Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton's age is not a factor in their ongoing talks over a fresh Mercedes Formula 1 contract. Seven-time World Champion Hamilton's contract expires at the end of the 2023 season, having signed the two-year deal in 2021. By the start of the 2024 season, Hamilton will be 39 years old and is currently the second-eldest driver on the grid, behind Fernando Alonso who is 41 and turns 42 in July. While Wolff admits that a "first chat" with Hamilton has taken place, he says he is not in a rush to get a deal signed.
Hamilton's age not a factor
"I think the age 38 plays no role for this next contract," Wolff told media including RacingNews365.com after the launch of the W14 on Wednesday. "If you look at how well top athletes in the world have pushed the boundaries, I'm thinking about [now-retired NFL quarterback] Tom Brady who is 44-45, and he's on the pitch throwing a ball and being tackled, so the age plays no role. "In terms of the contractual situation, I think we've always found good solutions that reflect value for the team, and for the sport. "On the other side I think Mercedes is the place he wants to be, so these things have never been a contentious point. "Nothing is dragging on, the alignment is great, and like in the years before, it was no problem to sort things out over the winter before actually going racing (i.e in the 2023/24 off-season), because it was always clear that we're going to do it. "It's not like a first priority in sitting down because this is going to be a journey that will continue. "We've done a few of these contracts in the past, and they changed very little from iteration to iteration. "So it's not usually complex, apart from the obvious terms. "We've had the first chat, but I don't want to commit to any timeline, because it's not important for him or for us at this stage."
Most read
