Wolff: Merc working on F1 2024 car | Hamilton contract ‘emotionally done’

After being outperformed by McLaren at the British Grand Prix, Wolff admitted that Mercedes will have no other option than switching their full focus on to next year’s challenger soon.

Speaking after Hamilton topped final practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Wolff confirmed that Mercedes are “slowly but surely transitioning into next year”. 

"To a very large degree, we are already on next year’s car,” Wolff told Sky. 

“But there is still a lot to learn. We still don’t know the ins and outs. Slowly but surely we are transitioning into next year.”

Ahead of the weekend, Hamilton told media including Crash.net in Hungary that there is "no negotiation left" to do. 

Although a contract extension has not been announced for the 38-year-old, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, it is considered a foregone conclusion by both parties. 

Wolff insisted that the contract is “emotionally” finalised despite not yet being signed off. 

“The state is we haven’t signed it, but emotionally we have done it,” he explained. 

Hamilton admitted his car felt “at its worst” after a difficult Friday but the seven-time world champion laid down a marker as he set the pace ahead of the Red Bulls in FP3.

The Hungaroring is one of Hamilton’s best tracks, with the seven-time world champion racking up eight pole positions and eight victories at the venue, including his first win for Mercedes in 2013. 

“Lewis here, at one of the tracks he really likes, he’s just able to add another two or three tenths,” Wolff said. 

“We changed quite a bit but you see the comparison on the medium. 

“The Red Bulls are able to pull out a first lap that's a second quicker than everyone else, but on the softs, the pace wasn't there and for us it's the opposite.

"George was saying the car was completely transformed the moment we put it on the soft with the same setup. I think the difference was more than a second. 

“We don't think you can run it in the race. But we will see tomorrow, maybe we will do something different.”