Hamilton hopeful over new McLaren deal

Lewis Hamilton is ready to play hardball with Ron Dennis when it comes to future contract negotiations, but still expects to come out smiling.

Hamilton recently made it clear he will likely wait until towards the end of the year before sitting down with his management team and McLaren group chairman Dennis to begin talks about extending his stay with the Woking-based marque.

When it was suggested to Hamilton he would have to ease off on his financial demands, given it is reputed he earns £10million per year, he replied: "Ron is a very tough negotiator. He was very tough when we negotiated the contract I have now, and I expect him to be the same when I go back in. But I don't see that many problems to be honest."

Former team boss Dennis threw a spanner in the works in Canada recently when asked as to the prospect of Hamilton staying with the team.

At the time Dennis made clear Hamilton is "very highly paid", and added: "He is on the end of a contract which was signed at a time when the economy was somewhat different. Now there has to be a balance."

It suggested Hamilton and XIX Entertainment would have to soften their stance come the time they commence talks, that there is no longer the money in the pot there used to be.

There is an indicator from Hamilton he is now more than likely to re-sign with McLaren, a team he has been with since the age of 13.

However, the 27-year-old's sole focus at present is on what he now sees as the "toughest championship" he has been involved in since he came into the sport in 2007.

"I'm not really focusing on it," Hamilton added. "At some stage my management will sit down when I tell them to and focus on it.

"But I'm not putting any energy into it. At the moment it's about focusing on trying to win this championship, which is the toughest for a long, long time, at least in my career. I need to make sure I have 100% focus on that, and all the other things will fall into place at the right time."