Toto Wolff responds after stirring the pot after his comments about Lewis Hamilton in the book, as Frederic Vasseur highlights contracts after missing on the Brit.
The book that Mercedes launched between the races in Brazil and Las Vegas landed Wolff in a spot after it carried some comments and statements regarding Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, where the Austrian also talked about shelf life of F1 drivers and others in general.
Wolff indicated that it was a relief that he didn’t have to sit down to talk about new contract after Hamilton decided his future at Ferrari. This resulted in stories in the media, especially on social media. Both the Austrian and Hamilton did have a chat on the topic.
Wolff stated that he has an open relation with Hamilton and usually things are taken out of context where one sentence is highlighted from the 99 lines. The Austrian also responded on Hamilton’s post-Brazil comments about it being his potentially last F1 grand prix.
“Lewis, as we all know for so many years, wears his heart on the sleeve,” said Wolff to media. “And I think it was such a bad experience for him that whole race weekend and particularly the Sunday that that’s something that wasn’t, in a way, unusual.
“Now, this time was maybe… I’ll correct myself here, this time was probably particularly bad, but I think he and us as a team, we’ve been really… doing well and holding on to working together because obviously it’s three more races to go, he’s announced that he’s going to Ferrari at the beginning of the year, and I’m quite proud of how we have achieved to maintain the professional relationships like they are.
“But we knew it’s never going to be easy. And then if the car is bad on such a day and we have not given him a tool that is good enough to what he should have. Regarding the comments in the book, I’ve said it very often about this world particularly, it’s taking a toll on all of us. We’re doing more than 20 races a year. We fly around.
“And what I said is that everybody has a shelf life and you don’t want to become from great to good. And that doesn’t exclude the drivers. And it’s still something that I stand by. I’m asking myself this question all the time. And so I do it for the organisation and for everybody around.
“Lewis and I speak, and we’ve always done so, and a sentence that correlates or a sentence that then happens is being made public on the weekend, particularly where he hasn’t been satisfied about his driving and about the car, then one plus one then makes it look bad.
But one rule that we’ve established very early in our relationship is that we talk immediately and say ‘why did you say that?’ or ‘what did you mean?’ and that is what we have done. That was one sentence in a book and there were 99 sentences in you know around the Brazil weekend and quotes in some interviews that I’ve given about Lewis where I clearly remark that he’s the greatest driver of all time and that if we are able to give him a quick car he’s going to be able to win, he’s able to fight for a championship but we have failed in doing so,” summed up Wolff.
As the journey comes to an end in three races, Wolff says not a lot has changed within the F1 team and that it is business as usual. The meetings related to 2025 and or beyond, they are usually less in numbers and so, they don’t usually have that awkwardness between them regarding the topic.
“I think we’re still running the season,” said Wolff. “So the weekends feel like they felt before. You know, these meetings where long-term development is being discussed, they don’t happen so regularly and we didn’t have them for the last few months. So it’s pretty much standard as it is.
“There is no overwhelming emotion now that this is ending, but I’m sure the closer it’s going to come to Abu Dhabi and the last sessions, the last race together will be quite a thing because we had this wonderful partnership for such a long time. But having said that, Lewis is not going to disappear.
“Lewis is going to be on the grid next year with a Ferrari. We are not losing the person, we are just losing the driver. But we embark on a new future. We have an 18-year-old and a 27-year-old that are going to be our drivers. And that is super exciting. And at the same time, personally, we wish Lewis all the best and happiness.
“And maybe a car that’s not so fast. But nevertheless, it is a decision he took. And we’re OK with that,” summed up Wolff. Talking about contracts, the Austrian reflected on the deal and sponsor events that bounded Hamilton with Mercedes for the end of the year 2024 and prevented him from testing for Ferrari in Abu Dhabi.
Vasseur actually never asked Wolff since he knew it wasn’t a possibility. Even though Ferrari has allowed Carlos Sainz to test with Williams as a parting gift, he is not too fussed about not getting Hamilton to test early. The Brit will most likely get to drive the older cars at Fiorano in January as part of his immersion programme.
“I think in 2025 [that he drives]?,” said Vasseur. “This you have to ask to Toto. The story with Carlos is that I want to thank Carlos for the collaboration. And I don’t want to block him or whatever. I think he did a very good job with us this season and a very professional one because it would have been easy to… not to give up, but not to have a so professional attitude.
“And for me, the best way to thank Carlos was also to give him the opportunity to do the test with Williams. And no, no [I am not disappointed to not get Lewis to test]. They have a contract. They have a contract so I’ve not even asked Toto to do something. We have to respect this. And it’s not because we are doing something for Carlos that everybody has to do the same. And as Toto said, I didn’t ask Toto.”
Wolff resonated the same as Hamilton is expected to attend sponsor events after the Abu Dhabi GP and will also have his parting ceremonies at Brackley and Brixworth. “Fred didn’t ask,” he said. “I think it’s a difference also if you’re maybe going to Williams, but we have contractual agreements with sponsors. We’re having a farewell for Lewis.
“We’re having lots of activities that are planned. And him and I, we spoke about it shortly, and he said, I guess that’s not going to work. And I said, yeah, I don’t think it’s going to work. And that was the whole thing. So I don’t think Fred is particularly sad,” summed up Wolff.
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