F1 drivers make up some of the most popular athletes in the world. The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Lando Norris are incredibly famous, and there aren’t many places where they’ll go unrecognized. This popularity sometimes has an effect on the lives of F1 team principals too, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealing its dark sides.
F1 team principals have been getting immensely popular, thanks to Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive‘, which helped fans get a better idea about their lives. It also gave them an idea of the job they do on the track, which was previously unknown to many. One of the star team principals of Drive to Survive was none other than Toto Wolff, who has been a regular on the blockbuster docu-series.
Today, Wolff has many fans all over the world, which is flattering, but at the same time, exhausting. People want to follow his every movement away from the racing track, which gives him little time for himself and his family. In fact, over the course of the upcoming summer break, the Austrian is planning on going into hiding.
Toto Wolff wants to go where no one can find him
In the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Nico Rosberg was talking about the popularity of Lando Norris, and how it can get to his head. He understands that the young Brit is extremely famous, and that can sometimes have a negative effect on one’s mental state, when they are trying to focus on themselves.
The rise of social media, along with paparazzi and journalists hoarding the F1 stars, has left very little privacy for them. Then, Rosberg revealed what his former boss Toto Wolff told him when they were talking about the 2023 summer break.
“He [Wolff] said, ‘No I’m not going to Ibiza'”, Rosberg began. “‘Because its just paparazzi, nuts. I need to go somewhere where nobody can find me. You know, for the summer holidays’.”
Talking about Lando Norris again, Rosberg adds that he hopes that the McLaren driver is able to cope with this level of fame and craze.
Lando Norris and his rise to stardom
Lando Norris has always been one of the most followed F1 stars, ever since making his debut back in 2019. Today, however, it is safe to say that he is a mega-star, driving for a team that is seemingly on its way to the front of the grid again.
Norris’ 2023 season started off on a bad note, with the McLaren failing to fight for points even. Now, his car is arguably the second-fastest on the grid, right behind Red Bull. A P4 finish in Austria, followed by back to back P2 finishes in Silverstone and Hungary has put the 23-year-old right under the spotlight.
Heading into the summer-break, a lot is being expected from Norris. The young Brit will use this time to recharge himself, as he looks to help McLaren climb up the standings, and fight second place in the championship.
