Lewis Hamilton has said he would like a new deal with Mercedes agreed before the Formula One summer break kicks-in.
Hamilton, 36, is riding on the crest of a wave after winning Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix to solidify his best ever start to a season.
The seven-time world champion has a 14-point cushion over Red Bull's Max Verstappen after winning three of the first four races.
Following his triumph at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, Hamilton signalled his intention to sign his next Mercedes contract before August's three-week summer break.
The Englishman is currently operating on a one-year contract, agreed just six weeks before the new season.
"We don't want to rush anything but I think we have to be sensible and start conversations," Hamilton said after Sunday's triumph.
"They're very complex, so hopefully soon we can start, as long as it doesn't interfere with the actual job."
The delay in his contract talks last year was not planned. He and team boss Toto Wolff wanted to wait until after Hamilton had clinched a record-equalling seventh title. But further delays were caused when they both contracted coronavirus – Hamilton at the start of December and Wolff in the new year.
"We never want to be in the position that we were in January, in February," he said. "It ruined my whole winter and I'm sure it wasn't helpful for Toto's, in terms of being out to be off and relaxed, so it felt like we didn't really have much of a break."
In an interview with the PA news agency, team principal Wolff says he believes Hamilton's next deal will be longer than a 12-month add-on.
"Yes, it should be [more than a year]," he said. "We don't want to be in a stressful situation every single year where we are absolutely flat-out trying to win races and needing to negotiate. I would rather that doesn't happen every year.
"We just need to spend a day or two together, put it out there, and decide which are the difficult components.
"We will then lock the door and won't walk out until it is sorted. That works best for us and it has worked best for us in the past. "
Asked if Hamilton can compete into his 40s, Wolff replied: "Yes, absolutely. I have no doubt about that. He is so disciplined that in a way it is inspiring.
"As long as Lewis continues to look after himself mentally and physically, continues to develop cognitively, then he can go on for much longer.
Meanwhile, shifting focus back on to the track, Hamilton believes he learnt more about title rival Verstappen and the Dutchman's car on Sunday than "all the other races put together".
The reigning world champion spent most of the afternoon behind Verstappen's Red Bull but hunted him down to secure his latest victory.
"It was actually a really good day. I learnt a lot about Max today, perhaps more than all the other races put together. This has been a good one in that sense," the Briton said.
"When you are with people on track you get to see different things and watch closely.
"Obviously I was following relatively closely and I learnt a lot about his car and how he uses it, so it was a good race in that respect."
The%20specs
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Results
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The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff
By Sean Penn
Simon & Schuster
Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
