The head of the Mercedes team, Toto Wolff, may not be pleased to see Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari paddock while the 39-year-old driver is still under contract with the Silver Arrows. Hamilton, who shocked the sports world by signing with Ferrari for 2025, has enjoyed tremendous success with Mercedes since joining the team over a decade ago. However, former Formula 1 champion Damon Hill suggests that Wolff may not be thrilled about Hamilton’s closeness to the Scuderia.
In a recent interview, Hill questioned whether Hamilton would visit the Ferrari team during the upcoming season. He also wondered if Wolff would ask Hamilton to gather information from Mercedes’ main rival. Hill speculated that Wolff would not be happy to see the seven-time world champion in his future team’s motorhome and might even issue a stern warning to Hamilton, asking him not to associate with the team’s opponent while still under contract.
Hamilton made the decision to inform Mercedes about his plans to join Ferrari even before the start of the 2023 season. He believed this would give the Silver Arrows enough time to find a suitable replacement in the following months. This situation was reminiscent of when Hamilton’s longtime rival retired from F1 shortly after winning the 2016 world championship, posing a challenge for Wolff in finding a replacement driver.
However, there may be uncomfortable moments in the coming weeks as Hamilton is still uncertain about how his transition to Ferrari will unfold. The British driver recalled his move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013 and admitted that he was not present at the initial meetings in December 2012. Hamilton acknowledged that he will need to speak with Wolff to navigate this new chapter in his career.
Undoubtedly, Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will be one of the most significant changes in recent F1 history. All eyes will be on the seven-time world champion as he embarks on this new journey. The way this transition will unfold after the end of the 2024 F1 season in December will undoubtedly be of great interest.
