Mercedes has officially embarked on its first year since 2013 without Lewis Hamilton at the wheel. Thanks to the years of successful collaboration with the British driver, team boss Toto Wolff knows very well what Hamilton can and cannot extract from a car. Wolff is therefore already warning Ferrari about the mismatch between Hamilton’s driving style and the current generation of cars.
Mercedes has started its first season in over a decade without Lewis Hamilton at the wheel. The Brit is now a driver for Ferrari, and the Italian team has already set up an extensive testing schedule for the seven-time world champion. For instance, Hamilton will climb into the simulator for the Scuderia for the first time on January 20, followed by on-track testing on January 22.
Formula 1 fans are naturally curious about how Hamilton will fare at Ferrari, especially since the Brit has had quite a few problems at Mercedes since 2022. Hamilton’s former team boss, Toto Wolff, explains why this was the case, and in doing so, has some bad news for Ferrari.
‘Doesn’t Suit Lewis’
“The current generation of cars doesn’t really suit Lewis’s driving style,” the Mercedes boss tells Auto, Motor und Sport. “He brakes late and throws the car aggressively into the corners. The car and the tires can’t handle that. Sometimes it’s better to drive these cars at 98 percent.”
Hamilton particularly struggled with the discrepancy between his driving style and the characteristics of the W15 during qualifications. As a result, he had to watch his teammate, ‘Mr. Saturday’, George Russell, qualify higher nineteen times in 2024.
