"We knew why we were doing it" - Toto Wolff on giving Lewis Hamilton a short-term contract with Mercedes

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims Lewis Hamilton signed a short-term contract considering the possibility of options for both parties. The Austrian team principal believes that the deal benefited both parties to have options for 2026 and beyond.

Upon announcing his move to Ferrari for 2025 and beyond, the British seven-time world champion still had a contract with Mercedes until the end of 2025. However, there were rumblings throughout the year of him possibly scouting opportunities elsewhere with other teams for his future in the sport.

Speaking in a press conference after the announcement, the Mercedes Executive Director said:

“When we decided Lewis and us to go for a short-term contract, we knew why we were doing it. It is to leave him options open and at the same time us. It’s an exciting situation at the end of 2024 with some drivers becoming available, others just signed a few weeks ago (Charles Leclerc extended with Ferrari and Lando Norris did the same with McLaren) so these ones would have been opportunities.”

Explaining how it unfolded, Wolff added:

“We got together for coffee at my place in Oxford and him returning, basically him returning to the factory. And he said to me that he has decided to race for Ferrari in 2025. And that was basically when we had a good hour of conversation. How he framed it to me is perfectly understandable that he needed a new challenge, that he was looking for a different environment and that it was the last possibility to do something else."

"And we are big boys and we knew by signing a short term contract, it could be anything for both sides. We couldn’t commit for a longer period and he has taken the option to exit. We totally respect that you can change your mind with different circumstances and switching to Ferrari maybe the last ich in his career, maybe rolling the dice a bit, I can follow that decision.”

The Mercedes team chief was understanding of Hamilton’s situation as the Briton wished to seek newer challenges. The 39-year-old has expressed his desire to race with Ferrari several times in his career.

According to Wolff, the Ferrari deal is possibly the last opportunity of the British driver’s career to explore a different option. He claimed he was aware that the short-term contract signed with Mercedes would be the last one for either side.

Upon returning to the Mercedes factory, Wolff claims Hamilton informed him of the Ferrari decision over a coffee at his house. He stated that the Briton’s move was a result of him wanting a different environment and a different challenge. The Austrian claimed both sides could not commit longer than a year or two in a contract with each other and respected the British driver’s decision.

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Mercedes team boss has no ill feelings towards Ferrari boss or Lewis Hamilton

After having his ace driver Lewis Hamilton and other team personnel poached by Frederic Vasseur, the Mercedes boss Toto Wolff does not harbor bad will towards either. He felt Ferrari was an iconic outfit that every race driver dreams to drive for and understood the difficulty of the decision for the Briton. However, as far as his long-time friend and Ferrari team principal was concerned, he understood the Frenchman’s need to recruit the best talent possible.

Speaking in a video conference to the media after Ferrari’s announcement, the Mercedes boss said:

“Every race driver dreams about being in a red overall and a red car. And we’ve discussed that many times before that this is exciting and that it would be exciting to do one day. But over the years we came to the conclusion that staying at Mercedes and finishing the legacy here is some thing that one can be proud of. But I never ignored the possibility of change having slept a few nights on it."

"It means our professional journey comes to an end, working together but it doesn’t mean our personal relationship ends. I found a friend, we’ve built a relationship over the last 10 years and he faced a very very difficult decision. Taking a decision of where to drive, maybe for the first time in ten years without being able to brainstorm with me.”

Addressing the rapport with Vasseur and Hamilton, Wolff added:

“There is no bad feeling towards Fred trying to get the best employees, the best drivers. I have no doubt that Fred will be able to have a very good relationship with Lewis, as his boss. No doubt about that. They’ve known each other for more than 20 years, he has raced in ART. Fred understands drivers minds and he does things very differently to me, but they are very successful as his track record shows.”

The Mercedes team boss felt Vasseur and Hamilton have known each other for more than decades which could make them a successful combination. While many were shocked with the Briton’s decision to leave the Silver Arrows squad for Ferrari, the engine regulations overhaul in 2026 makes a manufacturer team the perfect fit. With 2025 being the last year of the current V6 engine, it becomes a transition year for the British champion to settle into his new atmosphere.