25 April 2023 , 07:51
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Toto Wolff's son, Jack, has been pictured racing a Charles Leclerc -themed racing kart, which also donned Lewis Hamilton's 44 number.
The Mercedes boss was observing, alongside wife Susie, as their son took on the challenge of four wheels. Both his parents raced to a very high level and remain in the sport, so interest from their child is hardly surprising. His choice of colours and design on the kart may raise eyebrows, however.
Wolff has largely been involved in Mercedes throughout his time in Formula 1, with his remit to overcome rivals at Ferrari and Red Bull. The Scuderia have been a strong challenger over the years with Leclerc registering wins since joining them in 2019, but his future remains unclear.
The deal he first signed in Maranello will expire at the end of next season and a renewal doesn't appear to be imminent. The 25-year-old has registered five wins with the team but, with the exception of last season, they've struggled to give him a package capable of winning the championship.
Their pace last season was undermined by poor management decisions, that eventually saw a change of team principal. Leclerc has had to watch Red Bull and Max Verstappen race off into the distance in the opening rounds of this season - with some suggesting the title will be a formality.
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Leclerc could yet seek a change of scenery and environment as he looks to achieve his ultimate objective. Mercedes currently have Hamilton and George Russell on their books, but the seven-time world champion is now 38 with his future unclear.
Toto Wolff's son has donned a Charles Leclerc-themed kart (@leclercdata)A renowned F1 journalist has claimed it's an "open secret" that there have been talks between Leclerc and the Silver Arrows. Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has suggested that terms in Leclerc's contract could allow him to jump ship.
The Austrian told Sport1: "These performance clauses are common today. It roughly states that a driver must have a certain number of points at a certain point in the season, usually in late summer, in order for the contract to be automatically renewed. If this is not the case, both parties have the option of terminating."
Marko has personal experience with such matters as he added: "It was for this reason thatSebastian Vettelwas able to switch to Ferrari so easily in 2015."
Leclerc himself has told Sky Sports F1: “No, there are no talks ongoing for now at least. I love the red colour. I love Ferrari. I’m very happy here. But we’ll see what the future holds. Obviously it’s very early to speak about this, my contract ends in ’24. But I’ll know once there are some talks starting.”