Lewis Hamilton has no plans to retire from Formula 1 any time soon with an eighth world championship still firmly in his sights.
The Briton is out of contract at the end of 2023 with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirming talks will take place during this off-season about a long-term extension.
And while Hamilton, who turns 38 in January, already has plenty of projects going on away from the track, he insists his focus remains firmly on it.
“In terms of my plans for the future, at the end of each year, I try to analyse my year and analyse my next three to five-year plan. It’s difficult to do 10,” he explained.
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“But where do I see myself? What are the things I want to do? What are my goals? I have a lot of business going on and things are being added.
“I have a lot of successful, really positive things that have lots of opportunity for success outside, but I want to keep racing. I love what I do. I’ve been doing it for 30 years, and I don’t feel that I should have to stop.
“I think I’m currently still earning my keep, I would say. I want to do better, still. But I am planning to be here longer.”
Despite a difficult 2022, which saw Hamilton fail to win a race over a season for the first time in his F1 career, he also fully intends to show the same loyalty to Mercedes that they’ve shown him.
“My goal is to continue to be with Mercedes. I’ve been with Mercedes since I was 13 and it really is my family,” he said.
Welcome home, Lewis. ❤ pic.twitter.com/RfGL69eZcQ
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) September 14, 2022
“They’ve stuck with me through thick and thin. They stuck with me through being expelled at school. They stuck with me through everything that was going on through 2020.
“They’ve stuck with me through my mistakes, and s**t that’s been in the press; they’ve stuck with me through the ups and downs.
“I really believe in this brand. I believe in the people that are within the organisation.
“And I want to be the best teammate I can be to them because I think we can make the brand even better, more accessible, even stronger than it is. And I think I can be an integral part of that.”
Then there’s the ultimate goal which Hamilton still strives for, atoning for the disappointment of missing out on that record eighth F1 title in 2021.
“Each year you have to ask yourself if you’re willing to give as much if not more than you did when you first started,” he said via USA Today.
“Are you willing to give up all your time to prepare and train and work with the team and deliver?
“If there’s ever a moment I’m arriving and I’m just coasting along, that’s when I don’t belong here and don’t deserve the position here, and that’s when I should stop.
“I question myself as to whether I’m able to do that and whether I want to do that, and the answer is yes.
“We obviously have a championship we need to get back, and I love the mission and that challenge with my team.”
