Toto Wolff has insisted that Mercedes remain committed to ending their relationship with Lewis Hamilton on a positive note before he moves to Ferrari next season.
It comes after Hamilton's cryptic team radio message in Brazil briefly raised concerns that the seven-time World Champion may not finish the F1 2024 campaign with the team.
Hamilton announced in February that he will join Ferrari on a multi-year contract from F1 2025, ending his long and successful association with Mercedes.
The British driver has claimed six of his joint-record seven titles with Mercedes, as well as becoming the first man to surpass 100 grand prix victories and pole positions, since his arrival from McLaren at the end of 2013.
Mercedes also have the distinction of providing the engines for each of Hamilton's 353 F1 appearances to date, stretching back to his debut season in 2007.
Hamilton appeared to cast doubt over his own short-term future at the end of a troubled Brazilian GP weekend, commenting over team radio at the end of the race: "If this is the last time I get to perform, it's a shame that it wasn't great, but grateful for you."
The 39-year-old raised further questions during his post-race interviews at Interlagos, referring to his car as "no good" and admitting that he was already "looking forward to Christmas."
Hamilton added that it was "devastating" to be ending his Mercedes career with such disappointment, having returned to winning ways earlier in F1 2024 with victories at Silverstone and Spa.
Hamilton's comments raised suggestions that he could sit out the final three races of the season in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi to allow his successor, teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli, to gain vital experience ahead of his rookie season in F1 2025.
However, PlanetF1.com understands that Hamilton's comments over team radio were believed to be related to his pit crew, with Mercedes' rotation system making Brazil the last time he would work with some members of the team on a race weekend.
And speaking ahead of the resumption of the F1 2024 season in Vegas, Wolff insisted that Mercedes are still determined to end their time with Hamilton on a happy note.
He said: "We head to Las Vegas ready to tackle the final three races of the season. We are focused on ending this year as strongly as possible and providing some more highlights as we close out 2024.
"We are looking forward to the races ahead, to ending our incredible journey with Lewis on a high and to building momentum for 2025."
Wolff's comments come after Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion dismissed suggestions that Hamilton is past his prime as he nears his 40th birthday in January.
However, Villeneuve conceded that Hamilton's "heart and head" are likely already at Ferrari with the seven-time World Champion currently going through the motions as he nears the end of his Mercedes contract.
He said: "With everything he's been able to do, he's still capable of doing it. There's no doubt there. Just because it's not working right now with Mercedes doesn't mean that he's lost it."
"His heart and his head are probably somewhere else already.
"He knew that he couldn't win the championship this year with Mercedes. Maybe a race or two, but not the championship.
"So why put all that energy into building the car and the team for someone else? Right now, he's just finishing his contract."
