Formula 1’s summer break gives teams and drivers a chance to unwind from the demanding schedule of the first half of the season. Most drivers kept their fans updated on their latest escapades—be it Daniel Ricciardo and George Russell attending a concert with their girlfriends or Lando Norris being Martin Garrix’s photographer. But two weeks ago, Lewis Hamilton posted an underwater picture of himself on Instagram, captioning it, “Out of office 🫧,” and practically dropped off the face of social media.

He took time off to relax and spend time with his family, staying offline the entire time. Two days ago, though, he posted a montage of everything he’s been up to since the break started, captioning it, “cheers to this time offline, talk soon ~” Well, the “soon” is here, and Lewis Hamilton is back, fired up for the second half of the season.

Lewis Hamilton puts away contract talks to focus on a comeback

Since the 2023 season started, one thing has been on everyone’s minds: will Lewis Hamilton stay in F1 after this year? Although Mercedes and Hamilton have been working toward coming to an agreement, Hamilton took the summer break to work on himself. As an athlete and sportsperson, it’s important to stick to schedules and work on improving yourself. But what’s just as important as training are relaxing and recovery, something the drivers have been doing a lot during the break. With the Dutch GP this weekend, drivers have gotten back into training mode, and Hamilton took to Instagram to maybe hint at a comeback. 

The first half of the season was disappointing—to say the least—for Mercedes and the seven-time champion. After an up-and-down 2022, the Brackley outfit aimed to return to the front this season, but that’s not happened. The summer break came at the right time for Mercedes when it was just starting to figure out its W14, which would’ve given the team time to make improvements. With Mercedes playing its part during the break, Hamilton sent a warning shot to all his rivals.

On his Instagram story, he posted a video working out on a spin bike atop a yacht. Referring to his time off social media, he wrote, “Been offline but never off. Head down for the second half of the season 🤙🏾” It’s evident Hamilton plans to make amends for the first half of 2023 starting right from the Dutch GP this weekend.

Read More: “Don’t Care Where I End Up”: With $35,000,000 Future Still Up in the Air, Lewis Hamilton Makes a Shocking Confession

The Briton knows what he needs to do for the rest of the season and is all fired up to meet his expectations. While the weekend could mark a comeback in Mercedes’ season, it could also be significant for Hamilton’s future in the sport.

Will Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton announce his contract in Zandvoort?

Hamilton’s contract with Mercedes—his home for 10 years—expires at the end of the season. This year, the seven-time champion has been making headlines not for his on-track performances but for his contract negotiations. After rounds of pushing and pulling, it became pretty clear that both Hamilton and Mercedes wanted to extend their partnership. With Toto Wolff and Hamilton repeatedly stressing that it’s just down to the small details, they might finally announce the extension at the Dutch GP.

As per speculations, the Brit has signed a one-year guaranteed deal with an option to extend it to a second season. If these rumors are true, and Hamilton confirms them at Zandvoort, he’ll stay in F1 until at least the end of 2024. Mercedes has shown improvement in the past few race weekends, with Hamilton even securing a record-extending 104th pole position at the Hungarian GP. That result might’ve just reinstated his belief in his team, pushing him to further his contract.

Is a comeback for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in the cards for the second half of the season?

WATCH THIS STORY | How 10-year-old friendship between Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff is coming in the way of $35 million worth contract renewal