Wolff explains personal Aston Martin investment

Mercedesboss, Toto Wolff, has explained why he recently bought shares into luxury British carmaker Aston Martin.

Motorsport.com first reported in Aprilthat Wolff had purchased a 4.77% stake, but a rights issue will dilute it to make it worth 0.95% of the company.

That news, of course, created a fresh wave of rumours that this was the clearest sign yet that Wolff would be leaving Mercedes to join forces with his good friend Lawrence Stroll when Aston Martin officially rejoin the Formula 1 grid as a works team in 2021.

Wolff, though, has given the real reasoning behind his investment.

“The stocks are very low right now and the new product line is great,”Wolff told Austrian paper Osterreich.

“It is a personal financial investment in an automobile manufacturer that has nothing to do with Formula 1. And after [coronavirus] there will be a normal time when people will buy cars again.”

Wolff was then asked once again if there was more to his investment and opted to borrow a phrase from the late, great Niki Lauda to address the rumours.

“Total bullsh*t!”, was Wolff’s rather succinct reply.

Formula 1 has released plans to potentially start the 2020 season in Austria on July 5, with at least the first few races to take place behind closed doors.

Wolff said: “If the decision-makers in Austria find a concept for the start of the season with the necessary safety measures, that would be incredibly positive news for Formula 1 and for Austria.”

Wolff meanwhile, has beenthanked by Mercedes technical director James Allisonfor “taking a gamble” on him when he returned to Formula 1 following the passing of his wife in 2016.

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