It looks as though Mercedes want to drastically change their approach in relation to future contract talks with their ace driver Lewis Hamilton. The latest negotiation talks ran a lot longer than they were meant to, with Lewis only agreeing to a new deal as late as February this year.

This time, the Brackley-based outfit don’t want a repeat of that scenario. As per a report by Motorsport, the Silver Arrows want Hamilton to decide on his future as early as the Monaco Grand Prix, which is scheduled for the last week of May.

Hamilton is currently on a one-year deal with the German team. Although his aim for this year is clearly an eighth world title, no one knows if Lewis would wish to continue racing in F1 beyond 2021 if he eclipses Michael Schumacher’s record.

But Hamilton will need to hurry up and make a decision midway through the season. Else, he may well not be a Mercedes driver after this campaign.

Team boss Toto Wolff said, “We agreed that we want to resume discussions on the renewal of the contract very soon this year to avoid an uncomfortable situation like that of 2020.

“It is precisely for this reason that we signed a one-year contract with Lewis, to allow us to discuss his future in racing and outside of it for a fair amount of time.”

However, Mercedes are fairly confident that if Lewis has a future in the sport, it won’t be away from the Silver Arrows.

Wolff convinced that Lewis Hamilton will stay if he wants to continue in F1

The Austrian team principal said, “In fact, I think that if Lewis continues to race, he will want to do it with us. So we will talk about it shortly. With Valtteri we know exactly what we have and we appreciate it, but we are facing important changes because the cars and the rules will change.

“So we will have to make the right decision for the team of the future. We will talk about it with the two riders and then we will make our decisions.”

Hamilton’s decision may well hinge on his placing on the Drivers’ Championship standings come the Monaco GP. The Brackley-based outfit haven’t painted a pretty picture of their pre-season obstacles.

Will Lewis score his eighth crown this year? Will he choose to go on in 2022? F1 fans will have to wait with bated breaths to find out the answers to these questions.

Also Read: Is Sebastian Vettel Dreaming of Hamilton’s F1 Seat?: “Don’t Know What Mercedes’ Plan Is”