Hamilton says new Mercedes deal is not imminent

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Lewis Hamilton begged to differ with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, the Briton suggesting that there would be no contract announcement this weekend in Canada.

Last week, Wolff hinted that a new deal between Mercedes and Hamilton was just "days" away.

But in Montreal on Thursday, when queried on the status of his negotiations with his employer, Hamilton conveyed the notion that a deal was not imminent.

"I don’t really have a huge amount to say on the contractual side of things," he told the media. "It’ll get done when it’s done.

"If that’s next week, if that’s in a month’s time, as long as it gets done I’m not really bothered.”

"I’ve seen Toto, we’ve talked several times, we have a great relationship but there’s nothing else to say at the moment."

©Mercedes

Hamilton isn't conducting his contract talks himself, having entrusted the negotiations to his management team.

But an important element of those discussions is the seven-time world champion's diversity and inclusion efforts (D&I) with Mercedes through the company's Accelerate 25 and Ignite initiatives and Hamilton's own Mission 44 charity.

Read also:

Wolff: Hamilton contract announcement just 'days' away

Details surrounding the latter may be holding up the contract talks, although Hamilton suggested that was not the case.

"I think we already covered a lot of that already in the previous contract," he said.

"We have got an amazing group of people back in the factory focused on D&I and really, there has been huge progress within our team since the first time we had the serious conversations.

"The work we are doing with Accelerate 25 and Ignite, which is now within Mission 44... the team is always super supportive.

"That is always going to be a focal point. Mission 44, I am really proud of where we have got it to, we are now funding 25 or 26 different organisations out there.

"We are starting to have impact and hopefully, we will start to see a better chain coming through with more diverse students."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.