Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has shared how a conversation with Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola helped create Lewis Hamilton’s departure as the Austrian chose not to fight the decision.
The 39-year-old’s move to Ferrari to replace Carlos Sainz marks a significant turning point in his illustrious career and is one of the most shocking, and equally exciting, driver developments of the past decade.
As the seven-time world champion enters his 19th Formula 1 season with a fresh challenge as he attempts to reinvigorate the Italian team’s championship hopes in order to emulate Michael Schumacher by claiming a record eighth title.
Yet the Silver Arrows appeared to do little to fight the decision and accepted the Brit’s choice to swap Brackley for Maranello, and the Mercedes boss revealed the behind-the-scenes conversation with Guardiola that helped create Hamilton’s sensational move.
“I once asked Pep what he does when a player wants to leave,” Wolff said to the High Performance Podcast of Guardiola helped create the Hamilton departure. “He told me, ‘If someone believes they can perform better or earn more elsewhere, you let them go.’
“When someone wants to leave, you make it as smooth as possible for both parties. It’s a risk, but also an opportunity.”
The German team elected to promote Kimi Antonelli from Formula 2 in place of the 105-time Grand Prix winner thus handing George Russell control of the team as the lead and most experienced driver.
And they had other options on the table too, having tried to court Max Verstappen as well as Sainz, with the latter being part of why Hamilton’s announcement in February proved to be no surprise to him.
The father of the Spaniard alerted Wolff to rumours of an impending move after Ferrari would have informed the 30-year-old he would not be driving for them from 2025, and so he maintained his composure when Hamilton eventually broke the news in person.
Wolff excited for Mercedes future despite Hamilton departure
Hamilton, who secured six championships with Mercedes, had become synonymous with the team’s success since they began dominating the sport from the 2014 Australian GP as the Brit went on to claim 84 wins, 78 pole positions and 152 podiums with the outfit.
So as his chapter in silver begins to come to a close, the magnitude of his absence cannot be overstated but the 52-year-old is optimistic for the pair of them as he emphasises the importance of adapting to change.
“This is simply a new chapter, with its risks and possibilities,” Wolff added, trusting that the team can thrive despite the departure of one of F1’s most decorated drivers to one of their main rivals.
