Toto Wolff sends cocky “rear wing” message to Lewis Hamilton over Ferrari F1 switch

Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff revealed a cocky message he sent to driver Lewis Hamilton about what will happen in 2025 when he races for their rivals Ferrari

Toto Wolff said he told Lewis Hamilton he will have to “picture Mercedes’ rear wing” next year when he joins Formula 1 rivals Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion will begin a new chapter in his career at the age of 40 when he puts on the famous red overalls next year. And, by making the move, he ends what will be an 11-year spell as a Mercedes driver.

Looking ahead to what it will be like to go up against Hamilton, team principal Wolff said he had boldly told his soon-to-be ex-driver that the Silver Arrows would fare better than him with his new team. He said: “I can’t imagine him in red. I don’t think it suits him

“But I think that picture is going to be interesting. And then I told him, you’ve got to really picture our rear wing because that’s the perspective you’re going to have.”

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That prediction looks particularly brave considering the teams’ contrasting fortunes at the start of this new 2024 season. Ferrari are just four points behind leaders Red Bull, thanks in significant part to a one-two finish last weekend in Australia.

Mercedes, meanwhile, have scored just 26 points from the opening three races and are already 67 behind their Italian rivals. A double DNF for Hamilton and George Russell in Melbourne confirmed the team’s worst start to an F1 season since 2012.

Wolff has worked closely with Hamilton since 2013, when they both joined Mercedes. But, despite the blow of losing his friend and long-time ally to a direct rival, the Austrian insists there are no hard feelings between them.