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After weeks of waiting, the most important and final personalities in Formula 1 have been clarified: Superstar Lewis Hamilton has signed a new contract with Mercedes - but only for the new season.

The German factory racing team announced on Monday.

“We always agreed with Lewis that we would move on together.

But the extremely unusual year 2020 meant that it took a while to complete the process, ”said team boss Toto Wolff.

"Together we decided to extend our sporting relationship by a year and also to start a long-term project to take the next step in our joint commitment to more diversity and inclusion in our sport," explained the success co-guarantee of the Silver Arrows.

The project is a joint, non-profit foundation that aims to support more inclusion and diversity in all its forms in motorsport, according to the Mercedes announcement.

It will be Hamilton's ninth year at Mercedes, for the 2013 season he came from McLaren and replaced record world champion Michael Schumacher with the German team.

Since then, he has won the driver's title with the Silver Arrows six times and with his triumph in 2020 drew level with the seven titles of Schumacher.

In 2008, Hamilton won the World Cup with McLaren.

Hamilton's commitment to Mercedes was long overdue

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"Together with our team we have achieved incredible things and we look forward to building on our successes and continuously improving ourselves on and off the racetrack," said Hamilton.

"I'm inspired by everything we can build together and I can't wait to get back on the track in March."

Nevertheless, the short contract duration is surprising - on the one hand.

So far he had always signed for a long time.

In 2022, however, Formula 1 is also facing profound changes through massive reforms.

And Hamilton will celebrate his 37th birthday on January 7, 2022.

In the message from Mercedes, both sides left open whether there are also options in the new contract.

Hamilton's commitment to further collaboration with Mercedes had actually been expected for a long time.

However, the negotiations were only started at the end of the previous season towards the end of the year and were made more difficult by the corona pandemic.

All other racing teams have long since clarified their driver personalities.

The renewal of the contract for Hamilton's Finnish team-mate Valtteri Bottas was already certain.

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The former Formula 1 driver and Sky expert Ralf Schumacher had classified the excruciatingly long procedure last week as "almost a little embarrassing" and said: "One thing is also clear, Formula 1 is stronger than any individual."

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But Hamilton has become the face of the Silver Arrows and Formula 1.

He gets the freedom he needs to perform at his best, and he can also publicly contest his fight against racism and for equality and diversity as a pioneer in Formula 1.

This also plays a major role in the new contractual agreement.

"I am just as determined to continue the path we began to make motorsport more diverse for future generations," said Hamilton, expressing his gratitude that Mercedes support his call to address this issue so strongly.

“I am proud to say that we are intensifying our efforts this year by setting up a foundation for more diversity and inclusion in our sport.” Last season, Hamilton and Bottas drove their own Silver Arrows, which were painted black.

Hamilton, the son of an immigrant from the Caribbean, was the first black man to get into Formula 1 for the 2007 season. In his first year, he almost won the McLaren title.

Hamilton is now only two pole positions missing and he has started 100 times.

Only five races are missing and he has finished first 100 times.

Only one title is missing and he is the sole record holder.

One year is enough for that.