Only smart to consider options amid Ferrari interest - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton believes it is only smart for him to consider his future options amid interest from Ferrari regarding his availability in 2021.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend saw Hamilton linked with a move to Maranello after claims he has already met Ferrari president John Elkann twice this year. With Hamilton and Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto trading compliments through the press, and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff saying he has no problem if his driver explores other options, Hamilton added further to the intrigue when asked directly if he had met with Elkann.

“Naturally everything that happens behind closed doors is obviously always private with whoever it is you end up sitting with,” Hamilton said. “But I think for many, many years I’ve never ever sat down and considered other options, because we’ve been … just driving straight ahead into the path that we’ve been on and the journey that we’ve been on.

“And to be honest, I still think we’re on that path and I think there’s very little that’s going to shift it from that but I think there’s no harm in… I know Toto is also looking at his options in terms of his future and only he will know what is the best thing for him and his family. So I’m waiting to see what he’s doing with that.

“I love where I am. So it’s definitely not a quick decision to do something else, but of course I think it’s only smart and wise for me to sit and think of what I want… if it is the last period or stage in my career. Actually I want to keep winning so I think that’s… I want to keep being able to fight with these guys (Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen) as well. I can’t really tell you what else is going to happen moving forwards.”

Hamilton was sitting alongside Leclerc at the time, and with Sebastian Vettel also out of contract in 2021 - making it most likely any move for Hamilton would be to partner Leclerc - the 22-year-old said he would welcome the six-time world champion.

“Well of course,” Leclerc said. “At the end of the day, we are in Formula 1 and we want to fight against the best. I’ve had a big opportunity this year to have Seb next to me, who is a four-time world champion and I’ve learned a lot from him and you can always learn from this type of champion.

So yeah, of course.”