The future of Mercedes in F1 is always a hot topic for one and everyone as new talk from Eddie Jordan throws a twist in the whole plot with Ineos.
There are speculations every now and then regarding Mercedes, even though its parent company and even Toto Wolff has categorically denied any such thing. The latest comes from former F1 team owner Jordan, who has linked it with Ineos.
The chemical company joined Mercedes ahead of the 2020 F1 season as its sponsor and technical partner, with the injection resulting in the car sporting a maroon spot on top of its car. The signing became the second biggest for them outside Petronas, as per reports.
The partnership could now be a bigger one as per Jordan, who emphatically states that they will own 70 percent of the shares, with the team being re-named as Ineos – even though, it will carry on with its operation from Brackley still.
“The ownership of the team is going to be taken over by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos,” said Jordan. “The Ineos name is already on the side of the car anyway and they have this technological partnership so this is a nice way out for Mercedes.
“The team will be called Ineos but it will still be run from the factory in Brackley and Mercedes will retain a 30 per cent share in it. It will not be known as Mercedes any more and Toto Wolff, the team principal, will no longer be in charge.
“It has become difficult for them. How can they keep winning? How can they improve on what they have already done? They can’t. Toto’s reputation as one of the great team leaders in the history of the sport is already secure.
“What he has achieved at Mercedes puts him in the same league as Ron Dennis at McLaren and Jean Todt at Ferrari but all good things come to an end,” Jordan summed up. There could be truth to what the Irish states but not in entirety.
As Wolff and even Lewis Hamilton negotiate their future, with Valtteri Bottas settled, the Austrian has been up and down with his team principal role. It has been long said that he would stay with Mercedes but maybe not in the similar capacity.
There is also 10 percent of shares of Niki Lauda, which hasn’t been sold as yet. This could be the shares which Ineos can step in to take, while the rest could remain the same where Wolff has 30 percent and Mercedes holding 60 percent.
As ever, Mercedes did not wish to speak much on the latest topic with Ineos as they stated: “We ask for your understanding that we don’t comment on rumour and speculation.” From Wolff’s perspective, he is still on the ‘reflection mode’ as talks continue.
“I’m still in the year of reflection,” said Wolff at Monza. “I didn’t say when the year started. With January 1st, I have until 31st of December to go into. I love this team and I get along with Ola Kallenius fantastically. I think this is my place.
“It is just eight years in this team as a team principal are taking its toll, and this is something that I’m reflecting on, and important to take the right decision for my family and myself, but you can be sure that I will be involved in this team in some way or other.”
Additionally, there are also reports of Mercedes positioning some of their F1 team members at Aston Martin post the budget cap in 2021, where the former will have to shed some personnel and the latter to add to balance their respective teams.
