Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff sit for a customary discussion every year following the conclusion of a long winter break. The duo get along to have a friendly kitchen chat regarding the upcoming targets of the team, development through winter, and reflection on their previous season. This year’s meeting did not turn out to be so good, however. Hamilton’s future was the topic of discussion, and learning that he would be leaving for Ferrari, upset Wolff.
These meetings are very valuable for Wolff and Mercedes. The Silver Arrows boss said as per Motorsport,
“I think at the end of the season is a good moment, where you can put everything on the table, some of the frustrations and undiscussed topics, and to reflect on them, and to analyze them and to agree or find out what actually happened.”
“The events are not a surprise, maybe the timing”
Toto Wolff speaks for the first time on Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave the team for Ferrari in 2025 pic.twitter.com/pl06qvJOYj
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) February 2, 2024
As usual, this year’s meeting took place at Wolff’s Oxford house but it was not something that he looked forward to. During the meeting, Hamilton dropped the bombshell to reveal that he wanted to trigger the release clause at the end of the 2024 season and join Ferrari.
The British driver’s decision to drop the news to Wolff was different to what Nico Rosberg did. He took the help of his phone to let the boss know about his decision to retire at the end of 2016.
This sudden move proved to be massive for Mercedes as they needed to find his replacement in just a matter of two months. On the other hand, the transfer saga was complete before the start of the season. In a way, this benefitted both the team and the driver to have their focus on the upcoming season.
How will the Ferrari move pan out for Lewis Hamilton?
Ferrari wanted Lewis Hamilton to be their stalwart for a long time. The rumors of Ferrari going for the Mercedes driver began to floor in 2023, but nothing materialized. The report also claimed that Ferrari were ready for a $50 million move for the seven-time world champion.
John Elkann, the president of the Italian team played a huge role in the negotiations, as reported by Crash.
When the Maranello-based outfit approached Hamilton, he put forward his wishes to have funding from the team for Mission 44. With this, he also shared what is regarded as the most important clause of the contract – the brand ambassador role.
BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025!#F1 @LewisHamilton @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/M5QrB5pM8G
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 1, 2024
The 39-year-old wanted this deal to be beneficial for his post-F1 days as well. Mercedes didn’t agree to it, but Ferrari did. And this played a huge role in hanging Hamilton’s mind.
Coming into 2024, Elkann and Ferrari agreed to take Hamilton for a $435 million fee that included millions of dollars in bonuses. Hence, Mercedes lost out, while Ferrari gained by having Lewis Hamilton on the team for 2025.
As things stand, the multiple world champion might have it easy in the team due to his relationship with Elkann and team principal Fred Vasseur. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how Hamilton, fares against Leclerc in 2025.
