Toto Wolff’s verdict on Lewis Hamilton winning his eighth F1 title at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton’s record-breaking eighth F1 championship could now arrive in the red of Ferrari.

Should he accomplish that from 2025 onwards, it would also be a historic first championship for the famous team since 2007.

Hamilton has just one more chance to win the championship while with Mercedes, but they enter 2024 with Red Bull the dominant team.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was asked how he’d feel seeing Hamilton - who he insists will always remain a close friend - win his elusive eighth title with another team.

“You know, there is the side in me that says he should have an eighth, because that was taken away from him,” Wolff said.

“So you know, if he wins that in 2024, that would be a great thing. Going forward, competing on-track, I’d rather us win. I’d rather us win…”

Wolff had to balance his personal relationship with Hamilton and his professional role at Mercedes, when he was hit by the incredible news that his star driver will go to Ferrari next year.

But he insisted: “No. It doesn’t hurt.

“Because I need to keep the calm and decide how we’re going to manage the 2024 season, best manage the 2024 season, and what the decisions need to be going forward.

“You know it’s not like someone that I like a lot is disappearing. It’s changing the team, and we’ve been very conscious in signing the contract that it could happen.

“Maybe the timing was a surprise.

“But as I said before, I’ve had many black swans swimming in front of me, the unexpected, and I think in Formula 1, it’s all about agility and being able to embrace change of circumstances.”

Hamilton will link up with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari in 2025 in a combo of big-money drivers.

Mercedes must decide how to replace Hamilton - the likes of Carlos Sainz or Fernando Alonso could feasibly be on the market.

But before then, Wolff must navigate Mercedes through a tricky 2024 knowing it will be Hamilton’s last year.

The W15, they hope, will be a dramatic improvement on the past two seasons and capable of fighting Red Bull.