Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was extremely shocked when he first heard the news that Lewis Hamilton will be departing his side for Ferrari in 2025. The Italian outfit convinced the Briton to join their side by offering a lucrative deal worth $435 million. However, when Wolff received the update about Hamilton’s plans, he planned the ultimate sabotage, according to former F1 driver Ivan Capelli.
In a recent interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, Capelli said, ” It was a trip by Toto Wolff to Hamilton and Ferrari. It burned an announcement to be made during the current season.”
What was most surprising to Wolff was not Hamilton’s decision to move to Ferrari in 2025, but the timing of the announcement. It was just a few months ago when the seven-time champion signed an extension with Mercedes, and claimed that he would retire at Brackley.
However, that will change now, with Hamilton all set to move to Maranello in 2025. The Briton made such a decision because Mercedes did not cater to his demands. One of them was to become the brand ambassador of the Silver Arrows for 10 years after retirement.
Mercedes, however, turned down this proposal and signed the Briton with a (1+1) contract until the next regulation. While Mercedes did not adhere to his demands, Ferrari were more than keen to provide Hamilton with what he wanted.
The Briton not only received a lucrative contract from the Italian outfit but also received the opportunity to be their brand ambassador after his retirement. Although Wolff was aware that Mercedes had not catered to Hamilton’s demands, the 39-year-old’s decision to snub his side as early as February 2024 still surprised him.
Toto Wolff reveals he was one of the last to know about Lewis Hamilton’s departure
Although Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff share a strong relationship, the Austrian yet revealed that he was one of the last people to receive the news about the Briton’s departure. In an interview with the Chequered Flag podcast, Wolff revealed the precise moment Hamilton informed him of his departure.
#F1 | Toto Wolff on how his conversation with Lewis Hamilton went at his Oxford home: “We had a very amicable chat like we always have, then I we started to talk about changing the organisation and he said ‘I need to tell you something: I’m signed for Ferrari for next year.’”
“I… pic.twitter.com/yl5AkF3O30
— deni (@fiagirly) February 27, 2024
The 52-year-old said, “I was surprised by the timing. The sheer fact didn’t come as a shock at all, it was more: Why now? And why from one day to the other? But that discussion probably lasted a minute.” Hamilton’s surprise decision not only disappointed Toto Wolff but also the rest of the Mercedes team.
