Toto Wolff maintains a strong friendship with Lewis Hamilton. Despite the British driver’s decision to swap his Mercedes uniform for a Ferrari one at the end of last year, he still frequently visits his former employer during race weekends. Hamilton also often turns to the Austrian for advice on a personal level, Wolff reveals.
The long-standing collaboration between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes came to an end in 2024. The Brit announced in February that he would be trading the Silver Arrows for Ferrari, but remained in service with Mercedes until the end of the previous season. Toto Wolff reveals how his team tried to prevent any ‘hostile feelings’ from arising between the departing driver and his then team.
“When he decided to leave, it could have been very uncomfortable, bordering on hostile, and we actively discussed how we could prevent that,” Wolff tells the Wall Street Journal. “We all did our best to be very accommodating and understanding.””The latter certainly seems to have been achieved, as Hamilton and Wolff remain good friends in 2025. “Lewis remains a friend. He even comes by the office on weekends,” Wolff continues. “He chats with the engineers, gets something to eat. He also often travels back with me after a Grand Prix. We then have the old gang back together: Valtteri Bottas, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and I fly back together.”
Wolff’s Advice
Ferrari and Mercedes currently rank second and third in the constructors’ championship, with only a 12-point difference. According to Wolff, however, this has no effect on the relationship between Hamilton and the Austrian himself. “I try to be very open by telling Lewis: ‘Listen, on the track we want to beat you. There’s no doubt about that. But we’ve had a friendship for twelve years. We trust each other.’
The friendship between the two is so strong that Hamilton even turns to his former team boss for personal advice. “I live a different life through his eyes, you know,” Wolff explains. “He shows me who he’s flirting with and who he’s dating, and then asks: ‘Should I go for this girl or not?’ And I say: ‘Yes, you should, and then tell me how it went!’
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