‘It has no impact on me’ - Lewis Hamilton unfazed by speculation linking Charles Leclerc to his Mercedes F1 seat
The seven-t🍨ime world champion’s future beyond this season remains uncertain with his current contract expiring at the end of the year.
Leclerc, whose own deal with Ferrari runs until the end of 2024, had found himself heavily linked with Mercedes in recent month🔯s as a potenti🐠al long-term replacement for Hamilton.
The 38-year-old has held initial talks with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff over a contract extension, but four races into 2023 and the two parties 🐟appear no closer to putting pen to paper over an agreement.
Amid the continued wait for news, rumours surrounding Leclerc’s own future have only ramped up, with a paddock insider claiming it is an 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:“open secret” that the Fe🍎rrari driver is “talking to Mercedes”.
Asked ahead of this weekend's 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Azerbaijan Grand Prix if the speculat💮ion has any bearing on his future, Hamilton responded: "Not really.
“Maybe all the drivers have relationships with differe🐠nt boꦉsses.
“I like where I am. I love my team. I aღm grateful for the journey that we’ve been on, and what we’re working on moving forwards.
“It doesn’t have any impact, no.”
Earlier this year at the Saudi Arab♚ian Grand Prix, Hamilton streওssed that he has no plans to leave Mercedes or F1.
"I've got some amazing allies. I've got great ꦜrelationships here," he said.
"I think, for me personally, just as long as I can continue to help the team, as long as I can continue to help drive the team forwards a𝓀nd really contribute, then that's why I want to stay.
"If there's ever going to be a point where I feel like I'm not able to do that, then it's time for a youngster to co🅘me in to take my seat. But 💮I'm still pretty young, in pretty decent shape.”
Hamilton added: "I continue to feel very much at home. It's fa🍌mily. I see myself being with Mercedes till my last days, to be honest," he said.
"If you look at the legends, 💯Sir Stirling Moss was with Mercedes till the end of days.
"So, that's been the dream for me to one day have that… well I have that, so🅰 I mean just continue on with that and continue to build with the brand."
Lewis re❀gularly attends Grands Prix for mahbx.com around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
