16/07/2012
NEWS STORY
Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he hopes to make a decision on his F1 future over the course of next month's summer break, admitting that he needs to be with a winning team.
Following the Woking outfit's start to the season, many thought that extending his contract would be a formality for the Englishman however, a lump in form, compounded by strategic and technical errors has led to a slump in form for the team, leading to suggestions that finally Hamilton might look elsewhere.
"We haven't sat down and discussed anything yet," he told R-Sport during a promotional event in Moscow. "But I'm sure over the summer break, when we have the summer break, it would be nice to get something in place. That would be a time when we can be more relaxed and make the most sensible decision for the future."
Asked whether his team's slump in form will have a bearing on his decision, he said: "To be honest, you have to base your decisions on much, much longer than such a short period of time. Half a year cannot decide six years of partnership, or actually 13 years of partnership. I've been with them since I was 13, so it's 14 years, so it's much more than these small details. It's a much, much bigger picture."
With Mark Webber's decision to stay with Red Bull, that particular door has shut, at least for 2013, leaving Mercedes and Lotus as the main alternatives. What matters most for the 2008 champ is that he has a car capable of winning.
"You know, I want to win," said Hamilton. "I'm not that young any more, so I want to make sure whatever I do, I make the right decision so I can maximise my career. I just need to make sure I'm winning. That's what I exist for, what I train and work for every day."