mobile app bar

Toto Wolff Avoids Talking About Wins: “Maybe It’s Just a Superstition”

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

Toto Wolff Avoids Talking About Wins: "Maybe It’s Just a Superstition"

Toto Wolff is one of the most successful F1 team principals of all time, having guided Mercedes to eight Constructors’ championship wins since joining in 2013. Although he is used to victories, he still tries his best not to think about them. Wolff learned the same the hard way.

In the Performance People podcast, Wolff spoke about ‘not counting his chickens before they hatched’. The host, Georgina Jane Ainslie, asked him why, to which Wolff replied, “It’s a life lesson… You’ve got to keep things in you. Not talk too much about what could be or what couldn’t be.” 

Ainslie pressed for a better answer and Wolff said, “Maybe it’s just a superstition.” Wolff recounted an incident where, with five laps remaining in a race and one of his cars in the lead, he began thinking about who to send up on the podium to celebrate with his winning driver.

Then, disaster struck — a DNF took them out of the race. “You’re not sending anyone to the podium, because you’ve just lost,” the Austrian added. Whenever Wolff finds himself thinking about a potential victory, he reminds himself of past situations where similar thoughts had cost him.

Visualization can be powerful — Wolff

Wolff knows what it takes to run one of the biggest and most successful sports teams in recent times. He also had Lewis Hamilton — a mega athlete — on his team, so managing expectations could not have been stress-free.

When asked if he believes in visualization, Wolff said yes. “I think setting objectives is the single most important thing in your life… But you need to be very humble about it. It can come [back] otherwise.” 

It’s a mantra Wolff has developed throughout his career, one that has helped him sustain his success. He is currently focused on getting Mercedes out of the slump that began in 2022. Once a championship-winning team, the Silver Arrows were reduced to midfield contenders.

However, Wolff and the Brackley-based squad worked tirelessly to return to form in 2024, achieving three wins so far this season. Still, as Wolff told Ainslie, he won’t consider this a true success until he reaches his ultimate goal — winning the World championship again.

Post Edited By:Vidit Dhawan

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

Share this article