Toto Wolff shares a great relationship with Lewis Hamilton, and together, they have created history with Mercedes. However, they too, went through rough patches in the past, particularly during the 2016 season, when Hamilton lost out on the world championship in the season finale. In fact, as Wolff recalled in an interview recently, they went weeks without talking to each other.
Hamilton was part of one of F1’s fiercest rivalries ever with his childhood friend Nico Rosberg. Once inseparable, their relationship deteriorated dramatically when they became teammates at Mercedes and started fighting for the title. Hamilton got the better of him in 2014 and 2015, but the next year, it was Rosberg, who finally won his first and only championship.
Losing to his ex-best friend in the same car was definitely a painful experience for Hamilton, who felt that his team could have helped him more. Admittedly, Hamilton could have emerged as the champion had it not been for his mechanical failure in Malaysia that year.
All this led to Hamilton and Wolff engaging in a cold war of sorts, where neither of them spoke to one another for six weeks.
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff didn’t speak for six weeks
Hamilton was not happy with how the 2016 world championship ended, and was mad at Toto Wolff, because of him being the team principal. There were rumors of the Brit being so upset that he was considering leaving the team, and as reported by GPFans, he didn’t speak to Wolff for a long time.
“A key moment was at the end of 2016 when we had not spoken for a long time”, he said. “I invited him to my Oxford home for a good conversation. There I gave him as an example that I sometimes argue with my wife Susie. Even if we yell at each other, even if it doesn’t happen often, we don’t immediately file for divorce.”
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 31, 2023
Wolff’s piece of advice must’ve convinced Hamilton to continue his journey with Mercedes. He went on to win the next four world championships, before entering a slump once again. Now, because of this slump, rumors of Hamilton leaving the team have started growing once again.
Is Hamilton leaving Mercedes?
The 2022 regulations hit Mercedes very hard. They were dominant between 2014 and 2021, but now, they are struggling to get into the top three in races. This has led to rumors about Hamilton seeking an exit from the Brackley-based outfit, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
Toto Wolff keeps insisting that the seven-time world champion is close to renewing, and Hamilton himself has reiterated his desire to win his eighth title with Mercedes. Yet, an official confirmation is still pending, leaving fans guessing.
