Toto Wolff has expressed confidence that Lewis Hamilton will recover from a challenging start to his 2025 season after switching to Ferrari. The seven-time world champion has yet to secure a podium finish in the first 10 races—a first in his Formula 1 career—since leaving Mercedes for a headline-making move to Ferrari.
Although Hamilton earned a pole position and won the sprint race in China, he has struggled overall to match the pace of teammate Charles Leclerc, who has better adapted to the team and car. Despite Ferrari and Hamilton’s underwhelming start to the year, Wolff cautions against dismissing Hamilton’s potential for a comeback.
Adapting to a New Team and Car Dynamics
Wolff highlighted the complexities involved in adjusting to a new racing team and vehicle, emphasizing that Hamilton’s driving skills remain intact. He explained that a driver’s adaptation includes understanding a different car’s behavior, integrating with a new engineering team, and shaping ongoing car development to fit the driver’s style.
He noted the cultural differences between Hamilton, a British racer, and Ferrari’s wholly Italian environment, stressing that such transitions require time. Wolff also pointed out a pattern in Hamilton’s career where he often takes some races to find his rhythm before delivering strong second-half performances.
“You don’t unlearn driving that quickly,”
Wolff remarked on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast.
“So don’t ever write Lewis Hamilton off.”
The Legacy of the Hamilton-Wolff Partnership
Hamilton and Wolff shared a remarkable 12-year partnership at Mercedes, during which the team secured eight world titles, and Hamilton won six of his seven drivers’ championships. Since Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes, their professional paths have diverged for the first time since 2013.
Wolff acknowledged the personal side of their split, expressing that he misses the connection but maintains a close friendship with Hamilton. He highlighted their commitment to supporting each other off the track even amid fierce competition on race weekends.
“You always have to miss a person like Lewis Hamilton,”
Wolff said.
“We are still close friends. We have given our word to each other that we will stay close friends.”
“The longest driver-team relationship, 12 years – you rarely see that in any other sport. And when it comes to developing the car, obviously, he has a lot of experience, he has seen it all and to replace someone like Lewis Hamilton is always going to be difficult.”
Looking Ahead: Hamilton’s Prospects with Ferrari
As Hamilton continues to adjust to Ferrari’s setup and team dynamics, the expectation is that his performance will improve over the course of the season. His experience and proven track record suggest he can still be a strong contender once he finds his form with the team. The coming races will be crucial not only for Hamilton’s individual campaign but also for Ferrari’s effort to challenge championship favorites.
Wolff’s perspective adds a hopeful note amid a cautious atmosphere, reminding fans and critics alike to remain patient as Hamilton navigates this new chapter in his career.
