Sir Jackie Stewart clearly believes Lewis Hamilton should accept McLaren’s offer.
It emerged in Monaco that the famous British team is offering the 2008 world champion a more than $150 million, new five-year contract, that would extend his McLaren tenure beyond a decade and his 33rd birthday.
It would also make Hamilton, 27, F1’s highest paid driver.
Reports, however, have suggested the Briton and his management are prepared to hold fire whilst key seats at Red Bull and Ferrari remain open.
"Without McLaren," said triple world champion Stewart, "Lewis Hamilton would not exist, certainly in terms of where he is in his career.
"And McLaren are one of the great teams in formula one — not in the past, but now," the famous Scot told the Daily Mail.
"They employ great engineers. They invest in winning."
Stewart indicated that the Woking based team is a better option for Hamilton than Red Bull and Ferrari.
"Red Bull have a brilliant designer, Adrian Newey, but can they be any more certain of delivering a championship every year than McLaren can?
"They are the only alternative to McLaren. And I say that because you could not be sure what Ferrari will deliver.
"Even if they could build a winning car, he would have Fernando Alonso as his teammate — and he’s been there," added Stewart.