SUMMARY
- Lewis Hamilton's surprise departure from Mercedes marks the end of an 11-year partnership with Toto Wolff.
- Allegations surface claiming Wolff leaked Hamilton's move to Ferrari before the official announcement.
It came off as a shock or yet another internet parody when Lewis Hamilton announced his departure from Mercedes by the end of 2024, biding goodbye to his long-term friendship with Toto Wolff. As he is nearing his 40s, Hamilton made this surprising move after 11 years of partnership with Silver Arrows. However, the British driver is gearing up for his final year before his 2025 transfer to Ferrari.
However, recently, a former F1 driver alleges that the team principal of Mercedes disclosed Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. The 7x champion had extended his contract with the Brackley-based team sometime around August 2023 after multiple speculations. Despite having previously committed to staying with Mercedes for two more years, Hamilton chose to activate a specific clause from his contract to make the switch.
Toto Wolff leaks Hamilton’s Ferrari switch
Former Italian driver Ivan Capelli made a bold accusation against the billionaire team boss of Mercedes. Despite expectations for Hamilton to conclude his career with Silver Arrows revealing his decision to join Ferrari. The revelation was initially leaked through an Italian outlet, with Capelli suggesting Wolff’s involvement in the premature disclosure.
⚠️ | In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ivan Capelli revealed that it was Toto Wolff who initiated the leak that led to the announcement of Hamilton joining Ferrari.
[via @JunaidSamodien_]#F1 pic.twitter.com/hViOhgSKN7
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) February 27, 2024
Capelli said, “It was a trip by Toto Wolff to Hamilton and Ferrari. It burned an announcement to be made during the current season” as per the reports from FormulaPassion. The Austrian team lead himself confirmed that the British driver broke the news of his departure only a day ahead of the announcement. However, the insight given by Hamilton himself regarding his move is a whole new story.
According to the 39-year-old driver, “I didn’t speak to anybody. I didn’t tell my parents till the day of it being announced. So, no one knew. I really wanted to do it for myself. Ultimately, I had to find out what would be the best for me.” This unplanned broadcast of sensitive paddock information gave away the secret that Hamilton had been keeping from his family.
Ferrari’s Fred Vasseur faces a tough call with Wolff
Fred Vasseur views Lewis Hamilton’s signing as a big break for the Scuderia team. Although, he has acknowledged the discussions with Toto Wolff that followed after the announcement. Wolff had earlier confessed that he as well as his team were taken aback by the news. Vasseur spoke publicly for the first time about the deal at the launch of the 2024 car.
“I’ve got a great relationship with Fred […] I think just the stars aligned, I think it really wouldn’t have happened without him.” – Lewis Hamilton confirming Fred Vasseur played a key role in his decision to move to Ferrari. #F1 pic.twitter.com/O3uu1jZoRQ
— Simon Dau (@there_is_no_if) February 23, 2024
While speaking of breaking the news to Carlos Sainz who lost his seat for 2025, Vasseur stated, “It was not the easiest call of my life. But the one that was most difficult was the one with Toto.” He further added, “We were always in contact to speak about different things and it [the deal] came naturally. I don’t know what was easy or what was not but it came like this, step by step.”
Vasseur has a longstanding relationship with Hamilton, having been his team principal at the ART Grand Prix in 2005 when Hamilton won the F3 title in his debut season. Their friendship over the years likely played a role in Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari.