Why Lewis Hamilton has doubts with new Mercedes contract

• Hamilton has verbally committed to the team and is currently in the final six months of his current Mercedes deal
• Coulthard believes that the fact that no statement has been made yet indicates that there is still more going on
• David Coulthard is a 13-time F1

David Coulthard, a 13-time F1 title champion winner, thinks Lewis Hamilton’s hesitation to sign a new contract with Mercedes stems from the fact that the team is still not in the running for championships.

Hamilton teamed up with Toto Wolff-led Mercedes team back in 2013. His inclusion into the team inspired a supremacy run.

Mercedes won eight Constructors’ titles between 2014 and 2021. The British driver bagged secured six F1 World Championships.

He finally equalled Michael Schumacher’s seven F1 titles.  In more recent times, however, Hamilton and Mercedes have struggled.

F1 2023 will mark the second consecutive season in which the team and driver are out of the running for victories due to Red Bull’s winning streak of 11 straight races, 10 of which have come to open the season with an unbeaten record.

Lewis Hamilton. Photo/F1

Since the sixth race of the 2021 season, Hamilton hasn’t had a Formula 1 victory. Even though Hamilton has verbally committed to the team and is currently in the final six months of his current Mercedes deal, he has failed to put pen to paper on a new contract.

He and Mercedes team principal Wolff have indicated in the recent past that a new deal is on the table awaiting signing.

However, Coulthard believes that the fact that no statement has been made yet indicates that there is still more going on.

He thinks that Hamilton could be unsure of Mercedes’ capability to provide him with a fast-moving car to earn him his eighth F1 title.

Following the release of a significant improvement package for the W14, the team improved in Spain and Canada. But a new front wing slapped on for Silverstone did not provide the anticipated performance with McLaren emerging as Red Bull’s closest opponent.

He recently told Channel 4 that the whole drama with Hamilton and Mercedes points to a situation where the 38-year-old British driver has lost hope with the team.

David Coulthard with Lewis Hamilton. Photo/Daily Express

“This is leading us into a situation where we don’t actually have confirmation of Lewis continuing in the sport as well. We keep hearing it’s going to be sorted, but why isn’t it? It’s not like they need to get to know each other. They’ve won multiple World Championships together,” he stated.

“So, I think it shows that he’s just not quite settled in his mind as to, the upgrades are coming, they’re maybe making a little step forward, but they need to take a leap forward to be able to challenge for victories,” he added.

Hamilton, a seven-time champion failed to rewrite history at the Silverstone British Grand Prix owing to a sluggish car compared to Red Bull and McLaren.

Though he is an eight-time winner at the Hungaroring, the site of the Hungarian Grand Prix, he will have another chance the following time out.