Toto Wolff feels Pascal Wehrlein’s chances of racing for the Williams Martini Racing team in 2018 are diminishing, with the team looking ever increasingly likely to field Robert Kubica alongside Lance Stroll next season.
Wehrlein’s tenure within the Sauber F1 Team looks likely to be restricted to just one season as Scuderia Ferrari look to field Charles Leclerc alongside either Antonio Giovinazzi or Marcus Ericsson in 2018, despite the German having scored all five of the Swiss outfits points this season.
Wolff, the Head of Mercedes-Benz motorsport, feels Mercedes-protégé Wehrlein would be a good fit at Williams, but the Grove-based team look focused on bringing Kubica back into the sport, and it is not up to Mercedes to force a team to field one of their drivers.
“I think it has been clearly said that Williams’ priority is Robert,” said Wolff to Motorsport.com. “Robert from my point of view deserves the chance in the Williams, and it’s out of Pascal’s hands.
“There is still a tiny possibility if Robert doesn’t do well, but none of us wishes him to not do well. All of us are actually cheering for him.
“I’m in two minds, because I think for F1, for Robert and for Williams it will be great if he performs, and on the other side it looks like it’s Pascal’s last chance, and he’s our junior. Let’s see how things develop.
“I don’t think as a team we should be forcing Pascal into one of our customers, because it’s very much at the core of F1 that you have to respect that the team always tries to get the best available driver, and I respect Williams and Force India taking their own decisions on their drivers. I wouldn’t want to interfere.”
