London: Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have agreed to a new deal as the seven-time Formula One champion signed a one-year contract with the team for 2021.
Hamilton made his F1 debut with Mercedes F1 engine customer team McLaren in 2007 and has been powered in all his 266 Grands Prix by Mercedes-Benz engines.
He joined the Mercedes works team in 2013 and has since won 74 F1 races as well as six Drivers' Championships with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. In 2020, he broke Michael Schumacher's win record and is now all-time race win record holder in Formula One.
"I am excited to be heading into my ninth season with my Mercedes teammates. Our team has achieved incredible things together and we look forward to building on our success even further, while continuously looking to improve, both on and off the track," said Hamilton in an official statement on Monday.
"I'm equally determined to continue the journey we started to make motorsport more diverse for future generations and I am grateful that Mercedes has been extremely supportive of my call to address this issue," he further said.
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"I'm proud to say we are taking that effort further this year by launching a foundation dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the sport. I am inspired by all that we can build together and can't wait to get back on the track in March," Hamilton added.
Mercedes said a significant part of the new agreement builds upon the joint commitment to greater diversity and inclusion in motorsport that was made last year by Hamilton and Mercedes.
"We have always been aligned with Lewis that we would continue, but the very unusual year we had in 2020 meant it took some time to finish the process," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
"Lewis's competitive record stands alongside the best the sports world has ever seen, and he is a valued ambassador for our brand and our partners," he added.
The confirmation of Hamilton's deal means the 2021 F1 grid is now complete, with the Briton targeting an unprecedented eighth world championship - and what would be a seventh in eight years.
