“As for a Plan B, yes, I’ve already threatened him” – Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has finally revealed the alternative to Lewis Hamilton if contract talks fail, and it not who you think.
Toto Wolff has rejected suggestions that George Russell is being used as bait in the Lewis Hamilton contract showdown. Russell had impressed in a one-off race for Mercedes last reason and was unfortunate to have not won the race. The Mercedes team principal was talking to Austrian broadcaster ORF’s Sport am Sonntag show.
“We never played the Russell card. He’s sold himself incredibly well. One day he’ll be in a top car but our longstanding partnership is not about any threatening. We know we [Mercedes and Hamilton] want to race together and now we just have to negotiate. We’ll get the fountain pen out one day, but if we don’t see each other it’s difficult to sign something.”
State of affairs of the Lewis Hamilton negotiation
Toto Wolff has also provided an update on the Hamilton-Mercedes contract deadlock, calling it “quite normal”. He asserted that they want to make it happen, and so does Hamilton. Like a long-distance relationship, the difficulty is due to Wolff and Hamilton being at separate locations. Mercedes fans would be praying for a speedy reunion, as they aim to win yet another world title this season.
“As is the case with negotiations, you come from different corners, but that’s quite normal. We have a solid basis in our relationship, we have enjoyed great success and we want to do that in the future. But sometimes you have to talk things out and that’s taking us some time, it’s still going on, but before Bahrain, at the latest, we have to sign something.
“There is no deadline, the lawyers are working hard, of course. We don’t make life easy for them when we both argue over Zoom and keep sending curveballs to the lawyers. But he is now in the US and I’m here [in Kitzbuhel] and at some point, we will finalize it.”
Toto Wolff to race for Mercedes if Hamilton doesn’t sign!
Toto Wolff is the CEO, part-owner, and team principal of Mercedes. And now, he has his sights set on ‘overtaking’ George Russell and replacing Lewis Hamilton.
On a serious note, the relationship between Wolff and Hamilton is going to be the key driving force behind the contract finally being signed and sealed.
“As for a Plan B, yes, I’ve already threatened him that I’ll be the next in line to sit in the car. We just have to adapt the car, that’s the only problem, but jokes apart, it is only about time.”
