There's a version of events where Toto Wolff sits Lewis Hamilton down and tells him Mercedes is moving on. It would have been one of the most uncomfortable conversations in Formula 1history. As it turned out, Hamilton saved him from ever having to have it.
Speaking on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Wolff was asked whether any part of him felt relief when Hamilton made the decision on his own terms.
"Absolutely. I couldn't make the decision from a personal standpoint. We owe him so much. I didn't want to make the decision as Mercedes letting the greatest champion ever go. And maybe he felt that also."
Hamilton's departure came about through a break clause in his previous Mercedes deal, a one-plus-one agreement signed back in September 2023.
Mercedes and Wolff were surprised when Hamilton triggered that clause, though reports suggest it stemmed from the team's unwillingness to commit to a longer-term extension – the Briton wanted a multi-year deal, but his age and the Antonelli situation made Mercedes reluctant.
Speaking on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Wolff was asked whether any part of him felt relief when Hamilton made the decision on his own terms.
"Absolutely. I couldn't make the decision from a personal standpoint. We owe him so much. I didn't want to make the decision as Mercedes letting the greatest champion ever go. And maybe he felt that also."
Hamilton's departure came about through a break clause in his previous Mercedes deal, a one-plus-one agreement signed back in September 2023.
Mercedes and Wolff were surprised when Hamilton triggered that clause, though reports suggest it stemmed from the team's unwillingness to commit to a longer-term extension – the Briton wanted a multi-year deal, but his age and the Antonelli situation made Mercedes reluctant.
4 months ago
