Lewis Hamilton surprised the world of sports by announcing his departure from Mercedes and his decision to join Scuderia Ferrari for the 2025 F1 season. The seven-time world champion informed Mercedes before the start of the 2024 season, and now Mercedes Team Principal has revealed the reason behind Hamilton’s early announcement.
Toto Wolff recalled a meeting with Hamilton before the start of the season, where they had a casual conversation over a cup of coffee. It was a routine activity for them after a long winter break, as they didn’t have much opportunity to talk during the off-season.
During this meeting, Hamilton shocked Wolff by informing him about his plans to join Ferrari in 2025. The Mercedes team boss asked if this was true, expressing his surprise at the news.
Wolff also questioned Hamilton about why he chose to announce his move at the beginning of the 2024 season. Hamilton explained that he didn’t want to carry the emotional burden of his impending departure throughout his final stint with Mercedes.
Although Wolff was initially shocked and disbelieving, he emphasized the importance of being practical in such a situation. He asked Hamilton how the announcement of his exit should be handled.
Hamilton acknowledged that the situation could be challenging for Mercedes, as there had already been leaks to the media about his Ferrari deal. Therefore, the team had no choice but to announce his departure immediately.
Despite Hamilton’s decision to leave the team, he and Wolff have maintained a strong relationship. They both aim to end their decade-long journey at Mercedes on a positive note. However, Hamilton has described the start of the 2024 season as his worst, as Mercedes continues to struggle with performance issues.