers with a car capable of fighting the drivers at the top.
As for Hamilton, the Briton has often previously indicated that he is keen on staying with the Silver Arrows. Hence, it seems that it is only a matter of time before both parties will agree to extend the 38-year-old’s current deal.
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Hamilton and George Russell were disappointed with Mercedes’ pace
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell clarified their frustrations about Mercedes’ current position after their dismal performance at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Hamilton told reporters after the race that they were currently the fourth-fastest team and that the likes of Aston Martin and Ferrari were much faster than them.
The 38-year-old added that the W14 was currently lacking downforce and that the team had a lot of work to do to get to where they wanted.
On the other hand, Russell conceded that he believes a team like Red Bull Racing may not lose a single race this season. While gutted post-race, he put up an optimistic note on his Twitter account.
The 25-year-old acknowledged that the team was far from where they wanted to be but clarified that it was not because of ‘a lack of commitment’. He appreciated every single member of the team that was working hard behind the scenes.
