Wolff admits Mercedes have NO Plan B if Hamilton leaves
Wolff admits Mercedes have NO Plan B if Hamilton leaves
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has insisted he is not weighing up a Plan B in the event Lewis Hamilton retires or leaves the constructor at the end of the year.
Hamilton's contract is set to run down after the current campaign and he is yet to reach an agreement to remain with the team. As a result, speculation has mounted over a potential exit.
According to various reports, negotiations with the seven-time world champion have been placed on the back burner, with the focus instead on improving the fortunes of the Silver Arrows' unpredictable W14.
It is expected that Wolff and Hamilton will strike up discussions again in the future, but with no firm commitment from the superstar for the next campaign, Mercedes may well find themselves in the lurch and scrambling to fill the seat.
There is no concern on Wolff's part, though, with the 51-year-old remarkably relaxed.
Wolff: 'He wouldn't let us down'
Speaking to Motorsport.com, Wolff said: "I think it may sound naive, but I really struggle to think of a Plan B, if my Plan A is still the one that is my favourite.
"I don't want to engage in discussions with other drivers, because I'm happy with the ones that are in the team, that's for sure. At the moment, there is no Plan B. It's Lewis."
Wolff is also confident he will not be made to hurriedly secure a replacement, believing that Hamilton would give him notice before opting to step away.
"I think that he would tell us early enough," he added. "I don't think that Lewis would say: 'I can't do this anymore. I'm out of here tomorrow.'
"He would always feel the responsibility for the team. He wouldn't leave the team alone. Drivers can always take decisions [like that], but he wouldn't let us down.
"But then, I think if you believe that you're a team that is attractive for others, you will find solutions."
READ MORE: Toto Wolff: Net worth, wife and career profile of Mercedes giant
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Newey 'desire' for DIFFERENT role at Ferrari revealed
- 8 minutes ago
Hamilton and Wolff centre stage as F1 shuts down New York for new emoji launch
- 45 minutes ago
F1 wonderkid in Imola TEST amid driver replacement reports
- 1 hour ago
F1 News Today: Newey Ferrari links given boost as star DROPPED from team
- 3 hours ago
Hamilton in Ferrari F1 SHOCK as star targeted for stunning Audi move - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
Former Perez F1 boss reveals who should replace him
- Yesterday 21:57
Related news
F1 rival makes stunning Hamilton 'best' claim despite poor form
Hamilton F1 rival makes astonishing admission with Verstappen claim
Hamilton in Ferrari F1 SHOCK after team snub revealed
Hamilton in Arsenal title wish after STUNNING revelation
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860