2017 Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he's facing a dilemma over exactly how long he expects to continue in the sport.
Hamilton has previously said that he's continually evaluating his career options. Talking with a select group of journalists this week, he went into more detail than ever before about his plans for the future.
"It's like the weather. It's about trying to find the balance," said the 32-year-old. "I want to keep racing but there are these other things I want to do.
"I want my cake and I want to eat it - I just want to make sure I choose the right time," he added. "But I think I will."
Hamilton currently has one more year to run on his contract with Mercedes. Indications are that he will agree a further two year extension with the team after that.
"I've currently got another year with the team and I do want to continue," he insisted. "But I'm at that point where there's that question.
"I was talking to my best friend the other day about things that I do envy or look forward to," he said. "Like living in one place, getting a routine.
"Each year I stay in the sport, I delay those things. But from [the age of] 40 onwards there's so much time for it."
"There's a saying you stay as long as you can," he added. "I'm not quite sure about that exactly. But there is a lot of life left beyond it. There are things that I've missed in life.
"You can't come back to Formula 1 [once you've left]," he acknowledged. "Whatever happens, you are gonna miss it. If it's next year, if it's five years from now, you're gonna miss it when you finish."
Hamilton has well-known interests away from motorsports in the worlds of fashion and music.
"I do live my life day-by-day and try to live it to the maximum," he agreed. "I think I am a big part of the culture I bring to F1, where I'm from ... The charity stuff I've done before.
"I'm really starting to focus on the future as my time comes to an end in Formula 1. Putting things in place for that part of my future."
"I don't mind going to start in a company at the bottom and working my way up, if that's what I end up doing," he mused.
"I don't mind doing an internship. I'm excited about learning new crafts. It's exciting, it's risky and I like the idea of that."
Hamilton added that he didn't want to take time for granted and end up running out of opportunities.
"My auntie died from cancer. On her last day she said, 'I've worked every day with the plan of stopping one day and doing all these different things, and then I ran out of time.' So I'm battling with that in my mind."
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