Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff has spoken out after Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season.
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has officially moved to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season. This transition marks his first team change since 2013 when he left McLaren for Mercedes.
The British driver has already begun participating in pre-season activities at Ferrari, which include factory tours, simulator sessions, and test-driving older vehicles.
Speaking about Hamilton’s move at the Autosport Awards, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained:
“It’s a little bit like you divorce amicably and it’s all good, then you see your [ex-]partner for the first time with a new friend!
“But I’m really happy for him, and I told him that those pictures were iconic that he made. It was so well curated, and no surprise with Lewis!”
He added:
“We’ve been scratching our head a lot last year, particularly at the beginning. Like all the other teams, we had ups and downs. [We had] very dominant performances in Vegas, then other races that were not so good.
“But, at the end of the day, when the flag drops, we’re going to see in qualifying [at the first Grand Prix] in Melbourne where we stand.”
Hamilton, dressed in an all-black suit and posing with a Ferrari F40 sports car, shared a series of photographs from Ferrari’s premises on social media.
Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli, who has stepped in as Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes, also shared his perspective at the same awards event. He commented:
“It’s a bit weird, because it’s a bit controversial that an Italian driver is going to Mercedes, and an English driver is going to Ferrari!
