Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that talks will be held in the coming months to determine the future of Lewis Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington.
Bonnington has been Hamilton's chief race engineer since joining the team in 2013, with the pair winning 82 grands prix and six titles to become the most successful driver-engineer partnership ever.
The long-serving engineer, who also worked with Michael Schumacher at the Silver Arrows, is one of the most popular voices on team radio usually for “Hammer time” or “Get in there, Louis!” Letters – or being subjected to complaints from Hamilton when times are tough.
The future of Bonnington Mercedes
Asked before Racing News 365 If there are any talks about Bonnington's future with the team, Wolff explained: “I think that's a discussion everyone should have in the coming months.
“I actually spoke to Bono and when I told him, he said, ‘Is it April 1?’”
“It is something we will need to discuss in the future, in a couple of months.”
Wolff also added that he has never discounted the chance of Hamilton leaving, but believes the seven-time champion will stay put.
“Every racing driver dreams of being in red, in a red car and we have discussed that many times before and it would be exciting to do that one day,” he said.
“But over the years, we have come to the conclusion that staying at Mercedes and ending the legacy here is something one can be proud of, but I have never ignored the possibility of change, whether it is for Ferrari or another team.”
“The truth didn't surprise me, but the timing, I can understand where [Lewis] comes from [in announcing his departure so early]”This was to protect the team's interests in the future.”
