Toto Wolff fears Lewis Hamilton could quit F1 after being 'robbed' of title.
Team principal says he has been in daily dialogue with Lewis Hamilton following controversial conclusion to Formula One season
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has admitted he does not know whether Lewis Hamilton will continue in Formula 1, saying he hopes the 36-year-old will rediscover his passion for the sport after the way in which he was ârobbedâ of an eighth world title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
In an explosive press conference on Thursday, after Mercedes confirmed they were dropping their appeal against the result of that race now that the FIA has agreed to launch an investigation into what happened, Wolff said the Brackley team could ânot continue in a sport that is meant to be sport followed by entertainment and not the other way around.â
Wolff said it was unacceptable that teams âare held ransom by ad hoc decisionsâ adding âthere needs to be clear measures in place before the start of the season so that every driver, every team, and the fans understand what's on and what is not.â
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Reading between the lines, it seems Mercedes may well have threatened to quit unless the FIA launched the investigation into Sundayâs events which they have now announced.
On the subject of his star driver, Wolff said he was in âdaily dialogueâ with Hamilton. But it would take time to process what had happened.
Wolff confirmed that neither man would be in Paris on Thursday night at the FIAâs Prize Giving gala. Mercedes will be represented by chief technical officer James Allison instead, who will receive the constructorsâ trophy on behalf of the team.
As one of the top three finishes in the driversâ championship, Hamilton is required to attend by the FIA. But it would be a major surprise if they tried to sanction him for non-attendance given the events of the last few days.
Wolff said he just hoped Hamilton would continue racing and âreturn stronger, with a love of the sport, and trust the decision-making of the sportâ next year.
âI would very much hope that Lewis continues racing because he's the greatest driver of all times,â Wolff said. âWhen you look at it from the point of view of the last four races, he dominated on Sunday. There was not even a doubt who won the race. And that was worthy of winning the world championship.
âSo we will be working through the events over the next weeks and months. And I think as a racer his heart will say âI need to continueâ because he's at the peak of his game.
âBut we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday. Also because he is a man with clear values and itâs difficult [for him] to understand that that happened.
âIâm in daily dialogue with him but also respect that there is not a lot to talk about at the moment. Each of us copes in their own way with the feelings that we have at the moment. I just need to do the utmost that I can to help him overcome these feelings that he has in order for him to return stronger, with a love of the sport, and trust the decision-making of the sport next year. I wish very much that this would be the case.â