Toto Wolff has said that the retirement of Nico Rosberg was regarded as an "opportunity" for Mercedes rather than a problem.

The world champion team has signed up long-time Williams driver Valtteri Bottas to replace Rosberg, with boss Wolff insisting that he was never downbeat throughout the process.

"Obviously it was a shock," he told French daily L'Equipe when asked about Rosberg's eleventh-hour retirement plans.

"But the departure of Nico will perhaps allow the emergence of a super talent. I prefer to see an opportunity rather than worry."

Some, however, have criticised Mercedes for overlooking their own junior drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon in order to go for the 'safe' option of Bottas.

"Yes, we have Pascal and Esteban in our young driver programme," said Wolff. "But our idea is to develop them, not throw them unprepared into an inappropriate environment."

He insisted that the decision to go with Bottas should not reflect on Wehrlein's talent.

"He is fast and brilliant and he was always considered," Wolff said. "But he is in his development phase. He must be able to make mistakes and learn. And he could not have done that with us.

"Look at Sergio Perez, Heikki Kovalainen or Kevin Magnussen. They arrived too early at McLaren and were not well enough prepared."

Wolff said that the same also applies to Ocon.

"Yes," he said, "especially as he had already signed a contract with Force India. We do not want to destroy careers by moving too fast. I don't want to burn young people we believe in."

The new season gets underway with the Australian Grand Prix on March 26.