LONDON (Reuters) - Rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton has agreed a new five-year deal keeping him at McLaren until the end of the 2012 season, the Formula One team said on Friday.
No financial details were given for a contract that is sure to transform the 23-year-old Briton into one of the best-paid drivers in the glamour sport, and potentially the highest earner of all time.
Formula One's first black driver had an astonishing debut season in 2007 when he won four races and finished runner-up by a single point to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen after leading to the final race.
"Following our initial Formula One agreement with Lewis, which we announced in November 2006, he went on to exceed all expectations for a rookie in Formula One, even those of us in the team who have known him for over a decade," said team boss Ron Dennis in a statement.
"Given Lewis's performances over the course of the 2007 season, it is clear that improved financial terms were fully deserved.
"Today's announcement will take the length of our relationship with Lewis to a total of 15 years, which we believe is among the longest running associations between a sportsman and a team in the history of sport, particularly motorsport."
Hamilton, who has been backed by McLaren from karting through various junior series over the past decade, said the new deal was fantastic news.
"Whilst last year was my first year with the team in Formula One, I have been connected to McLaren and Mercedes-Benz since 1998 and feel that I could easily drive for this team for the whole of my Formula One career," he said.
RIGHT TEAM
"I am with the right team to compete for race wins and both the drivers' and constructors' World Championships in the future," added Hamilton.
"We will have a lot of challenges ahead, but I am 100 percent positive that I am with the people to take them on."
The new season starts in Australia on March 16 and Hamilton will be a favourite for the title after racking up nine podium finishes in a row in his first nine races last year.
The youngster also has a new team mate in Finland's Heikki Kovalainen after the departure of double world champion Fernando Alonso back to Renault.
Hamilton's father Anthony said the new contract was a testament to McLaren's early faith in his son and the driver's belief in the team.
"It is an amazing thing to have been signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz back in 1998 at the age of 13 and to be given an opportunity to achieve a better life than one would ever have dreamed could happen," he said.
"It is also a fantastic feeling to have put all our faith and belief into the team and here we are today in a great partnership and our relationship even stronger."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Trevor Huggins)
No financial details were given for a contract that is sure to transform the 23-year-old Briton into one of the best-paid drivers in the glamour sport, and potentially the highest earner of all time.
Formula One's first black driver had an astonishing debut season in 2007 when he won four races and finished runner-up by a single point to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen after leading to the final race.
"Following our initial Formula One agreement with Lewis, which we announced in November 2006, he went on to exceed all expectations for a rookie in Formula One, even those of us in the team who have known him for over a decade," said team boss Ron Dennis in a statement.
"Given Lewis's performances over the course of the 2007 season, it is clear that improved financial terms were fully deserved.
"Today's announcement will take the length of our relationship with Lewis to a total of 15 years, which we believe is among the longest running associations between a sportsman and a team in the history of sport, particularly motorsport."
Hamilton, who has been backed by McLaren from karting through various junior series over the past decade, said the new deal was fantastic news.
"Whilst last year was my first year with the team in Formula One, I have been connected to McLaren and Mercedes-Benz since 1998 and feel that I could easily drive for this team for the whole of my Formula One career," he said.
RIGHT TEAM
"I am with the right team to compete for race wins and both the drivers' and constructors' World Championships in the future," added Hamilton.
"We will have a lot of challenges ahead, but I am 100 percent positive that I am with the people to take them on."
The new season starts in Australia on March 16 and Hamilton will be a favourite for the title after racking up nine podium finishes in a row in his first nine races last year.
The youngster also has a new team mate in Finland's Heikki Kovalainen after the departure of double world champion Fernando Alonso back to Renault.
Hamilton's father Anthony said the new contract was a testament to McLaren's early faith in his son and the driver's belief in the team.
"It is an amazing thing to have been signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz back in 1998 at the age of 13 and to be given an opportunity to achieve a better life than one would ever have dreamed could happen," he said.
"It is also a fantastic feeling to have put all our faith and belief into the team and here we are today in a great partnership and our relationship even stronger."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Trevor Huggins)
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