Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton could be on the verge of signing a new contract to extend his Formula 1 career beyond his 40th birthday.
Hamilton is in ongoing talks with Mercedes over a new deal with his current contract set to expire at the end of this season.
The seven-time world champion hinted after the Spanish Grand Prix that he was close to agreeing terms on a contract extension ahead of further discussions with Wolff.
Despite Hamilton being recently linked with a move to rivals Ferrari, it seems only a matter of time before he puts pen to paper to re-sign with the German manufacturer.
“It is going to happen soon, and we are talking more days than weeks,” Wolff told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street programme in New York.
“We are trying hard [to get it done before the Canadian Grand Prix]. I will see him today and maybe we will talk about it.
“We have such a good relationship that we dread the moment that we need to talk about money.”
Hamilton is expected to extend his stint Mercedes with a multi-year contract that would see the Briton continue race in F1 in his 40s.
This year marked a decade since Hamilton joined Mercedes after deciding to leave McLaren at the end of 2012, with the partnership delivering him six world titles in that period.
“Lewis is the most important personality in the sport,” added Wolff.
“He is so multi-faceted, not only with the racing, but also off track, so we need to keep him in the sport for as long as possible.
“From a team’s perspective, Lewis and Mercedes have gone back a long time. He has never raced for any other brand than Mercedes.
“We both joined the team in 2013 together, and from a professional relationship, we now have a friendship. It has been a wonderful time.”
Hamilton’s hopes of winning a record eighth world championship this year appear unlikely after Mercedes’ difficult start to 2023, which has forced the team into a change of car concept that it debuted in Monaco.
The upgraded W14 showed an upturn in form with Hamilton and team-mate George Russell finishing on the podium in Barcelona, but Mercedes boss Wolff insists the team must manage expectations.
“The result in Spain was a well-deserved reward for everyone’s efforts at Brackley and Brixworth to bring our update package to the track,” Wolff said.
“We were pleased with how it performed, and it will provide a new baseline for us to build from.
“But we must also manage our expectations. It was a circuit that suited our car, and we should expect our direct competitors to be stronger in the next races.
“The gap to Red Bull is large and it will take lots of hard work to close that down. Nevertheless, we’re up for the challenge.”
