Wolff after Hamilton's departure: 'Didn't try to convince him otherwise'

The first rumours had first reached Toto Wolff earlier in the week. On Wednesday - during a one-to-one conversation with Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff got confirmation: the driver who helped Mercedes dominate Formula 1 for years will drive for Ferrari from 2025.

During an interview with the media, Wolff addressed his star driver's farewell for the first time on Friday, two days after a joint breakfast. "That was Wednesday morning," Wolff said. "This is when he broke the news. Once he said this is what I’m trying to do, that was the fact, I didn’t try to convince him otherwise."

Wolff holds no grudge against Hamilton

Still, it is remarkable: last summer, Hamilton extended his contract, only now to announce his departure. Wolff says Hamilton gave a perfectly understandable explanation about it to him: "A new challenge, looking for a different environment, and maybe the last possibility to do something else. We’re big boys. We knew that by signing a short term contract it could be of benefit for both sides. We couldn’t commit for a longer period. And he’s taken the option to exit.

There is no resentment of any kind on Wolff's part: "Totally respect that you can change your mind, it’s different to circumstances, and switching to Ferrari for maybe the last gig, maybe rolling the dice a bit, I can follow that decision," said the Austrian. Because fair is fair, Wolff says: "The events are not a surprise - maybe the timing".