Mercedes boss Toto Wolff breaks his silence on Lewis Hamilton's iconic image outside Enzo Ferrari's home

Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari last month and posed in front of Enzo Ferrari's legendary home in Maranello to mark the beginning of his new stint. Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff gave his take on Hamilton's new beginnings and deemed the image 'iconic.'

Hamilton leaving Mercedes seemed an impossible scenario until the seven-time world champion shook hands with John Elkann to sign a multi-year deal with Scuderia Ferrari. The news leaked last year, leaving fans and pundits in shock.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, also seemed affected by the breakup as he had a close relationship with his driver. However, he respected Lewis' decision and bid him an emotional farewell by the end of the 2024 F1 season.

On January 20, Hamilton landed in Maranello for his official induction into Ferrari and made a quick stop at late founder Enzo Ferrari's legendary home in Maranello. Dressed in a black suit, he dropped an iconic picture that broke the internet.

Meanwhile, Toto Wolff also reacted to the picture and revealed how he truly felt about the British driver's transition. Talking to Sky Sports F1, Wolff said (via @skysportsf1 on Instagram):

"When you see Lewis [Hamilton] in his first appearance in Ferrari, this picture in front of the Enzo Ferrari house is iconic. Lewis with his sense of style, and I've told him that."

He added,

"At the same time, us embarking on a different route, trying to reinvent ourselves with a young driver in addition to George [Russell] because he's not mentioned enough. At the same time, Lewis is doing something on his own, something new. I think it was a refresh for both of us."

To replace Lewis Hamilton, Wolff signed Andrea Kimi Antonelli, an 18-year-old rookie F2 driver. The Italian will be making his debut in F1 with Mercedes after being a part of their junior driver program for many years.

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Toto Wolff on Kimi Antonelli replacing Lewis Hamilton: "We don’t feel any hangover"

Lewis Hamilton [L] with Toto Wolff [R] [Image Source: Getty]

Mercedes welcomed new kit sponsor Adidas for the 2025 season. The team released their race kits at an event where team principal Toto Wolff opened up on the 'post Lewis Hamilton era.'

Talking to Sky Sports, Wolff said (via Crash.net):

“It doesn’t get much better in terms of iconic brands [Adidas] in the field of sport. When I discussed Lewis going and Kimi coming with the CEO, he said, ‘This is so exciting. Let’s go on the next generation!’ And this is how we feel in the team. We have a strong vibe with the partners that are with us and want to come to the team, so we don’t feel any hangover.”

While Mercedes is gearing up for the fresh change, Lewis Hamilton has already begun his journey with Ferrari. After his induction in Maranello, he featured in multiple TPC tests in Fiorano and Barcelona. He will next be seen at the car launch event with Ferrari.