Wolff to stick around with Mercedes "whilst the fun lasts"

Toto Wolff has confirmed he aims to 'stick around' with Mercedes in Formula 1 "whilst the fun lasts" amid speculation over his future at the team.

While Wolff is fully expected to remain with Mercedes, it has yet to emerge in what capacity, with the understanding being that he will likely dilute his role as motorsport boss.

In recent months various rumours have circulated given his links to Aston Martin, where he is a shareholder, or whether he would even stay in F1.

The Austrian, however, has at least further quashed those suggestions because, as he states, Mercedes is his "gang."

"I guess we all have a contribution to make," he told Sky Sports F1.

"James [Allison, technical director] and I and many others realise it is our people that make us look good, and for me, I see it as my gang and I need to protect them when we are under attack.

"I need to be respectful and care for them when times are difficult, and at the end of the day I think it comes down to being authentic with myself, and when it comes to Formula 1, it is not politics, no one is dying, it is just a sport.

"In that respect, it should be fun and there needs to be a certain easiness and I think we have that in the team."

Put to Wolff that "whilst the fun lasts, you are going to stay?", he replied: "As simple as that, whilst the fun lasts, we are going to stick around."

Wolff has overseen the German manufacturer's monopolisation of F1 since the introduction of the V6 turbo-hybrid engines in 2014, with Mercedes winning every constructors' and drivers' championship since then.

When put to him that Allison had said he would have Wolff stay for eight years and then another eight, he responded: "I think James is being complimentary when he is on camera.

"I will tell you what he said, I think it is a great compliment. He said to me 'You are the best team principal I have ever worked for'.

"I said 'Seriously, this is the first compliment I get from you?' and he said 'Yes. All the others were useless and damaging our performance. You are the first one who is neutral, 50% of the things you do are helpful, 50% are unhelpful and neutral is pretty good', That's his opinion."

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