15/05/2025 11:55
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has asserted he maintains a friendship with Lewis Hamilton despite his switch to Ferrari. Hamilton brought an end to his association with Mercedes at the end of the 2024 campaign. The seven-time champion joined Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc for a new career chapter, but has largely struggled across the opening rounds of the season. Wolff was at the helm of the Mercedes throughout Hamilton's entire stint at the Brackley-based squad, which included an incredible 84 race wins and six F1 titles. The Austrian has detailed his friendship with the 40-year-old remains unchanged. "We're still great friends with Lewis," Wolff told media including RacingNews365 . "I spent a lot of time with him, travelling, and I'm still seeing him. It came to a point last year where, you know, it's like spending 12 years in a row on holiday with your best friend. "At a certain stage you say, well, maybe do something else this time around. And for Lewis, he needed a refresher, a reinvention. "Ferrari is iconic, no doubt about that. Certainly he also got terms that were interesting for him." Hamilton was replaced at the team by rookie Kimi Antonelli to commence a new era for Mercedes. Wolff highlighted it was only a matter of time before the Italian protégé was handed a promotion to the squad. "With us, Kimi was in the starting blocks – eventually it was this year or it would have been next year to bring him in," Wolff said. "Bringing him in this year means we have a learning year before new regulations kick in. "He's going to know all the tracks and that felt like the right decision."
