Wolff: Mercedes wanted to give McLaren an engine

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed that the Silver Arrows held talks about the possibility of providing McLaren with an engine after they terminated their partnership with Honda, but did concede that the conversations simply took too long which led to Renault gaining the contract.

McLaren have been involved in a deal with Honda over the past three seasons, but Grand Prix races have been marred by continuous engine power and reliability issues.

One particular low point in the relationship was Fernando Alonso being forced to retire in the first corner of the Singapore GP. The Spaniard was so furious he retreated back to the McLaren facility at the circuit to punch a hole in the wall in frustration.

McLaren severed the partnership with Honda, and Wolff has revealed that Mercedes held talks about providing them engines for 2018.

"We wanted to give McLaren an engine," Wolff told ESPN.

"The problem is that it dragged on for a long time and we just didn't have the structure in place and the capacity to supply them an engine for 2018. It was simply too late."

Wolff went on to insist that Mercedes pick their partners carefully, and provided Red Bull as an example of a team who behave unprofessionally when criticising their engine provider, Renault.

"It is exactly because they are saying it like this and undermining their current partner that they are not having one!" the Mercedes boss added.

"In Formula One, like everywhere else in life — be it your private life or business life — it's about compromise and acknowledging your partner's strengths and weaknesses and helping each other out.

"That is very much the culture we have at Mercedes and that has made us successful in the last few years.

"Respect is a super important part of our values and this is why we have chosen the partners we have."