Toto Wolff was asked whether he would have preferred Lewis Hamilton to thoroughly inspect Mercedes’ F1 2024 car before opting to leave the team.
Hamilton’s surprising announcement of his departure from Mercedes to join Ferrari on a multi-year contract starting in 2025 caused shockwaves in the F1 community earlier this month, triggering a frenzy in the driver market.
While the confirmation came at the beginning of February, it is believed that Hamilton had already made his decision before having the chance to examine or test drive the W15 on the simulator. The seven-time world champion has yet to publicly elaborate on his motives for this significant move. However, Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has faced inquiries about the switch multiple times, most recently during the opening day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, posed by Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz.
“I believe he made his decision over the winter to join Ferrari, and there are advantages to keeping it private and then making a final decision perhaps later on,” Wolff commented. “However, if you have made up your mind and you are committed, that’s acceptable.”
When questioned about whether the W15 has the potential to win races or championships, Wolff responded with, “Unable to comment.”
“We acknowledge the significant challenge ahead of us. With Red Bull’s impressive start under the new regulations, bridging the gap is exceedingly tough. Currently, we don’t have a clear understanding of our performance level.”
“The attention-grabbing design of Mercedes’ redesigned W15, particularly its unconventional front wing, has drawn interest from competitors in the paddock. However, up to this point, neither George Russell nor Hamilton has shown any indication of its genuine pace.”
