Wolff highlights factor that shows 'core strength' at Mercedes

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has stated that the extensions of senior personnel showcases “core strength” within the team.

Wolff announced last month that he had agreed terms to continue in his role at Mercedes in a new multi-year deal.

A handful of days later, confirmation followed that the team's Technical Director James Allison had committed his long-term future to the squad.

Both Wolff and Allison were integral to Mercedes' success period in Formula 1, which saw it enjoy an unbeaten title run from 2014 to 2020.

“It’s always good when the senior management commits, especially someone like James Allison [who] is fantastic and it gives trust and stability in the team,” Wolff said of the extensions.

“I think it’s something that shows the core strength of the team is being kept together.”

Pre-season plans

While Wolff and Allison have extended their deals, Lewis Hamilton has made the shock decision to depart the team at the end of the year.

The seven-time World Champion will join Ferrari in 2025 to take on a fresh challenge.

However, the 39-year-old still has a full season competing in a Mercedes and is aiming to end his ensure on a high.

Hamilton will get his first proper run behind the Mercedes W15 at pre-season testing in Bahrain next week.

“We’re going to run through our programme at pre-season testing, not only look at the stopwatch, find out whether some of the questions from last year are more understood and finally see how it puts us in the relative competition towards the end of the test,” Wolff added.

“But the truth is, only the first qualifying is going to show that.”