Mercedes quiet amid $900m F1 team buyout claims
Sep.13 - Mercedes is refusing to comment on reports that its dominant works Formula 1 team is lining up an almost $900 million sale.
The latest speculation has been triggered by comments made by former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan, who thinks Mercedes will be bought by Ineos.
In February, Mercedes did a major sponsorship deal with the British chemicals company that is run by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.
"The contract with Ineos is the cornerstone of our future plans for participation in Formula 1," team boss Toto Wolff said at the time.
Since then, rumours have swirled not only about the future of the Brackley based team, but that of its boss Wolff.
"I am still in a year of reflection," Wolff insisted at Mugello.
"Eight years as a team boss takes its toll, but I love this team and get on fantastically with Ola Kallenius. I think this is where I belong and you can be sure that I will be involved in one way or another.
"It is also important to make the right decision for me and my family," he added.
If Mercedes is negotiating a sale, and Wolff's position at the team will change, that would explain why Lewis Hamilton is yet to agree a new deal for 2021.
"We haven't looked at the contract for the last three years. We never took it out of the drawer," Wolff said when asked about Hamilton's expiring deal at Mugello.
"Sometimes situations and environments change and it is a time for another part of the journey that we want to do together."
So when asked when the Hamilton contract will finally be taken out of the drawer, Wolff added: "We are working on it, but I don't want to accept a certain deadline.
"We get along great, it just takes time to get all the details together. Currently we are one race after another, but there is a gap between Mugello and Sochi."
Meanwhile, when asked about the Ineos takeover rumours, a Mercedes spokesperson said: "We ask for your understanding that we don't comment on rumour and speculation."
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Just get out of F1 Merc and let F1 be free of you.
So the cheats in red can win again?? Its fans like you who need to get out!!!!!
Political statements about BML/ANTIFA on the podium should not be allowed, I said nothing about r red cars idiot
MB and baby Lewis should stop playing the woke politically correct game. We the fans are fed up of this crap and I for one, stopped watching F1 this season. F1 should take a leaf out of MotoGP, the most exciting motorsport on earth.
If you stopped watching F1 why are you still on this site? You know where to get your dose of motogp news you liar!
How sad the state of F1. A car goes off the track leaves no debri on the track but they go to a RED FLAG SESSION STOPPED. Why? I've been watching F1 since 1960 and they would go to a full course yellow not stop the session for 20 minutes. F1 is really getting too
political also..I'm sure that I'm not the only one who is tired of Black Lives Matter, End Racism drivers kneeling before a race. If drivers want to make a statement do it with action and not having slogans on their cars and uniforms. And Mercedes now have a black car and black drivers suits. Botas finds it very hot to drive with a black drivers suit but that's what Hamilton wants. Question why doesn't people like Hamilton and other major sport figures who are worth hundreds of million dollars start programs too get blacks into racing instead of complaining that young blacks have very few opportunities to get into racing.. it's easier to blame whitey. Well that's my take.
"How sad the state of F1. A car goes off the track leaves no debri on the track but they go to a RED FLAG SESSION STOPPED. Why? I've been watching F1 since 1960 and they would go to a full course yellow not stop the session for 20 minutes."
Paul, a red lag has been mandated when there is equipment on the track since the Bianchi incident in 2014. Agreed the boys should be able to control themselves under full course yellow, but they don't.
LH is finding a programme to get blank drivers into motor racing. Try to keep up....
"Try to keep up?" Ironically "blank" is kinda White. So keep up with the spell checker!
I know; "kinda: is slang.
If you like getting impaled by a wayward fork lift truck then Party On !!!
If you read the news Hamilton has done just that he started a Diversity commission before this season to get more young ethnic people into formula one.
Well said Paul. Whenever a sport becomes political is pushing people away. At the moment, F1 is suffering a double whammy; lack of competition with races becoming more like processions, and some teams and drivers dwelling in politics according to the latest political fashion, eg. BLM. That’s interesting, is that many of these so-called celebrities are using their money and fame to virtue signaling the latest fad. F1 must focus on providing exciting races rather than focusing on these meaningless diversions. The current rules are working against proper competition, for example, Ferrari cannot change their underperforming car not only this season but also the next because of restrictions on number of elements that can be change purportedly for cost savings. Well, we know F1 is expensive and money must be spent to keep teams and cars competitive. There is no other way.
T"here is no other way."
Michael, there WAS a way for seven decades before F1 decided to wreck the series with these ridiculous "power units" vs go fast internal combustion engines.
Hamilton is wrong to display political slogans on a t shirt on the podium. BLM getting tiresome now as is the F1 racing
Lewis looked ridiculous after the race with his pc t-shirt. What a prat
I just want to see good racing, not posturing.
What about if it were paid for like advertising?
I understand some think F1 is in a sad state. I live in the USA and we are in a very sad state. These things have to be said until there is no need. How about drivers saying short prayers and what not after races. Everything has been politicized in the USA, even wearing a face mask.
The problem is not with these noisy minorities, they’re just that small numbers. The real problem is the organisations that pay attention to them instead of ignoring. Many of them including MB think that virtue signalling will be positive for their marketing. The reality is that it’s far more likely to turn off customer s rather than attractive more. F1 should clamp down on this non-sense and strive to make the sport more appealing by ensuring their rules foster competition and nothing else. Otherwise, it’ll end up losing more audience that it can hardly afford to.
These comments prove that Lewis' activism in Formula 1 is needed.
Just keep ALL politics out of f1 make it the rule & if that black racist hamilton cant stick to the rules then he should leave f1 and take up politics if he's so concerned about color
Politics is part of F1, has always been, and will always be. More so because of racist bigots like you!