Toto Wolff denies Lewis Hamilton to be offered £1m per week to stay at Mercedes
Newspaper report claimed world champion was aiming for £150m over three years; “I think these numbers you must question where you get your drugs from,” says Wolff
Monday 16 March 2015 14:23, UK
Toto Wolff has angrily denied reports Lewis Hamilton will be offered £1m per week to remain at Mercedes beyond the end of this season.
Newspaper reports claimed this week that the reigning world champion, who is representing himself in the negotiations, was aiming to become the highest paid driver in F1 history with a £150m deal over three years.
However, Mercedes boss Wolff gave an emphatic response when the figures were put to him during the final pre-season test in Barcelona.
“I think [with] these numbers you must question where you get your drugs from,” he told Sky Sports News HQ's Rachel Brookes. “I don’t want to even comment on this nonsense.”
The Austrian insists relations between the two parties are still positive despite talks continuing to drag on after being resumed following Hamilton’s victorious march to the drivers’ championship.
“We are in really good discussions with him, he wants to stay with the team and we want him to stay and we are in good spirits,” he added.
“Contract negotiations are something which takes time and we are positive so this is pretty normal business. Don’t forget it is the start of the season and everyone is expecting a contract to be signed soon and they are putting pressure and for us this has no influence in our discussions.”
