Toto Wolff reveals how mental struggles helped him become successful in F1
F1 News
Toto Wolff has revealed he suffered mental struggles earlier in life, which required help. The Mercedes boss explained how he managed to use those to his advantage in Formula 1. Wolff has been successful at Mercedes, with the team winning every World Championship between 2014 and 2020, plus the constructors title in 2021.
From the outside, the Formula 1 world looks quite rosy. Luxury hotels, travelling the world, hanging out with A-List celebrities and getting paid (in a lot of cases) a good amount of money for it all. But not everything is shown to the outside world. "Us being in Formula 1, laughing into the camera, being successful...we have struggles. We don't wake up every day and say what a great life I have," Wolff opened up on Sky Sports.
How mental health struggles helped Wolff become successful in F1
Wolff is one of the most successful members walking around the Formula 1 paddock. Although recent seasons haven't been as positive, he guided Mercedes to success between 2014 and 2021. He claims a lot of this stems from some difficult times in his life.
"My childhood upbringing, which was tough at times, carried over into life. I have struggled so badly with these things. For months, I did not have a clear thought. But I realised that it came with a lot of advantages. I call it a superpower. I want to give this hope to people who have mental health issues. I remember when I was really bad, I was thinking 'that person doesn't have what I have and that's why they are more successful'," Wolff continued.
Wolff then flashes back to a moment when he had just moved to Monaco after selling his business in his late 20s. He recalls an after-Grand Prix party on a Sunday night. "I saw the very successful people having a party. I thought 'they don't suffer in the way I do and that's why they are successful'."
"When I look 20 years later, I've broken those records. When you struggle, you are a sensitive person. That can be negative and very positive. Some of my strengths come from reading the room, understanding people, and I have a feeling of what people need in order to perform," Wolff explained before confirming that his family, in particular his wife Susie Wolff, has helped him through those tough times.
Mercedes have won three of the last four Grands Prix. As it happens, that is the first bit of consistent success Mercedes have experienced since the 2021 season. They missed the mark when it came to rules and regulations introduced in the 2022 season. A tough time for everyone inside Mercedes, but Wolff almost brushes it off.
"When the car is not performing and we are not where we want to be, it doesn't even move the needle in terms of pain because I've been in much worse. This stress is my comfort zone. I'm made for it," Wolff concluded.