F1 2018 BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton Signs 2-Year Contract with Mercedes

In the midst of the F1 contract renewal and extension season, defending World Champion Lewis Hamilton announced alongside Mercedes that he will be staying with the Silver Arrows at least until the end of the 2020 F1 Season. Just a week or so after his home Grand Prix, and right before Mercedes' own home Grand Prix, Hamilton has once again proven why he is one of the most valuable drivers on the market.

Speculation was rife after Mercedes posted an ominous picture of a contract earlier today on their Instagram page, just a few days before the German Grand Prix. Fans and media alike seemed certain that this meant that Mercedes would be imminently announcing the future of Lewis Hamilton at their outfit.

This led fans to believe that Mercedes had secured the services of the 4-time World Champ for a longer amount of time. Hamilton himself confirmed this later in an Instagram post of his own, stating that he had indeed signed a 2-year contract extension with the German outfit with whom he has won 3 of his 4 World Titles. While Mercedes have not yet signed Valtteri Bottas to a contract for 2019, the thought inside Motorsport media and fans alike is that the Silver Arrows will likely maintain the same driver lineup for at least the 2019 season.

Whether Bottas has impressed or will impress enough to secure a longer contract is up in the air for now.

Hamilton posted a picture of himself getting into his car with an emotional caption:

"I have been in the Mercedes Family since 1998. I am forever grateful for their continued support, unwavering love and protection over these years. I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and even more excited of what we will achieve together moving forward. There is no better place for me than right where I am. A big thank you to the team for their patience and to Toto for trusting in me. We win and we lose together always. Here’s to the future👊🏾 @mercedesamgf1#grateful #letsgo #hardwork #persistance#nevergiveup #announcelewis#contractsigned" - Lewis Hamilton 2018

What does this mean for the driver market?

2018 British Formula One Grand Prix Race Day Jul 8th

With the news of Hamilton's contract extension, what does this mean for the rest of the field? Well, the most pressing impact this has is on those drivers that are potentially vying for a Mercedes seat in the future. Namely current Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, who is likely feeling more secure now that Mercedes have announced they will already be keeping one driver the same, a driver whom he seems to work particularly well with.

It also means that there is less opportunity for other Mercedes seat hungry drivers such as Esteban Ocon, who is currently racing for Force India, and will likely remain at the Indian outfit for another season. It also reduces the probability that Daniel Ricciardo will be moving to Mercedes either as that's one seat gone, and another likely going to F1's younger Finnish driver.

Overall, this is a good sign for both Mercedes & Hamilton as they have a long, Championship winning partnership to build on for the next two and a half seasons!