When it comes to Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, uncertainty and speculation always continue to mount given how close both sides love to play their cards to their chest. Heading into the current season, it was still being determined whether Hamilton would continue with Mercedes, or even Formula One at all, until the first week of February.

However, normalcy resumed as usual after a turbulent campaign where he controversially lost the World Drivers’ Championship to Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi last year in what would’ve been his record-breaking eighth World Championship win.

The story has been very different this time around as Mercedes, who have won the last eight Constructors’ Championships has failed to be as competitive as Red Bull and Ferrari and has persistently struggled with issues with their cars. Hamilton himself hasn’t won a single race this year so far and is at the risk of going an entire season without winning for the first time in his F1 career.

Despite the setbacks, Mercedes have improved as the season has progressed and it was evident with Hamilton’s second-place finish as well as both him and Russell finishing P2 and P3 in the qualifying.

As such, Hamilton has no doubts in his mind and has made it clear that he’s willing to sign a new deal with Mercedes beyond the end of 2023.

Speaking to Motosport.com, Hamilton said: “We are going to do another deal.

“We’re going to sit down and we’re going to discuss it in these next couple of months, I would say.”

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, who has always backed Hamilton through thick and thin, has also confirmed that the team isn’t even looking at anyone else as the seat is ‘100 percent’ Hamilton’s.

He also explained that there’s no rush to settle things down immediately and it will be better to sort things out with a clear mind, including wider responsibilities beyond driving, once the season was finished.

“We haven’t started having talks,” explained Wolff. “We want to definitely finish the season and then find some quiet time over the winter like we have done last time around.

“But he’s much more than a driver to us now. Although we’re not talking about a career end, it’s also important to speak about his role as an ambassador for Mercedes and the many sponsors we have, and the implication he can have in our wider audience,” the Mercedes boss added.