Formula 1: 5 drivers who could retire next
By Asher Fair
Lewis Hamilton
The seemingly obligatory annual Lewis Hamilton retirement rumors have come and gone over this particular offseason, but don’t discount them from returning after every season Hamilton continues to compete in the sport.
Believe it or not, the six-time and three-time reigning world champion is the second oldest driver in the sport at the age of 35, so him being one of the next drivers or perhaps even the next driver to retire is not all that far-fetched even when the rumors are continuously shot down.
Hamilton’s current contract with Mercedes expires at the end of the 2020 season after it was extended by two years back in July of 2018, but he has already been tipped to return to the team in 2021. It is believed that another contract extension would be for two years again, but nothing is confirmed.
The Briton is the longest tenured driver with his current team in Formula 1, and he has a chance to tie Michael Schumacher’s all-time championships record of seven this year. Having won the last three and five of the last six titles and only finishing in second place to teammate Nico Rosberg by a mere five points (385 to 380) in 2016, he is the clear favorite to win the 2020 title.
In fact, there are quite a few records of Schumacher’s that he is poised to break in 2020 as well, most notably the all-time wins record of 91. Hamilton has won 84 races, and he hasn’t won fewer than nine races in a single season since 2013.
If he becomes an eight-time champion and perhaps secures a significant win total, something along the lines of 100, would he stick around beyond that?