Lewis Hamilton considers Mattia Binotto’s comments as compliment.
It is first time in his F1 career that someone from high position like Binotto has ever praised the British driver.
Binotto was asked if there lies an opportunity to get Hamilton on board with Ferrari, when his arrangements with Mercedes come to an end after 2020 season.
Binotto answered the question: “Knowing that he’s available in 2021 can make us only happy”.
Hamilton was asked about Binotto’s comments and he said: “I think that’s the first compliment I’ve had from Ferrari in these 13 years.”
“I honestly don’t remember them ever mentioning me ever,” he added.
“So thank you and I’ll take it. It doesn’t really mean anything, it’s all talk, but it’s nice that finally, it’s taken all these years for them to recognise me, but I’m grateful.”
Hamilton also praised Ferrari and added that it is “a team that I’ve always appreciated over the years, so to earn their respect from someone from there, that’s obviously very high up, is not a bad thing.”
However, despite the positive comments from Ferrari, he suggested that he is not seeking a position at the moment.
“I think they’ve got two great drivers as it is,” he said. “Who knows what the driving market’s going to be doing over the next year.
“But if I’m really honest I’m not really focussed on that right this second. I’m trying to make sure I finish off strong. I’ve got this incredible group of people behind me where I am and I feel like I just continue to owe it to them to give my heart to them and my energy, 100 percent, to them. Particularly as I’m still in contract and negotiations haven’t started yet.”
He is optimistic to reach an arrangement with Mercedes, if the team chose to hunt for F1 beyond 2020.
“I honestly don’t know how the next phase of the month is going to go when it comes to contracts,” said Hamilton. “It’s very odd that you have to do it almost a year before it ends and it can’t be done kind of toward the end. But that’s just the way it goes. But we shall see.”
