Team boss Martin Whitmarsh has backed
Lewis Hamilton to extend his deal with
McLaren at the end of the season amidst continued speculation about his future.
Hamilton, who took his first win of the year in Canada, is out of contract at the end of the current season, with the Briton having been linked with both
Red Bull and
Ferrari in the not-too-distant past.
The 2008 title winner has already insisted he is in no rush to decide his future with his focus firmly on the current championship fight but Hamilton said he expected to see the relationship between driver and team continue into 2013.
"There's much more speculation outside of the team than inside the team," he told
Sky Sports News. "I think we're focused on winning the races and winning a championship. I think it's very clear that we enjoy working with Lewis. I think Lewis enjoys being in this team.
"So we have full expectation of that continuing."
Whitmarsh added that he saw plenty more success for the partnership in future after Hamilton's return to the top step of the podium, with the main goal being a second title this season.
"He's going to have many years ahead of him,” Whitmarsh added. “He's going to have many great wins ahead of him. I believe he'll have those in this team.
"People look for [and ask], 'is now a pivotal moment, or is this a special moment?' I think [in] all of our careers we are progressing, we're trying to improve, we're trying to achieve our goals. That's what he's trying to do; we're working with him and there's a really good relationship at the moment.
"The main goal for all of us is to win this year's championship."