Toto Wolff takes huge Lewis Hamilton risk for F1 legend's final Mercedes season

09 February 2024 , 15:17

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Toto Wolff will trust Lewis Hamilton with Mercedes secrets (Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Toto Wolff insists he plans to trust Lewis Hamilton with secrets about Mercedes' car despite the Briton's impending Ferrari switch.

Hamilton will make the move to Maranello at the end of the upcoming 2024 season. The move will bring to an end what will be an 11-year partnership which yielded six of his seven Formula 1 drivers' titles.

The time and success Hamilton and Wolff have enjoyed together means there is a strong level of trust between them. And the Mercedes boss says that will not change despite the fact the Briton will soon depart for one of their main rivals.

In a bid to enjoy a successful final season together, the Austrian does not want to shield details of their car development from Hamilton. "In terms of the development going forward, I think this is something which we need to look at," he said.

"The [car] regulations stay pretty much the same. When it comes to 2025, we will evaluate later in the season what it means in terms of technical information, but that's not something that bothers me at all.

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"We have engineers that leave us and go to other teams and the notice periods are sometimes as short as six months. So I don't have any doubt in Lewis' integrity, in terms of sharing information.

"And in that respect, we want to make sure that this is a successful season for both drivers, and a successful season for Mercedes, and all of us will give our utmost to achieve that."

Wolff backs George Russell to step up and lead the team into the future when Hamilton departs. But, during their final season working together and competing against one another as team-mates, the 52-year-old says he will still not be favouring one of his drivers over the other.

He added: "I think what I've always tried to do as a team principal, and all of us at Mercedes, is to be transparent and fair. Nothing is going to change in that respect in 2024. We owe it to our principles and our racing intent, how we go about, and we will respect that. And I will be sure that the drivers will respect it.

"I'm always interested in new and challenging situations, and balancing 2024 Mercedes interests versus 2025 driver interests is something that we will openly discuss at the beginning, how to manage that, and for sure come to a good outcome between us."

Daniel Moxon