© Paul Ripke for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Toto Wolff says he is not interested in a non-executive Niki Lauda-like role with Mercedes and comments on Lewis Hamilton‘s future with the team.
Toto Wolff’s contract with Mercedes is expiring at the end of 2020 and his future with the team is still unclear. However Wolff says he is looking to remain in an ‘executive role’.
“What we are doing is the best sport,“ the Austrian told Channel 4.
“I’m so passionate about the sport and I don’t want to give it up. I don’t see myself in a non-executive role like Niki had at the end, more of an executive role.
“I want to choose how many Grand Prix I go to, how much I’m being involved, not annoying our chief strategist anymore with my inputs during the race or asking semi-professional questions to the technical director and the chief engineer.”
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Althought Mercedes announced Valtteri Bottas has been signed for another year, Lewis Hamilton’s contract has not yet been extended beyond 2020. Wolff says Hamilton needs to make his decision before the season ends.
“It has to happen this season. You can’t start a new season without knowing what drivers line-up you have.
“Due to the intensity of this season we simply haven’t had much time to spend together yet, because you have to recover well in the days between races. We’re keeping it loose.
!At one point we already said that we take the old contract that we haven’t looked at for three years and say: okay, what are we going to change?”
“The deal is performance. The performance on our part to give him the best car he can win with and the performance on his part to be the fastest driver there is.”
