Wolff reveals phonecall with Ferrari legend after Mercedes title win

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that former Ferrari counterpart Jean Todt called him to congratulate the Silver Arrows after they moved closer to the Scuderia's all-time record of consecutive Formula 1 constructors' championships with their latest triumph in 2018.

Lewis Hamilton's 11 wins not only helped him secure a fifth world drivers' crown but also ensured Mercedes saw off Ferrari to win the team title for a fifth year in a row – the second best run in F1 history.

Ferrari's six constructors' titles between 1999 and 2004 remains the gold standard for dominance, although Mercedes have matched the five consecutive double title wins that were secured in that sequence as Michael Schumacher ran the rule over F1.

The Scuderia are likely to provide Mercedes with most resistance as they look to go one better in 2019, but their former chief Todt – now FIA president – was happy to credit the new force in the sport.

"He called and said 'congratulations on joining the club of five. I feel very honoured to be in the club of five with you', and I thought 'I should be the one feeling very honoured'," Wolff told Motorsport.

"So it was an unbelievable thing he said. But then he called me back and said, 'Actually I've been told that we won six in a row!'

"We are very relieved with the fifth double this year because it puts us on a par with Ferrari , the great Todt/Schumacher era," he said.

"And that is what I can remember as a 'child' – unbelievable! So having matched that feels very humbling and I feel grateful for it."

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