Toto Wolff relieved Lewis Hamilton decision saved ‘dreaded’ talks

Toto Wolff has admitted that Lewis Hamilton’s decision to quit Mercedes and join Ferrari saved him from having “very difficult” conversations about the future.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton shocked the F1 world in February last year when he announced he would be making a blockbuster switch from Mercedes to Ferrari from this season.

Hamilton had signed a two-year deal with Mercedes but exercised a break clause to enable him to complete a dream move to Ferrari, with the Silver Arrows signing rookie Kimi Antonelli to be his replacement.

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Wolff has spoken of his relief that Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes ultimately took away the need to have “dreaded” conversations about the 40-year-old Briton’s future.

“We were prepared to take a risk, but you can't say to a Lewis Hamilton, ‘we're finishing this’,” Wolff told Dutch media at Zandvoort last weekend.

“So, he did it. And that's how it was meant to be. And that's the trajectory we're on today."

Asked if Hamilton’s decision to leave removed the need for some difficult conversations, Wolff replied: “Very difficult [conversations].

“That would have been a scenario that, for me, from a personal perspective and as Mercedes, would have been something that we would have dreaded to have this conversation.”  

Lewis Hamilton facing ‘unknown’ dynamic

Hamilton is enduring a miserable start to life with Ferrari and has gone 15 races without recording a grand prix podium.

Wolff said he is not completely surprised to see Hamilton’s struggles to adapt to a new culture and way of working at Ferrari after 12 years spent at Mercedes, but stressed there is no reason to “feel sorry” for his former star driver.

“When you're in your family, you can shout and scream and everybody's going to know why,” Wolff said.

"When you're in a new environment, you don't know the others as well, but you still want to shout and scream. So, the dynamic is just unknown - not that it's better or worse, it's just unknown and that certainly makes things less easy.”  

Wolff added: “No one should ever feel sorry for Lewis Hamilton. He’s a monster of a driver.”