Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes future in doubt after bombshell that Toto Wolff could leave
LEWIS HAMILTON’S future at Mercedes was thrown into further doubt by a bombshell from Bernie Ecclestone that Toto Wolff might leave for Aston Martin.
The six-time world champion is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of the 2020 season and mulling his next move.
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Hamilton, 35, has said in the past that staying with the German powerhouse largely depends on whether team principal Wolff sticks around.
But after six years of leading the sport’s dominant force, Wolff could finally be on the move according to former F1 supremo Ecclestone.
The 89-year-old believes Wolff will jump ship at the year and join the newly-formed Aston Martin team after becoming “more friendly” with their billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll.
Ecclestone said: “Wolff has the brains to pick the right people to be friends with, and I think we will more than likely see him join Lawrence at Aston Martin.
“Lawrence has some people with him and the group has bought control of the company, and I suppose Toto could jump in there as chief executive. It might work.”
Wolff has led Mercedes to six straight constructors’ titles with Hamilton winning the drivers’ crown in five of those seasons.
The Brit previously admitted that Wolff’s decision will be a big factor in whether he stays at Mercedes or heads elsewhere with Ferrari among the potential suitors.
Speaking in November, Hamilton said: ““I have obviously considered the next couple of years and naturally I know that I want to continue racing. I love what I’m doing and I see no reason for me to stop anytime soon.
“I know that being stuck in any position for too long can also not always be a positive so I always want people to spread their wings and do what’s best for their careers.
‘Mentally destroy’
“I don’t know what that is for him (Wolff), only he will know. Naturally I don’t want him to leave, particularly if I’m staying in the sport.
“As a figurehead of a business, you’ve got to have the right people in place. He is and has been the right person, he has been the perfect match.
“If you look at some places, what has been built will continue for a period of time. But then a new person that comes in will then start doing things their way and, most likely, more often or not, could go the wrong way.
“It is important to me and I am waiting also to see where his head is at.”
Meanwhile, Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa thinks Ferrari would be making a huge mistake if they replaced Sebastian Vettel with Hamilton.
German four-time world champion Vettel is also out of contract at the end of the season and has lost his status as the team’s number one driver to 22-year-old prospect Charles Leclerc.
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And Massa, who spent seven years at Ferrari, said: “Lewis Hamilton would be a mistake in my opinion, he could mentally destroy Charles Leclerc and slow his growth.
“If I were in the place of (team principal) Mattia Binotto I would not change.
“There is a great balance in the current pairing between the talent of Leclerc and the four titles won by Vettel.”