Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are a logical choice for each other ahead of their Formula 1 future after world championship team confirjmed their stay in Formula 1 after 2020, said team boss Toto Wolff.
Mercedes showed the visual identity of its 2020 F1 car on the 2018 W09 car with the 2019 front wing and they also announced a new partner, the chemical giant INEOS, who brought several dark red surfaces to their car.
Wolff seized the opportunity to confirm that Mercedes would remain in Formula 1 after 2020, following rumors that they might retire from the sport after winning their seventh consecutive double championship title, with Hamilton being a logical choice as the driver who won five titles in the last six years.
“I think it is the obvious pairing going forward,” said the Austrian in London as Mercedes announced a new, long-term partnership with INEOS.
“We would like to have the fastest man in the car,” he said.
“And I know that Lewis wants to be in the fastest car, so there’s an obvious mutual outcome.”
“At the moment Lewis has proven that he is the best current driver, with his six titles, and on the mid and long-term I hope we are able to continue to provide technology to the best driver and to attract them.”
Wolff dismissed ‘lunatic’ reports about Mercedes retiring from the Formula 1 after 2020.
“F1 has always been a great provider of headlines over the winter break,” Wolff said on Monday.
“And by the sheer lack of racing results and the controversy on track, dropping a bombshell of a headline, always sells.”
“And in that respect, I’m always surprised that there’s some lunatic out there that writes something on an internet page and it’s being picked up, which was a complete nonsense story, which was put straight by the CEO of Daimler the following day.”
