Three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton isn't ruling out a retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the current season.

In an interview with Auto, the FIA's in-house magazine, Hamilton said he would decide alone the time and place of his retirement.

"My destiny is in my own hands," said the 32-year-old Briton.

"I can decide to stop at the end of this year. Does that mean my legacy is less great than it would be if I stop in five years' time? Who's to say?".

"I don't like to plan for it because I don't know what's around the corner, I don't know what I'm going to do."

However, quitting F1 prematurely seems unlikely for Hamilton, particularly as he is enjoying his racing in 2017.

An exit at the end of 2017 appears unlikely however, given Hamilton's proclaimed love of the sport. And the Mercedes driver says that's not just because the cars are faster this year.

"Yeah, right now it's solely (more enjoyable because of) competition," said Hamilton.

"It's also easier battling another team. When (the competition) is all within a team it's just like a big vortex, and depending on the tension it gets stronger and stronger, and is actually not really what a team is built to be," he explained.

"Now having another team (to fight) we are pulling together with that same drive -- it's just so much more powerful, it's really awesome."

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