Hamilton and Mercedes yet to sign new deal

Lewis Hamilton says he is yet to start talks with Mercedes over a new contract with the team beyond 2020.

The six-time world champion’s deal with Mercedes runs out at the end of this season and Ferrari have admitted they have held talks with the Briton.

Responding to reports that negotiations had broken down, in an Instagram post Hamilton said he and Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff “have not even spoken about a contract yet. Nothing is being negotiated currently.”

Hamilton, referring to a report in Italy that talks had stalled over his demands, added: “Papers making up stories.”

The 35-year-old is still on his winter break and has been posting videos on his social media in recent days of him training and enjoying time with his father, Anthony, on what looks like a tropical island.

Hamilton has previously given equivocal statements about his future, saying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of last season: “I love where I am, so it is definitely not a quick decision to go and do something else.

“But it is only smart and wise to sit and think about what I want if it is the last phase of my career. Naturally I want to keep winning, I can’t tell you what will happen going forwards.”

In Abu Dhabi, Wolff put the chances of Hamilton staying at Mercedes at 75 per cent, saying: “From the rational side everything speaks for continuation of the relationship from both sides. But equally there is a 25 per cent chance we are not in control of. So we see how the next months pan out.”

Negotiations over a new contract have to be done face to face and, in the past Hamilton has only started talks with Wolff once he returned from his pre-season training regime ahead of winter testing, which starts in Spain on February 19. The season begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 13-15.

That is expected to be the case again this year, with the timing for any meetings dependent on their collective responsibility to ensure the team are as well prepared for the new season as possible.

Hamilton has the chance to equal Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven drivers’ titles this year.

Both are understood to have the intention to continue working together and it should be a question of refining the details of the contract until both are happy.

But it is inevitable that the situation will drag on for some months as Hamilton and Wolff navigate the busy schedule of an F1 season and their commitments.