Lewis Hamilton is close to signing a new three-year deal – worth up to £40million ($50m) a season – to continue his history-breaking association with Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton is close to agreeing a new three-year deal – worth £120million – with Mercedes. Hamilton has made no secret of wanting to stay with the team that have powered him to five titles in six years, though his initial pay demands were baulked at by the Daimler board in Stuttgart. Hamilton will start Sunday’s Russian Grand Pix in pole position having come within a single second of qualifying only 15th after his afternoon was plunged into jeopardy following Sebastian Vettel’s crash. Hamilton had failed to post a time – his earlier lap chalked off by the stewards for exceeding track limits. ‘I had my heart in my mouth the whole way,’ said Hamilton, 35.

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