Wolff talks with Mercedes on backburner amid crisis

Toto Wolff says his discussions with Mercedes regarding his future with the German manufacturer have been "pushed into the background" by the current coronavirus crisis.

Wolff's future in F1 has been the subject of widespread speculation since the start of the year, with rumors alternately implying a move to Ferrari or to Formula 1 as a replacement for chief executive Chase Carey.

More recently, the Mercedes motosport boss was linked to an executive role with Aston Martin following a controlling stake acquired a consortium of investors led by friend and Racing Point co-owner Lawrence Stroll.

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It's all hearsay and gossip contended Wolff, who will most likely remain an employee of Mercedes next year.

"I'm in the eighth year now, I love sports and this team," he told Austrian daily Osterreich.

"However, I am somewhat surprised by the turn of events over the winter and by the behaviour of individual people.

"Of course, this also has to do with my decision on what to do in 2020 and beyond. But I am and will remain the head of Mercedes Motorsport and F1 boss, and nothing will change in the short term."

Wolff says the whirlwind of speculation over the winter - especially regarding a potential tie-up with Stroll at Aston Martin - was a silly case of "people adding up 1 + 1 and turning it into 3".

"What is my current status? My participation in Mercedes is solid, my contract runs until the end of 2020, and we are still in good discussions about what we want to do together," he added.

"We are discussing. But all of this has been pushed into the background by Corona. We all have bigger problems to solve now - human problems in our companies.

"Stroll and his team are a big customer of our racing team. They purchase engines, gearboxes and suspension parts from Mercedes.

"In addition, Lawrence has been a good friend of mine for many years - regardless of our business relationships.

"I'm not going to become CEO of Aston Martin, and I'm not going to make a strategic investment there either."

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