File image of Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff
| Photo Credit: AP
Mercedes Formula One principal Toto Wolff mentioned Lewis Hamilton’s resolution to move to Ferrari in 2025 took the staff unexpectedly and revealed the seven instances world champion introduced the choice to him over breakfast on the boss’s dwelling.
The move that rocked the game was introduced to the world by each groups on Thursday night, a day after the Briton had knowledgeable Wolff.
The Austrian advised reporters in a video name on Friday that whereas the change to Ferrari was not a shock, as a subject mentioned between them through the years, the timing got here as a shock.
“Formula One and my previous life have made me resilient to surprises. I’ve been confronted so many times in my life with black swans, but it was a surprise,” mentioned the Austrian.
“We knew that maybe it could be a year, it could be two,” he mentioned of the 2 yr contract extension with a launch clause that Hamilton and Mercedes signed solely final August.
“The surprise was that I’ve heard the rumours a couple of days earlier but wanted to wait for the breakfast we had planned and that was Wednesday morning. This was when he broke the news.”
Wolff mentioned Hamilton, 39, advised him he wanted a brand new problem.
“He said to me that he has decided to race for Ferrari in 2025. And that was basically it. We had a good hour of conversation.
“How he framed it to me is completely comprehensible… that he was in search of a special surroundings and that it was possibly the final chance to do one thing else.
“We totally respect that you can change your mind with different circumstances.”
Wolff, who addressed the staff by way of video hyperlink on Thursday, mentioned he had not tried to steer Hamilton to alter his thoughts.
He mentioned Hamilton’s race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington replied “Is it April 1?” when advised the information. Wolff added that whether or not the engineer went with Hamilton to Ferrari was to be mentioned.
The principal indicated Mercedes might be ‘daring’ of their alternative of alternative and mentioned change additionally introduced new alternatives.
Mercedes did not win a race final season though they completed general runners-up to rampant Red Bull and Max Verstappen.
Wolff mentioned he had no dangerous emotions in direction of Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, an previous pal, for luring away his driver and recognised Formula One was a cut-throat surroundings in any respect ranges.
“It’s a little bit like rugby. We punch each other on the nose but we are able to get off the pitch and have a respectful relationship,” he added.
Wolff mentioned his private relationship with Hamilton would additionally stay intact, even when their skilled journey collectively would finish.
“I’ve found a friend,” he mentioned. “We’ve built a relationship over the last 10 years and he faced a very, very difficult situation taking a decision of where to drive, maybe for the first time since 10 years without being able to brainstorm with me.
“I’ll all the time respect the issue of the scenario that he confronted and sooner or later we’ll focus on whether or not this might have been carried out differently or not. But I maintain no grudge.”
