As Toto Wolff gets down to work at Mercedes, the situation at Williams remains unclear.
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hen the Austrian’s team switch was announced, Williams made clear that Wolff “will retain his shareholding”. It is believed the 41-year-old’s Williams stake is worth up to EUR 40 million.
Sources have said Wolff owning shares in competing F1 teams – he has bought 30 per cent of Brackley based Mercedes – is legitimate, but it remains to be seen if the situation will change.
“For the moment I’m going to keep those (Williams) shares,” he said on Tuesday.
“I have a responsibility as a shareholder. I can’t let everybody else down. I’m going to look at the situation in the next couple of weeks or months.
“I am working 100 per cent for Mercedes, as a director of Mercedes and trying to be successful with Mercedes.
“But I’ve had a long interest in Williams and you can’t kill an emotion just by resigning from a directorship.”
It is rumoured there could be a silver lining for Williams, with suggestions Wolff’s new Mercedes link could deliver a change of customer engine supplier for the currently Renault-powered Grove team.
“No discussions have been held,” Wolff said.
source: GMM