The deal remains unsigned but the Mercedes driver’s admission is a m🐽ajor step towards his future being sorted.

Hamilton’s current deal will exౠpire at the end of this year.

“It’🐲s very, very close,” he said about a new contract being confirmed.

“It might be announced at the end of the year. I mig💃ht keep you waiting! 

“Honestly, I don’t have any more informaꦕtion for you to share. It continues to be with the la🃏wyers, back and forth on things.” 

Hamilton was asked if 🦩his role in the negotiations has now ended, and he replied:ꦜ “I’ve not been part of it the whole time. 

“I’ve been removed from it from the beg𒁃inning. I’ve been wanting to focus on all the other things I have going on. 

“The te൲am has been working on it in the background. 

“There’s no ꦡnegotiation left. It’s just all the smallꦏ bits.”

The length of Hamilton’s new contract ♍- and the finances - have not been confirmed.

At 38 he is the second-oldest driver on the current F🎀1 grid, and he’s seeking an all-time record eighth championship.

Mercedes will have to take a huge step forward ꧅to usurp Red Bull to make that happen.

previously𝓰 reported that a sticking point in Hamilton’s contract talks was Mercedes𓆏’ reluctance to agree to a 10-year ambassadorial role after his F1 career ends.

The same report claimed Mercedes wanted to give him a one-year deal with the🅺 option of one more.