Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has said that he and Lewis Hamilton ‘had started to annoy each other’ at Mercedes.
Hamilton and Wolff worked together at Mercedes for 12 seasons between 2013-2024, with Hamilton claiming six drivers’ championships in that time, and the team winning eight consecutive constructors’ titles.
But, at the end of 2024, Hamilton ditched Mercedes in order to join Ferrari, with the Brackley outfit getting Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli in the door instead to replace their British driver.
Hamilton told Mercedes that he would be leaving at the start of 2024, and had a full 24-race season with them before he did head off to Ferrari.
Now, in an interview with The Telegraph, Wolff has spoken about that, and how hard it was to remain in a working relationship.
“It’s like staying in the same household with a wife or partner that you know you will be divorcing in one year’s time.
“I like change generally – I like the challenge and opportunities it presents. When Lewis resigned, I immediately started thinking, ‘What will we do now? Let’s embrace it.’
“I think anyway that, after 12 years, we had started to annoy each other. I already had this young kid in the pipeline.”
Mercedes doing just fine without Hamilton
Despite Hamilton’s departure, Mercedes had a brilliant 2025 season, finishing second in the constructors’ championship with George Russell claiming two grand prix victories.
Antonelli drove superbly well in his rookie season too, claiming three podiums, and the driver duo will hope to be fighting each other for a world championship next year.
Wholesale regulation changes are sweeping into the sport in 2026, and Mercedes are said to be best placed to master those.
If that is the case, there’s no doubt that Hamilton will start to regret his decision to leave the team, especially with things going so badly wrong for him at Ferrari.
