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How Much Money Will Lewis Hamilton Lose if He Retires From F1 With Immediate Effect?

Published 12/21/2021, 5:35 AM EST

Lewis Hamilton has been awfully quiet since the title showdown in Abu Dhabi. Of course, things did not go the way he intended them to, with Max Verstappen snatching his record-breaking championship title away right at the cusp of the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.

However, that doesn’t seem to irk the Briton much, and it is more about his faith in Formula 1 itself. The 7-time world champion looked in absolute disbelief following the race – masking a smile on the outside, with nothing but pain and agony encroaching on the inside.

Considering how the race played out, we wouldn’t be surprised if he felt that he could never win a title again, especially amidst the alleged ‘manipulation’. This triggered a wave of rumors, with many reckoning Hamilton will quit F1 with immediate effect.

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One can shy away from them, as F1 is no stranger to such claims. However, none of the Mercedes crew, including the boss, Toto Wolff himself, have, so far, come forward to contradict them. In fact, Wolff recently made a statement that looked more like a wish than an affirmation.

So, let’s assume 2021 marks Hamilton’s final F1 season.

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Will Lewis Hamilton suffer a financial blow?

It was only months ago that Hamilton signed a fresh 2-year contract with Mercedes, with Wolff further acknowledging that this wouldn’t be his last either.

According to reports, the contract was worth around $147 million, maintaining Hamilton’s position as the highest-paid driver on the current grid. Hence, if the Briton does choose to quit the sport, he will lose the contract money stated above.

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What’s more, there is also the fear of Mercedes potentially imposing a fine on Hamilton for breaking the contract midway. However, that doesn’t seem as likely, considering the fact that the Brackley outfit did not punish Nico Rosberg either for quitting F1 at the last minute in 2016.

There is also the respect that Mercedes have for Hamilton due to his exploits with the team over the years. Hence, letting him walk away without much hassle is the least they could do in a bid to return the favor.

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But these are mere ‘what ifs’. Hamilton may or may not quit from F1. And we won’t know until the man himself opens up which he hasn’t done for two weeks now. So, all we can do is hope for the best. One thing is for certain – losing Hamilton would be a great loss for F1.

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Written by:

Rohit Kumar is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. He has been an ardent follower of the racing series since 2007, with his love for the sport coinciding with his love for Kimi Raikkonen. He is also an ardent follower of Sebastian Vettel and Aston Martin Racing.

How Much Money Will Lewis Hamilton Lose if He Retires From F1 With Immediate Effect?

Will Lewis Hamilton suffer a financial blow?

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