One of the strong points of Mercedes domination in recent years has been the relationship between Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton. Yet it took some time for the two to get closer and start building a human relationship beyond the purely professional one, especially in the first three years in which the seven-time world champion fought with an enemy on his own team, Nico. Rosberg.
In a lecture held at Harward Business School, the Mercedes team principal recounted which episode actually changed the bond between himself and Hamilton. It all happened in 2016, after the Austrian Grand Prix which was the scene of the last physical clash on the track between the British and Rosberg on the last lap of the race. Wolff knew it was time to intervene, to use a hard fist to prevent the situation from escalating even further: “They had become too opportunistic, they put their own goals before those of the team without respect for the fact that there were a thousand people working for them. I had to show that I would no longer allow that behavior. After the race, I asked both drivers to come out of briefings with the engineers. I told them: ‘Look at everyone in the room, picture them at home with their families, and realize how you are making us look’. I have used harsh words that I cannot repeat. Everyone from pilots to engineers was staring at the floor that day. I said: ‘Next time you want to throw each other off the road, think of all the faces here, and then you’ll think twice’. Then I added that if it happened again, I wouldn’t hesitate to replace them: ‘Don’t challenge me about this, if I were you I wouldn’t want to find out what I’m capable of’“.
The tension between Hamilton and Wolff widened after Abu Dhabi that year, when Lewis lost the title to Rosberg: “We met that December, almost reluctantly, at the Christmas party at my home in Oxfordshire (Nico had recently announced his retirement, ed.). We had to decide whether to continue working together or not. We were in my kitchen and I made an analogy that my wife Susie didn’t like very much. I told him that even if Susie and I were to disagree about something in the future, it would never occur to me to get a divorce. And it was the same with him. I didn’t want a divorce because for me he was the best driver. I wanted him with me and I wanted to make sure that he had the best car ”.
“We started that discussion at loggerheads and then, after four or five hours in the kitchen, we found ourselves on a completely different level. A purely commercial relationship had become a personal relationship. He is now a friend. It doesn’t mean we don’t argue anymore, but now Lewis ‘success is team success and team success is Lewis’ success. “ concluded Wolff.
#WolffHamilton #relationship #unlocked #kitchen #Rosberg #FormulaPassionit