German team boss Toto Wolff emphasized that Lewis Hamilton has a contract until the end of 2023 to deny Gasly's move to the team and stressed that one of the great qualities of the Silver Arrows is precisely their current driver duo
Sergio Pérez's renewal with Red Bull has left Pierre Gasly with no direction for the near future in Formula 1. After the Mexican driver's contract extension with the Energy team, there is much debate as to what the Frenchman's next team will be.
While Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko believes that AlphaTauri - Gasly's current team - is "the best alternative" for the driver, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff denied that there is any kind of negotiation for the Frenchman to join the Silver Arrows.
"No door of ours is open for us. We have one strength, which is our driver duo. If I look at the driver market and what's happening over there, it would just distract me," Wolff justified.
"Are we going to start talking about the 2024 contracts? In June 2022? No. We are happy with Lewis (Hamilton). There is no doubt that we are embarking this season and next season in a good place as far as our drivers are concerned, but it is too early to discuss 2024. With that said, I couldn't wish for a better team," added the Mercedes boss.
Hamilton, it is worth remembering, has a contract with the German team until the end of 2023. At 37, the seven-time world champion dismissed any idea of retirement from Formula 1 and vowed to "feel the same pleasure" as when he started in the category - even though Mercedes is not fighting for the Drivers' and Constructors' World Cup titles this season.
As a result, the doors are increasingly closing for Gasly. Ferrari and Red Bull already have their duos guaranteed until 2024. McLaren is a possible candidate, since Daniel Ricciardo has been disappointing so far this season - even so, the Australian has a contract until the end of next year.