Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff downplayed the possibility Lewis Hamilton could leave F1 at the end of the season, following comments made by his driver.
After winning today’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Hamilton indicated he may decide not to continue racing in the 2021 F1 season. “I would like to be here next year but there’s no guarantee of that,” he said. “There’s a lot that excites me of the ‘after-life’.”However Wolff believes Hamilton will continue for a 15th season in F1 next year. “I guess if he were to decide to step out of Formula 1 – which I don’t think is going to happen and I hope is not going to happen – then I think we are going to have a pretty frantic driver market out there,” he said.
Wolff, who is also considering his options for next year, believes Hamilton made the comments because he is increasingly concerned with what is happening in the world outside F1. “I think it’s the moment, it’s the emotions. We are all happy, but very tired also,” said Wolff.
“And the same for me: I completely relate to his feeling that you question yourself that you think about all the other things that matter and when you switch on the news in the morning and switch them off in the evening, it’s all about the struggles that we all face.
Hamilton has expressed interest in knowing what Wolff’s plans for the future are, he said.
“I think we go together in a way that we have a symbiosis and obviously it’s important where our heart is and mindset is for next year. But I’ve said that this is my team. I am a very proud co-owner with Mercedes, and I’m not going to go anywhere.
“My role may change in the future and it’s something that he has asked and I think nothing is ever secure. Like Niki Lauda in the seventies you could wake up one morning on a Friday or Saturday morning on a track and say ‘I’m just not having fun anymore’. And I think that can happen to anybody.
“But we want to continue this journey. We are not finished. Lewis and I and all the team, which we are not finished.”
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2020 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
- Gasly says potential lost podium at Imola was his most painful retirement yet
- An F1 marshal explains why Stroll’s Imola near-miss raises safety concerns
- McLaren must seek “smallest gains” in qualifying to fight for third
- Pirelli begins probe into Verstappen tyre failure
- 2020 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Star Performers
David Bondo
1st November 2020, 17:00
Hamilton isn’t going anywhere.
Ajaxn
1st November 2020, 22:58
I doubt it too, but then there’s Rosberg. Who would have foreseen that.
Felix
1st November 2020, 17:44
Mercedes the best doubt anyone says otherwise
Bulgarian (@bulgarian)
1st November 2020, 18:03
I started buying Mercedes merchandise because I adore Hamilton as a driver and highly respect Toto Wolff. Together they are representing Mercedes team and brand in the best possible way. It would be tragic if one them leave Mercedes next year. I pray they both stay in Mercedes for another year!
BasCB (@bascb)
1st November 2020, 18:47
Yeah, off course Hamilton isn’t just walking away. He might be teasing the media a bit. Maybe playing hard to get for Mercedes wanting to sign him too.
Surely if he would want to walk away from the sport he would want to say goodbye in front of a live audience. Altough by then, he would be possibly interested in staying to see how the 2022 cars match up.
ian dearing
2nd November 2020, 9:11
Well he was laughing when he said it. And said late in the same interview ‘Of course I want to be here next year.’
AllTheCoolNamesWereTaken
1st November 2020, 19:20
If Hamilton sticks around for one more season, he is 99 percent certain of becoming an 8x world champion.
So no, he’s not going anywhere. Not until the end of next year, at the earliest.
dan
1st November 2020, 22:45
Aint it funny that all the guys that think Lewis does not deserve it are clearly wrong and Merc who can hire basically anyone still want Hamilton. They aint silly they know if there is a fight like 18 Lewis is a better bet than Valterri. Im sure Alonso would race Merc for free(if Lewis want his teammate) but nope Merc will keep spending big bucks to keep Lewis.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
3rd November 2020, 4:10
Let me put it this way: hamilton is one of the top 3 drivers on the grid, no way to say he’s better than verstappen or leclerc until they get in the same car, mercedes is the best team on the grid no question.
Ofc they want hamilton since he’s a complete driver, but he wants them more than they want him, there’s no alternative to win titles atm.
bartvander (@bartvander)
3rd November 2020, 7:08
Well said, exactly this.
What Lewis has accomplished is phenomenal, but there is no way he could have done this in another car.
And he does deserve it btw.
Sridhar
2nd November 2020, 2:44
Toto is off to Ashton Martin
alex
2nd November 2020, 12:06
He renewed 2 months ago. So its impossible he doesn’t continue. He failed in his intention to grab media and fans attention. nobody cares