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Suggestions that Lewis Hamilton could quit Formula 1 have been brushed off by his former teammate Jenson Button, who reckons the Brit will go all out to win his record-breaking eighth title next season.
Hamilton was denied the feat in 2021 in dramatic and controversial fashion as Max Verstappen overtook him in the final lap of the season finale in Abu Dhabi to secure his first championship.
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Race director Michael Masi received criticism after he was accused of bending the rules to allow a one-lap shootout and - while an FIA inquiry has been launched - it will not be made public until the eve of the 2022 season opener in Bahrain on March 20.
However, the future of the Mercedes driver remains uncertain after the controversial conclusion to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton has been conspicuous by his absence from social media since the debacle in the desert but Button, who was a teammate with his fellow Briton at McLaren, does not believe the 37-year-old will retire yet, especially being tied with Michael Schumacher on seven world championships.
"I haven't got a clue but I do know I was the only person to interview Lewis after the last race," Button told Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, while discussing his new documentary Radford Returns.
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"But I really do hope he will be racing, I think he will be racing. You know he wants to win that eighth title and be the most decorated Formula One driver in F1 history. He will do that, I really do think so.
"[It was] a controversial end to the season but I really do think you have to look at the season as a whole.
"Formula 1 is in an amazing place, two fantastic drivers going at it every weekend and I think everyone is excited about the new season.
"New regulations and it is all about the development of these cars through the year."
Mercedes announced earlier in January that they would launch the first car of F1's revamped technical era at Silverstone on February 18, five days before the first winter test in Barcelona.
Hamilton is expected to be on site for the launch, alongside new teammate and compatriot George Russell.
The 37-year-old's deal with Mercedes, which earns him in the region of £40million-a-season, is due to expire at the end of next year.
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