The publication of Toto Wolff’s new book hit the headlines last week and for some it was for the wrong reasons. As the promotion material explains, “Experience the exhilarating ride through the high-speed world of Formula 1 with “Toto Wolff: The Road to Formula 1 Dominance.” In this captivating book, we unveil the extraordinary life and career of Toto Wolff, the man who orchestrated the rise of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team to unprecedented dominance.”

This for some is problematic given it was the likes of Ross Brawn, Bob Bell and Niki Lauda who actually orchestrated the rise of Mercedes AMG Petronas. Wolff was in fact a bit of a Johnny come lately landing in Brackley once the platform for success had been developed.

Mercedes had acquired the Brawn GP back in 2010 and Niki Lauda was cited as the most influential individual persuading Lewis Hamilton first to join the project in 2012.

 

 

 

Wolff takes credit for Mercedes success

Come January 2013 Wolff left his role at Williams F1 to become an executive director of the Mercedes AMG F1 team, acquiring 30% of the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix organisation. Niki Lauda held 10% and the rest remained with the parent company in Stuttgart.

Further, come 2013 the Brixworth factory was well on the way to producing what would become the all dominant Mercedes V6 turbo hybrid set to debut the following year in 2014. Guru engine designer Andy Cowell who headed up the multi-year F1 project had been with the division since 2008.

Even if the adulation heaped on Wolff for being in the right place at the right time was palatable, the Wolff narrative was likely to have upset fans of Lewis Hamilton. Toto reveals why after almost nine months of negotiations, the contract signed with Hamilton late in 2023 was for just one season, with opt ins for next year if both parties agreed.

At the time Mercedes and Lewis announced the deal, there was an air of ‘is that it?’ Given the protracted nature of the talks it was expected that Lewis may be given an ambassador role for Mercedes as his management team had leaked was on the table. Yet the reality of the ‘multi-year’ contract announced by the parties was this was a one year deal giving Mercedes the option to bail out for 2025.

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Hamilton “shelf life” debate

Hamilton had been critical of the team for failing to grasp the new ground effect car design regulations leading to the replacement of technical director Mike Ellis describing his W14 car as “the worst.” Lewis told the assembled media when his shiny new deal was presented, that this wouldn’t be his last contract in F1, raising the spectre that he was not content with the final agreement struck with Mercedes. Just weeks later Hamilton was discussing terms with Ferrari in a what was to prove to be a truly multi-year deal that will see him into the new FIA regulations in 2026.

In the book Wolff explains the rationale for the one plus one contract. “There’s a reason why we only signed a one-plus-one-year contract. We’re in a sport where cognitive sharpness is extremely important, and I believe everyone has a shelf life.”

Clearly given the Hamilton deal, Wolff was specifically referring to the reasons he didn’t want to take a long term punt on the seven times world champion. Wolff states in his book, the longer term relief he felt following Lewis announcing his departure because he’d been dreading the day he had to tell Hamilton, his time with the team was up.

Of course the F1 media climbed all over the “shelf life” comments which appears to be relevant given the rise of George Russell over the three year partnership with Hamilton. Lewis will most likely finish behind his team mate this year and create an unwanted record of being beaten 2-1 for the first time in his career.

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Hamilton’s powers fade

Jenson Button previously came close when over his three seasons he scored more points than Lewis while at McLaren, but Hamilton finished the term 2-1 ahead in the championship.

Wolff has clearly been inundated since his book release and today in an interview with the BBC, the Mercedes boss attempts to frame his “shelf life” comments in a different fashion.

“What I was referring to is that, all of us, we age, whether it is in being in a car or on a pitch or as a manager or an entrepreneur,” he explained. “And this is what I’m trying to do with myself, to understand am I going from great to good, because good is not in Formula 1 any more.”

Toto’s self deprecating comparison with his star driver is an attempt to calm troubled waters, but it’s difficult for the “shelf life” comment to be interpreted in any way other than applying to Hamilton.

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Wolff seeks to clear up slur

Wolff argues Lewis remains one of the best in the business but the team have not delivered by giving a car which demonstrates this. “Contrary to my own self-assessment, I think we see with Lewis that he’s very much there when the car is right, and we haven’t been able to give him that car for him to perform best,” he said. “And that is a frustration that we equally have in the team and for himself.”

“He’s very sharp. He’s different to when he was a 20-year-old, that’s certainly clear, but his experience and his race craft is tremendous,” the Mercedes chief concluded.

The debate over whether Hamilton is losing his powers has moved on over the past three seasons, since his epic battle with Verstappen in 2021. The ground effect car designs introduced in 2022 have seen a number of the older drivers on the grid struggle with the speed the centre of pressure shifts from the front to the back of the car, with the exception of the mercurial Fernando Alonso.

Lewis will be replaced by Kimi Antonelli who Mercedes believe is a future Verstappen. The Italian has competed for just one season in an FIA international single seater junior series and has been turning heads.

2025 will see a new chapter for Mercedes and Hamilton, whose move to Ferrari will be the most difficult he has made in his career.

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Carlos Sainz breaks his silence on Audi snub

The only non-Red Bull driver in Formula One who was able to halt the inevitable procession of Max Verstappen wins last season, Carlos Sainz, was announced this week as one of the Williams drivers set for the post season Abu Dhabi test. Former Ferrari team manager Peter Windsor described this as on of “the saddest bits of news” as he reflects on how it all went wrong for the Spanish driver.

Sainz was negotiating a new deal with Ferrari last winter and reports from the Italian media had suggested team boss Fred Vasseur was in favour of retaining his driver lineup beyond this year.

Then Enzo’s descendent, now the Ferrari group president, John Elkann informed the Ferrari team principal he had agreed a deal for Lewis Hamilton to join the Scuderia for 2025, leaving Carlos Sainz out in the cold… READ MORE