Mercedes could re-evaluate Kingspan F1 deal after backlash

The German manufacturer announced ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that it had signed a partnership with the international company, and Kingspan’s logos have appeared on the nose section of the W12 in Jeddah.

However, the tie-up has triggered a wave of controversy thanks to Kingspan’s involvement in the 2017 Grenfell fire that killed 72 people.

Kingspan’s insulation was one of the products that was used on the outside of the North Kensington building, and its role in the tragedy is being probed in public enquiry.

The pressure group Grenfell United, made up of survivors and bereaved family members, wrote to Wolff to express their disgust at the Kingspan sponsorship deal. In his response, Wolff said he would be willing to meet them to better understand the situation.

UK government minister Michael Gove then weighed into the matter in an open letter to Wolff posted on Twitter, urging him to reconsider the deal and warning that the British government could change advertising rules for motorsport such was its anger at the situation.

World champion Lewis Hamilton made it clear after qualifying that he had had no prior knowledge of the deal being done.

Asked if re-evaluating the deal was a realistic possibility, Wolff said: “We have discussed also that with the important people, and we will reach out to Kingspan and come up with the right solution.

“There is a contractual agreement that's behind these things, and we want to just do the right thing with integrity. And that's why I don't want to further comment.”

Mercedes has carried Kingspan logos on its nose section in front of the wheel

Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Wolff said that the experience of the past few days had taught him some big lessons, with the scale of the backlash over the Kingspan deal appearing to have caught both him and his team out.

“There's certainly a lot of learning for me personally, and for the team,” he said.

“But what I want to say is that we've initiated a dialogue with some of the community of the bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell tragedy to just better understand the pain it's caused. And that process is just beginning.

“But we would like to wish for privacy while that's ongoing. And we are looking at it with a matter of urgency.”

Pushed on whether he regretted going ahead with the deal knowing now what the response would be, Wolff said: “We all develop and learn in our lives, and this is clearly a situation that will make me improve in the future.

“My assessment, my decision making and... full stop. Everything I say more is just putting me in a situation.”