Wolff, Hamilton, social — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Superstars

Mercedes F1 boss teases Hamilton TRUST issues after long partnership

Toto Wolff has spoken out on his relationship with Lewis Hamilton

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 5 July 2024 22:00

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has hinted that Lewis Hamilton finds it tricky to trust after 12 seasons working together.

The seven-time champion managed to win six of his record-breaking tally at the Silver Arrows.

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Hamilton announced before the start of the 2024 season that he would leave Mercedes ahead of 2025, instead joining Ferrari.

It will mean a pairing between the most successful team in F1 history with one of the most successful drivers of all time, and also leaves Mercedes needing to find a replacement between now and the start of next season.

Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari in 2025

Toto Wolff shares a good relationship with Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton's Mercedes relationship

However, the Austrian has now revealed that it wasn't always the case, suggesting that the pair had to work hard to gain each other's trust heading into a new working partnership back in 2012.

"Things have changed," Wolff said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.

"I think when we both started in 2012 we didn't know what to expect from each other. He was a world champion, a superstar already back then, and I was fairly new to the business, although I wouldn't say 'green' as a professional, as I had 20 years of career behind me. But over the years, the relationship got stronger.

"I'm not sure Lewis is a very trusting person, but he's learned to trust and I've given him examples that he can trust. And I've learned to trust him too.

"I think we've learned to trust each other, which is a big word: trust. We've done it through the good and the bad. So I'm at peace with his decision.

"I understand that our team was not performing so well and that played a big role. Maybe he was sceptical about whether we could recover. I understand that sometimes maybe you just need a different environment after so many years... It is the longest driver-team relationship that exists as far as I know.

"I think he will have an attractive compensation package, that there will be quite a bit of interest when he puts on the red suit for the first time and drives the red car, but then it will all come down to the performance of the team and the performance of the drivers and it will be as usual, just dressed in a different colour."

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Toto Wolff