Yesterday at 08:20
Toto Wolff has surprisingly stated how "very important" Lewis
Hamilton remains to Mercedes despite severing his longstanding ties
to the F1 team at the end of last season to make a high-profile
move to Ferrari. Hamilton's association with Mercedes stretches
back to his formative years, through to his time with McLaren, when
it was supported by the German manufacturer as an engine supplier,
before making a shock switch to the works team in 2013. The
40-year-old went on to win six of his seven drivers' titles with
Mercedes before stunning the F1 world by announcing on February 1,
2024, that the upcoming season would be his last with the team and
he would be joining Ferrari. Despite his struggles with the
Scuderia, Hamilton has continually offered his support to his
replacement at Mercedes, 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli, who hit the
ground running, only to falter since F1 hit the European season,
scoring one point in seven grands prix on either side of his best
result of the campaign with a third in Canada. Asked whether he was
surprised by Hamilton's support of Antonelli, within his answer,
Wolff also made clear the standing in which he still holds the
British driver. "No, I think champions recognise other champions,
and Lewis remains very important to us," said Wolff, speaking to
Gazzetta dello Sport. "He was a cornerstone of our team and will
always be part of the Mercedes family, even though he's now driving
for Ferrari. "My friendship with Lewis has remained unchanged. We
talk often, and I think he understands the challenges Kimi is
facing." Hamilton enduring 'a trait of the greats' Wolff can also
understand what Hamilton is going through at Ferrari, resulting in
his comments after qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix on
Sunday that he is "useless" and that the Scuderia should find
another driver. Despite the initial fanfare surrounding his
arrival, Hamilton's transition to Ferrari has not run smoothly, and
since an initial victory in the sprint in China, the results have
not been what he would have expected or wanted. Whilst team-mate
Charles Leclerc has been on the podium five times, Hamilton has yet
to claim a top-three position in a grand prix, leaving him sixth in
the drivers' standings, 42 points behind the Monégasque. Assessing
the difficulties Hamilton is enduring, Wolff said: "Ferrari is the
most prestigious team in the world, and for Lewis, driving for them
is a great honour, but also a challenge. "He puts his heart and
soul into everything he does and is very sincere. When he goes
through tough times, he takes responsibility. "That's a trait of
the greats. When they know they haven't performed well enough, they
don't blame the team, but look at themselves. "Once this moment
passes, he'll come back with his usual motivation."
