Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said a remark he made about Lewis Hamilton had been taken “a bit out of context”.
In a new book called Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane, the Austrian said he believed “everyone has a lifespan” when he spoke about Hamilton's surprise decision to move to Ferrari.
Some saw the comments as a suggestion that Hamilton, a 39-year-old seven-time world champion, may be past his prime as he prepares to leave Mercedes at the end of the season.
But before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Wolff insisted that was not what he meant.
“What I was referring to is that we all age, whether it’s being in a car or on a field or being a manager or an entrepreneur.”
“And that’s what I’m trying to do with myself, to understand if I’m moving from excellence to quality, because quality is no longer enough in Formula 1.”
“But contrary to what I can think, we see with Lewis that he is very present when the car is good and that we have not been able to give him the car to perform as well as possible. And that's is a frustration that we feel as much in the team as for himself.”
“But he's very lively. He's different from what he was at 20, that's for sure, but his experience and his racing sense are fantastic.”
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