Lewis Hamilton has ended
his contract saga with Mercedes by penning a new three-year deal worth
£100m.
Mercedes unveiled the
news on the eve of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. Hamilton, who left
McLaren to join Mercedes in 2013, has signed a three-year deal to remain at the
British-based outfit until the end of the 2018 campaign.
Lewis Hamilton has committed his long-term future to Mercedes after signing a new contract with the team
'Mercedes is my home and
I couldn't be happier to be staying here for another three years,' said
Hamilton, who leads the world championship by 20 points.
'This is a company
filled with real passionate racers, from the board room to the factory floor,
and an incredible hunger to win.
'Even
after the success of last year, that hunger is greater than ever - and it's the
same for me, too. The Mercedes car I am driving right now is the best I have
ever had in my career; it's just so much fun to be out there every weekend, on
the limit and fighting to win at every track.
'Mercedes-Benz began
supporting me in 1998 so I am very proud that this contract means I will mark
20 years with Mercedes in 2018.'
Hamilton settled on a
deal which will see him earn £100m over three years. His team-mate Nico Rosberg
signed a contract extension last term.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
added: 'Personally, I am looking forward to continuing to race with the
strongest driver pairing in Formula One and to more historic achievements
together.
'Continuity is one of
the key factors for delivering success in Formula One and we now have that in
place. Lewis enjoyed an historic World Championship season with
Mercedes-Benz last year and it was a priority for this season to renew his
contract for the next term.
'We have taken the right
amount of time and not rushed ourselves. The result is a strong agreement that
will enhance Lewis’ association with the Mercedes-Benz brand and that recognises
and respects the market value of Lewis and of Mercedes in Formula One.'
Hamilton has won 15 of
the 43 races since he joined Mercedes in 2013. He sealed his second world
championship at last year's season finale in Abu Dhabi.
LEWIS HAMILTON'S CAREER IN NUMBERS
75 - Career podiums,
made up of 36 wins, 21 seconds, 18 thirds.
67 - Points ahead of
team-mate Nico Rosberg at the end of the 2014 season.
42 - Career pole
positions, placing him fourth on the all-time list.
36 - Career wins, making
him the most successful British driver in the history of Formula One in terms
of race victories.
21 - Career wins with
pole position. Only Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna and Sebastian Vettel have
more.
11 - Wins last season,
making him the most successful non-German driver in one season as Michael
Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel both won 13 races in a single campaign.
7 - Fastest laps during
the 2014 season.
7 - Pole positions
during 2014, although lost out to Rosberg who scored 11.
5 - His highest run of
successive wins in 2014. Only Schumacher, Vettel and Alberto Ascari have
managed more in a one season.
2 - World titles, and
now one of only 16 drivers to have won more than one.
Hamilton parades the Union Jack after winning last year's Formula One world championship in Abu Dhabi
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