Formula One team Mercedes all but confirmed on Thursday that British world champion Lewis Hamilton would continue to drive for them next season. A post on the team's official Twitter page shortly before 1000 GMT carried the hashtag "announce" accompanied by the "coming soon" and "pen" emojis along with a quote from Hamilton expressing his desire to stay with Mercedes.

The 35-year-old won a record-equalling seventh Formula One title last month, six of which have come since his switch from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. The quote read: "I plan to be here next year. I want to be here next year. I think we as a team have more to do together and more to achieve, both in the sport but even more outside it."