Toto Wolff has highlighted what he considers a truly “great” quality in Lewis Hamilton during the British driver’s first months with Scuderia Ferrari, stepping in to defend his former driver from the criticism he has faced.
The opening half of the 2025 Formula 1 season has been particularly challenging for Lewis Hamilton in his debut campaign with the Maranello team. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has struggled to consistently deliver strong results, and his frustration became apparent after a disappointing qualifying session for the Hungarian Grand Prix, where his subdued attitude drew criticism. Over the course of recent races, Lewis Hamilton’s frustration has grown to the point where he publicly described himself as “useless” and even went as far as to suggest that Ferrari should consider replacing him in the cockpit.
Toto Wolff’s words in defence of Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who worked with Lewis Hamilton for over a decade and oversaw his six Formula 1 world championship titles with the team, sees things very differently. In his view, Hamilton’s frank self-criticism is not a sign of weakness but rather proof that he belongs in an elite category of drivers.
“Ferrari is the team with the richest heritage in the world of motorsport, and for Lewis, driving for them is both a great honour and a significant challenge,” Wolff explained in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “He puts his heart into everything he does and he is always very sincere. When he goes through difficult moments, he takes responsibility for them. This is a hallmark of truly great champions: when they know they have not performed at their best, they do not point fingers at the team—they look within themselves.”
Toto Wolff added that once this difficult phase passes, he is convinced Hamilton will return with the same relentless motivation that has defined his career.
A champion’s mentality
Toto Wolff also pointed out that Lewis Hamilton’s champion’s mentality is evident not only in how he approaches his own performance but also in how he interacts with others in the paddock—particularly young talents. This season, Lewis Hamilton has been notably supportive of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the young Italian making his Formula 1 debut with Mercedes. When asked what he thought about Lewis Hamilton taking Kimi Antonelli under his wing and offering him advice, Wolff replied: “I believe that champions recognise other champions.”
The Austrian team principal stressed that Lewis Hamilton’s importance to Mercedes has not diminished despite his move to Ferrari. “Lewis remains very important to us,” Wolff said. “He was a cornerstone of our team and will always be part of the Mercedes family, even though he now races for Ferrari. My friendship with Lewis has not changed. We speak often, and I believe he understands perfectly the challenges that Kimi is facing in his rookie season.”
Leave a Reply