Fernando Alonso was one of those who picked up his phone to call Toto Wolff when he heard Mercedes F1 would have a vacant seat following the announcement of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari ten months ago.
The Austrian returned to the rumors which preceded the announcement, before the Briton went to his home to confirm his desire to ride in red in 2025. According to Wolff, the leak could have come from Charles' entourage Leclerc.
“I wasn’t shocked at all about his visit.”
“I can say that but I knew… let's say I suspected it was going to happen a few weeks earlier when I got a phone call from Carlos Sainz and his father.
“He said, ‘Something’s coming.’ I said, ‘Why would this happen before the season starts?’.”
“But the same afternoon I received calls from a few other drivers. They were all close to Charles Leclerc. And Fernando Alonso too. I think it started when Leclerc found out during the winter and then his closest ones heard that there was a free seat.”
“I said to Susie (his wife), 'This is happening without our official knowledge.'
“So I had heard all these rumors that it was possible he was leaving, but we met at my place in Oxford and he basically said to me, 'This is a step that I think is good for all of us It's good for me to reinvent myself – every driver wants to be in a Ferrari – and it's good for the Mercedes team too, because we've been together for 12 years, so maybe we're reinvigorating ourselves. somehow “.”
“That's when he first told me. Obviously it was a bit of a surprise because it was early in the season, which is very unusual, but I also think it was his sense of fairness to tell me. It may be embarrassing during the season, but it's how we were able to position the team for the years to come without him.
What we knew was that Wolff then sent a message to Fred Vasseur which went unanswered. But why not contact Hamilton personally?
“I didn’t want to put him in a situation where he had to lie to me because at that point the contract wasn’t signed.”
When Hamilton came to see him a few weeks later, without realizing that Wolff was already aware of the situation, he had no idea that his boss was already up to speed.
“I saw that it hurt him to tell me. I said to myself: 'Why now? When are we announcing this?' He said, 'Well, it's leaking.'”
Wolff therefore ends a long sporting relationship, although he will obviously keep in touch with Hamilton.
“He has been one of the key people in my professional and personal life over the last 12 years. We joined the team together, but at the same time we didn't really know what to expect from one 'other and we went through a period of enormous success but also difficult times, as in any relationship.'
Wolff says it spared him a much more complicated conversation with Hamilton when he might have had to tell his driver he was too old for his contract to be renewed.
“I would have done it. But it would have been a real horror for me and for him.”
Hamilton is now officially a Ferrari driver since January 1st.
“There is an emotional side because we have been on this journey together. The friendship will change, but not the depth of emotion. On the contrary. It will be a new friendship with Lewis.”
“Professionally, I always see benefits in change.”
“We have new rules, we have reshaped our organization and we are entering a new era with our leading driver (George Russell) turning 27 and the junior driver (Andrea Kimi Antonelli) turning 18.”
“We have two drivers who are, in total, just a little older than Lewis. It's very exciting.”
Wolff finally gave Hamilton a final word in front of Mercedes F1 staff.
“The name Lewis Hamilton will remain the greatest for a long time.”
“I will tell my grandchildren to be proud, because I was part of Lewis Hamilton’s journey. And that is something we can all be very proud of.”
“No matter how many years you've been here, whether it's a month or 12 years like me, not forgetting Niki Lauda, we all have to pinch ourselves for being part of his journey with Mercedes.”
