Hamilton puts brakes on new Mercedes deal

Briton, is in no rush to start talking about his future.

“We have not sat down yet,” said Hamilton. “I know Toto is keen to, but right now the focus is on trying to be fit and ready for the new season. You want to start the new year on the right foot so the contract is not something to get bogged down with.

“I don’t see a particular rush. In the coming months I am sure we will sit down and discuss it.”

Hamilton, who finished ninth on the second day of testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya as his Mercedes team focused on mileage rather than outright speed, revealed fine details will play the decisive role in a deal which could earn him up to £60m-a-year.

Hamilton added: “People talk about freedom as if it is a bad thing and it is not at all. Mercedes allow me to be who I am, rather than keep me constricted, and ask me to be a certain way, speak a certain way or dress a certain way, which is often what you see at elsewhere.

“There were question marks over the different things that I do, but everyone has seen the results I have had over the last two years. The freedom helps me to be more engaged, it helps me be an even better driver than I thought I could be. The next step is figuring out what’s the five-to-10-year plan, and how this decision impacts the future, so when I do stop and hang up my helmet, I am able to continue doing other things.”

Hamilton completed 106 laps yesterday as Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen finished fastest, two tenths clear of Racing Point driver Sergio Perez.