JEDDA, Saudi Arabia. Lewis Hamilton has reiterated that he has no plans to leave Mercedes or leave F1 due to his recent problems on the track.
After eight consecutive seasons at the start of the grid, Mercedes lost momentum last year and looks to have slipped even further this season.
Ahead of this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, team boss Toto Wolff said he wouldn’t hold a grudge if Hamilton left the team after a couple of years due to continued poor performances.
Hamilton’s current contract expires this year, but he downplayed Wolf’s suggestion that he could leave the team if things didn’t improve.
“I don’t dwell on it, I love this team, I am so grateful to everyone who has been with me on this journey in this team,” Hamilton said. “I don’t see myself anywhere else, I don’t see myself leaving.
“I was there, I did it, I bought a T-shirt. I try to be patient and work with the team to get us to a good place. That’s all I can say”.
Speculation about Hamilton’s future began the same weekend when he and his coach, Angela Cullen, announced that they had parted ways.
When asked about the reasons for the breakup, the seven-time world champion replied that it was not a quarrel.
“Angela and I are fine,” he added. “She is at a different stage in her life, we are still very close.
“We continue to correspond every day with great support and I am very supportive of her – so grateful that she was with me on this journey.
“She is one of my closest friends and continues to be.”
Hamilton will start Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix from seventh on the grid, four places behind teammate George Russell after he said he was unsure about the car during qualifying.
“The car is where it is, George did a great job, he’s right there in the second row, so the car is obviously working, I just don’t feel connected to that car,” he said. “No matter what I do, no matter what I change, I can’t get my confidence back.”
Source: www.espn.com
