Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has extended his backing to seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton amid the British driver’s early struggles at Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, who joined the Maranello team at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign after an illustrious 12-year tenure with Mercedes, has faced several challenges adjusting to his new environment—both on and off the track. His difficulties have led to increased speculation over whether the seven-time world champion still possesses the form that once made him dominant. However, Toto Wolff has remained firm in his stance, urging critics not to underestimate the British driver.
Lewis Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has required significant adaptation. At 40, he has had to familiarize himself with not only a completely different car but also a new engineering structure, team culture, and even language. While expectations were high for a rapid adaptation, Toto Wolff emphasized that the ground effect regulations introduced in 2022 have played a major role in Hamilton’s ongoing challenges. Since that regulatory shift, the Briton has not looked as comfortable behind the wheel—first with Mercedes and now with Ferrari.
One of the key obstacles facing Lewis Hamilton is that he had no influence in the development of the current SF-25 chassis. Unlike a car designed around a driver’s feedback and preferences, this iteration of Ferrari’s challenger reflects engineering choices made before his arrival, further complicating his efforts to optimize performance. Although he has yet to reach a Grand Prix podium in red, his sprint race victory in Shanghai served as a reminder of his talent and potential.
Speaking on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast, Toto Wolff offered insight into the broader context behind Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari form. The Austrian motorsport executive pointed out that the Briton had performed at an elite level as recently as 2021, just prior to the regulatory overhaul. According to Toto Wolff, drivers don’t simply lose their abilities overnight; rather, factors like vehicle philosophy and team dynamics can heavily impact performance. He argued that switching teams involves more than just driving a different car—it requires establishing chemistry with a new engineering crew, understanding a different technical language, and contributing to the car’s ongoing development to better match one’s driving style.
Toto Wolff also highlighted the cultural shift that Lewis Hamilton has encountered. Integrating into an all-Italian team as a British driver, he noted, comes with a set of unique challenges that take time to navigate. The Austrian also pointed out a trend he has observed throughout Lewis Hamilton’s career: the British driver typically takes time to find peak form early in a season but gains momentum and performs strongly in the second half. This pattern, the Mercedes team boss suggested, could well repeat in 2025, potentially turning around Lewis Hamilton’s fortunes at the Italian side.
In reiterating his confidence, Toto Wolff made it clear that dismissing Lewis Hamilton would be premature. His message was unambiguous—those doubting Lewis Hamilton’s capabilities should think again.
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