Toto Wolff opens up on the moment when Lewis Hamilton secretly went to test the Yamaha superbike in Jerez

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff recently talked about a secret superbike test featuring Lewis Hamilton that took place in Spain in 2018. Appearing on a podcast, Hamilton's former boss revealed that the driver went to the Jerez track to test out one of Yamaha's YZF-R1 Superbikes and was involved in a minor accident during his session.

Wolff, in conversation with Dax Shepard on his podcast The Armchair Expert, talked about finding out about Lewis' foray into the world of MotoGP. The team boss also revealed that Hamilton was almost as quick as some of the pros of the sport, saying:

"Secretly, they didn't tell me. They went testing in Jerez with my head of strategy, who is also a keen motorbike guy and one of the engineers. And I couldn't get hold of him for two days. And then I'm calling Lewis. My engineer picks up and he says, 'It's all good. All is fine. We just finished biking and just whatever you hear, he's all fine'. I said, 'what happened?'. He fell. But, he was four seconds off the MotoGP pros. It's unbelievable. The body feeling that he has is what makes him a champion." [1:11:52]

One year later, Lewis Hamilton would participate in a vehicle-switch with MotoGP racer Valentino Rossi, getting to drive his 2019 Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP YZR-M1 bike at a track in Valencia. Rossi got the opportunity to drive the former Mercedes' W08 EQ Power+, Hamilton's 2017 championship-winning car.

Lewis Hamilton completed his 12th season under Toto Wolff at Mercedes in 2024. The two have worked together to secure six drivers' championships and eight constructors' championships.

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Lewis Hamilton gifted Toto Wolff a special edition motorcycle in Monaco

On the podcast, Toto Wolff narrated the story of how Lewis Hamilton gifted him a special edition MV Agusta motorbike during a dinner visit in Monaco. The bike, one of 244 built, is a special Lewis Hamilton edition known as the Dragster RR LH44.

In conversation on The Armchair Expert, Wolff said:

"So one day it rings at the door and we are having scheduled dinner with Lewis in Monaco. So he knows Susie [Wolff] for a long time. They race cars. So he comes for dinner. He rings at the door and says, 'Come down, please'. And I'm saying, 'No, come up, we're up here'. [He says] 'No, no, there's really something I'd like to show you. So [Susie and I] are going down and he's there with his bike and it's an MV Agusta, Lewis Hamilton edition."[2:58]

Wolff also said that Lewis brought the bike as a gift, and the reason that the Briton driver gave was:

"You know, you've done so many great things, and you and I together, and I've never given you a gift. So I want to give you the number one of a 44 edition." [3:34]

For the 2025 season, Lewis Hamilton will now be racing under a new team principal in the form of Frederic Vasseur, driving for him alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.