Toto Wolff reveals he is already 'vetting' his own replacements in Mercedes succession plan
Photo: Race Pictures
Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Toto Wolff has revealed that he is already vetting two or three people to take over his duties as Mercedes team principal. The Austrian also said he probably cannot make a clean break from the team, because of his part ownership.
Mercedes head into the United States GP with one of the most successful team principals in F1 history still at the helm. Should Kimi Antonelli win the Drivers' title in Austin this weekend, and Mercedes go on to win the Constructors', Wolff would level former McLaren boss Ron Dennis' 17 world championships.
For Antonelli to win the title in Austin, and become the youngest ever to do so in F1 history, he needs to secure the race victory, and hope his Mercedes teammate George Russell finishes P9 or lower, while former Silver Arrows world champion Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower.
Ahead of the US GP, however, Wolff has lifted the lid on possible succession planning at Mercedes. Having been with the Brackley-based team since 2013, Wolff signed a contract extension in 2024 to remain as team principal, CEO, and part owner of the team. After selling a £230 million stake to Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz in 2025, Wolff owns 28% of Mercedes F1.
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Wolff's job to be split between several people
Photo: Race Pictures
Speaking on the Cheeky Pints podcast, Wolff explained that he does not plan to hand his role to one successor. He described a structure in which his responsibilities are shared out among people who already work at the team.
“For me, it’s important to do what’s best for the family and to do what’s best for the team. And that means looking at the structure going forward, where this team can live without me," Wolff said.
“Probably it’s not going to be the same because I have the credibility as an entrepreneur that’s leading my own businesses, but there will be a solid management structure, and I believe that my job is going to be divided between two or three people that I’m vetting at the moment, that I believe are already doing a great job with all of their strengths in various areas. It’s going to be different, but it will be a successful team.”
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While Wolff did not name any of the candidates, Bradley Lord, the team's former communications chief, became deputy team principal in 2026 to "further enhance the capability of our leadership group," and has taken over on-site team principal duties when Wolff has been absent.
Wolff rules out a 'clean break'
Because the Austrian co-owns the team, stepping away may prove to be more complicated than most team principals, with the 54-year-old suggesting a chairman role as a possibility, albeit without much interference in Mercedes' day to day operations.
"I think a clean break is probably not possible if I continue to own it with my family,' Wolff explained. "So that kind of executive, non-executive chairmanship is something that may happen. But it needs to happen in a very, very precise way. Because you can't be on the sidelines and interfere with the daily business.
“I also don’t want to end up in a situation that I believe the family can run it the best way and then be just mediocre. You have to earn your spot in running it, and you have to contribute, and my children also don’t seem to have any interest.”
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