Toto Wolff has admitted he wouldn’t blame Lewis Hamilton for searching for a transfer away from Mercedes if the game’s once-dominant staff fails to reverse its hunch.
Hamilton’s £40 million-a-year ($48 million) contract with the Silver Arrows expires on the finish of the season and his future is beneath the microscope following their poor begin to 2023.
Hamilton was solely fifth on the first spherical in Bahrain earlier than he completed a distant sixth in opening follow on Friday for this weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, 1.2 seconds adrift of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Although staff principal Wolff stays satisfied that Hamilton, 38, will pen a brand new deal, he additionally mentioned that his star driver’s head could possibly be turned as he pursues a report eighth world championship.
“If Lewis wants to win another championship he needs to make sure he has the car,” mentioned Wolff.
“And if we cannot demonstrate that we are able to give him a car in the next couple of years then he will need to look everywhere.
“I do not suppose he’s doing it at this stage, however I’ll haven’t any complaints if that occurs in a 12 months or two.”
Red Bull could have a vacancy at the end of the year with Sergio Perez operating on a 12-month deal, but it seems improbable that Hamilton would be paired alongside Verstappen.
Ferrari is a possible avenue to explore if Charles Leclerc elects to engineer a move away.
But Wolff added: “I’m completely assured [Hamilton will stay]. We are speaking once we need to do it, and the way, however we simply want to alter some phrases and the dates mainly.
“Lewis is at the stage of his career where we trust each other, we have formed a great bond and we have no reason to doubt each other even though is a difficult spell.
“It shall be so good once we come out of the valley of tears and return to strong performances.”
In Bahrain, Hamilton accused Mercedes of ignoring him on the development of this season’s machine.
Here, the British driver, who on Friday announced a sudden split from his long-time ally and performance coach Angela Cullen, said “all of us want a kick” and revealed “there are occasions when you find yourself not in settlement with sure staff members”.
“There are feelings at play with him, with me and with many others within the staff,” said Wolff.
“We put on our hearts on our sleeves and typically you say issues which are translated in a controversial or polarising method which contained in the staff by no means causes waves.
“If I am watching a race that doesn’t go well I would also say, ‘I am not happy how the car has been developed’. That is okay.
“We need the feelings to be excessive and we would like robust love and no person is just not going to take that on the chin within the staff.”
Source: www.anews.com.tr
