With Lewis Hamilton's contract set to expire at the end of 2023, talks will begin again with the seven-time World Champion and the team over whether he will continue in Formula 1. Hamilton has previously declared that he wishes to sign a multi-year contract extension , but has also stated what his criteria would be if he felt his time was up. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has explained how it is a matter of sitting in a room to 'put their heads together' to find a way forward for the two parties. "We have a full year to go," he told media, including RacingNews365.com . "We're so aligned in the last 10 years, our relationship has grown that it's just a matter of him physically being back in Europe, sticking our heads together, wrestling a bit and leaving the room with white smoke after a few hours."
Wolff has not discussed ban on political statements with Hamilton
Hamilton was one of the few drivers on the grid that spoke out against issues surrounding equality and human rights. At the end of 2022 the FIA made changes to the International Sporting Code (ISC) that effectively means drivers must now seek the blessing of the governing body , before they can make and political statements. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that he does not want the governing body to become a platform for "personal agenda" when speaking about the changes to the ISC. Wolff says he has not spoken to Hamilton about the issues yet, but plans to discuss the matter "with a positive mindset" once he is back from his off season break. He added: "We haven't talked about the political situation because he's in his off season and I think that's important to shield yourself from F1. "This is what I'm very much doing, I'm helping to shield. Once he's back, these things will be certainly discussed with a positive mindset."
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