Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that the German outfit are hoping to agree a new deal with Lewis Hamilton before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The Briton's contract with the Silver Arrows will expire at the end of 2015, and Wolff has recently hinted that Mercedes could turn to new McLaren man Fernando Alonso, if an agreement were reached.
However, Wolff has suggested that the constructors' champions are keen to conclude talks with Hamilton before he begins the defence of his world title in Melbourne.
He told PA: "It is always beneficial you have a clear situation, for the driver and ourselves. That is the best case, but you want to get it right as well, so it needs time.
"There is no reason for us to believe it is not going to go in the way we think is right, and Lewis thinks is right. Therefore we should aim to finish the discussions before the start of the season.
"But this is not a deadline we have set ourselves because the moment you set deadlines you put yourself under pressure, and we don't want to put him or us under pressure."
Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013, after six seasons with McLaren.
