Wolff: “Hamilton will adapt very quickly to life at Ferrari”

Will Hamilton succeed in his move to Ferrari? This is one of the main questions of the 2025 season. At the beginning of the year, the British driver surprised everyone in F1 by announcing his transfer to Ferrari from 2025, after 12 years of collaboration with Mercedes. A successful partnership: 6 world titles, 84 victories, and 152 podium finishes since his arrival in 2013.

However, some observers had criticized this choice, believing that the pressure at Ferrari would be too much for the British driver, especially since, for three seasons now, Mercedes has been experiencing many difficulties. This situation has raised questions about the motivation of the former McLaren driver, who has repeatedly complained about his car, which is very difficult to set up for qualifying, and who will have to adapt to a completely new environment next season.

Toto Wolff sees Hamilton succeeding at Ferrari

Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, does not share this opinion. The one who has worked with Hamilton for more than a decade knows his driver perfectly and is convinced that he will quickly adapt at Ferrari. “Many people say that it will be very difficult,” explained Wolff to Autosport. “But I think that, if we say that it will be very difficult, it is often the opposite that happens. Ferrari is a great team, they are great people, with a lot of emotion and passion and therefore a lot of pressure. But I believe they will find a way to work together.”

For Hamilton, the choice to join Ferrari is the right one.

On his side, the seven-time world champion prefers to ignore the criticism. He explained that he is the only one who can know if this choice is right or not. The Briton is not doing this for the first time. In 2013, the same phenomenon occurred when he decided to leave McLaren, one of the best teams on the grid in 2012, to join Mercedes, a midfield team. “I don’t feel the need to justify my choice. I believe I know what’s best for me, and that hasn’t changed since the moment I made my decision. There hasn’t been a single moment when I questioned it, and I don’t let other people’s comments influence me. I will have to do what I did before. Only you can know what’s best for you. And it will be an exciting time for me.”

For Wolff, Hamilton will now be a rival

The Briton will therefore embark on a new (and probably final) chapter of his career in the Italian team, ending a long association with Mercedes. Toto Wolff also wanted to thank Hamilton for all the years they spent together but is already ready to compete against him on the track with his two drivers: George Russell and the new recruit Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will bring a new era to the German manufacturer. « We had a great adventure with Lewis over the past twelve years. He will always be part of the family. »

« It is obvious that as a competitor, when we try to beat him next year, Kimi’s arrival alongside George [Russell] will bring a dynamic, as well as youth and freshness. That being said, obviously, there will be moments where Lewis’ experience would have been beneficial for the team. Kimi will have to learn quickly, but it is absolutely the right decision for the team, and there is no one who would have done it differently.
» The end of the 2024 season is definitely full of emotions. After Ricciardo’s departure following his dismissal from Racing Bulls after the Singapore Grand Prix, it is now Lewis Hamilton who will bid farewell to Mercedes. An idyllic partnership, enhanced by seven world titles.

For Hamilton, only one challenge remains to be achieved: allow Ferrari to win the driver’s title, a reward that has eluded the Prancing Horse since 2007.