Originally Posted by
airshifter
I suspect they will work it out, but really for the most part that is probably going to be up to Lewis. In the end the people paying the salaries most likely already have a number to work with, and they will do their best to retain Lewis while staying below that number. As with anyone in his position, Lewis will do what he can to make them exceed that number if it's less than he thinks he is worth.
Not a knock on Lewis or any other driver, but I personally think that drivers and many other athletes are grossly overpaid, and have been for quite some time. Being in the forefront of any major sport brings them a lot of value in endorsements and "other than contract" pay, and most of them got to the top because they love competing. There is always the risk of injury, and in some sports that is almost a given if they are physical enough. But insurance can cover them beyond even the contract usually regardless. IIRC Schumacher was getting something like $100K a day to sit out an injury.
Once again, not unique to Lewis, but in the specific field of racing a good/great car is a huge part of the equation. The better the car is, the more options the team obviously has, and Mercedes has had the best car for years now. Granted Lewis is a top rate driver, and deserving of a high buck contract. But there are plenty of other drivers who could win races in that car, and a lot of them could probably be had for less money.