Hamilton makes a promise: 'That's where I'll stay until the day I die'

Lewis Hamilton cannot imagine ever leaving Mercedes. According to the seven-time world champion, he will remain loyal to the German marque until his death.

At 37, Hamilton is one of the oldest drivers on the paddock and therefore every year the question arises whether it is time for him to retire. The Briton himself is not at all concerned about that. He still wants to get the best out of his equipment, be competitive and finally win that record-breaking eighth world title.

''For years we’ve been going around, up and down with stories of retirement and stopping. For me, I feel healthier than I’ve ever felt, as I focus a lot on that – I’m feeling fit. I love what I’m doing and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon,'' said the Mercedes driver in conversation with Formula1.com.

Hamilton started his career in 2007 and unlike a Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, he has not had a year in between. The team he drove for also remained mostly the same. He started his F1 career with McLaren-Mercedes and made the switch to Mercedes' factory team in 2013. He does not seem to want to leave the latter team.

''My goal was always to be with Mercedes. I love that we have the long partnership we have. I feel like we are embarking on a lot of really positive things, not only in the sport, but outside. I think I’ll always be with Mercedes until the day I die. I feel like I can race for quite a bit longer, so I’ll be potentially steering towards that,'' Hamilton concluded.