Niki Lauda believes Mercedes will have signed Lewis Hamilton a new Mercedes contract before the next race in Spain.

Although the two parties have been in talks for several months and were reportedly close to signing at the Malaysian GP, a deal has yet to be secured.

Both Hamilton and Mercedes have insisted that they want to continue their partnership, it's just the fine print that is holding them up.

However, the longer the situation drags on, the more the rumour-mill is getting involved.

Mercedes have already denied that Hamilton wants a ridiculous salary and that he is demanding number one status. The latest whispers, though, suggest Ferrari could throw their hat into the ring unless pen is put to paper in the near future.

Lauda, though, isn't worried, confident a deal will be signed before the Spanish GP.

"Everything will be fixed by the Spanish GP on 10 May," the Mercedes non-executive chairman told Swiss publication Blick.

He added: "The salary is not the problem."

Although the two parties have been in talks for several months and were reportedly close to signing at the Malaysian GP, a deal has yet to be secured.

Both Hamilton and Mercedes have insisted that they want to continue their partnership, it's just the fine print that is holding them up.

However, the longer the situation runs the more the rumourmill is getting involved.

Mercedes have already denied that Hamilton wants a ridiculous salary and that he is demanding number one status. The latest whispers, though, suggest Ferrari could throw their hat into the ring unless pen is put to paper in the near future.

Lauda, though, isn't worried, confident a deal will be signed before the Spanish GP.

"Everything will be fixed by the Spanish GP on 10 May," the Mercedes non-executive chairman told Swiss publication Blick.

He added: "The salary is not the problem."