With Lewis Hamilton bidding farewell to Mercedes, team principal Toto Wolff has experienced an emotional couple of weeks. The Austrian even paid a heartfelt tribute to the seven-time champion while wishing all Mercedes fans a ‘Happy Holidays’.
After thanking his fans for all their support, Wolff spent some time reflecting on the 2024 season. “We’ve enjoyed some incredible moments this season — victories in Austria and Belgium; winning on the strip in Las Vegas and finishing first and second,” he said. “And who can forget Lewis’ ninth British Grand Prix triumph at Silverstone“?
“Despite not delivering a final title together, ‘the legacy will live on,” were Wolff’s final words, paying tribute to a driver who was nothing short of phenomenal. Between 2014 and 2020, Hamilton achieved six world titles, 73 wins, and over 100 podiums—truly a golden era not just for him but also for the team.
Happy Holidays to all! pic.twitter.com/u8SfOjkg8T
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 25, 2024
What was truly astonishing during this period of domination was that all other drivers combined managed just 65 victories. Moreover, excluding Mercedes drivers, no individual driver won more than 14 races, highlighting the unparalleled dominance of Hamilton and the Silver Arrows during this era.
Mercedes will now transition into a new era
As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and so it is for Mercedes—a team that rewrote the history books by claiming eight constructors’ titles with Hamilton at the helm. Stepping in to fill the immense void left by Hamilton is 18-year-old Italian prodigy, Kimi Antonelli, while George Russell takes on the mantle of team leader.
After giving a fitting tribute to Hamilton, Wolff is also excited about what the future holds for Mercedes. “Next year marks the start of an exciting new chapter in our team story,” he added. “With George and Kimi, we are excited for what is ahead as two of our junior program graduates form the youngest driver line-up on the grid“.
With Russell just 26 as well and already a three-time Grand Prix winner, Mercedes does seem to have invested well for the future. Whether or not this driver line-up turns out to be a success, only time will tell.
Wolff already seems to have a backup plan in place. As he told Hamilton over the radio during his cool-down lap in Abu Dhabi, ‘If we cannot win, we truly hope you do,’ he echoed the same sentiment in his final farewell video to the Briton.
Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari next season, will aim to secure his record-breaking eighth championship. Judging by Wolff’s words, Mercedes would be just as happy to see the 39-year-old succeed, fully aware of the incredible legacy they built together.
