Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has confirmed the team won’t engage in talks with other drivers until they have a firm decision from Lewis Hamilton with regards his future after 2015.
The Briton’s current deal expires at the end of next season, but he and the team have agreed to postpone contract talks until the title fight has been decided.
If they fail to agree an extension, only then will Mercedes begin talks with rival drivers, but not before, confirmed the Austrian.
“We have a contract with both our drivers for 2015,” said Wolff. “We want to continue with the current line-up because these two boys are part of the success of the team.
“They have known each other so well and they respect each other. The moment you get somebody else in that fight, it could be detrimental to the team’s performance.
“Therefore our main priority is to continue with Lewis and with Nico [Rosberg] beyond 2015.”
Fernando Alonso has reportedly informed Mercedes that he wishes to replace Hamilton for 2016 should they fail to keep the Briton. It’s believed such a deal has the backing of Bernie Ecclestone, but the pressure of hiring the Spaniard isn’t getting to Wolff.
“There is no such pressure,” he explained. “I think one of the reasons why this team has progressed forward is that we are Mercedes-Benz and we have this huge mother ship in the back ground helping us.
“They are also leaving us to the do the business and take the decisions that are the right ones for this tiny little entity, this tiny little unit for Mercedes.
“We can call their opinions when we think it is important and Dr. [Dieter] Zetsche and the board are part of the decision-making process, but there is no pressure.”
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