According to Toto Wolff, Lewis Hamilton was unable to bargain with other elite drivers on the Formula One grid because of the timing of his decision to join Ferrari.
Before the current season began, Hamilton surprised the Formula One community by announcing that he would be leaving Mercedes after the year.
In September, Mercedes declared that the seven-time world champion’s seat would be taken by rookie Kimi Antonelli the next season.
Prior to Antonelli’s confirmation, a number of drivers were connected to the seat; however, Lando Norris of McLaren and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari were not since they had extended their contracts just days before Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes.
If the drivers hadn’t signed contracts with their respective teams, Wolff has implied that he would have gone after them.
In the new book Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane, Wolff stated, “I had it on my radar that Lewis would go.”
“I simply couldn’t get why he would switch teams before we were certain that we would be competitive.
Additionally, it left me with no time to respond. I might have missed out on negotiating with other drivers, like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, who had signed contracts a few weeks prior, because I had to make an emergency call to our partners.
Wolff says he doesn’t feel bad about the choice.
Since he began racing for Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton and the team have had a long-standing relationship.
He will be a direct competitor of the Brackley-based team on the grid next year, but he currently holds the record for the most races that start with a single constructor.
According to Wolff, Hamilton’s choice has no lingering emotional effects.
It put us at a disadvantage, which affected our business. Do I take that personally, though? He claimed that this was a commercial choice.
Together, we have had such a fantastic trip, and now we have our own goals. For me, this didn’t even make a difference. You know I’m thickskinned? This isn’t comparable to the difficult times I’ve had in my life.
According to Hamilton’s assessment of the relationship, the two are still in love.
He declared, “I feel like I’m ending a relationship that’s perfectly fine.”
“Our love is unwavering. I still believe in the team. I’m heading out on my own.
