With every race weekend that goes by, we’re getting ever closer to the summer break. And with just one weekend left before Formula 1 goes on its half-yearly break, we’re no closer to Lewis Hamilton confirming his contract with Mercedes than we were at the start of the season. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been updates and speculations regarding the same. Because there have been, the most significant one being Hamilton’s desire to become Mercedes’ brand ambassador for the next decade worth $25 million a year. Even though Mercedes rejected the suggestion, Hamilton’s former teammate Nico Rosberg believes the Brackley squad is closer than ever to extending the seven-time champion’s contract.

Despite Hamilton’s multi-million-dollar demand and the aspect of money coming up at every stage of the contract negotiations, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has repeatedly asserted that Lewis’ contract has nothing to do with money. So what is it that’s stopping Hamilton from continuing his career with the team that’s been his home for the past decade? After the 2021 season, Mercedes hasn’t been fighting for wins like it used to. It’s barely scrapping the podium, leading many to believe that Hamilton might not achieve his eighth world title with Mercedes. And that could be playing on Lewis’ mind, too. But after Mercedes’ showing in Hungary, things might change.

Mercedes and Hamilton weren’t expecting too much coming into the Hungarian GP. But to everyone’s surprise, Hamilton clinched pole position for the first time since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP. While discussing the result’s impact on Hamilton on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Rosberg said, “Maybe it can also make that difference in the contract negotiations that he’s having with Toto [Wolff]. Because it’s different when you start to believe again that Toto and the team can actually give you a car where you have a chance to win races and, perhaps, go for another championship.”

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“It’ll be a big difference in your state of mind to actually put pen to paper and signing a contract where maybe there’s a couple of million less than you’re hoping,” added the German. Mercedes’ performance in Hungary might just rekindle Hamilton’s hope in the team, but another team’s recent success could also play a crucial role in Lewis’ contract negotiations.

McLaren could be the key to keeping Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

Saying McLaren started the 2023 season on the back foot would be an understatement. The Woking outfit was nowhere near where it wanted to be, fighting almost at the back of the field when F1 went racing this year. But since it introduced its upgrades in Austria, it’s like McLaren has risen from the ashes and is back fighting almost at the front. While Mercedes wasn’t fighting at the back at any point in the season, it was and is struggling to find pace. And that could be preventing Hamilton from extending his contract.

According to F1 journalist Peter Windsor, McLaren’s resurgence is good for Wolff regarding Hamilton’s contract. He said, “I think Lewis is more or less convincing himself to stay at Mercedes, isn’t he? You could argue that he got back on the plane after the British Grand Prix and thought, ‘Look at McLaren, they’ve turned the tide. We can do the same.'” 

Do you think Lewis Hamilton’s pole in Hungary has given him the push he needs to extend his contract with the team that’s been his home for 10 years?

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