Wolff denies Hamilton wants No1 status

Editor

Toto Wolff has denied that talk over number one status is what is holding up Lewis Hamilton's contract extension.

Although Mercedes had hoped to sign the Brit prior to the start of the season that never happened.

Hamilton then said in Malaysia that he expected to have it all wrapped up within a week but more than two weeks later it has yet to be signed.

This led to some speculation that talks regarding his status within the team, and the desire to have it down on paper, were causing the hold-up.

Wolff says this is not true.

"That's not the case – and he wouldn't ask for that clause because that is not what we do and I think he appreciates how we manage the team and give both drivers equal status," the Mercedes motorsport boss told Sky Sports News HQ.

"It is down to the detail. We have discussed and negotiated for a long time. We have sorted out the main terms since a couple of months already and it's just a little bit of ping-pong between the lawyers.

"This is the normal process."

The Austrian is hoping the matter won't drag on for much longer.

"I would really wish to sort it out in the next couple of days or weeks, without putting ourselves under pressure because this is a great relationship among us," he said.

"We want to win races and just put the signed contract into the drawer."