Lewis Hamilton has signed a new contract to race for Mercedes in the 2021 Formula One season, it has been confirmed.

The reigning F1 champion will spend a ninth season with the Silver Arrows after winning a record-equalling seventh drivers' title in 2020.

Mercedes and Hamilton have agreed a deal that includes the formation of a joint charitable foundation with the aim of supporting greater diversity and inclusion in Motorsport.

Hamilton said: "I am excited to be heading into my ninth season with my Mercedes team-mates. Our team has achieved incredible things together and we look forward to building on our success even further, while continuously looking to improve, both on and off the track.

"I'm equally determined to continue the journey we started to make motorsport more diverse for future generations and I am grateful that Mercedes has been extremely supportive of my call to address this issue.

"I'm proud to say we are taking that effort further this year by launching a foundation dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the sport. I am inspired by all that we can build together and can't wait to get back on the track in March."

BREAKING: @LewisHamilton signs new @MercedesAMGF1 contract #F1 pic.twitter.com/aTYFYO3BjJ
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 8, 2021

Team principal Toto Wolff added: "We have always been aligned with Lewis that we would continue, but the very unusual year we had in 2020 meant it took some time to finish the process.

"Together, we have decided to extend the sporting relationship for another season and to begin a longer-term project to take the next step in our shared commitment to greater diversity within our sport.

"Lewis' competitive record stands alongside the best the sports world has ever seen, and he is a valued ambassador for our brand and our partners.

"The story of Mercedes and Lewis has written itself into the history books of our sport over the past eight seasons, and we are hungry to compete and to add more chapters to it."

In a 2020 season that was truncated due to the coronavirus pandemic, Hamilton still made history by breaking Michael Schumacher's all-time F1 wins record with his 92nd victory at the Portugal Grand Prix.

This year he will hope to surpass Schumacher and become the first F1 driver in history to win eight world titles.

The 2021 season is scheduled to get under way with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28.