Former grand prix racer David Coulthard expects Lewis Hamilton to resist the allure of Ferrari and stay with Formula One champions Mercedes for some years to come.

Ferrari bosses confirmed last month that Britain's six-times world champion, whose Mercedes contract expires at the end of 2020, had met their chairman John Elkann at a couple of social events.

They said they were flattered by the Briton's interest in a possible move.

Coulthard, who finished overall runner-up to Ferrari's seven-times champion Michael Schumacher in 2001 while with Mercedes-powered McLaren, doubted a move would really happen.

"I've never felt that Lewis was ever going to go anywhere else (than Mercedes)," the Scot, president of the British Racing Drivers' Club and also a commentator for Channel Four television, told Reuters.

F1 driver line-up 2020 Show all 21 1 /21 F1 driver line-up 2020 F1 driver line-up 2020 F1 2020 The Formula One grid shows just two changes from the Class of 19, meaning there will be a fair few familiar faces returning next season. Here's how the grid lines up. REUTERS F1 driver line-up 2020 Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton (No 44) Heads into his 14th season in F1 as a newly-crowned six-time world champion and is showing no signs of allowing his stranglehold on the sport to ease. Will once again be the man to beat, but his future could well prove the biggest talking point in 2020. AFP via Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 Mercedes – Valtteri Bottas (77) Bottas comfortably made second place his own in 2019 but he still needs to find an extra gear or two if he is going to really challenge his teammate. Whether or not his divorce affected him mentally throughout the season only he will know, but a more focused and driven Valtteri Bottas could arrive on the grid next season if his distractions are out of his mind. Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 Ferrari – Charles Leclerc (16) Based on results in 2019 the Ferrari No 2 should step up and become the Ferrari No 1, but will that actually happen? Regardless, Leclerc impressed immensely in qualifying last season, taking five pole positions including four in a row, and he finally found himself on the top step of the podium in a sign of things to come. Getty F1 driver line-up 2020 Ferrari – Sebastian Vettel (5) Perhaps the most under-pressure driver in the sport in 2020, Vettel knows another year of failing to meet the grade will almost certainly end his time with Ferrari, particularly with so many good drivers on the market in 2021. Vettel showed signs of the fire within him still burning with his win in Singapore, but much more will be expected from the four-time world champion. Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 Red Bull – Max Verstappen (33) A year wiser and with a car that improved rapidly as the season wore on, Verstappen could prove the biggest challenge to Hamilton and Mercedes in 2020 if Red Bull can find that top level consistency they crave. Verstappen is also out of contract next year and will be as sought-after as Hamilton, and a season-long duel between the two would spice up that uncertainty no end. Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 Red Bull – Alexander Albon (23) Has convinced Red Bull enough in his half a season with the team to bag himself the second seat with the team for next year, or at least for the start of it. Looked a calm head on talented shoulders in 2019 and should have had a deserved podium in Brazil had it not been for Hamilton’s rash overtake attempt, but now he will have to start closing the gap to Verstappen if he is to secure a long-term future. Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 McLaren – Carlos Sainz (55) The ‘best of the rest’ last season will hope to build on the late podium that he secured in Brazil that ended McLaren’s long five-year drought, with aspirations that the British team will be looking up at the top three rather than down over their shoulder. Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 AUSTIN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 03: Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren F1 waves to the crowd on the drivers parade before the F1 Grand Prix of USA at Circuit of The Americas on November 03, 2019 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) Charles Coates Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 01: Daniel Ricciardo of Australia and Renault Sport F1 looks on before the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on December 01, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Francois Nel Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 French Formula One driver Esteban Ocon poses for a picture on his first day with the Renault team, at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, on December 2, 2019. - The highly-rated 23-year-old Frenchman will race for Renault next year as successor to Nico Hulkenberg alongside Daniel Ricciardo, and is set to test for them on the upcoming weekend in the post-season event in Abu Dhabi. 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(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Francois Nel Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 epa08032698 Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Racing Point during the first training session of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 29 November 2019. The Formula One Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi will take place on 01 December 2019. EPA/SRDJAN SUKI SRDJAN SUKI EPA F1 driver line-up 2020 SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 15: Lance Stroll of Canada and Racing Point looks on in the Pitlane during practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 15, 2019 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) Dan Istitene Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 1, 2019 Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen before the race REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed HAMAD I MOHAMMED REUTERS F1 driver line-up 2020 Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 1, 2019 Alfa Romeo's Antonio Giovinazzi before the race REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed HAMAD I MOHAMMED REUTERS F1 driver line-up 2020 Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - December 1, 2019 Haas' Kevin Magnussen before the race REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed HAMAD I MOHAMMED REUTERS F1 driver line-up 2020 ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - NOVEMBER 30: Romain Grosjean of France and Haas F1 walks in the Paddock before final practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi at Yas Marina Circuit on November 30, 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) Charles Coates Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 15: George Russell of Great Britain and Williams prepares to drive in the garage during practice for the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 15, 2019 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) Charles Coates Getty Images F1 driver line-up 2020 Formula One F1 - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - November 28, 2019? New Williams driver Nicholas Latifi ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed HAMAD I MOHAMMED REUTERS

"I'm sure he is talking to Ferrari ... but he's only ever been with Mercedes. Why go and break that?," Coulthard said at the Autosport International Show where he was promoting the all-female W Series ahead of its second season.

"Some people want that European twist to their life, but I think Lewis is quite happy in English-speaking territory. Britain and America. America for his play time, Britain for his racing.

"I don't think he needs the huggy, cuddly, emotional ride that would come with Ferrari. And I don't believe that Ferrari badge is etched on the inside of his mind since he was a wee kid. So why do it? Money? He's got plenty of that."

Hamilton, who won his first title with McLaren in 2008 and joined the Mercedes team in 2013, has always driven F1 cars powered by the German manufacturer's engines.

The 35-year-old is on course to break Schumacher's record 91 career wins this year, when he can also equal the German's title tally.

Coulthard said he felt up until the US Grand Prix in Austin last November, when Hamilton won his sixth title, that the Briton could walk away at any point but that had changed.

"I have a much stronger feeling that he's in it for another few years. So it does set us up for what could be an absolutely golden era of Formula One," he said.

Ferrari have 22-year-old Monegasque Charles Leclerc tied up on a long-term deal, with four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel in the final year of his contract, while Red Bull recently extended Max Verstappen's contract to 2023.

Coulthard said Vettel, who won his titles with Red Bull, faces a critical year after being out-performed by Leclerc last season.

"I think Seb has got a shorter duration to his career now than before. A lot depends on this year," he said. "If ... Charles continues to be up front, then it just doesn't really make financial sense for Ferrari to apportion that amount of money to someone that could end up becoming a clear number two.

"Right now he (Vettel) is number one equal. But he went in as number one plus at the beginning of the year (2019), became number one equal as the year went on and he's on the cusp of maybe dropping, as we've seen with Kimi (Raikkonen).

(Getty) (Getty Images)

Raikkonen, 2007 world champion for Ferrari, became an effective number two to Vettel before being replaced by Leclerc. The Finn is now racing for Alfa Romeo.

Speculation about who might replace Vettel alongside Leclerc is already rife, with Renault's Australian Daniel Ricciardo in the spotlight.

"A lot again depends on this year, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's already talking to Ferrari and Mercedes and all the teams that didn't want him last time round," said Coulthard.

The season starts in Australia on 15 March.