Lewis Hamilton set for awkward Toto Wolff talks as Brit seeks permission to copy Vettel | F1 | Sport

But when exactly Hamilton, 38, is permitted to start working with the Scuderia remains to be seen. And the seven-time world champion has admitted he will enter talks with Wolff over the prospect of test driving with his team for next season before the 2024 campaign is out.

“I think it will start with a conversation with Toto because I don’t know how to navigate that,” he said, via German publication Motorsport-Total.com. “I don’t think I was at Mercedes until December 2012, when the first seat fitting was made after the season. I’m not sure how I’m going to do it this time.”

Drivers being released for test sessions ahead of confirmed moves is not a new phenomenon. Indeed, back in November 2014, then Red Bull man Sebastian Vettel was permitted to take part in testing with Ferrari, two months before he officially joined the Italian giants.

But persuading Wolff to sanction the same for him may not prove easy for Hamilton, given the Austrian’s desire to get things back on track with the Silver Arrows. The team continue to struggle in F1’s new era of regulations, with George Russell’s 2022 win in Brazil representing their only Grand Prix victory in almost two-and-a-half-years.

And Hamilton, who has insisted he remains focused on performing well in his 12th and final year with the team, has continued to labour in 2024 and finished ninth in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. He cut a frustrated figure afterwards, snapping at a journalist who asked him if he was looking forward to joining Ferrari given their current superior pace to Mercedes.

Hamilton hit back with: “Do you have any better questions?” He then refused to speak any further on his move, which will see him join Ferrari on a two-year deal worth reportedly more than £300million.

Wolff was equally exacerbated, appearing to verbally concede the drivers’ title to Max Verstappen just four races into the campaign. “No one is going to catch Max this season, his driving and the car are just spectacular,” said the Austrian.

“Basically this season now is best of the rest. That is the fight that is on, hopefully we catch up to the McLaren and then the Ferraris and fight for P2. This is what it is this year.  If your expectation is to eventually race for wins and championships, then you can say we are in a bit of a no man’s land.”