Wolff makes unexpected Hamilton admission: 'We have the old gang back together'

When Hamilton announced in early 2024 that he would end his long-term partnership with Mercedes to drive for Ferrari starting in 2025, it seemed like the end of an era. Wolff emphasizes, however, that the manner in which the departure took place was anything but hostile.

“When he decided to go, it could have been very awkward, borderline hostile, and we actively talked about how to not make it that,” he explains to The Wall Street Journal. “All of us made a real effort in trying to be very accommodating, very understanding.”

“He’s maintained being a friend,” Wolff continued. “He pops up in the office on the weekend! He speaks with the engineers, gets some food. After many Grand Prix, he travels back with me. So we have the old gang: Valtteri Bottas, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and me flying from the races.”

Despite the close relationship between Wolff and Hamilton, there is little room for sentiment in terms of sport. “Listen, on the racetrack, we want to beat you. No doubt about that. But it’s been 12 years that we have been in this relationship. We trust each other,” continues the Mercedes team principal.

On a personal level, the two still share a lot. “I’m living a different life through his eyes—you know, he shows me his flirts and who he dates, and [asks], ‘Should I go for this girl or not?’ And I’m saying, ‘Yes, you should, and tell me how it was.’”