Reigning Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton says he is 💜close to finalising a contract extension with Mercedes, and hopes to have a deal in place for the start of the 2018 season. 

Hamilton is enterin🍸g the final year of his Mercedes contract, but has continued to stress his commitment to the team and desire to extend his spell at the Brackley-based outfit beyond the end of the upcoming campaign. 

Speaking at the launch of the new Petronas Global Research Centre in Turin, the Briton revealed he wants to seal a new deal before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 25.&♒nbsp;

When asked if an announcement was likely in the build up to the first race of 2018 in 🎀Melbourne, he replied: “I hope so but if not don’t worry, it will happen. Obviously♓ we have this year to focus on but it will for sure happen.”

Hamilton, who heads into 2018 aiming to claim a fifth drivers world championship title - and his fourth with Mercedes in six years - added he is relaxed about the 🙈situation. 

“We are continuing to talk. It’s quite a relaxed atmosphere for us bec🧜ause Mercedes knows I’m committed to them and they’ve expressed that t𒉰hey are committed to me so both Toto [Wolff] and I sit here quite relaxed. 

“It’s just about constantly trying to find common grounds and ultimately with contracts you always want to work on how you can be better a🦩nd provide a better service and vice versa, how you can extract more from each other. So that’s really what we are just working on.”