Lewis Hamilton’s Max Verstappen fight not over as Brit eyes ‘multi-…

Lewis Hamilton has pushed retirement speculation to one side by claiming he isn’t close to walking away from F1 and instead wants to sign a new multi-year contract with Mercedes. The 37-year-old is chasing a record-breaking eighth F1 world title and sounds determined to overcome Max Verstappen after Red Bull’s season of dominance.Murmurs of Hamilton’s retirement have been rife since his controversial world title defeat in 2021, which saw Verstappen earn his maiden crown in the campaign’s final lap in Saudi Arabia. And Mercedes’ struggles this year have only intensified uncertainty over his future, with the Silver Arrows yet to win a race in 2022.However, Hamilton has confirmed his intention to remain in F1 for years to come, revealing he expects to sign a long-term contract with Mercedes. He told the official F1 website: “I think it will be a multi-year contract.”There is this whole thing of retiring always lingering around, and honestly, I don’t like the idea of it. I don’t feel like I’m there. So I have a lot more… we have a lot more work to do as a team. As individuals within the team, we have a lot more to do as a sport, and I want to be a part of that shift.JUST IN: Lewis Hamilton fires warning to Max Verstappen at Mexican GP Lewis Hamilton wants a new multi-year contract at Mercedes. (Image: F1/GETTY)”I’m an ally to the sport, and the work on the track and off the track, particularly things that we really need to… we’re talking about diversity. We’re getting more and more women into the sport. It’s not about getting just drivers; it’s about finding out what those barriers are for women getting a lot of the jobs you see in the areas back here as engineers and mechanics and giving them a platform and an opportunity. So there’s a lot of work to do, and we have more winning to do.”Hamilton was competitive at the front during the United States Grand Prix, eventually falling to Verstappen’s superior package. But even theoretically with less drag in Mexico this weekend due to the altitude of the track, the Brit is expecting a tough weekend.READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen given news they’ll both love Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could be a long-term team. (Image: EXPRESS)