Toto Wolff revealed how efforts were made at Mercedes to avoid a “borderline hostile” dynamic with Lewis Hamilton after he signed with Ferrari.

That proved a successful mission, with Wolff and Hamilton remaining on very good terms to this day, so much so that Hamilton is visiting Mercedes on race weekends despite now being a Ferrari driver, and also regularly flies home with Wolff and a pair of former Mercedes team-mates.

Lewis Hamilton has not forgotten his Mercedes roots

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes proved a record-breaking partnership, his six World Championships won in Mercedes colours – added to his maiden 2008 crown with McLaren – seeing the Brit match Michael Schumacher’s record of seven.

Hamilton meanwhile set outright records such as most wins, poles and podiums in F1 history during a run of eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships for Mercedes between 2014-21.

But, with Hamilton restricted to a handful of race wins from then on, he decided to join Ferrari, the timing coming as a shock as that F1 2025 move was confirmed before the 2024 campaign even got underway.

That meant the potential for fireworks, but despite some hard-hitting outbursts from Hamilton in what was an underwhelming final season with Mercedes, peace prevailed, and strong bonds remain in-tact, as Wolff – Mercedes team boss and one-third owner – explained in a Wall Street Journal interview.

“When he decided to go, it could have been very awkward, borderline hostile, and we actively talked about how to not make it that,” said Wolff. “All of us made a real effort in trying to be very accommodating, very understanding.

“He’s maintained being a friend. He pops up in the office on the weekend! He speaks with the engineers, gets some food. After many Grand Prix, he travels back with me. So we have the old gang: Valtteri Bottas, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton and me flying from the races.”

Latest F1 2025 head-to-head standings from PlanetF1.com

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Wolff may no longer be Hamilton’s boss, but he continues to turn to him for guidance.

Only now, it is in regards to his love life.

Asked if this continued strong relationship with Hamilton is unusual in the world of motor racing, Wolff replied: “It’s very unusual in any kind of relationship.

“But I tried to be very open and say, ‘Listen, on the racetrack, we want to beat you. No doubt about that. But it’s been 12 years that we have been in this relationship. We trust each other.’

“I’m living a different life through his eyes, you know, he shows me his flirts and who he dates, and [asks], ‘Should I go for this girl or not?’ And I’m saying, ‘Yes, you should, and tell me how it was!’”

Hamilton is waiting for his Ferrari career to truly take off, having gone through the opening 12 rounds of the season without a podium. He did though, claim Ferrari’s only form of victory so far in F1 2025, having won the China Sprint.

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