Wolff 'Happy' Yet Bittersweet Over Hamilton-Ferrari

Toto Wolff expresses mixed emotions over Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut, celebrating the symbolic moment but acknowledging the personal difficulty.

Toto Wolff admitted feeling a twinge of emotion seeing his former driver, Lewis Hamilton, in Ferrari colors. The Mercedes F1 boss, however, praised the iconic nature of the official photos of the seven-time world champion with the Scuderia.

“It’s a bit like an amicable divorce, everything is fine, and then you see your partner with a new friend for the first time,” Wolff said. “But I’m truly happy for him, and I told him those photos were iconic—reflecting what he’s done. It was well thought out, and no surprise when it comes to Lewis.”

Christian Horner was equally complimentary, with the Red Bull boss admitting it was a promising partnership: “I’ve seen a few photos, and I think it suits him. I believe it’s good for Formula 1.”

“Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari is truly box office. I think it brings a new dynamic this season that could be very exciting. I expect it to be very close.”

“You’re going to have four teams that will be highly competitive. It’ll be tight, and you can take your pick. McLaren will be strong, Ferrari will be strong, and Mercedes will have something to prove as well, so this could be an exceptional year.”

Mercedes is entering a “post-Hamilton” era it will have to navigate, with George Russell stepping into a leadership role and Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the new talent to be harnessed. Toto Wolff congratulated the Italian, who recently obtained his driver’s license.

“That’s great news for his driving test! He’s been part of the team, integrated for so long. We’ve known him since he was 11, and in that sense, he’s been prepared, he’s ready to go, and he can’t wait.”

While hoping for progress compared to 2024, Wolff won’t draw any conclusions before the Melbourne race weekend: “We scratched our heads a lot last year, especially at the start.”

“Like all other teams, we had ups and downs; we had very dominant performances and other races that weren’t great. In the end, when the flag drops, we’ll see during qualifying in Melbourne where we stand.”