"I have committed for life" - Wolff on Mercedes affiliation

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has insisted his bond with Mercedes stretches past the three-year deal he has signed to continue as team principal.

Wolff recently ended speculation over his future by committing himself to a team he has overseen win seven consecutive constructors' championships.

The Austrian also increased his shareholding to become a one-third equal partner alongside Daimler and INEOS, the chemicals giant owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

When asked if Mercedes was happy to see him stay for another three years, Wolff replied: "No, that is a misunderstanding. I have committed for life.

"We [Daimler, Wolff and INEOS] are three shareholders who own the company today and irrespective of my own role, I am team principal, CEO, executive chairman at any time, but Mercedes is what I do and will do."

Mercedes, along with Lewis Hamilton, completed a septuple-double - the first time it has happened in Formula 1 history.

Wolff, however, praised the extended F1 community for ensuring racing was able to get underway despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It was a difficult year that only started very late," he explained. "The season was compressed between July and December.

"I think the FIA and FOM and the teams must be really congratulated on putting the calendar together and obviously all the media, even though they couldn't be with us at the track, kept on reporting so we couldn't do without them.

"In a way, the whole community stuck together in order to have some races going."

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