Lewis Hamilton shocked the racing world when he announced he would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025, and Susie Wolff has since shared how Toto Wolff took the news behind closed doors.
Hamilton had spent over a decade with Mercedes, building a legacy that included six of his seven world championships and establishing deep ties with the team. Many believed he would finish his career there.
After the controversial ending to the 2021 season, Hamilton was determined to break new ground and become Formula 1’s first eight-time world champion. That drive eventually led him to make the bold move to Ferrari, signing a year before his debut and sending shockwaves through the sport.
“It wasn’t easy,” she said in an interview with ESPN’s Unlapped podcast. “Obviously Lewis is somebody that we both hugely respect. And I think what made it harder was that it became public before it should have. When you’re running a team like Mercedes, you want that news to come from you.”
How Toto Wolff reacted behind closed doors to Lewis Hamilton leaving Mercedes
During his time with the team, Wolff saw Hamilton as a key figure at Mercedes. So it’s understandable that his move to one of their biggest rivals could have hit hard for the CEO and team principal.
Speaking on the Road to Success podcast, Susie Wolff recounted her husband’s composed reaction to the move and also touched on how he handled the fallout from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
When that day was mentioned, Wolff responded quickly: “Let’s not go back to Abu Dhabi ’21. I try and not go back there.”
The podcast host then shifted focus to what followed, asking if she had learned anything about herself during that period.
Wolff said: “Definitely, I was so upset, and not because Max [Verstappen] won; he was a deserving champion. It’s nothing against Max; it was the way that it happened. The fact that Lewis was so deserving on that day.
“He was the better driver; he was winning that race. So, it really upset me. But Toto’s really good about getting his emotions in check quite quickly.
“Even when Lewis left for Ferrari, I got upset quite quickly as to how it was done. But he said, ‘We’re going to be okay. We’re going to be friends with Lewis, and this is all going to be okay. Just give it time. Toto has a talent for keeping perspective and staying calm when things get emotional.”
Lewis Hamilton’s first season at Ferrari hasn’t gone as planned
Hamilton’s switch from Mercedes to Ferrari looked like a masterstroke after the chequered flag fell at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ferrari may have missed out on their first constructors’ title since 2008 by just 14 points, but all signs pointed to them being right in the mix for another title run in 2025, with Hamilton set to partner Charles Leclerc.
But so far, things haven’t gone according to plan. Hamilton hasn’t stood on the podium yet in Ferrari colours and now holds an unwanted record for the most race starts with the team without a top-three finish.
READ MORE: Verstappen’s telling Mexican GP gesture shows his deeper respect for Leclerc over Hamilton
The early part of the season was tough for the 40-year-old, but recent races have shown signs of improvement.
Former Ferrari test driver Esteban Gutierrez has weighed in, saying that while it hasn’t been smooth sailing, he doesn’t think it’s as bad as it looks.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Gutierrez said: “I expect him to come back stronger.”
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