Lewis Hamilton says the prospect of a “life-long” association with Mercedes is more attractive than a “short-term” stint at Ferrari.
The future of the six-time Formula 1 champion is still undecided beyond 2020, though in recent weeks, comments by Hamilton have suggested a new contract is all-but-certain.
That comes after a period of feverish speculation linking Lewis to Ferrari after it emerged he met with chairman John Elkann last year, but the 35-year-old has continued to assert his loyalty to the manufacturer he has raced with his entire career.
“I think that [Ferrari] is like a short-term kind of thing,” he said at a media gathering on Thursday.
“If you look at all drivers who have driven for Ferrari, obviously it’s an incredible team and obviously the car’s always beautiful red.
“I have got red on my helmet. Red is the colour of passion or love or whatever you want to say.
“But what Mercedes has done for all their drivers – even Sir Stirling Moss is still a part of the team – they honour that and you become a part of a legacy and a life-long partner, which I think is super appealing.”
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One aspect of a new contract that has been identified as a possible hurdle is salary, with Mercedes’ parent company Daimler looking to reduce costs and Hamilton reportedly demanding big money.
But that claim has been continually denied.
“We haven’t sat down and talked yet,” Lewis stated. “It’s crazy because there’s all this talk in the media and everything.
“I have a certain approach normally in the sense that I don’t stress. I trust Toto and we have that trust between us.
“We have told each other basically what our goals are, what our aims are, our commitments and so I don’t ever feel there’s necessarily always a rush.
“But sometimes Toto’s like ‘is everything ok?’ So we always keep the channel open and I’m sure in the near future we’ll start to sit down but I don’t feel stressed.”
On Wolff’s side, he admits the rumours do sometimes require him to seek assurance from Hamilton but he too remains calm about their future.
“I texted Lewis the other day because I’m reading all these comments in the press about our negotiations, that Lewis is asking for so much money,” the Austrian said.
“But we have never talked about it, it’s all made up. So I said maybe we should sit down one day and have the chat.
“It’s about finding a day where we spend a few hours together. We have that respect.
“I know what contribution Lewis brings to the team as a driver and as a brand. You always need to respect that.”