Hamilton set to race into his 40s with Mercedes

MONZA, Italy :Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said he had never been hungrier to win after agreeing a new deal to race on with Mercedes until the end of 2025, and into his 40s.

Mercedes also confirmed fellow-Briton George Russell as his team mate for both seasons.

No financial details were given. Some media reports have suggested the deal could be worth 50 million pounds a year ($63.41 million) for Hamilton, while others spoke of substantially more.

That would put Hamilton on a level with Red Bull's dominant double world champion Max Verstappen as the highest-paid drivers.

"You're all stuck with me for a little bit longer," said a grinning Hamilton, who will be 39 next January, when asked at the Italian Grand Prix for his immediate thoughts.

"Honestly I'm really relieved. I couldn't be happier to be staying with this team. We've had such an incredible journey together. Mercedes have supported me since I was 13 and we still have unfinished business.

"We're in this together, we've got a lot of work to do to get ourselves back to the front but there's no place I'd rather be."

MOST SUCCESSFUL

Hamilton last won a race in 2021, with Red Bull and Verstappen in 2022 ending Mercedes's record run of eight successive constructors' world titles.

The team are second in the current standings but a mighty 285 points behind Red Bull, who have won every race.

The sport's most successful driver joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013 and has taken six titles and 82 of his 103 career victories with the team.

The announcement came as no surprise, with both sides keen to continue, although the contract negotiations dragged on longer than expected.

"We have never been hungrier to win," said Hamilton in a team statement.

"We have