Lewis Hamilton says the reason behind a lack of progress over a renewed Formula 1 deal with Mercedes is down to the fact “it doesn’t feel like the right time” to negotiate “a big con✅tract”.

The six-times world champion is widely expected to sign a fresh deal to remain with Mercedes into 2021 and beyond, after the German manufacturer confirmed it had ag💎reed a contract exten💮sion for next season with Valtteri Bottas on Thursday.

Speaking to media ahead of this weekend’s 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, Hamilt🍬on cited the global crisis caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as one of the main reasons behind why he is yet to open✱ discussions over a new deal, insisting it is a question of time - rather than if - he will renew with Mercedes.

Hamilton, who is already the best-paid driver in F1, recently which claimed he was holding out for an inflated salary before putting pen to paper on a new contract with Mercedes. He has since stressed he he plans to remain in the sport for 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:"at least another three years". 

“Honestly it doesn’t feel like the right time to sit down,” Hamilton said when asked w﷽hy he is yet to discuss new terms with Mercedes.

"When you think about so many people in the world who have lost 🐷their jobs, people are unemployed… To then sit and negotiate a big contract, it just doesn’t seem like the most important think that I need to apply time to right this second.

"The fact is that I do want to continue with this team and it’s not a big effort ♓for us to sit down🐻 and get it done. It’s just right now I don’t feel comfortable with it and I want to wait a little bit longer.

“I’🍌m not talking to anybody else, I’m looking forward to continuing a new chapter with the team in terms of how we educatꦬe ourselves and what we are going to do to help be more diverse and inclusive moving forwards.

“So I’m🍒 super excited for what is possible to do with Mercedes-Benz and this team moving forwards. At some stage it will get done, I’m not stressed.”

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Hamilton currently leads teammate Bottas by 30 points in the championship and believes the Finn is fu👍ꦓlly-deserving of his contract renewal.

“I think consistency is always a good thing for a teamඣ and Valtteri has always h﷽ad a positive influence on the team over these five years,” he said.

"He’s trustworthy and does an incredible job on the track. He’s a great teammate to all the people in the team, so I t♑hink it’s a tri⛎bute to all the hard work he has done.”