Lewis Hamilton has been hailed as one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1’s history. But his legacy has taken a hit in the last two years. Especially in 2022, when he failed to win a single race for the first time in his career. Now, with the dawn of another Formula 1 season, there are several challenges that stand in front of him. 

The biggest challenge for the driver is his age and physicality. These are the two major factors that many believe will be important in determining whether Mercedes will extend any extensions for the Briton’s services. There are drivers as young as Oscar Piastri, who is only 21, on the grid. Thus, Hamilton falls into a whole separate generation alongside Fernando Alonso.

Damon Hill believes in Hamilton’s longevity

But with no signs of depletion in his strength, Lewis should be ready for now to compete against Max Verstappen, as the former world champion, Damon Hill, has expressed while drawing parallels with his father and triple crown winner, Graham Hill.

In his column for the Telegraph, the former driver writes, “At 38, Lewis is obviously getting on in terms of years, but he remains as quick as ever. And as fit. With the way the drivers look after themselves these days, and power steering in the cars, I don’t believe there is any physical reason he could not carry on driving well into his 40s if he was motivated to do so. Fernando Alonso is living proof of that.”

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Hill writes this as he talks about his father. Hill’s father kept racing well into his forties while running a team as well. It becomes crucial for athletes to determine the time to call off. But he clearly hints that Lewis must be good to compete at the highest level for years to come.

Why haven’t Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes announced the extension?

The partnership between Lewis and Mercedes has been one of the greatest and most successful in the sport’s history. And while both parties have shown interest in extending it, there hasn’t been an official confirmation yet.

Hill speculated about why the deal hadn’t gone through yet. He wrote, “One possible explanation is that both sides are waiting to see just how competitive Mercedes are before committing to a new deal.” He extended his argument by citing Lewis’s exorbitant contractual fees as another plausible reason behind the delayed extension.

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Nonetheless, Lewis’ career decision will keep everyone’s attention on him. A possible retirement or job change could set off a more chaotic silly season than ever before.