In a recent interview, Susie Wolff revealed the real reaction of Toto Wolff to two of the most defining moments in Mercedes’ modern history: the heartbreak of Abu Dhabi 2021 and Lewis Hamilton’s sensational switch to Ferrari. Both events deeply marked the team’s recent past, and in both cases, the central figure was Lewis Hamilton. In 2021, the world championship battle was so intense that it came down to the final race of the season. The British driver was on the verge of claiming his record-breaking eighth world title, but in the end, it was Max Verstappen who emerged victorious. Recently, Susie Wolff explained how her husband Toto Wolff truly managed his emotions after that controversial finale and following the shocking announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Maranello.
Managing emotions
Susie Wolff spoke during the latest episode of the Road To Success Podcast, where she revisited that dramatic 2021 season. The F1 Academy managing director admitted: “I was so upset in Abu Dhabi [2021], and not because Max [Verstappen] won. He’s a deserved champion — it’s nothing against Max [Verstappen] — it was the way it happened, the fact that Lewis [Hamilton] was so deserving. On that day, he was the better driver, he was winning that race. So it really upset me.”
Toto Wolff, both after the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and after the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, reacted in a remarkably composed way, focusing on the bigger picture. Susie Wolff revealed: “But Toto is really good at controlling his emotions very quickly. And even when Lewis [Hamilton] left for Ferrari, I was surprised by the way it all happened, but he said: ‘It’s going to be fine, you know, we’ll always be friends with Lewis [Hamilton], and everything will be okay — we just need to give it time.’ He’s truly great at always seeing the bigger picture and not letting emotions take over.”
Leave a Reply