Toto Wolff shares true feelings about Ferrari after Lewis Hamilton “punch on the nose”
Toto Wolff will lose out to Ferrari at the end of next season as star driver Lewis Hamilton, seven times world champion, reunites with old boss Frederik Wasser.
Lewis Hamilton’s loss to Ferrari does not affect Toto Wolff and Frédéric Wasser’s friendship. Even if they bump into each other’s noses.
Mercedes team principals are set to say goodbye to their star driver later this year. Hamilton decided to join Ferrari at the age of 40 in a final attempt to win an eighth Formula One title before retiring, convinced that he had a better chance of winning with the Scuderia.
He will work with a long-time ally in Ferrari team boss Frenchman Wasser. Almost 20 years ago, he ran the ART junior team that also introduced Hamilton to Formula 3 and GP2. The Brit won both titles, helping him secure his first F1 seat at McLaren.
Wolff and Wasser run two teams that compete directly against each other in F1. They are natural rivals and good friends. The Frenchman may have put distance between Hamilton and Mercedes, but that won’t change.
Wolff said: “I respect Fred not only as a race manager but also as a long-time friend. When he took up this role at Ferrari, it was clear that he had to do everything he could for Ferrari and to do that he had to take advantage of the opportunities he had. So don’t feel bad about having the best driver for Fred. It doesn’t affect the relationship. “It’s a tough competition and a tough environment. I’m doing my best for our team, but he’s doing his best for Ferrari. I’ve spoken to him several times and adjusted our communication. It’s like rugby. We clash with each other, but we can respect that off the field.
