LEWIS HAMILTON could be set for a pay-cut following the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The F1 world champion has not started talks over the new deal because he feels uncomfortable speaking about it when people are losing their jobs.
Hamilton’s current contract, believed to be worth around £40million a year, is due to expire in December.
But the Brit’s moral compass has kicked in after last month Merc’s owners Daimler said they needed to cut more than the 15,000 jobs they had previously announced.
He said: “Ultimately, it honestly doesn’t feel like the right time to sit down and talk about it.
“When you think about so many people in the world who have lost their jobs, people unemployed, and to sit down and negotiate a big contract, it doesn’t feel like the most important thing that I need to apply time to at this second.
“I do want to continue with the team and it is not a big effort for us to sit down and get it done.
“It is just right now I don’t feel comfortable about it so I am going to wait a little bit longer.”
View this post on InstagramI’ve stayed at Silverstone the past few days with Roscoe. I love this place. The weather’s been amazing and I feel so grateful to be in the countryside and enjoying the English weather at home. Not the same without you all here tho, but still have to count my blessings to have Roscoe with me. I hope you are all having a great week and staying positive. I’m sending you high vibrations. Stay safe out there
At last week’s British Grand Prix, he said he had not even started talking to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff about new terms.
And Thursday, ahead of F1’s 70th Anniversary GP, the 35-year-old said he intends to commit to the team to help see through their increased diversity programme.
He added: “I am not talking to anyone else and I am looking forward to continuing, particularly as we have just started a new chapter as a team in terms of how we educate ourselves, how we understand what we are going to do to help be more diverse and more inclusive.
“I am super excited that what is possible with Mercedes-Benz and this team moving forward. It will get done at some stage so I am not stressed.”
Hamilton now has a whopping 30 point lead in the drivers’ championship ahead of his team-mate, Bottas, who yesterday (THU) signed a new one-year deal.
It is understood that Bottas’s £12million-a year deal with the Silver Arrows has simply been extended until the end of 2021.
Meanwhile, Hamilton says that this season’s title race comes in “the most important year of his life” as he continues to fight to end racism and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
He added: “It is the most important year of my life to date with everything that is going on.
“It is a different fight, championship-wise to other years. In the past, we have had the years where we fought Ferrari or Red Bull.
“This year, it is different up to this point. But I do think it is a special year and I don’t take that lightly.
“People often ask where we get our motivation from and there are so many things to take inspiration for and to be fighting for a championship in a time like this is empowering and exciting with the thought that there could be change to follow.”
