17 January 2023 , 05:30
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Mercedes are yet to sit down with Lewis Hamilton to discuss a contract extension, Toto Wolff has admitted.
But the Austrian is confident that those talks will be short when they do happen. The Brit has less than a year to go on his current deal but has already signalled his extension to continue in Formula 1, and will only consider racing for Mercedes.
Asserting that both he and Hamilton are "aligned" in terms of what they want, Wolff said: "We have a full year to go. In the last 10 years our relationship has grown that it's just a matter of him physically being back in Europe, sticking our heads together, wrestling a bit and then leaving the room with white smoke after a few hours."
It is Wolff's first update since he declared in December : "Well the job list is pretty long with what needs to be done, but certainly Lewis' contract is one of the topics that we will tackle over the winter. There is no firm deadline. Absolutely. Lewis is part of the team and the team is part of Lewis. No reason to not continue."
Hamilton has been making the most of his time off this winter, spending some time with family and some with friends while globetrotting. One of the Brit's most eye-catching destinations was Antarctica – ideal for incredible scenery, not so much for contract negotiations.
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It also means he has not had a chance to discuss any of the biggest stories in F1 over the past few weeks, including the FIA's new ban on political statements from drivers. Hamilton has been one of the most active in terms of using his platform to promote social justice, and so will be one of the most affected.
Toto Wolff explained why talks have yet to take place (Getty Images)"We haven't talked about the political situation because he's in his off-season and I think that's important to shield yourself from Formula 1, and this is what I'm doing – helping to shield," Wolff added. "Once he's back, these things will certainly be discussed with a positive mindset.
"We need to see how this really pans out. We understand that sports are not here to make politics, but on the contrary, unite. I have no doubt that Mohammed [ben Sulayem, FIA president] and the FIA mean well to achieve the right things, it's just about aligning that with the drivers who have been more outspoken in the past.
"Every time Mohammed has spoken to Lewis and the other way around, it's ended up in a positive conversation. So I have no doubt that once people sit round the table together then things will not appears as harsh as when they are being written down in the off-season."