“But going CO2-free with a higher emphasis on electrification ensures the sport remains very relevant and we will stay to race.”
Asked if an eventual union between Formula 1 and Formula E was inevitable, Källenius added: “I don’t want to speculate about that. All I know is that Formula 1 will always remain the pinnacle of motorsports.”
He also talked about the surge in interest in the sport among younger viewers as being key to Mercedes’ continued involvement, saying: “It’s growing significantly, especially in the younger demographics. The Netflix Drive to Survive series has been a game changer in that. So we’re happy to be part of that show and be one of the forces in Formula 1, exploiting it both for our technological development but also for marketing. As far as we’re concerned, the sport is going to have a bright future.”
Talking about last season’s finale, in which Lewis Hamilton was denied the championship when the sport’s rules were inadvertently broken by the race director at the final event in Abu Dhabi, Källenius added: “It was extremely emotional. You go from hope to despair inside seconds sometimes in sports.
“But that’s the thing about sports. You take a hit but you stand up again. As a competitor, you go back out onto the track again and continue to fight.”
