Hamilton not a ‘Special One’ says Wolff

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Toto Wolff insists he is not motor racing’s “Special One”, despite being on the verge of leading his team to another world championship.

After Hamilton, 33, wrapped up the individual honours at the last round in Mexico a fortnight ago, Mercedes will become only the second team in Formula One history to win five consecutive constructors’ titles.

That will be if Ferrari fail to outscore them by 13 points at Sunday’s penultimate round of the season in Brazil.

As team principal, Wolff, 46, has been a permanent fixture in Mercedes’ almost unprecedented run of success.

Mercedes have not always possessed the fastest

“For me it always came down to the performance”

machinery this year, but, when under pressure, have cracked fewer times than their rivals in red.

Hamilton, in probably his finest campaign, has taken the plaudits, but does Wolff feel he is worthy of the same acclaim?

“The downfall of any leader in a sport’s team is when he gets carried away with his own ego,” Wolff said.

“You have seen in football that if you start to think you are the ‘Special One’, or that you are better than the others, that is the moment when you will be beaten.”

He said of Hamilton: “At the start it was very difficult,” Wolff added. “Some of my marketing colleagues couldn’t comprehend that Lewis was being photographed with his Ferrari in Los Angeles, or that he was wearing different brands to ones that sponsored Mercedes.

“For me, it always came down to the performance level on track, and as long as he did that, he can lead the life he wants.”