The upper hierarchy at Mercedes was behind the decision to not grant Lewis Hamilton a longer Formula 1 deal than a guaranteed one-year agreement, according to reports.
Amid speculation over his future, Mercedes confirmed last August that Hamilton had penned a two-year extension to remain alongside George Russell through 2025.
However, the announcement last week that Hamilton had negotiated a switch to Ferrari from the start of next year revealed that his contract had contained an escape clause.
Speaking to media including Motorsport Week, Wolff indicated that Mercedes had not regretted the choice of including an exit mechanism in the terms of the Briton’s deal.
“When we decided Lewis and us to go for a short-term contract, we knew why we were doing it. It is to leave him options open and at the same time us,” Wolff explained.
“We felt that a longer term contract would limit our options going forward so absolutely aware of all the positives and negatives and weighing it up, that is what we decided to do.”
However, Motorsport.com’s Italian outlet writes that Wolff would have “reserved a two-year renewal for the seven-time champion, but it seems that the constraints for a shorter duration have come from Stuttgart”.
The report continues to state that gossip suggested Mercedes’ senior management was cautious about Hamilton retiring out of the blue and leaving the team in a tough predicament like Nico Rosberg did in 2016.
“The German parent company itself would have wanted to be cautious about Lewis’ future: the doubts were not so much that he would be enchanted by the Ferrari sirens, but rather that he might decide to stop suddenly, as Nico Rosberg had done after having won the 2016 World Championship,” it read.
The bosses were therefore hopeful that Hamilton would provide an answer on his future beyond 2024 by the end of February once he had tested Mercedes’ 2024 car.
It added: “The idea, therefore, was to have a response from Hamilton by the end of February, before the 2024 season got underway and it was clear what the level of competitiveness of the W15 was, which Lewis only got to find out on the simulator [before deciding to move to Ferrari].”
Having struggled since F1’s return to ground effect aero in 2022, Mercedes is pressing ahead with a revamped concept on its W15 as it bids to return to winning ways this year.
The car is being overseen by Technical Director James Allison, who has expressed confidence that it has eradicated the “spiteful” rear-end traits of its predecessors.
However, Mercedes and the rest of the competition are facing the daunting task of catching up to a dominant Red Bull squad, who won all but one race of the last season.
Motorsport.com believes that Hamilton’s choice to transfer to Ferrari has been made in the interest of positioning himself in the best environment for the 2026 rules reset.
Trading McLaren for Mercedes one year before a regulation change in 2013 proved to be a masterstroke for Hamilton that saw him become the sport’s most successful driver.
Meanwhile, it is touted that several Mercedes engineers could accompany him to Maranello, with Performance Director Loic Serra having already committed to Ferrari.
The Italian publication reckons Hamilton would have received “precise guarantees on what Ferrari’s growth will be in 2026 and will probably be a skilled ‘pied piper’ in convincing those who are still needed to follow him in the new adventure” from 2025.
While Mercedes has been stung by the timing, Motorsport.com states that Wolff is “not desperate” about Hamilton’s exit due to teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The Italian, 17, has skipped the third tier to compete in Formula 2 this season and a stellar campaign could catapult him into contention for the seat alongside Russell.
“Mercedes wanted a quick response and found a nice surprise,” it published. “They say that Toto is not too desperate about Lewis’ exit, even though a very solid relationship that had lasted 12 years has broken down.
“Wolff knows he has a diamond in the rough in his hands: Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be 18 years old next year [and eligible] to debut in F1. The boy from Bologna raised by Stella has the stigmata of a champion.
“If he is able to confirm the good things he has done so far in the F2 championship, he will have the chance to join Russell on the black arrow, just like what happened to Hamilton who at McLaren in 2007 found himself dealing with the more celebrated Fernando Alonso.”
