As expected Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his superstar driver Lewis Hamilton are in no rush on ink a contract extension, despite media unsubstantiated reports that there is a stand-off between the parties.
ORF TV’s Sport am Sonntag interviewed Wolff who is in Kitzbühel, reportedly recovering from a bout of COVID-19.
Regarding the ‘stalled’ contract negotiations, the team boss revealed, “Lawyers are hard at work but before Bahrain, at the latest, we have to sign something at some point.”
Suggesting no urgency, and certainly no stand-off as Wolff joked, “I’ve already threatened him with the fact that I’ll be next in line to sit down with him.”
Last year Lewis himself contracted COVID-19 and was forced to sit out the Sakhir Grand Prix which provided an opportunity for George Russell to show what he could do in the World Champion car.
As we all know the young Briton shone bright, signalled his abilities with a stellar performance that did no go unnoticed.
Wolff acknowledged George’s big night, but was quick to add about the deal with Lewis, “In our long-term partnership it is not about showing any posturing. Some things need to be talked out carefully.
“You don’t make life easy for lawyers either. We’ll pull out the fountain pen one day. We have a really solid basis in our relationship, we have celebrated great successes together and we want to do the same in the future.”