Lewis Hamilton and George Russell extended their contracts with Mercedes until 2025, the Formula 1 team announced on Thursday. The Silver Arrows confirmed ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix that the pair would continue to race together for the next two seasons. Seven-time world champion Hamilton is currently fourth in the drivers’ standings, 183 points behind leader and reigning champion Max Verstappen, who is chasing a record-breaking 10th consecutive GP win at Monza. Compatriot Russell is three places back on 99 points. “We’ve never been so hungry to win. We’ve learned from every success as well as every adversity…we’ll keep fighting whatever the challenge and we’ll win again,” Hamilton said in a statement.
“Being on top doesn’t happen overnight or in a short period of time, it takes commitment, hard work and dedication and it has been an honor to earn our way into the history books with this incredible team.
“I am grateful to the team that has supported me both on and off the track. Our story is not over yet, we are determined to achieve more together and we will not stop until we have achieved that.”
Hamilton will extend his F1 career beyond his 40th birthday with Mercedes, where he won six of his driver’s titles between 2014 and 2020.
The 38-year-old was reportedly set to earn around £50 million ($63.4 million) per season at Mercedes after extending a contract that was due to expire at the end of the current season.
Mercedes’ announcement ends speculation over Hamilton’s future as they struggle to compete with dominant Red Bull, who have won every GP so far this season.
Hamilton relinquished his position as number one driver in F1 in 2021 when he was controversially beaten to the drivers’ title by Verstappen on the final day of the season.
Last season, for the first time in his career, he failed to win or claim pole position at any GP, while this year he has yet to top his record of 103 race wins.
July’s pole at Budapest was his first in 33 GPs, and he finished the race in fourth after a poor start in a race won by Verstappen.
Retirement seemed increasingly likely at the end of the year, especially as Mercedes struggled to adapt to the changes in technical requirements that came into effect at the beginning of the year.
Mercedes is second in the constructors’ championship, but is no less than 285 points behind Red Bull.
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