Toto Wolff on Hamilton contract: We’ll have to sell factories to afford him now!

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said Lewis Hamilton’s record-breaking 92 victories is a “surreal amount of wins” – and joked the team might have to sell its factories to afford the fee for his next contract.

Hamilton gave the rest of the field an F1 masterclass as he broke Michael Schumacher’s previous all-time record with a dominant performance in the Portuguese Grand Prix, winning at his 28th different Grand Prix venue.

The Briton has held off on committing his future to the Mercedes team and after seeing him take eight wins from 12 races this season, Wolff admitted the price tag on his contract is going to be at an all-time high.

Asked about Hamilton’s contract cost by Sky Sports F1 in the paddock after the race, Wolff admitted: “It’s huge. We have to sell plenty of inventory! Sell the lease back of the buildings, just to come up with the money.”

Hamilton has secured every one of his Grand Prix wins with a Mercedes engine, and has taken 71 of those victories driving for the Mercedes team itself, having joined the team from McLaren in 2013.

“Who would have thought that when we embarked on the project in 2013,” added Wolff. “It’s a surreal amount of wins. It’s his absolute passion and energy and everything he puts into the sport. The talent, the ability, he is just standing out.

“I think almost what I’ve seen this year for the first time is he ramps up his weekend. There’s a lot of reflection, a lot of learning, understanding the tyre for the race. He is just very good strategically.”

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