Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff cautions against dismissing Lewis Hamilton`s prospects, despite the challenging start to his inaugural season with Ferrari.
Ferrari`s 2025 season has been underwhelming overall, with Hamilton yet to secure a podium in his first ten Grand Prix races since moving from Mercedes. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, has achieved three top-three finishes and currently holds a 25-point lead over Hamilton, whose strongest performances have been in Sprint races.
However, Wolff, who oversaw Hamilton`s remarkable run of seven world championships and record-breaking success during their 12 seasons together at Mercedes, views this transitional period for the British driver as entirely expected.
In an interview on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast, the Mercedes team principal stated, “You don`t unlearn driving skills so quickly.”
He added, “In 2021, he was exceptional. Even after regulation changes made things tougher, he maintained a very high level of performance.”
“Simply by switching teams, you don`t suddenly lose your inherent abilities,” Wolff elaborated.
He emphasized the necessity of an adaptation phase: “Everyone requires a period of adjustment. It`s a different car, with its own driving characteristics, and a new engineering team with whom you must build rapport and collaborate on ongoing vehicle development to tailor it to your driving style.”
“It`s an entirely Italian team, and he`s a British driver arriving there – such transitions naturally take time.”
Wolff also noted a recurring trend: “We`ve observed a pattern where Lewis typically needs the beginning of the season to find his rhythm, after which his performance in the latter half of the season is consistently strong.”
He concluded with a firm warning: “Therefore, never dismiss Lewis Hamilton.”
The Enduring Bond with Lewis Hamilton
Hamilton and Wolff forged one of Formula 1`s most renowned and successful team principal-driver partnerships. Under Wolff`s leadership at Mercedes, Hamilton secured six of his seven Drivers` Championships, while the team achieved an unparalleled eight consecutive Constructors` Championships.
This marks the first season since Wolff joined Mercedes in 2013 that he isn`t working alongside Hamilton. Wolff reflected, “You inevitably miss someone like Lewis Hamilton.”
He confirmed, “We remain close friends, having mutually promised to maintain our strong bond.”
“On track, we compete fiercely, with no holds barred, as we must fight for our respective teams – that`s our rule. But off track, we spend time together, travel together, and I wouldn`t want to lose the friendship that has developed over so many years.”
Wolff highlighted the unique nature of their 12-year partnership, the longest driver-team relationship rarely seen in any sport. He added, “When it comes to car development, he possesses immense experience and has seen it all. Replacing someone of Lewis Hamilton`s calibre will always be a significant challenge.”
Wolff Compares Antonelli`s Development to Piastri`s Trajectory
Following Hamilton`s move and George Russell`s assumption of the senior driver role, Mercedes` Brackley-based team opted for a future-focused approach, promoting Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli to Formula 1.
The 18-year-old Italian has already marked two notable achievements in his F1 rookie season: a debut pole position at the Miami Sprint in May, followed by his first podium finish two weeks ago at the Canadian Grand Prix, a race won by Russell. However, his rookie campaign has also featured its share of challenging weekends.
When questioned about the time required for a young driver like Antonelli to reach peak performance in F1, Wolff explained, “That timeline has shifted in recent years, primarily due to the increased complexity of tyre management.”
“It`s no longer just about raw speed – how quickly you can complete a single lap or a race. The challenge lies in `nurturing` the tyres, driving at maximum pace without sliding or overheating them, as that significantly impacts lap times. This is often the main hurdle for emerging young drivers.”
Wolff cited Oscar Piastri, currently leading the championship, as a prime example: “It took him a year and a half to match Lando Norris, and this is the first year he`s had an advantage over him, which I believe is largely down to tyre management.”
“For Kimi, not knowing all the circuits is a factor. Montreal was his first time there, which puts you at a considerable disadvantage, yet the car performed well, and he showed good speed.”
He concluded that a three-year development program is generally needed for a young driver to effectively challenge experienced and incredibly fast teammates. “George, for instance, is now among Formula 1`s elite drivers. Young talents need time to reach that level,” Wolff asserted.
