Hamilton: Contract negotiations with Mercedes and Wolff started 'lightheartedly'

Aiming to avoid the prolonged uncertainty that surrounded Lewis Hamilton's contract with Mercedes last year, the driver has now sat down with team principal Toto Wolff to kick off negotiations, which the Briton says is being done in a "light-hearted way" to ensure it does not distract from the title fight with Red Bull Racing.

Asked about the details of the started talks, Hamilton explained that he at least doesn't want to make the same mistake as last year. "We are looking to get it done much faster than last time. We don’t want to fall for that same trap", the driver said to Sky F1.

"It’s quite chilled as well", the driver continued. "We always talk about not wanting to do it mid-season because it can be a distraction, but we’ve now started it in a way that’s lighthearted, it’s not intense or causing trouble."

Good communication

Last season, the seven-time world champion signed on for just one season, something that raised question marks at the time. Yet the Briton quickly confirmed that 2021 would not be his last year in the premier class of motorsport. Hamilton closed by stating that the good ties he maintains with Wolff will hopefully ensure a quick outcome to the talks: "There’s good communication, as always, with Toto, so I hope that we have something done soon."