Toto Wolff sensed Hamilton’s Ferrari intentions after an unexpected call from insiders stirred rumors within the F1 community.
Toto Wolff recently revealed the moment he sensed Lewis Hamilton might be on the verge of leaving Mercedes F1, triggered by a phone call from none other than Carlos Sainz Sr. The Spanish rally legend gave the Brackley team principal an early heads-up, warning him that his son was likely to be replaced, making way for Hamilton to join forces with Charles Leclerc.
The Austrian divulged that Sainz Senior’s call came roughly two weeks before Hamilton’s contract was signed. Wolff began to hear similar whispers from other influential figures within the racing circle. As Wolff previously shared, it was when Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s team principal, uncharacteristically stopped returning his calls that he grew particularly intrigued.
“I heard the first bells ringing two weeks before,” Wolff remarked. “Yes, Carlos’s father called me and said, ‘Here’s what’s happening.’ Then, a few other fathers of drivers – who usually never called – also reached out.”
“I thought to myself that something was definitely going on. I sent a message to Fred Vasseur, Ferrari’s boss, asking him, ‘Are you taking our driver?’ No reply. Very unlike Fred. He’s a good friend, so yes, I sensed the winds were shifting.”
Wolff continued, recalling Hamilton’s visit to his home, as he does each year: “When Lewis arrived at the house, as he had done so many times before, we had a casual chat, as we always do around the Christmas holidays.”
“Then I mentioned, ‘So, we’re hiring from Ferrari now? We’ve got this one chap.’ And Lewis responded, ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’ At that moment, it became crystal clear to me—things were indeed set in motion.”
- You may like also>Verstappen Mirrors Schumacher’s Relentless Will to Win
- Stay informed on the latest Formula 1 updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
Sainz Sr’s Call to Wolff Signals Hamilton’s Ferrari Future Sainz Sr’s Call to Wolff Signals Hamilton’s Ferrari Future
