Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff has been branded a “class act” by fans after the Brackley outfit shared a video of the Austrian reacting to Lewis Hamilton securing third behind Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.

“I actually thought for a moment that we had three cars,” he said to the camera as he looked at the timing screens. “First, second and third. Need to get used to it.”

As he pointed to the three posing together for photos after qualifying, a voice from behind the camera said, “One is in red right now.”

Wolff responded with a smile, “Still our driver.”

 

Hamilton and Wolff enjoyed a successful partnership during the Briton’s time with the team between 2013 and 2024, with Hamilton securing six of his seven championship titles with the Wolff-led team.

“‘Still our driver’ – Toto, China (2026) [face holding back tears emoji],” one fan commented, while another added: “Toto Wolff is just my guy. His love for Lewis is genuine.”

Someone else posted: “That ‘still our driver’ hits hard.”

“Toto is a class act… He is becoming a true legend of our sport,” someone else wrote, and another fan commented: “Toto knows you can change the paint, but you can’t overwrite 12 years of execution. For him, seeing a Mercedes 1-2 followed by Lewis in P3 is simply the most efficient way to organise a grid. Maybe it’s time for Toto to share the ‘party mode’ details to Lewis.”

Other comments included: “This hurts me a little bit. Miss the Mercedes family”, “Hamilton is always a Mercedes Family,” and “Wolff is like a proud older brother.”

The Chinese Grand Prix is the second round of the 2026 season and is set for lights out at 3pm local time (7am GMT).

Photos from Chinese GP – Saturday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Lando Norris, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Fans



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Carlos Sainz, Williams



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Alexandra Leclerc arrives in the Paddock



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing Team Principal



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac Team Principal; Frederic Vasseur, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Laura Mueller, Race Engineer, Haas F1 on the grid



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Pierre Gasly, Alpine



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Carlos Sainz, Williams



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oscar Piastri, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Lando Norris, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Franco Colapinto, Alpine



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Nico Hülkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Charles Leclerc, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team crash



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lando Norris, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


George Russell, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari with his mother Carmen Lockhar



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Oscar Piastri, McLaren



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos


Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari



Chinese GP – Saturday, in photos

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