Hamilton contract "close" - Wolff

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says that Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are close to agreeing a new contract deal that will see the current World Champion stay with the Silver Arrows /past the end of the current season.

Hamilton is entering his sixth season with the Mercedes team after making the switch from McLaren ahead of the 2013 season.

It has been a good move from Hamilton, who has won three of the last four titles and is favourite again for 2018, despite losing out to Sebastian Vettel in the opening race in Australia.

Wolff said: “We have been discussing going into the winter and we kind of left it there to get away from F1.

“We picked it up again in January and these discussions are going in the right way.

“We are about to finalise the last topics, and there is no reason to think that is not going to happen soon.

“He’s in a good frame of mind. I’ve seen him coming back strong from the winter.”

The four time World Champion is looking to be only the third driver to reach five F1 titles, after Michael Schumacher (7) and Juan Manuel Fangio (5).