Toto Wolff addresses Charles Leclerc beating Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton’s transition from Mercedes to Ferrari has not been as seamless as many had hoped. After a 12-year tenure with Mercedes where he clinched six World Championships and 84 Grand Prix victories, Hamilton’s 2025 season with Ferrari is off to a challenging start.



Adjusting to New Terrain



Hamilton’s move to Ferrari brought immense anticipation. The Briton, widely regarded as one of Formula 1’s greatest, joined the most storied team on the grid. However, aside from his standout Sprint win in Shanghai, his results have been underwhelming. He has yet to finish higher than fifth in a Grand Prix and trails teammate Charles Leclerc 5–2 in qualifying. In several sessions, the gap has been significant—more than half a second in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.



Following Sprint qualifying in Miami, Hamilton candidly admitted: “I think all the cars ahead are faster. So, yeah, I don’t really know what else to say.”



Wolff: It’s Just a Transition Phase



Asked about Hamilton’s performance slump, former Mercedes boss Toto Wolff emphasized that talent doesn’t just vanish overnight.



“I think we saw that magic in the Sprint Race – was it Shanghai?” Wolff said. “He was completely dominating that race.



“It’s not like you have the magic in one race and then suddenly you lose the magic in the next one. I very much believe that it’s still there.”



Wolff explained the challenges of switching teams after so long. “He was with us 12 years – the way of operating. He’s been put in a Ferrari, where his team-mate has been a long time. And his team-mate clearly is one of the very good ones.”



Mercedes Turns the Page with Antonelli



While Hamilton acclimates at Ferrari, Mercedes is entering a new era with Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old Italian has impressed, scoring points in four of five races and making history by securing pole for the Miami Sprint.



Wolff clarified that the team’s change wasn’t due to strained relationships. “We’re still great friends with Lewis. I spent a lot of time with him… It came to a point last year where, you know, it’s like spending 12 years in a row on holiday with your best friend. At a certain stage you say, well, maybe do something else this time around.”



Bringing in Antonelli also made strategic sense. “Bringing him in this year means we have a learning year before new regulations kick in,” said Wolff.



Changing Dynamics at Mercedes



As for the atmosphere at Mercedes, Wolff dismissed talk of a culture shift. “Lewis was part of the family… We got along. You have good days, bad days, strengths and weaknesses. But when you know someone that well, it’s easy to manage that.”



Now, he says, “George has massively stepped up as a senior driver. Kimi is almost like the young brother that’s come in… Kimi doesn’t stress too much, he’s just building up constantly.”
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