Toto Wolff clarifies Lewis Hamilton shelf life comment ahead of Mercedes F1 exit

Toto Wolff has backtracked connected comments helium made astir Lewis Hamilton, which immoderate took arsenic a flimsy connected his performances arsenic helium aged, with the Mercedes brag insisting they were taken retired of context

Toto Wolff claims his comments astir Lewis Hamilton's "shelf life" were taken retired of context.

The Mercedes brag volition question goodbye to his world champion operator this winter. Hamilton volition telephone clip connected his 11-year stint with the Silver Arrows and head to Ferrari with the German outfit replacing him with the young, but highly-rated, Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Wolff's comments successful a caller publication published by the squad were taken by immoderate arsenic a notation to Hamilton’s performance, suggesting that with property the Brit had begun to diminution and the squad needed to determination him connected and prosecute younger talent.

Hamilton has not challenged for a satellite title since narrowly missing retired successful arguable manner backmost successful 2021. Wolff though insists that is mostly down to the car he's been fixed and maintained helium had nary contented with the 39-year-old's performances.

The Mercedes brag has clarified his comments by saying: “What I was referring to is that, each of us, we age, whether it is successful being successful a car oregon connected a transportation oregon arsenic a manager oregon an entrepreneur. And this is what I’m trying to bash with myself, to recognize americium I going from large to good, due to the fact that bully is not successful Formula 1 immoderate more.”

The make-up of the apical 4 successful the existent drivers' standings includes Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. None of them are older than 27 and Wolff had antecedently commented that property was a origin down signing short-term deals with Hamilton.

He said successful the book: "There is simply a crushed wherefore we lone signed a one-plus-one-year contract. We are successful a athletics wherever cognitive sharpness is highly important and I judge everyone has a support life, truthful I request to look astatine the adjacent generation."

Wolff besides went connected to add: "I perfectly had it connected my radar that Lewis would go, I conscionable could not recognize wherefore helium would alteration to different squad earlier we knew if we were going to beryllium competitive. It besides did not springiness maine immoderate clip to react.

"I had to exigency telephone our partners and I perchance missed retired connected negotiating with different drivers who had signed contracts a fewer weeks earlier similar Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris."

George Russell and Hamilton are presently separated by conscionable 2 points arsenic they conflict implicit sixth spot successful the standings. Mercedes meantime are guaranteed of 4th successful the teams' standings.