Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff says he cannot imagine a better place to work than at his current team and does not feel the need to “reinvent” himself elsewhere.
Wolff joined Mercedes in 2013 and in his role as CEO and team principal has guided the works squad to unprecedented success, with Mercedes winning six consecutive title doubles since ’14.
He has been linked with a move to help run F1, but suggested after the Abu Dhabi season finale that he would like to remain with Mercedes.
“There’s so many factors one needs to consider in your career,” said Wolff. “What actually makes you happy, and what gets you out of bed even on the difficult days?
“And for me, after eight years with the team, it is still the relationships within the team that give me a lot of strength.
“And at the moment, I cannot imagine any better place.”
When Wolff moved to Mercedes the team was headed by Ross Brawn, Niki Lauda and Nick Fry, but Fry quickly exited and Brawn left at the end of the year.
Wolff said the team shareholding he and Lauda had leant a business element to his role that gave Mercedes’ upper management a different dynamic to rival teams with traditional roles.
“The opportunity and the trust that was given to me in 2012, I will always honour that,” said Wolff.
“For a company like Daimler to allow a shareholding from their managing partners, Niki and myself, is not something that came easily.
“The relationship has got stronger since then, [with] the decision makers within the Daimler board, but also to many of the employees that have been part of our journey within Daimler.
“These relationships are something that fundamentally determine our life quality.
“If I’m given the freedom to continue to manage the team in an entrepreneurial way like they have so far, and I have no doubt that they will, it’s a place that is simply enjoyable from my side and also provides me with entrepreneurial opportunity.
“So I don’t see myself like a football manager that maybe does a three or five-year stint and then need to reinvent himself in another team.
“It’s different here because of the opportunity that was that was given to me as a shareholder.”