Mercedes boss Wolff hopes Hamilton will sign a longer deal

DPA Barcelona Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff hopes Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will sign a new deal with the team for more than a year an...

DPABarcelonaMercedes team principal Toto Wolff hopes Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will sign a new deal with the team for more than a year and suggested the Briton could race into his 40s.Seven-time world champion Hamilton, meanwhile, wants to have a clear picture of his future at the team before the summer break in August.Talking to the PA news agency, Wolff said he expects the driver to commit to at least a two-year contract extension.“We don’t want to be in a stressful situation every single year where we are absolutely flat-out trying to win races and needing to negotiate. I would rather that doesn’t happen every year,” Wolff said.After winning the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, Hamilton said they don’t want to “rush anything but I think we have to be sensible and start conversations.“It would be great to get something in place before the break so then we could have a clear picture of the future,” he added.Hamilton’s contract for 2021 was agreed only in February and the Briton said the delay was not planned.He and Wolff wanted to wait until after Hamilton had clinched a record-equalling seventh title to start talks, but when that was about to happen Hamilton contracted coronavirus.After the season ended, it was Wolff who also caught COVID-19.“We never want to be in the position that we were in in January, in February. It ruined my whole winter and I’m sure it wasn’t helpful for Toto’s.“It felt like we didn’t really have much of a break,” Hamilton explained.He’s been driving for Mercedes since 2013 and secured six of his seven titles with the team.“Our relationship is getting stronger every year,” Hamilton said, not mentioning, however, how much longer he wants to drive in Formula One.Wolff believes that 36-year-old Hamilton can compete into his 40s as long as he “continues to look after himself mentally and physically.“Look at Tom Brady [43] and we are talking about an athlete that is on the field. Here is a racing driver that has utilized all his senses,” the Mercedes boss said.After four of 23 races, Hamilton leads the drivers’ championship with a 14-point advantage over second-placed Max Verstappen of Red Bull.The title race goes on May 23 at the Monaco Grand Prix.