Lewis Hamilton "will not be rushed" on Mercedes contract

Lewis Hamilton says he will not be rushed into signing "the most important" contract renewal of his career with Mercedes.

The 33-year-old is out of contract at the end of a season in which he will seek to secure his fourth drivers' title in five years. 

But Hamilton is calm about the situation, saying he needs "all the information" before making a decision.

"The next contract is probably the most important one of my career," said the Briton ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

"The last contract was the most important up until that point and the next one after that will be more important than the last one.

"The decision as to how long you want to commit to being in Formula One is becoming more important being as that I'm at the latter end of my career, so it's one I'm not going to rush into.

"There is no rush, I will not be rushed into it. Ultimately you want to have all the information."

That information could include details on Liberty Media's plans for F1 from 2021 – expected to be revealed on Friday – as Hamilton acknowledges an announcement could have an impact on his thinking.

"I hear there is some sort of announcement to be made at some stage and I'm interested to see what is happening in Formula One because I am an integral part of it," he said.

"It would be great to know how it all sits for us. Maybe it's going to affect [the media], who knows?

"It's actually come at a pretty good time because I still haven't put pen to paper. It's good for the team and good for us and it's important that we do take our time. You should never, ever rush it.

"The team is not saying they are talking to other drivers and since I've been with the team I've never spoken to another team."