Hamilton explains why contract negotiations take so long

According to Lewis Hamilton, he has the best contract there is. His team also wants to keep the current six-time world champion. Why, then, has a new contract not yet been signed? Hamilton gives an explanation.

During the press conference prior to the race weekend in Turkey, Hamilton will give more details about the negotiations on his contract. It is not that either party wants to stop cooperating, and the conditions seem to have been fine for eight years. So why is it taking so long now?

Motorsport.com quotes the Brit: "I think I have the best contract there is, in terms of structure and time management. With the team around me it has always been great. But I'm always looking at how I can improve. How can I be more efficient myself and do more for the partners? How can I do more for the team?"

The Mercedes driver continues: "It's easy to just sign the deal and not have to think about what's coming next. I just want to continue with Mercedes after this. I want to help them fight for more diversity and develop electric cars. There is not enough of that yet, so there is still a lot to discuss."

Hamilton envisages greater cooperation with Mercedes than just the F1 project. He is keen to stay connected in the future, he says. For the time being, he is not thinking of stopping: "Nothing is set in stone. I am just talking about it. At the moment it doesn't feel as if I'm finished."