James Allison’s contract extension with the team will please Toto Wolff, the primary owner of the Mercedes team and a part-owner of the team.
George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have contracts that expire in 2025; thus, the German club is putting a lot of effort into locking down several important players.
Last week, Toto Wolff and James Allison both agreed to new contracts that would keep them on the team longer.
One of the most accomplished engineers of the modern Formula 1 era is the 55-year-old.
Prior to stints with Larrousse, Ferrari, and Renault, he joined Benetton’s aerodynamics unit in 1991.
Allison served as Renault’s technical director when they changed their name to Lotus F1 and then spent three years going back to Ferrari.
Alisson left the sport in 2017 and joined Mercedes, taking Paddy Lowe’s place. Lowe joined Williams as technical director and helped guide the team into one of the most dominant runs in F1 history.
He managed a number of incredible campaigns for Lewis Hamilton, and his new deal will keep him with the Brackley-based business for another ten years.
Journalist Pedro Fermin Flores now thinks Wolff intends to take Allison to Mercedes for more.
The 52-year-old CEO from Austria might have aspirations to pursue other positions in his professional life.
It could provide an explanation for Allison’s contract term.
Wolff intends to give Allison more at Mercedes – Flores
Following the news of Allison’s new contract, Flores made the following social media post: “Toto wants James to be his possible replacement.” It would have been James Allison’s signature to extend the deal past 2026.
“A date on which, “in principle,” Wolff’s new contract with @MercedesAMGF1 also expires.
Flores’ idea is intriguing because it’s difficult to picture Mercedes competing on the grid without Wolff in the garage.
He has managed the squad for almost a decade and guided them to multiple titles.
Wolff’s perception of Allison as a possible successor may stem from his recognition of Allison’s immense value to Mercedes.
Even though Wolff doesn’t intend to leave Formula 1 for at least a few more years, it makes sense for him to start planning for the future, given how much is changing behind the scenes at the moment.
