Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have enjoyed one of the most dominant periods in the history of F1 together. Their partnership together has helped the Silver Arrows win eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships. Hence, although Mercedes are currently going through a slump, Wolff’s track record of leading the team speaks for itself. However, the Austrian’s hunger for more success remains intact. Hamilton has now lauded Wolff for the same quality.
GP Blog quoted Lewis Hamilton as saying, “He (Wolff) hasn’t lost an ounce of his competitiveness. He’s massively competitive. You see it on TV when he’s sitting at his little desk in the garage. He is trying to find a balance between his work life and family life. I think he’s done a really great job there. He continues to push everyone“.
Even though Wolff has been nothing short of a boon for Mercedes, things have not gone to plan recently. Ever since the advent of the ground-effect cars in 2022, Mercedes have failed to produce a strong car.
Last year, the issue of porpoising plagued their challenger, the W13. In 2023, they failed to find consistency and, resultantly, went an entire season without a race win.
Despite the ongoing run of failures, Wolff has been the man who has kept the camp on its toes. He continues to push the team to do better, and that showed in the steady improvements Mercedes made as the season progressed. However, the real question that emerges amidst all of this is about how long will the Mercedes board persist with Wolff?
Is Toto Wolff looking to exit Mercedes?
One thing to remember in Mercedes and Toto Wolff’s relationship is that he is not just the team principal. The 51-year-old is also a part owner of the Mercedes F1 team.
To be precise, the owner of a 33% stake. Reports, however, suggest this relationship might not continue for long. According to Sky Sports’ F1 Pundit Craig Slater at least, Wolff could be on his way out. The Austrian invested in team Mercedes about a decade ago. As per Slater, Wolff bought a 33% stake for $50 million.
Wolff’s share now currently stands at a whopping $3,229,125,000. The sale of Wolff’s share could have a domino effect as Slater claims Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll could be in the hunt to buy the team in collaboration with Aramco.
This deal could affect Wolff’s position as team principal. The 51-year-old currently enjoys an unsaid immunity owing to his part-owner status. However, holding on to the position might become a lot more difficult as Mercedes’ winless season would not have pleased the board. However, it is pertinent to note that no party involved has issued a formal statement.
