When people talk about Mercedes’ success in the past decade, Lewis Hamilton invariably comes up. The 6-time World Champion has helped elevate the team’s status from contenders to title favorites.

Yet, it is common knowledge that his contract expires at the end of 2020. Mercedes had previously suggested they would use the breaks between races as an opportunity for the Brit’s contract renewal.

So the only real question is – why is it not confirmed yet? Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has a theory of why that might be the case. And how a separate rumor might have something to do with it.

Lewis Hamilton is waiting on Mercedes’ future to make his decision

In an interview with Sky Sport, they quoted Ralf Schumacher as saying, “I can only assess the situation like this. There is a rumor that Mercedes wants to sell its team by the end of next year. This rumor persists in the paddock. He (Lewis) also wants a contract that is longer than just a year.

“The uncertainty that hovers over the team is certainly a good reason why the negotiations between him and the team take so long and are still not final.” (translated from Google Translate)

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The entire conversation around Hamilton’s contract renewal has always been a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’. But if what Schumacher has to say is supposedly true, then it could change things.

It also links in direct connection with the news that Ineos was planning to buy the Mercedes team outright. And so, at a time when Toto Wolff’s future is also widely speculated, it is no surprise that Hamilton wants to know where Mercedes is headed.

Mercedes’ focus would lie on the task at hand

Regardless of whatever the rumors claim, winning is a habit and priority at a team like Mercedes. Their ultimate focus would be on seeing through both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles to the finish line.

While Mercedes have confirmed Bottas for the 2021 season, Hamilton’s decision seems to be under wraps for the foreseeable future. But when both of them get onto the track at Sochi this Sunday, their objective remains simple – win.