When the world came to know of Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season, everything came to a standstill. Many refused to believe the news, while others had a hard time reeling back from the shock. No one knew how to react to the news but understood the significance of the move. Toto Wolff was among the people who took a major hit from the news. However, speaking to Fox Sports Australia, the Austrian admitted to not being disappointed with the news.
He claimed that Hamilton‘s decision to move to Ferrari was a natural one. Nearing the sunset years of his career, Hamilton needs to ensure he leaves on a high and earns as much as he can. Hence, the big-money move to Ferrari made sense to him.
“I think sports people have a limited shelf life when they are at the peak of their performance, the peak of their earning power. And that is maybe 10 or 15 years, and they got to do it. And it’s that limited amount of time where you want to win as many races and earn as much as possible. That’s why I understand that he says, ‘I got to go a different path. I need to reinvent myself.'”, Wolff said.
Wolff and Hamilton would meet with each other for coffee every day. It was a normal thing for them to do, but when the season kicked off, the duo’s coffee ‘date’ wasn’t what Wolff expected. Hamilton told Wolff that he would be leaving for Ferrari, which did not shock him. The 52-year-old understood that the decision came as a result of Mercedes’ short-term contract with Hamilton.
Mercedes’ slump played another role in Hamilton switching teams. The Silver Arrows have been off to a terrible start to 2024, sitting outside the top 3 in the constructors’ championship. The race in Australia added to their woes, as neither of the team’s drivers was able to finish the race. Hence, they ended the 3rd race weekend of the season on the same points they began with.
Plenty of names popping up to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes
Amid the ongoing struggles at Mercedes, their biggest task remains to find a worthy replacement for Lewis Hamilton. With George Russell expected to become the new ‘lead’ driver at Mercedes, Wolff has a lot of prospects to consider. Williams’ Alex Albon is one such driver.
The former Red Bull driver could become a real asset to Mercedes, and he is someone the German outfit can look at for a long-term partnership. Fernando Alonso could also become a Mercedes driver, bringing in the experience that Hamilton will take away with him. However, the longevity of the move would be questionable.
Mercedes Academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is another prospect for the team to look at. However, he is still too young and inexperienced to take up a full-time driving role in F1. Rumors also arose of Carlos Sainz driving for Mercedes after his entourage was seen engaging in conversation with Wolff.
Certain reports also suggest Wolff is keeping one eye on Max Verstappen, should the opportunity arise to sign him. The Dutchman has often been at war with the Mercedes outfit, but Wolff is willing to let go of all of that to house another world champion at Mercedes.
