Lewis Hamilton has another tough season ahead of him with Mercedes, again falling far behind in 2023. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton has dismissed speculation linking him to Ferrari, insisting he now has “a few weeks” before signing a new contract with Mercedes. that Maranello's team offered £40 million in an attempt to take the seven-time world champion away from Brackley.
But speaking before the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, Hamilton denied that claim, denying that he had been in contact with Ferrari and adding that his “negotiation team” was very close to agreeing on a new deal. with Mercedes.< /p>
“When you're negotiating a contract, there will always be speculation, and if you don't hear it from me, that's all there is,” Hamilton said of the reports. “My team is working closely behind the scenes with Toto [Wolf, Mercedes team principal] and we are almost ready to sign the contract. I have a team focused on this so I can just do my job.”
The 38-year-old man added: “This is a much better position than before, because before I did all the negotiations on my own, and it was very stressful. I don't have to do that anymore.”
Alonso: “He always wins and loses with the team, so he should stay”
Hamilton spoke minutes after former McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso playfully teased him. Asked about the rumors about Ferrari and whether Hamilton could move to Maranello, Alonso said: “I have no idea, but he always said that he wins and loses with the team, so if he does not win, he should stay [in Mercedes]. p>
Fernando Alonso has so far enjoyed a run of podiums in 2023 with Aston Martin Credit: Getty Images/Dan Mullan
Hamilton doesn't respond directly to this comment. But he said the success or failure of Mercedes' long-awaited refresh package to be unveiled here in Monaco won't affect whether he extends it or not.
“No, it doesn't matter,” he said. “Because we are still a championship team. We just didn't have the right car. Over the past two years, some decisions have been made that have not been ideal. We are working on it.
“All the energy goes into our new update this weekend. The team has been working incredibly hard on this update. We already decided after [the first race of the season] in Bahrain that we would do that, and so I was a little devastated when the last race [at Imola] was canceled because I was excited to try this new package.
“And while it's not the best platform in terms of circuit, to really see how the updates come to fruition, we hope to test it [in Barcelona] next week. Otherwise, like I said, my team is chatting, discussing [with Mercedes] in the background and we're almost there.” replied: “Hopefully in the next few weeks.”
Wasser: 'We didn't send offers to Hamilton'
Fred Wasser, Ferrari team principal, had previously also denied the reports, calling them “stupid seasonal” gossip.
"Two weeks ago you sent [Carlos] Sainz to Audi, and a week ago you sent [Charles] Leclerc to Mercedes, and now I'm alone," the Frenchman joked. “At this point in the season you will have a new story every week and we are not forwarding an offer to Lewis Hamilton. We didn't. We didn't have any discussions.”
Aside from Hamilton's future, Alonso was also asked about his own future in the sport following the news that Honda will be Aston Martin's engine partner from 2026 when the new powertrains will be unveiled.
The Spaniard was famously caustic about Honda when he last drove for McLaren, but the two-time world champion said he would have no problem working with the Japanese manufacturer again, assuming he was still driving in 2026, when he was 44.< /p>< p>“Last time it didn’t work out [in] 2015, 2016, 2017," Alonso said. "But I think they have proven that now they have a competitive package, they won the championship in 2021 [with Red Bull], they won the championship in 2022, most likely they will win the championship in 2023. very strong package. This is a new set of rules, but I think it will be a very exciting project.
"I don't know what I'll be doing in 2026, I'd be lying if I told you I do right now for sure. But I feel fresh, now I have motivation, I feel invigorated, I'm still fast.”
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