Lewis Hamilton threatens to quit F1 after record-breaking season

"I don't even know if I'm going to be here next year," said Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, after concluding his record-extending victory at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola yesterday. Hamilton caught millions of Formula One fans by surprise after expressing uncertainty in his career while in the midst of rewriting history.

The victory in Italy also gave the Mercedes team their seventh consecutive Constructors' World Championship title. They surpassed Ferrari's stellar run from 1999-2005 with Michael Schumacher behind the wheel. Incidentally, Hamilton had earlier broken and surpassed Schumacher's record of Grand Prix victories. It is also only just a matter of time before Hamilton secures this year's Drivers' World Championship title. That would bring him up to seven titles, again equalling Schumacher.

Despite becoming the most successful driver-constructor tandem in the history of Formula One, both Hamilton and team principal Toto Wolff appear to have doubts about staying next season.

In an interview shared by BBC, Hamilton said, "You mentioned about Toto and shelf life - these are things that stay on the top of my mind. I would like to be here next year but there is no guarantee. A lot excites me in the after life. Time will tell."

Wolff meanwhile, could possibly move into an "executive director" role at Mercedes. "We are all happy, but very tired also. Same for me. I completely relate to this feeling that you question yourself and think about the other things that matter," he said.

Before Hamilton fans start to panic, Wolff also said that he thinks that he and Lewis still have a lot that they want to achieve together. "I think we go together - we have a symbiosis. It is important where our heart and mindset is for next year," he said. "Nothing is ever secure. Like Niki Lauda in the 1970s, you can wake up and say: 'I don't want to carry on'. But we want to continue this journey. We are not finished, Lewis and I."

Deep into the 2020 F1 season, teams have started to confirm their driver lineups. Surprisingly, Hamilton is one of the five remaining unconfirmed drivers for next season. His teammate Valtteri Bottas still has a contract, but fans are still waiting for Hamilton's decision. If he decides to step away, F1 will be thrown in a frenzy. It will truly be the end of an era and a new generation of F1 drivers will be ready to pounce.