Wolff won’t hold a grudge over Hamilton’s shock Ferrari move
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff insists he will not "hold a grudge" against Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time world champion announced he will be joining rivals Ferrari.
Hamilton is entering the first year of a new two-year deal with Mercedes worth £100 million but the 39-yearold has activated a release clause in the agreement and signed a multi-year contract with Ferrari which starts in 2025.
Wolff was told of Hamilton's decision at a breakfast meeting on Wednesday and said he made no attempt to change his star driver's mind.
"When we signed the contract with Lewis we opted for a shorter term so the events are not a surprise, maybe the timing," Wolff said.
"My first thought was practical. The team's mind kicked in. When are we communicating this? What are the pressure points? How are we managing the season going forward and what are we going to do in terms of driver line-up?
"Now, having slept a few nights on it, it means our professional journey comes to
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have become friends at Mercedes
an end, but it doesn't mean that our personal relationship ends. I've found a friend, we've built a relationship over the last ten years and he faced a very, very difficult situation, taking a decision of where to drive, maybe for the first time in ten years without being able to brainstorm with me and therefore I will always respect the difficulty of the situation that he faced.
"In the future we will discuss whether this could have been done in a different way but I hold no grudge."
Wolff said he would love
Hamilton to win a record eighth world title this season after controversially missing out in the final race of 2021, but conceded that would be an uphill task given Red Bull's recent dominance.
"We have 2024 together, we want to make it the most successful we can," Wolff said.
"Is it realistic we are competing for a world championship against Max [Verstappen] in a Red Bull? If I'm a probability person the odds are against us. But nevertheless we will give it our best shot.
"There's a friend side in me that says he should have an eighth [title] because that was taken away from him so if he wins that in 2024 that would be a great thing.
"Going forward, competing on track, I'd rather us win."
Wolff refused to be drawn on who would replace Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 but praised current team-mate George Russell as a lead driver in waiting.
"George has the potential to be the next lead driver in the team and I couldn't wish for a [better] new team leader when Lewis leaves," Wolff said.
"We have such a solid foundation, such a quick and talented and intelligent guy in the car. We just need to take the right choice for the second seat and it's not something I want to be rushed in.
"I guess that a few contracts have been signed a few weeks ago that we would have looked at that could have been interesting, but in a way I always like change because change provides you opportunity.
"Maybe it's a chance to do something bold."
Reacting to the news, Russell tweeted his message to Hamilton yesterday morning, writing: "It's been special racing alongside you, @lewishamilton. Let's make this season one to remember."
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Bashir vied for centre stage with India's next big thing, Yashasvi Jaiswal, on day one in Visakhapatnam. Jaiswal, 22, made a dashing 179 not out, carrying his bat from first ball to last in an exemplary knock.
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The Suzuka track has staged numerous title deciders including the culmination of the controversial rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, and most recently Max Verstappen's 2022 success.
But from this year the race will move to a new slot in April, between races in Australia and China, as part of Formula 1's aim to make its calendar more efficient.
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Both races will retain their place and ranking on the UCI calendar - with the men's race part of the UCI Proseries in September and the women's edition forming part of the Women's Worldtour in early June. But time pressures will see the women's race reduced, perhaps to four stages from the usual six.