Toto Wolff says he never believed reports claiming Ferrari were making Lewis Hamilton an offer; Hamilton is out of contract at Mercedes at the end of the season; Watch Monaco GP live on Sky Sports F1 at 2pm on Sunday
Sunday 28 May 2023 13:59, UK
Toto Wolff has suggested reports linking Lewis Hamilton with a big-money offer from Ferrari were "placed" to try and impact Mercedes' contract negotiations.
But the Mercedes team boss says he and Hamilton have a "pact" so he was sure there had never been discussions between the seven-time world champion and the Italian team.
Reports in the Daily Mail and Italian press claimed Ferrari were making a £40m offer for Hamilton, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
Hamilton and Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur both denied any such discussions had taken place on arrival at the Monaco GP, and on Saturday Wolff gave his opinion on where the speculation had come from.
"We've had a pact - and we've had that since many, many years - that we wouldn't talk to any other driver before we have taken a decision to stay together or not, so I was never a millimetre in doubt that there were any discussions," Wolff said.
"Someone just placed that (story), maybe to, in a way, to play a role in what seemed to be negotiation, but it is not negotiation, it is sitting at a table and saying, 'what is it we need to adapt to in the contract?' So there's nothing to it.
"The contract was ready in 2013, we've never really changed a lot of words in there… just the dates and the number of marketing days."
Hamilton had said on Thursday that an agreement with Mercedes over a new deal was "almost there" and hoped for an announcement in the coming weeks.
Wolff added: "I think that how it is at the moment with us, we're in a super happy position with Lewis.
"There weren't any stumbling blocks with the contract negotiations."
Hamilton suffered an eventful qualifying session in Monaco as he escaped being knocked out in both Q1 and Q2 with his final flying laps in each segment before eventually securing sixth place. He was promoted to fifth on Saturday evening after Charles Leclerc was handed a three-place grid penalty for impeding Lando Norris.
The seven-time world champion had been the lead Mercedes driver during practice in Monte Carlo but complained throughout qualifying about the handling of his upgraded W14.
And Hamilton revealed after the session to Sky Sports F1 that choosing a set-up that went against the feeling of the rest of the Mercedes team had probably made his session more difficult.
Hamilton explained: "I think we made some really good changes, every time you make a change it's like a role of the dice, a 50/50 chance it's going to work.
"P1 to P2 was good, P2 to P3 I think was good but then we made a change into P3 which didn't feel as good, but it was faster in the middle sector, but slower in the first and last.
"Just the car felt like a real handful, to switch on the tyres I really struggled with, and that was the first time in this session. We know why and it was a decision I had taken against everyone's judgment, I fought for something and it made it even harder probably.
"But I got a really good lap at the end, and I think that was as fast as our car was going to go, in a perfect world maybe a tenth left in it. I'm grateful I kept it out the wall and got it round."
Hamilton's Saturday was not without incident however as he crashed into the barriers in the final minutes of Practice Three, damaging his front wing and front left corner.
But despite that minor set-back, the 38-year-old revealed he was enjoying driving Monaco's streets more than ever.
"It's been an amazing weekend, I've loved every second on the track, more than probably ever," he said.
"The last time I enjoyed the track this much was 2007, 2008 and my Formula 3 days here, I've generally really enjoyed it.
"I think I've just arrived here this weekend in a really good frame of mind, last weekend was really good, to have the weekend off. I feel really refreshed this week, I've loved the challenge of being in the car.
"Definitely with the changes we've made, for which I'm really grateful to everyone back at the factory, they've worked so hard to build these components for the car. I'm glad I didn't break the new components, but I broke the wing which I'm sorry for, but those changes have helped the feeling. So it definitely feels like it's going in the right direction.
"I don't think we're going to get a full read of something like the new sidepods until we get to Barcelona, where we'll see the car come more alive."
Wolff admitted the set-up decision Mercedes and Hamilton had made had backfired but doubts the W14 would have been in contention for pole position.
"The team, with Lewis, decided to take a bold decision with the set-up because we thought we could play at the front. That backfired," he said.
"That put him on the back foot in qualifying, the car never felt really together, we had to take a third tyre in Q2 and therefore the recovery was very good.
"But there was a lot of pressure so finishing P6, three-tenths off pole, that is solid in terms of the time gap, but the position is not great."
He added: "I think what we did was compromise a bit on lap one.
"We felt it was important to compromise grip in the first sector and then have it later on. That made the car so tricky to drive in Turn 1 and that was it.
"Fighting for pole is a big statement but considering where Esteban is and Alonso, we maybe would have been within a tenth or two.
"But 'would have been' doesn't count in that position."
George Russell will line up eighth on Sunday's grid and will have Leclerc and Alpine's Pierre Gasly between himself and Hamilton.
Russell felt he had paid the price in Q3 by being too aggressive in his attempts to get ahead of Fernando Alonso, who starts second, and the two Ferrari drivers who now start fourth (Sainz) and sixth (Leclerc).
"Things were working really well in Q1 and Q2 - I felt like I was driving really well. I had a good feeling with the car," Russell told Sky Sports F1.
"We were so close to Ferrari and Fernando and I tried for more, but went slower by trying too hard - overdriving and paid the price.
"Naturally I'm disappointed, equally I probably would have been kicking myself had I been P4 or P5 on the grid and not tried that little bit extra.
"So it's always a bit disappointing when you know there's more potential there."
Sunday May 28
7.15am: F3 Feature Race
8.45am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Monaco GP build-up
2pm: THE MONACO GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag Monaco GP reaction
5pm: Ted's Notebook
5.30pm: The 107th Indy 500
Watch the Monaco Grand Prix live on Sky Sports F1 on Sunday with build-up from 12.30pm and lights out at 2pm. Get Sky Sports
