There was a time when Toto Wolff not only partially owned Mercedes but also had a 16% share in Williams. In 2014, his proudest moment came on his home turf, the Austrian Grand Prix, where both his teams finished in the top four and took all podium spots away.
“Probably the proudest moment that I had was in 2014 when we finished first and second. And other team Williams where I was still a shareholder finished third and fourth, and that was the track where I started racing with no money,” said Wolff to Forbes.
Wolff had a racing career from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s. However, with a lack of financial resources, he eventually turned into an entrepreneur. After amassing a considerable amount of wealth, he invested in Williams by acquiring a 16% stake. Moreover, in 2012, he became the executive director of the Grove-based team.
Around this time, Mercedes approached him and asked him to assess why they were not winning despite endless resources. Impressed with his assessment, they asked him to take the reign with a lucrative stake offer of around 40%. But he later bought only 30%, which is now 33%.
Therefore, at this time, Wolff managed to keep shares in both teams. Initially, in 2014, he sold two-thirds shares of Williams, and the rest in 2016. Thus, ending his seven-year-long relationship with Williams. But at the same time, his story with Mercedes was only historical, to say the least.
Toto Wolff became the most successful team principal ever
After taking the charge in 2013, it took him only two years with the Silver Arrows to clinch his first Constructors’ title with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at the forefront. This feat was followed by seven more Constructors’ championship. In the process, his team became the most successful F1 side ever.
Shockingly, when this was achieved by Mercedes, the team was only 11 years old. Only Christian Horner can match Wolff’s tally in the present day, who has recorded six constructors’ titles with Red Bull. Considering, Red Bull is having another dominant spell, it is achievable for the Briton.
Can Mercedes return to their superstar status in 2024? #Wolff #Mercedes #F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/0az1EaJc6J
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) December 25, 2023
Meanwhile, Mercedes is facing a slump and has hardly been at the level it was from the start of the turbo-hybrid till 2021. The dip is mainly credited to the new aero regulations which were introduced back in 2022, which also triggered Red Bull’s supremacy.
Wolff takes the blame for the team having a considerable dip in 2022, as he let his side continue with the wrong understanding of the concept. However, for 2024, he vows to help Mercedes get closer to Red Bull and find some success on the track.
