Lewis Hamilton has signed a two-year contract extension with Mercedes that will keep him on the Formula 1 grid until the end of 2025; watch the Italian GP live on Sky Sports F1 all weekend - Qualifying on Saturday at 3pm and the race on Sunday at 2pm
Thursday 31 August 2023 17:39, UK
Lewis Hamilton says his decision to sign a two-year contract extension with Mercedes was not motivated by a desire for "revenge" following his controversial 2021 world championship defeat to Max Verstappen.
Hamilton was cruelly denied a record eighth drivers' title when a controversial ruling gave Max Verstappen the opportunity to overtake the Brit on the final lap of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the Dutchman sealing his maiden championship.
Since that moment, Verstappen has dominated the sport and the Red Bull driver is well on his way to a third successive title, while Hamilton is without a win since the race that preceded the 2021 finale.
"On the 2021 thing, I'm not really a revenge person, it's not about revenge, it's not about redemption," Hamilton said after the extension was announced on Thursday.
"That's in the past, there's nothing you can do about the past, but what we can do is work harder and be more precise and be better moving forwards.
"And I truly believe that with this team we can win more world championships and more races together, so that's where all my energy is going."
The introduction of new design regulations in 2022 caught Mercedes out, leaving the Silver Arrows well off the pace of Red Bull and Ferrari at the start of last year.
There was optimism Mercedes were closing the gap as they ended the campaign strongly, but 2023 has turned out to be even more dominant for Red Bull, who have won all 13 races and will have Verstappen going for a record 10th successive victory on Sunday.
Mercedes' struggles led to speculation Hamilton could retire or seek a move elsewhere, with reports from Italy earlier this season having linked the 38-year-old with a blockbuster switch to Ferrari.
Hamilton says he has seen enough behind the scenes to convince him that the team, with whom he was won six of his seven titles, can return to contention.
"We're trying to win more world championships," he said. "The unfinished business is getting us back to the top, it's getting back and fighting back for world championships.
"We've been the most successful team in history, the most successful run in the past 10 years, but it's been a challenge this past year, so just getting us back to where we belong, and operating on all those cylinders, which we're seeing Red Bull doing.
"It's what you see, it's not necessarily what someone says. It's the work that you're doing, it's the meetings we've been having with all the engineers, with [technical director] James Allison and the whole group back at the factory - the heads of all the departments coming together and talking, and just really engaging better than ever before about where we are, the mistakes we've made, why we've made those decisions and why we won't make them again, and where we're going.
"And just all having that confidence in each other that we are the best at what we do, and that when we come together, given time, we will get to where we need to be."
Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle believes Hamilton will have demanded an annual salary similar to the reported €50m Verstappen is earning from his long-term deal with Red Bull.
"I'm sure he would be asking for that kind of number," Brundle said. "He will value himself at the same as Max, as a seven-time world champion, and he knows he's still got the speed.
"It will be a number of tens of millions, plus bonuses and other things. I would imagine Lewis and his team have been dotting the i's and crossing the t's of all kinds of things, sort of in the car and out of the car and away from the track, things he wants to do.
"He will have been fighting like crazy to do almost no media and no marketing if he can get away with it and all the things he doesn't particularly like doing, he just wants to drive the racing car of course. So the power balance changes a little bit.
"I'm sure he would have had a little scout around to see what was out there, but I don't see any reason why he would jump from Mercedes, over to Ferrari for example, given the experience and history he has with Mercedes.
"I don't think there was a spot at Red Bull for him, so staying where he is makes sense and is good news for F1, good news for Lewis and good news for Mercedes."
As for Hamilton's motivation, Brundle believes that the Brit's desire for an record eighth title is the key element.
"I think it's very much driving him, yes," he added. "There are many that believe had he won the eighth title in Abu Dhabi 2021, he would have retired. So I think it's a big driving force for him to leave the championship with eight or more."
Friday 1 September
8.35am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Italian GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
2pm: F3 Qualifying
2.45pm: F2 Qualifying
3.40pm: Italian GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday 2 September
8.20am: F3 Sprint Race
11.15am: Italian GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint Race
2.10pm: Italian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Italian GP Qualifying
4.45pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook
Sunday 3 September
7.10am: F3 Feature Race
8.15am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Italian GP build-up
2pm: THE ITALIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Italian GP reaction
5pm: Ted's Notebook
Next up for for Formula 1 is Monza, the Temple of Speed, which is the last European race of the season. All sessions from the Italian GP will be live on Sky Sports F1 from this Friday. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW for just £26 a month for 12 months. Cancel anytime
