Wolff defends Hamilton: ‘Don’t ever write Lewis off’

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has come to the defense of his former driver Lewis Hamilton amid the seven-time F1 world champion’s ongoing struggles in his debut season with Ferrari.

Wolff dismissed doubts about Hamilton’s ability, emphasizing that the 40-year-old’s skills remain intact and predicting a stronger second half of the year.

Hamilton made the sensational move to Ferrari this year after spending 12 seasons with Mercedes, a partnership that yielded six world titles and rewrote the sport’s record books.

But his transition to Maranello has proven challenging. With just 79 points so far, Hamilton currently sits sixth in the standings, trailing both teammate Charles Leclerc and former rival Max Verstappen.

‘Don’t ever write Lewis Hamilton off’

Speaking on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast, Wolff addressed Hamilton’s performance slump and was unequivocal in his faith in the British driver’s ability to rebound.

“You don’t unlearn driving that quickly,” Wolff said. “In 2021, he was great. Then the regulations changed, and it got a little more difficult, but he was still performing at a very high level.

“Just by changing teams, suddenly you don't lose your skills. Everybody needs a period of adaptation — different car, different DNA in how the vehicle drives, a new engineering team that you need to start working together.

“Then you have to be involved in the continuous development of the car so it suits your driving style.

“It’s an all-Italian team, and he’s a British guy parachuted in there — and that takes time.”

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Wolff also pointed to Hamilton’s track record of finishing seasons strong, urging critics not to rush to judgment.

“We've seen a bit of a pattern that Lewis, at the beginning of the season, needs to find his mojo and the second half of the season has always been very strong,” he added. “So, don’t ever write Lewis Hamilton off.”

A Partnership Built on Respect and Friendship

While Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes marked the end of one of the longest and most successful driver-team alliances in Formula 1 history, Wolff emphasized that their relationship remains strong – even as they now compete on opposite sides of the grid.

“We're fighting hard on track, with the gloves off, because we need to fight for our respective teams, and that’s the kind of rule we have,” he said.

“But off track, we spend time with each other, we travel together, and I don't want to miss the friend that I've had for so many years.

“It’s the longest driver-team relationship in Formula 1 – 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’s seen it all, and replacing someone like Lewis Hamilton is always going to be difficult.”

With 13 races remaining in the season, Hamilton and Ferrari still have time to turn things around. And if Wolff’s words are any indication, the paddock shouldn’t be surprised if the second half of 2025 sees a rejuvenated Hamilton back in contention – if Ferrari also holds up its end of the bargain.

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