Toto Wolff

Toto Wolff is the team principal and CEO of the Mercedes Formula 1 team. With eight world titles in the Constructors' Championship, Wolff is considered a successful team principal. But the Austrian also thrives in business and is the husband of Susie Wolff.

Wolff was born on January 12, 1972, in Vienna, Austria. His career began in motorsport, but he soon realized that he wouldn't reach the top. After his racing career, he shifted his focus to business, where he was much more successful.

Wolff initially founded Marchfifteen (1998) and Marchsixteen (2004), two companies focused on internet and technology investments for businesses. In 2006, Wolff also became a co-owner of HWA AG, purchasing 49% of the shares. The company entered the DTM in 2007 and also became involved in Formula 3.

Wolff’s interest in Formula 1 was piqued. In 2009, Wolff bought shares in the Williams Formula 1 team and became its director in 2012. However, Wolff did not stay long, as in 2013, he made the move to Mercedes. Wolff became not only the team principal and CEO but also a one-third owner of the Mercedes F1 team.

Due to the success of the Mercedes F1 team, Wolff's wealth has significantly increased. He purchased shares in Mercedes in 2013 for around $50 million. Mercedes, which was valued at about $150 million at the time, is now valued at $3.8 billion, according to Forbes. Wolff holds a 33% stake.

In April 2020, Wolff also bought 4.95% of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings, the parent company of Aston Martin's F1 team. In 2021, Wolff sold his 5% stake in Williams to new owner Dorilton Capital and was also involved as CEO in Mercedes' Formula E team, which became world champion twice.

In 2013, Wolff made the jump to the big leagues, swapping Williams for Mercedes, which had returned to the Formula 1 grid in 2010 as a factory team. Brawn GP was acquired, and Wolff became team principal in 2013, alongside former F1 driver Niki Lauda. Since 2014, it has been his team leading the charge with the new engine regulations, though his smile was often wiped away when his drivers (Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg) didn’t give each other enough space.

In 2014 and 2015, Hamilton clinched world titles alongside Wolff, but in 2016, Rosberg finally managed to surpass his former teammate. Just days after securing the title, Rosberg shocked everyone by announcing his retirement from Formula 1.

Anyone thinking Wolff has an easy job because his team wins so regularly is mistaken. The expectation is that Mercedes will dominate, while Ferrari and Red Bull Racing bring in hundreds of millions of dollars to catch up with the Silver Arrows. In 2019, the Maranello team nearly succeeded.

In 2016, Wolff had to make a difficult decision. Who would replace the departing Rosberg and help Mercedes secure the title, without causing problems for Lewis Hamilton? In 2017, the decision was made to hire veteran Valtteri Bottas, who had been driving for Williams. The Finnish driver had the experience and knew the role of second fiddle well. Mercedes continued to win the Constructors' Championship year after year, and Hamilton piled up the drivers' titles. This led the German team to set records for the most consecutive world titles in both the Constructors' and Drivers' Championships. That is, until Red Bull started to pick up speed. In 2020, the Austrian team wasn't yet a threat, but by the following year, Red Bull Racing had risen.

The 2021 season would be a turning point for Mercedes. The team won the Constructors’ Championship but lost the Drivers' Championship in a dramatic showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. The season was marked by intense rivalry between the teams of both drivers, with team principals Toto Wolff and Christian Horner playing major roles.

The new season in 2022 didn’t go in Mercedes’ favor. The team initially gained attention with its ‘zero sidepod’ design, but various issues with the W13 arose, and it wasn’t until the final races of 2022 that updates made the car more competitive. However, Mercedes appeared to be on the way back. In 2023, things went wrong again for Wolff. Mercedes finished second in the Constructors' Championship without winning a single race. Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 F1 season. In 2024, however, the team showed signs of improvement with the new W15 car, winning four Grands Prix and scoring more points than the previous year. Despite this, they still slipped to fourth in the Constructors' Championship as McLaren and Ferrari performed much better.

Wolff has been Mercedes' team principal since 2013, but his real battle with Red Bull Racing began only in 2021. In 2013, Mercedes wasn’t strong enough to seriously challenge Red Bull in the title fight. In the seven years that followed, Mercedes dominated Formula 1. But in 2021, a major battle erupted between Wolff and Horner.

In the 2021 title battle, everything was used to win. Wolff and Horner continuously accused each other of trying to destabilize the other. The FIA race officials, particularly Michael Masi, became the target. The race director often received calls from both team principals during races, as they attempted to influence decisions.

The first major incident in their rivalry came at Silverstone. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton collided at Copse. Verstappen crashed into the barriers and had to be checked in the hospital, while Hamilton received a 10-second penalty. Wolff contested this penalty, sending a famous email to Masi to argue Hamilton’s innocence, causing massive unrest at Red Bull Racing, which saw Hamilton still win the race despite the penalty.

As each contact between Hamilton and Verstappen occurred, tensions rose. In Brazil, the situation reached its peak when Mercedes' car was disqualified. When Hamilton made his way back through the field and then was pushed off track by Verstappen, Wolff was furious. When Hamilton eventually passed Verstappen on track, Wolff made a strong statement to the camera.

Everything came to a head in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen and Hamilton fought for the world title. As the drivers were behind the safety car in the final laps, both teams did everything to tilt the decision in their favor. Masi decided to restart the race, much to Wolff’s anger. His words “No Michael, No” echoed over the radio, but it was too late. Verstappen became F1 World Champion in 2021.

The aftermath of that season was arguably even more painful. Mercedes tried everything, but eventually gave up the fight. To this day, Wolff blames Michael Masi, believing he was the one who turned the race in Verstappen’s favor and that Hamilton should have won his eighth world title.

At the start of the 2025 F1 season, rumors surfaced about a potential move for Verstappen to Wolff’s team. This was primarily due to the underperforming Red Bull car. Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, stated that he was certain Verstappen would join the German team for the 2026 F1 season.

Toto Wolff is not only the team principal of Mercedes but also a 33% owner of the F1 team. Wolff shares ownership with INEOS and Mercedes’ parent company. Forbes estimates Wolff’s net worth at $1.8 billion, or approximately €1.4 billion. This wealth comes largely from his 33% stake in the Mercedes F1 team, valued at around $3.8 billion.

Toto Wolff earns money not only as an owner of Mercedes but also as an employee of the company. He reportedly earns €16 million per year as the team principal of Mercedes, making him the highest-paid team principal in Formula 1. Christian Horner is believed to earn between €8 million and €12 million per year.

Toto Wolff is married to Suzanne Stoddart, better known as Susie Wolff. Susie made a name for herself in motorsport, reaching Formula 1. At Williams, she had a few tests in F1 but never competed in a Grand Prix. Susie Wolff is now the director of the F1 Academy, a racing series created specifically for talented women.

Toto and Susie Wolff met while Toto was co-owner of HWA AG. Wolff proposed on a boat in Venice after eight months of dating. The couple married in Capri, Italy, in 2011.

Toto and Susie Wolff have one son, named Jack. Jack was born in 2017 and lives with his parents in Monaco.

Although it is hard to imagine now due to the rivalry between Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, Toto Wolff once raced under Red Bull’s flag. Between 2004 and 2006, Wolff raced in endurance events in the blue colors of Red Bull. In 2004, he and his teammates Wendlinger, Quester, and Zonca won the 1000 Miles of Interlagos and Wolff also set the fastest lap. In 2005, they also won the Six Hours of Misano together.