Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton revealed in an interview ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix that he plans to race "well into" his forties.
Lewis Hamilton is currently 39 years old and will be 40 next year. It is already clear he should be part of F1 at least until 41 as he signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari starting from the season 2025 and lasting at least until 2026.
It is rare nowadays to see more than 40-year-old F1 drivers, and it wouldn't be surprising if Hamilton's current contract with Ferrari were his last, but the Briton revealed he already plans to continue for much longer.
Asked whether a championship-contending car produced by Ferrari in 2026 could convince him to extend his career even further, the 39-year-old said as per Sky Sports:
"I'm going to be racing well into my forties. So yeah, it's no short-term thing."
Hamilton also admitted in a different interview that he previously stated he would not race for such a long time, but his attitude changed.
The Mercedes driver can at least comfort himself by not being the oldest driver on the grid, as Fernando Alonso extended a contract with Aston Martin last week.
The Spanish Matador will be 43 this year, and his new deal should ensure he will still be racing in F1 when he turns 45.
Alonso, on the other hand, comforted himself by joking that he at least won't be the only driver in his forties who keeps racing at the pinnacle of motorsport.
If Hamilton wanted to continue racing until he was 45, he would have six seasons ahead and could be competing in 2030. He added;
"I'm going to be racing for quite some time still, so it's definitely good that he (Alonso) is still around. I hope that he keeps going for a little bit longer as well."
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