F1 News: Mercedes Chief Sets Record Straight On Lewis Hamilton Remark

Saajan Jogia | 16 Hours Ago

Toto Wolff 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, Friday - LAT Images / Mercedes Press Image

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has made a U-turn on his remark about Lewis Hamilton's "shelf life" ahead of his Mercedes exit, claiming that his statement was taken out of context. Wolff had revealed his views on Hamilton's Ferrari move in Matt Whyman's book Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane.

After facing difficulties with Mercedes' ground effect era cars since 2022, the seven-time world champion confirmed his 2025 move to Ferrari in February. Despite ongoing struggles, Mercedes saw a brief glimmer of success this season, with Hamilton securing two wins and George Russell claiming one. However, in his pursuit of an eighth F1 title, the 39-year-old driver opted for a fresh challenge, leading to his decision to switch teams.

In his book, where Whyman spent months observing the Brackley outfit to uncover the behind-the-scenes dynamics, the Austrian team principal disclosed that Hamilton's imminent departure was anticipated. However, Hamilton made the decision easier for the team by choosing to leave on his own. While Hamilton's Mercedes contract was extended for two years in 2023, Wolff revealed that there was a specific reason behind the duration of the deal. He said:

“I absolutely had it on my radar that Lewis would go.

"I just couldn’t understand why he’d change to another team before we knew if we were going to be competitive.

“It also didn’t give me any time to react, I had to emergency call our partners, and I possibly missed out on negotiating with other drivers who had signed contracts a few weeks earlier like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris.

“[But] I like the situation. It helps us because it avoids the moment where we need to tell the sport’s most iconic driver that we want to stop.”

He added:

“There’s a reason why we only signed a one-plus-one-year contract.

“We’re in a sport where cognitive sharpness is extremely important, and I believe everyone has a shelf life.

“So I need to look at the next generation. It’s the same in football. Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola. They anticipated it in the performance of their top stars and brought in junior players that drove the team for the next years.”

Now though, Wolff clarified his statement ahead of the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, as reported by PlanetF1, he said:

“That was taken a little bit out of context.

“What I was referring to is that all of us, we age, and whether it’s in the car, on a pitch, or as a manager and entrepreneur, you have to, and this is what I’m trying to do with myself, understand am I going from great to good.

“Because good is not in Formula 1 anymore.

“Now, contrary to my own self-assessment, I think we see with Lewis that he’s very much there when the car is right. And we haven’t been able to give him that car for him to perform best and that is a frustration that we equally have in the team and for himself.

“But he’s very sharp. He’s different to when he was a 20-year-old, that’s certainly clear. His experience and his race craft is tremendous.”