Charles Leclerc is a “long-term” option for Mercedes, with team boss Toto Wolff still “committed” to Lewis Hamilton.
The Monegasque’s future in Formula 1 has been a big talking point in recent months as Ferrari continues to underperform, though Leclerc has made it clear he has no intention of leaving the Scuderia “for now”.
However, with one insider recently calling talks between Leclerc and Mercedes an “open secret”, the Austrian was asked if any contact had been made.
“The only time I talked with him is when we discussed where the gate is in Melbourne to board the plane,” Wolff said cheekily via BBC Sport.
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“Charles is a super guy and for the long-term future someone you have to have on your radar but not for the short and medium term.”
That’s because Wolff is still convinced that Hamilton will remain at Mercedes beyond 2023 despite having yet to sign a new deal.
“I think he feels very much that he’s strong and we feel the same,” he told Formula1.com.
“We are not going to race for a drivers’ championship this year, that is what it looks like at the moment, and we just need to give him a car that can do that and hopefully we can get our package to a winning package this season and have something that can bring him his eighth title, and no doubt he is motivated to achieve this.
“That’s something he wants to do, that’s his ability, we have a great relationship personally, and with the team he’s been a strong pillar over the last 10 years, so we are in a really good place.”
As for Hamilton himself, he denied the Leclerc rumours put any pressure on him to hurry up and confirm his future at Mercedes.
“No, not really. I think maybe some of the drivers will speak or have relationships with different bosses and stuff,” he commented.
“No, I like where I am, I love my team and I think I’m grateful for the journey we’ve been on and what we’re working on moving forward so…. doesn’t have any impact, no.”