Lewis Hamilton says he has not spoken to Mercedes about signing a new contract as he prepares to launch his bid to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of seven drivers’ championship titles.
The British driver’s £40 million ($52 million)-a-season deal expires at the end of the year and he has been linked with a move to Ferrari.
Reports in Italy say talks over a contract extension between Hamilton and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff have stalled.
But in a post to Instagram which he later deleted, Hamilton wrote: “Toto and I have not even spoken about contract yet. Nothing is being negotiated currently.”
Both Ferrari and Red Bull have moved to tie Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen respectively to long-term deals during Formula One’s off-season.
But Hamilton, who has spent much of the winter break in the United States, is unlikely to rush into a decision on his future.
Ferrari confirmed their interest in Hamilton last year, and will need a replacement for Sebastian Vettel in 2021 if the four-time world champion’s deal is not renewed.
Hamilton, 35, can match Schumacher’s record of seven titles if he wins the championship again this year.
{{/usCountry}}Hamilton, 35, can match Schumacher’s record of seven titles if he wins the championship again this year.
{{/usCountry}}He will get his first drive of the new Mercedes he hopes will fire him to further glory in the team’s behind-closed-doors launch at Silverstone on February 14.
The first pre-season test gets under way in Barcelona five days later before Hamilton opens his title defence in Melbourne on March 15.