Wolff seen as potential candidate for F1 CEO role

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Mercedes AMG F1 boss Toto Wolff is seen as a potential candidate to replace current Formula 1 CEO Chase Carey from 2021.

Carey's three-year tenure with The Formula One Group was set to conclude at the end of 2019, but the American has agreed to a twelve-month extension to cover the lead-in period to 2021, when the sport ushers in its new regulations.

Carey would therefore relinquish his executive role at the end of 2020 but remain chairman of Liberty Media.

According to reporting from Racefans.net's Dieter Rencken, Wolff's contract with Mercedes expires at the end of 2020, a term that coincides with Carey's anticipated departure.

Mercedes still 'quite skeptical' of its own performance - Wolff

Wolff has been at the helm of the Mercedes team since 2013, having acquired that year a 30% stake in the outfit.

Non-executive chairman Niki Lauda currently holds a 10% interest in the Silver Arrows squad while the remaining shares are owned by parent company Mercedes-Benz.

Racefan.net reports that both Wolff and Lauda's shareholding are subject to a "pull" option which allows Mercedes to acquire the shares according to a predetermined valuation.

Wolff is allegedly "considering his future" in light of Formula 1's future development but also in view of the upcoming departure at the end of this month of Mercedes-Benz boss Dieter Zetsche, whose successor Ola Källenius - a man who believes in an electric future for the automotive industry - may not be inclined to sustain Mercedes' efforts in Grand Prix racing.

Queried on the subject of his future in Baku, Wolff did not deny that his contract with Mercedes expires at the end of 2020, but the Austrian was mum on his or the manufacturer's prospects.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.