Wolff reflects on Hamilton departure: 'Right for both of us'
F1 News
Mercedes is trying to 'reinvent itself' after the departure of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari's F1 team. So tells team boss and CEO Toto Wolff. He also stressed that the German formation is certainly not suffering commercially from the Briton's departure.
Wolff calls Hamilton's departure 'refreshing'
Wolff does not necessarily see Hamilton's departure as a negative event for his team. "I think it was right for both of us," he said in conversation with Sky Sports. "When you see Lewis in his first appearances in Ferrari, this picture in front of the Enzo Ferrari house is iconic, Lewis with his sense of style. And I’ve told him."
"At the same time, us embarking on a different route trying to invent ourselves with a young driver in addition to George, because he is not mentioned enough. We have a senior, accomplished driver that won races and this new kid coming up," the Mercedes team boss continued. "At the same time, Lewis doing something on his own, something new. I think it was a refresh for both of us."
'Mercedes will not suffer from Hamilton's departure'
The Team Principal does not believe Mercedes will suffer commercially from Hamilton's departure. with the recent deal with Adidas as the ultimate proof. "It doesn't get much better (than Adidas) in terms of iconic brands in the field of sport. It's testament to the trust that this team has going forward," he shared.
"When I discussed Lewis going and Kimi coming with the CEO, he said 'This is so exciting. Let's go on the next generation!' And this is how we feel in the team. We have a strong vibe with the partners that are with us and want to come to the team, so we don't feel any hangover," Wolff stated.
In January, Hamilton officially joined Ferrari after a controversial team switch. The seven time world champion has begun driving for the Italian Formula 1 team over several test days along with his new teammate Charles Leclerc. Recently, the duo tested the new Pirelli compounds for 2026.
This article was written in collaboration with Nicole Mulder.
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels too!