"What came as a surprise was the timing": Toto Wolff pulls back the curtain on his emotions on Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that he was surprised by the "timing" of Lewis Hamilton's decision to leave the German team for Ferrari. The seven-time F1 world champion shocked the entire world of motorsport after he announced the switch to the Italian team and completed one of the most iconic transfers in the sport's history.
The British driver joined the Brackley-based outfit in 2013 and won six of his seven driver's championships with the team from 2014 to 2020. However, the switch surprised everyone, given that he had signed a contract extension with Mercedes in August 2023.
Hamilton activated the release clause on his 1+1 deal and decided to race for the Prancing Horses from 2025 onwards. In the first episode of Season 7 of Netflix's "Drive to Survive", Wolff said:
"When he told me, it seemed a bit surreal. My driver, after 12 years being part of the team, tells me, 'I'm going to Ferrari,' which is like, 'Really? I can't even picture you in a red overall. How does that even fit?' What came as a surprise was the timing. Why would he do that now?" [00:25]
Lewis Hamilton completed his move to Ferrari on January 20 when he made his first official appearance as the driver for the Maranello-based outfit after initially announcing the news in February 2024.
Lewis Hamilton details his emotions after getting the call from Ferrari
Last month, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton detailed his feelings from when he got off the call from team principal Frederic Vasseur offering him a place on the Italian team for 2025 (via Time):
“I remember getting off the phone and, like, almost shaking. I was like, 'Oh God,' I was like, 'Holy sh-t.' I literally just signed with Mercedes. It was a lot to take in, and my emotions were really high. So I honestly had to go for a walk. My eyes felt really calm and present.
"'This is the right thing for me. We’re in a time of reimagining the future, reimagining what really dreaming is about. I’m going to Ferrari, man, and that’s the biggest dream,'" Lewis Hamilton added.
Despite breaking off the partnership abruptly, the 40-year-old reiterated that there was no bad blood between him and Mercedes. He wished it well for future success.
Ferrari and Mercedes could closely contest for race wins and podiums in the upcoming 2025 season. The Brit's on-track performance could also validate whether he made the right move for his future and he may win his elusive eighth world championship.