Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll says the possibility of making a sensational move to sign s🐻even-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton when his Mercedes deal expires is “definitely tempting”.

Following months of delays, Hamilton fiꦓnally agreed a new deal to remain with Mercedeꦬs for the upcoming campaign but his contract expires at the end of the year, meaning he is on the market for 2022.

Aston Martin has already made a huge statement of intent by signing four-time world champion Se💯bastian Vettel after his departure from Ferrari, and Stroll admitted that he would be tempted to make an offer for Hamilton should the 36-year-old decide not to commit to Mercedes.

“It is definitely tempting,” Stroll told the . “Lewis in anyཧ car is great, and I am sure everyone would say yes because he is𒆙 a seven-time world champion.

“But ri꧒ght now, I am extremely focꦯused on getting started this year.”

The Canadian billionaire businessman has faced criticism for retaining his son Lance Stroll - who scored his first pole position in 2020 and achieved his best F1 season to date by finishing 11th in the championship - ahead of Sergio Perez when the team moved to sign Vettel last year, but he has brushed🐷 aside the backlash as jealousy.

“There are a lot of jealous people in the wo♒rld and jealous people, who ܫwish they were there in Lance’s position, do and say silly things,” he said. “I don’t pay much attention to it, and neither does Lance.

“Do I think 💜Lance is talented? I think he is immensely talented. I have no doubt he has demonstrated that he has world championship blood in him.

“Everything is equal when you get to the ring, and he showed that by putting it on pole in the rain in Turkey last year when the playing field was level. There are not ma🐽ny people who can do that.”

Stroll also praised F1’s decision to introduce a budget cap for the first tim🍷e in the sport’s history, and believes it will enable teams like Aston Martin to thrive in the future.

“F𝐆rom a competitive point of view, the budget cap changes the sport dramatically,” he explained.

“The big three teams were sign🌊ificantly o💯utspending everyone and probably had 400-500 more staff. All of that has now gone.

“Here, we are building a brand new state-of-the-art faci🌺lity. It wil🦋l be the most modern facility in Formula 1.

“This team has pun🐲ched above its weight with significantly less resources, and I sincerely believe with the same amount of people and the same budget, there is no reason why world🌸 championships are not very much on the cards. It is very realistic to think that.”