“Didn’t see that coming from him”: Toto Wolff felt wronged by “best friend” Fred Vasseur after learning Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari news

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff wasn't impressed with Fred Vasseur poaching his driver Lewis Hamilton from right under his nose. On the latest season of the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive,' Wolff claimed that he didn't expect Vasseur to talk to Hamilton without his knowledge, as the Ferrari team principal is an old friend of his.

Ferrari and Hamilton stunned Mercedes boss Wolff last year by agreeing to a multi-year contract without the latter catching wind of the development. The negotiations reportedly happened under Wolff's nose, as the Austrian was only informed of Lewis' decision a few days prior to the official announcement.

Meanwhile, Netflix's season seven of the 'Drive to Survive' series has revealed behind-the-scenes footage of Hamilton's move to Ferrari. Vasseur revealed that his team deliberately made the announcement of Hamilton's signing early.

However, Toto Wolff wasn't impressed with how things unfolded. He revealed that he didn't expect Fred Vasseur to hide the fact he was talking to his driver, Lewis Hamilton.

On episode one of 'Drive to Survive' season seven, titled 'Business as Usual,' Wolff said:

"Fred [Vasseur] has been one of my longest and best friends. I didn't see that coming from him." [13.50]

On the other hand, Vasseur opined that competition is not between individuals but between two teams, Mercedes and Ferrari, two iconic brands in F1. Hence, for the Frenchman, his friendship with Wolff took a backseat for the sake of his team.

Hamilton didn't reveal his decision of switching to Ferrari to Wolff until a week prior to the official announcement. As the Austrian team boss mentioned in the same episode, the news seemed surreal to him, as he couldn't picture Hamilton in red overalls.

However, the seven-time world champion had made up his mind and will officially debut for Ferrari in 2025.

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Lewis Hamilton recalls his first phone call with Fred Vasseur that led to the Ferrari switch

Lewis Hamilton [L] with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur [R] [Image Source: Getty]

Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari caught the entire F1 community off guard as the negotiations happened quickly behind the scenes. The British driver had signed an extension contract with Mercedes.

Five months later, in December 2023, he got a call from Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, offering an opportunity to switch teams. Recalling the moment to TIME Magazine, Hamilton said:

“I remember getting off the phone and, like, almost shaking. I was like, Oh God! I literally just signed with Mercedes. It was a lot to take in, and my emotions were really high. So I honestly had to go for a walk."

Lewis Hamilton also revealed that he was enjoying holidays at his home in Colorado when Vasseur approached him. However, once he got calm, he got the clarity needed and agreed to join Ferrari on a multi-year deal.