“He’s Got to Be Excluded”: Damon Hill on Why Toto Wolff Should Keep Lewis Hamilton Out of Mercedes’ 2025 Discussions

1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill believes that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will have to start making some tough decisions involving Lewis Hamilton. The Briton will leave the Silver Arrows for Ferrari in just four months, which is why Hill feels Wolff should leave him out of the team’s internal discussions.

The 2024 summer break is almost over, and Hamilton has just 10 races remaining with Mercedes. After a difficult start to the campaign, they are back in the front, firmly in contention for winning races. And Hill believes Hamilton has done his job.

The Brackley-based outfit cannot afford to lose crucial information to Ferrari at the hands of the seven-time World Champion.

Hill says on the F1 Nation Podcast,

“I mean he’s got to be excluded from conversations related to whatever’s coming next year. They don’t want to share many insights he might take to Ferrari.”

At the same time, Hill also feels that even if Hamilton is privy to Mercedes’ 2025 plans, it wouldn’t benefit Ferrari much, come next season.

Hill adds that drivers aren’t the best translators of technicalities. That is to say, Hamilton will not be able to drive Ferrari’s 2025 technical playbook as effectively as an engineer, who jumps ship.

Moreover, all the teams already have the requisite data about their Championship rivals. There is very little that isn’t common knowledge in the paddock. And the only thing rivals don’t know is what is under the hood – including the all-important power unit.

At the end of the day, Hill thinks that while Hamilton will be excluded from certain conversations, he will always be fairly treated. That’s because he sees Wolff and Mercedes as an honorable pair.