SPIELBERG (Austria) -- Lewis Hamilton, seven-time world champion, will remain in Formula One for two years more after signing a contract to stay at Mercedes until 2023.Hamilton originally committed to a one year deal with Mercedes this season, which would leave his future uncertain beyond the 2021 season. After continuing discussions with Toto Wolff, Mercedes announced that Hamilton would remain at the team through the end of 2023.Hamilton, currently F1's third oldest driver, will be protected by the new contract until he turns 38.Hamilton has been with Mercedes since 2013, winning six of his seven world championships, 77 of his race wins and 74 pole positions.He currently ranks second in the championship standings, behind Max Verstappen. He hopes to win an eighth world title this season, which would make him one clear of Michael Schumacher's record.F1 will undergo a major overhaul of its technical regulations for the 2022 season. A new car shape is planned to slow down speeds and improve the racing spectacle.Lewis Hamilton is a Mercedes F1 driver since 2013. Dan Istitene Formula 1 via Getty ImagesHamilton, who is the only Black F1 driver, has used his position to advocate for more diversity in F1.He stated that he had much more to do on the track and off it Saturday morning in a statement.Hamilton stated, "It's hard to believe that it's been almost nine years working alongside this amazing team. I'm excited to continue our partnership for another two years." Hamilton said, "We have so much to do together, but there is still so much more we can achieve off-track."Mercedes has been a great supporter of my efforts to increase diversity and equality in the sport. I am incredibly proud and thankful. They held themselves responsible and have made significant strides towards creating a diverse team and an inclusive environment."Thank you to Mercedes for all their hard work and to the board for continuing trust in me. We are entering a new era in car design and development. It will be exciting and challenging. I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish together.Wolff is a 33% shareholder of the Mercedes team. He recently said that he will continue as team principal until 2023.Lewis is the best driver for our team as we enter a new F1 era from 2022. He is a champion in the sport of F1 and his speed, experience and race-craft are testament to his achievements."We are enjoying the fight we have this year -- that's why this contract was also agreed early so there is no distraction from the racing on track. As long as Lewis has the passion for racing, I believe he can go on as long and as long as he wishes."Stefano Domenicali, F1 CEO, said: "This is fantastic news Formula One and I'm delighted that Lewis will remain in F1 at least for another two years."He has done so much in the sport of Formula One and I am proud to say that he is still a great athlete. He is a worldwide superstar both on and off the track, and his positive impact is enormous on Formula One."
