Mercedes F1 chief opens up on '300 or 350 hours of talking' in therapy discussion

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Mercedes chief opens up on '300 or 350 hours of talking' in therapy discussion

Toto Wolff has been at Mercedes since 2013

Originally written by Kevin McKenna. This version is a translation.

Tuesday 13 August 2024 03:00

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted the pressure of performing in Formula 1 has had a significant impact on his mental health.

The Austrian has been a constant presence in the world of F1 since making his first venture into the sport back in 2009.

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After joining the board of directors at Williams, Wolff departed for Mercedes in 2013, going on to secure seven consecutive double world titles.

The team's last constructors' triumph, however, came in 2021, with Red Bull since emerging as the grid's dominant force.

It has been a frustrating few seasons for Toto Wolff at Mercedes

The Austrian has overseen six of Lewis Hamilton's seven world title wins

Wolff reveals mental health 'struggles'

Yet for all their difficulties, the mood within the team remains upbeat.

Both Hamilton - who is set to join Ferrari next season - and team-mate George Russell have enjoyed impressive victories in 2024, while there are exciting times ahead as the team edges closer to announcing the former's replacement, with young star Andrea Kimi Antonelli tipped to claim the seat.

George Russell and Hamilton are midway through their final season as Mercedes team-mates

Now, in a revealing interview with Sky Sports, Wolff has revealed the ongoing stress of managing one of F1's top teams has affected his mental health.

"I have struggled so badly with these things, for months not being able to have a clear thought but I came to the realisation that it comes with a lot of advantages," Wolff told interviewer Martin Brundle.

"I call it a superpower. This is what I want to give people that have mental health issues as a hope. I was thinking when I was really bad at times, 'that person hasn't got what I have', and that's why that person can be more successful.

"What I want to say is with that superpower, when you struggle, you are a sensitive person, and that can be negative or very positive. Some of the strengths come from reading the room, understanding a person and seeing through a person, calling bull***t when it needs to be called.

"I generally have a feeling for what people need in order to perform. That's why I speak openly about it. That's why us in F1, laughing at the camera, being so cold, successful, we have struggles. It's not every day we wake up and say what a great life we have."

Wolff has hailed the impact of his wife Susie for supporting him during difficult times

The 52-year-old went on to explain that he has sought out professional support to help during particularly difficult times.

"I always seek help. I always asked questions from a very early age. Some of the days were so bad that I found my way to a psychologist," he said. "I have done probably more than 300 or 350 hours of talking.

"I don't report to anybody. I have a great group of colleagues and shareholders. Of course [wife] Susie [Wolff] has been a strong rock at times when I wasn't.

"The interesting thing is these struggles in real life, when we are not where we are with the car, it doesn't move the needle for me in terms of pain. Zero. Because I have been in much worse.

"This stress is my comfort zone. Trying to solve problems, never to give up, even if you have been beaten down a hundred times - in a way I'm made for these tougher days."

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Formula 1 Toto Wolff