Days After Toto Wolff Rejected $25,000,000 Ultimatum, Lewis Hamilton Crowned to “Play Hardball” in Contract Negotiations

The art of negotiation is a very important skill to have in the modern professional world. Especially, in Formula 1, the stakes are as high as they can get with millions of dollars changing hands frequently. Amid all the discussions and negotiations, the deal that has clearly won the contest of popularity in the media has been Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes contract renewal for post-2023. The last $25 million demand that the 7x champion made was very nonchalantly turned down by Team Principal Toto Wolff. After that rejection, Hamilton is now reportedly toughening up his strategies to strengthen his argument.

Before the Belgian GP, the Mercedes racer had demanded a 10-year ambassadorial role with the Silver Arrows. A deal that would earn him $25 million each year. But that was not to be. Around the Belgian GP weekend, shutting down Hamilton’s asks, Wolff said, “No, we’re not talking about an ambassadorial role post his retirement, nor is that part of the contract negotiations.”

It was also rumored that the renewal for 2024 and beyond would be announced at the Dutch GP. But no such thing happened. Moreover, despite agreeing on a 2-year, $54 million contract, the Brackley outfit’s sponsors played spoilsport to cause further delay. With so many variables denting the negotiations, Hamilton is now “understandably willing to play hardball”,  Crash.net reported.

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The Mercedes talisman seems to have had enough of the unnecessary back and forth in these negotiations that have taken months to conclude. Despite the contract not going through before the Dutch GP, the race weekend did provide some amount of consolation to him.

Lewis Hamilton breathes a sigh of relief as Mercedes finally match Max Verstappen

It was a very bittersweet weekend at Zandvoort for Lewis Hamilton. It began pretty well on Friday with his W14 showing some good pace. But Qualifying was a disaster for him. To top that, the race was spoiled at its very beginning with a faulty decision by the team. The only silver lining that the Briton found was the long-run pace of the car was around the pace of Max Verstappen’s RB19.

“To start 13th, I was dead last at one point, to get back up to sixth, I’m happy with that,” Hamilton said after the ill-fated Dutch GP. “I think today I had the pace [for the podium]. I was on pace with Max in the race, but we were just out of position.”

The next race weekend at Monza would be a ground of redemption for Hamilton. But in the contract matters, no concrete announcement is expected. But in case there is, watch this space for more.

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