World Champion Lewis Hamilton has denied that he plans to move team within coming years; the Englishman, who was originally signed as part of the McLaren organisation in 1997, is about to start the second of a five-year deal with the Woking-based squad.

Questioned by journalists about a future switch, Hamilton’s response was clear: “I don’t have a view on it,” he said in Melbourne. “You can take it any way you want it but it won’t make a difference – I am where I am, and I am happy where I am.”

Lewis took the world title by a single point in 2008, and accepts that rival teams could show their interest from time to time: “I would think ‘wow’,” he responded. “It is great to see that there is interest in other areas but I am happy where I am right now so that’s all there is to it.”