F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Wolff tests positive for COVID as Hamilton talks continue

Toto Wolff says he recently tested positive for COVID-19, undergoing in Kitzbuhel a mandatory quarantine period that the Mercedes F1 boss has now completed.

Fortunately, Wolff was not impacted by the coronavirus.

"We planned to stay for some days in Kitzbuhel, then out of nowhere I had a positive Covid test," he told Austria's ORF. "So we quarantined ourselves for 10 days here.

"Thankfully no symptoms, because it can also go badly, but we are now out of quarantine."

The 49-year-old's predicament follows COVID-19 cases reported recently by Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, both of whom have also completed their mandatory quarantine periods.

While in isolation in Kitzbuhel, Wolff conducted more contract talks with Lewis Hamilton on Zoom, revealing that a final deal between team and driver shall be finalized "at some point".

"As is the case with negotiations, you come from different corners, it's quite normal," he said.

"We have a solid basis in our relationship, we have enjoyed great success and we want to continue that but sometimes you have to talk things out and that took us some time or is still going on. But before Bahrain at the latest we have to sign something."

Wolff said that Mercedes lawyers were "working hard", dealing with the ongoing contractual changes.

"Of course we don't make life easy for them when we both keep on discussing like crazy over Zoom and keep sending curveballs to the lawyers," Wolf said.

"But he [Hamilton] is now in the US and I am here and at some point we will finalise it."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Michael Delaney

Recent Posts

Two on the trot for Laffite and Ligier in Brazil

On this day in 1979, Jacques Laffite won the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos as…

54 mins ago

Russell hungry for ‘head-to-head’ title clash with Verstappen

George Russell is not hiding his appetite for a showdown this season in F1. In…

2 hours ago

Vowles confident Williams won’t start F1 season ‘on the back foot’

Williams may have missed the first public glimpse of Formula 1’s bold new era, but…

3 hours ago

Mercedes Allison’s big takeaway from F1’s Barcelona test

Mercedes technical director James Allison arrived in Barcelona last week bracing for chaos – and…

5 hours ago

Verstappen rules out F1 management role after retirement

Max Verstappen has made one thing crystal clear about life after Formula 1: don’t expect…

22 hours ago

Williams unveils bold new 2026 livery for FW48

Williams has officially pulled the wraps off the striking new look of its 2026 Formula…

22 hours ago