Wolff warns Jordan not to spread "fake news" about Mercedes

Jordan has consistently expressed doubts about Mercedes’ long-term commitment to owning a works F1 team, and has suggested that major sponsors will leave soon.

In Baku he speculated that the Chinese consortium that plans to enter F1 could end up buying the Brackley-based team, which had previous guises as BAR, Honda and Brawn before becoming Mercedes in 2010.

Wolff is upset because Jordan’s comments have planted doubts in the minds of employees of both the race team and the Mercedes engine facility in Brixworth.

“I told him I’m ready for any banter with Eddie,” said Wolff. “But for me I stop laughing when it’s about making jokes on the back of 1500 employees that care about their future.

"And I said it in an interview with him, that this is a too serious a topic for me. We are not leaving F1, none of our sponsors is leaving F1, we are pretty happy where we are.

"He should just stop putting these rumours – fake news – out in the world.”

Jordan however insists that Mercedes will withdraw as a works team from F1 if it is felt that it is not getting enough benefit from its investment in the sport.

“I’ve never said they will pull out,” he told Motorsport.com. “I’ve said Mercedes are in the business for marketing and technical reasons, they are not in the business of love. And they will go when it suits them.

"I don’t think I said what the right time is. What I said is 2018 is when the contracts with UBS and Petronas run out.

“I can understand why he’s angry with that, but that’s not my concern. That’s life. It’s going to come out sometime. If I say it, I’m convinced. Look at it the other way.

"He’s talking about 1500 people, I’m talking about thousands and thousands of [Daimler AG] shareholders.

“It will be a decision of the board. Having been on many boards, the board members are the people who will make that decision. In my opinion they will do what suits the company best.

"If they can find that the return for the investment is no longer justified, they’re gone – gone as a works team.

"Where do you think Mercedes came from? And where’s Toyota gone? They’ll keep the engine department, that’s for sure.”

A Mercedes spokesman said it was "simply wrong" of Jordan to claim that the contracts of Petronas and UBS expire in 2018.

"No one is going to shut me up"

Jordan however was adamant that he will never be afraid to speak his mind, adding: “There’s too many people too worried about whether they can go into someone’s motorhome or not.

"I’m in the job of reporting what I know, that’s what I’ll do, and no one is going to shut me up. If it’s complete crap and not one cent of it is true, then of course they should say that, they should answer.

“I don’t have a problem with anyone, and I will go into the motorhome of every person. If they once want to say to me we don’t think you should come in, that’s what they should say.”