Wolff about Vettel: "We do want to keep our options open for 2021"

The current line-up, with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, is still fixed for this year, but neither driver has a contract for next year. Besides Vettel, George Russell is also a possibility. In an interview with Motorsport.com he says that "our priorities are with the Mercedes drivers, with Valtteri and Lewis. We also keep a close eye on the situation with George and Williams".

Don't exclude anyone

Yet Wolff looks with an oblique eye in the direction of Vettel. "You must not exclude anyone, of course. He is a four time world champion and nobody knows what can happen in the coming months". Wolff indicates that Mercedes keeps all options open for now, also because a lot can change just like that. "I don't want to say right away that Sebastian won't race for us. When we look back to Nico Rosberg, I just want to keep our options open".

Rosberg, after winning the world championship, unexpectedly chose to quit, so Mercedes had to look for a replacement. That was at the end of the season, while these changes are already at the beginning. That's surprising according to Wolff. "We were surprised with these early changes, because now you have to start the season with a driver you already know he's leaving".

Clarity in summer

Wolff expects to have more clarity when the season starts. "Because of the lockdown I've been less in contact with the drivers". Still Wolff thinks he and Hamilton will get out of it soon. "We've known each other for quite some time, so I expect we'll get out of it soon. If we race again we'll sit down together and hopefully we'll get more clarity soon", said Wolff.