Alexandre
Lewis Hamilton, seven-time world champion, is making his debut for the French team this year. Scuderia Ferrari. After shocking his former boss, Toto Wolff, by announcing his departure for the Scuderia, just a few months after signing a new contract with Mercedesexpectations are high for this new stage in his career.
The surprise announcement of his departure made his final year at Mercedes particularly complex on a personal level. Wolff, who reacted publicly to the news, didn't mince words about the timing of the announcement. "The surprise is that I had heard rumors a few days earlier, but I had wanted to wait until our scheduled breakfast to discuss it," Wolff explained, referring to that moment when Hamilton revealed his decision to him.
Despite this delicate situation, Wolff assured us that he was not angry with him, although he noted that the way the whole thing was handled might have been different. "I'll always respect the difficulty of the situation he's been through and, in the future, we'll discuss whether it could have been done differently. But I hold no grudges."
Wolff's humor about Hamilton's style
Although the 2024 season was one of Hamilton's most difficult, with a record of just one win and seventh place in the drivers' championship (his worst ever finish), he hasn't lost his team spirit. On his arrival at Ferrari, the Maranello team rolled out the red carpet to welcome him. However, it's not all plain sailing, Wolff couldn't resist remarking on his former driver's style.
"I said to him, 'I've been trying for 12 years to get you to wear a suit, and you're waiting for the first day at Ferrari to do it'. We had a good laugh," Toto confided with a smile, gently poking fun at the situation. Hamilton, who is often seen in casual outfits, had chosen to wear a well-cut suit, signed by an Italian designer, for his arrival at Maranello.
Despite the camaraderie on display, the two rivals will meet again on the track this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix. Wolff made no secret of his desire to beat Hamilton in the race: "On a personal level, I wish him the best. But on the track, we want to beat him," he added.