Wolff on contract talks with Hamilton: 'He's in very good spirits'

For some weeks now rumours have been circulating that George Russell will be signed on to replace Valtteri Bottas starting in 2022. Earlier the news came out that Lewis Hamilton would prefer to keep Bottas as a teammate. Toto Wolff speaks out about the situation.

"Well, Lewis is part of the team and has always been in the inner circle of decision-making because simply we value his opinion and in the same way when we are talking about drivers there is nothing we are not sharing with him; it’s transparent. But the other way around too: when I speak to Valtteri it’s open and when I speak to George, it’s very much open, because I don’t want to have any hidden agendas," Wolff said at the FIA press conference.

"We need to evaluate the situation for the future. Valterri had some really good weekends but he also had some off weekends and we just need to minimise those and then we will take a decision and whatever decision we will be taking, Valterri or George, the person that is involved in that will be hearing that first and that is the driver."

Hamilton doesn't have a contract yet

Contract talks between Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have tentatively begun. The Mercedes team boss was asked how hungry the Briton is:"Very hungry. It’s a very new situation for him, that it is so tight in the battle with another team and another driver and I see him in very good spirits."