Lewis Hamilton shocked the System 1 paddock along with his transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 season. However whereas the change in groups hasn’t heralded the change in fortunes he could have hoped for, it did imply that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff prevented making a name he “dreaded”.
Hamilton received the dash race on the Chinese language Grand Prix, solely his second spherical with the Scuderia, however has since struggled to make his mark and prompt earlier than the summer time break that Ferrari ought to look to exchange him.
Having clarified that these feedback had been ‘not how I really feel’, Hamilton confirmed promise on the Dutch Grand Prix weekend earlier than crashing on lap 23 at Zandvoort.
Nevertheless, Hamilton’s former boss at Mercedes is reluctant to counsel that the seven-time world champion not has “it”.
“You do not lose your functionality from sooner or later to the opposite,” the Mercedes boss stated.
“A driver or a sportsperson can compensate a decline of efficiency in some areas with overperformance in others. For instance, your expertise can compensate for perhaps a lesser velocity on a single lap.
“I’ve seen Alonso, he is at all times been capable of compensate. So, I consider Lewis, with a automobile that provides him the boldness and the suggestions, can nonetheless be superb.”
Toto Wolff, Group Principal and CEO, Mercedes AMG George Russell, Mercedes-AMG Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG
Photograph by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Photographs
Hamilton’s insecurity has change into an all too acquainted sight in recent times, after he struggled to adapt to F1’s floor impact period at Mercedes and is now going through extra points following his change to Ferrari.
“He is had these feelings with us as effectively,” Wolff added. “I believe he had dangerous moments as effectively you realize, the place he felt the technique went towards him.
“You begin to perceive a person higher, how they perform, after which with him you realize – I do know him so effectively, I understand how that goes and typically I simply wanted to place my arm round him instantly or give him half an hour to let the steam off after which issues would normalise in a manner.”
Struggling in a brand new atmosphere
On this regard, Wolff believes that it helped Hamilton that he confronted his preliminary struggles with F1’s new period within the Mercedes atmosphere, which felt very acquainted to Hamilton.
“Once you’re in your loved ones, you’ll be able to shout and scream and everyone’s going to know why,” stated Wolff. “Once you’re in a brand new atmosphere, you do not know the others as effectively, however you continue to wish to shout and scream. So, the dynamic is simply unknown – not that it is higher or worse, it is simply unknown and that definitely makes issues much less straightforward.”
Regardless of the struggles that Hamilton confronted since making the change from Mercedes to Ferrari, Wolff says he nonetheless understands the Briton’s transfer to the Scuderia.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Andrea Diodato / NurPhoto through Getty Photographs
“All the explanations he needed to go to Ferrari are nonetheless legitimate right this moment,” Wolff added. “He wanted a change of atmosphere, and we would have liked a change of atmosphere. We weren’t as aggressive as we might have wished. Ferrari seemed higher.
“Each racing driver desires to race in Ferrari. He likes the color purple anyway. The deal that was on the desk was superb,” Wolff added, in reference to the monetary side of Hamilton’s transfer to the Scuderia.
“These causes are nonetheless legitimate right this moment. Now, he is going towards among the finest drivers additionally, of the youthful ones, who’s been within the staff for a very long time, with a automobile that drives completely totally different than ours,” Wolff stated, in reference to Hamilton’s struggles to match the tempo of team-mate Charles Leclerc each in qualifying and race trim up to now this season.
Hamilton’s present lack in type in comparison with a a lot youthful driver provides a glimpse into the choices Mercedes was making behind the scenes the place, up till Hamilton’s announcement, Andrea Kimi Antonelli was ready patiently for a seat.
“We had been ready to take a threat,” Wolff stated. “However you’ll be able to’t say to a Lewis Hamilton, ‘we’re ending this’.
“So, he did it. And that is the way it was meant to be. And that is the trajectory we’re on right this moment.”
When pushed additional on the decision Wolff would have sooner or later needed to make as regards to Hamilton’s future at Mercedes, Wolff added: “Very troublesome. That might have been a state of affairs that, for me, from a private perspective and as Mercedes, would have been one thing that we might have dreaded to have this dialog.”
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