Hamilton won't ask for a pay hike

LONDON: Formula One rookie driver Lewis Hamilton is in no rush to renegotiate his contract with McLaren, despite a strong debut season.

The 22-year-old's victory at the Japanese GP Sunday puts him on the brink of becoming the youngest world champion in F1 history.

Media reports here suggested that Hamilton is in line for a 10-fold increase in his basic wage for next season, which would take his salary to around 20 million pounds.

But his father and representative, Anthony Hamilton, insists he will not be forcing the issue with McLaren chief Ron Dennis.

"We have the same contract from when we signed up for this job but everything changes after a while, doesn't it?" he said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We won't be asking for anything. We will be waiting as normal to be given things as it's much better to be given than when you ask. But I'm sure we won't have to wait long. We are in a long-term relationship at McLaren."