Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said they are looking to avoid agreeing a one-year contract extension with Lewis Hamilton, as that would mean they’d need to go through the negotiating process all over again next year.
“We are in a new world and COVID really has changed the way we do business and the environment,” Wolff was quoted by The-Race.com as saying.
READ: Has Grosjean Accidentally Revealed Why Ferrari Are Struggling This Year?
“[But] I think everything should be done this year. I don’t want to go into any other negotiation mid-year next year and drag it on again.
“We all need to be concentrated on our job, Lewis driving, me running this team and Ola [Kallenius, chairman of the board of Daimler] turning the big wheel,” the Austrian added.
Separately, speaking on BBC Radio Four’s Today programme, Wolff said he believes Hamilton and Mercedes are a perfect match for each other.
“If an asteroid hits the world then anything can happen, but at the moment there’s no reason he wouldn’t want to be in the quickest car and we want him in the car so it’s a perfect match.
“We’re a good team, the two of us, but if I were to go, there’s a fantastic group of people in Brixworth and in Brackley and I think they would do pretty well without me.
“And he needs to continue his career. If we can do it together, that would be wonderful,” Wolff concluded.
READ: Max Verstappen Wants Red Bull To Sack Albon, Sign Nico Hulkenberg
Enjoyed reading this article? Consider sharing it: