F1 News: Toto Wolff clarifies Mercedes future after Lewis Hamilton exit

F1 News & Gossip

Wolff clarifies own F1 future following Hamilton exit

Toto Wolff will be staying at Mercedes despite Lewis Hamilton’s departure

Shay Rogers

Saturday 10 February 2024 19:57

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Toto Wolff has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes bears no significance when it comes to his own future with the team.

The Austrian has been team principal of the outfit since 2013, the same year that Hamilton joined the team in a ground-breaking switch from McLaren.

Having gone two years without any championship success, and now seeing his star driver leave to join arch-rivals Ferrari, it would be easy for Wolff to jump ship himself too.

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But that is something he insists he is not doing, and a future decision that remained unchallenged by Hamilton’s abrupt departure.

Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton have worked with each other for 11 years

Lewis Hamilton departs the team having achieved 13 combined championships together

Wolff: It was a no-brainer to continue

Speaking to Crash.Net about what he plans to do with his future, Wolff confirmed that Hamilton’s move has no influence on what he will do in the future, and that he shares pride for what Mercedes have built.

“No, it wouldn’t have changed that,” he said. “I think whatever role in the team, or whatever title they give it, I’m going to be there in the future.

“So it was a no-brainer to continue in an executive role, you can call it CEO, managing director, chairman, or team principal.

“It wouldn’t have affected me, because I’m so proud of being part of this Mercedes Formula 1 team, that carries this huge legacy of the star and racing history, and we’re going to write more history in the future, as the Mercedes Formula 1 team,” he continued.

“And that is what I aim to do with everyone in the team, and with everybody in Stuttgart. Therefore, as much as this journey is so special, we have 10 or 20 more years before I’m being overrun by a bus to have more success.”

With the launch of Mercedes all-new W15 just a few days away on 14 February, Wolff will still have hopes that Hamilton can yet replicate his previous successes with the team in his final year.

For now at least, it appears that the second longest serving team principal is here to stay, as Mercedes gears itself up for a new era without its star driver.

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes McLaren Toto Wolff