Wolff says Hamilton 'friendship' made contract talks a nightmare

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has lifted the lid on just how awkward it was to thrash out Formula 1 contracts with Lewis Hamilton – revealing that their close personal friendship often turned negotiations into a drawn-out ordeal.

Hamilton, who joined Mercedes in 2013, went on to win six world championships with the team, cementing his place as one of the sport’s greats.

Alongside his dominance on track, he also developed a strong friendship with the chief architect of Mercedes’ success in F1, a relationship that Wolff admits made business dealings unusually tricky.

“It always makes things more complicated when you negotiate with someone who is your ally,” the Austrin told Formula.hu. “Someone whose goals are very close to yours.

“For example, Lewis and I, that was always a problem. We were best friends for two and a half years, we agreed 100 percent, we shared our private lives and everything.

“Then came the two-month period of negotiations. We both hated it. Why? Because in that situation you might not agree. Finally we changed and brought in someone who did this job, so the situation was resolved in a few days.”

Friendship vs. Business

Unlike most drivers who rely on agents, Hamilton preferred to handle contract negotiations personally, which meant Wolff often found himself haggling directly with a man he regarded as a confidant. The result? Talks that could drag on for months.

“That’s why it’s always going to be complicated with all the drivers,” Wolff explained.

“On the one hand, you want to maintain a good relationship. On the other hand, negotiations are sometimes tough, and it’s difficult when the other side is an emotional athlete, not someone who deals with this every day.”

Hamilton eventually gave in and appointed a management team in 2023, saying at the time that doing it all alone was “very stressful.”

The change came as a relief to Wolff, who joked that the friendship-and-business cocktail wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

A “Fair” Negotiator?

Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg once claimed that Wolff was “horrible to negotiate with,” alleging that the Austrian would vanish during tense discussions. But Wolff himself insists he’s anything but ruthless.

“No, I think I’m fair,” he said.

“I think we should always put ourselves in the other person’s shoes. So I give my soul to the other side and think, if I were them, what would I want to achieve? Then I ask myself, what is fair in this situation? What do I think would be the right thing to do?

“I consider that and try to find the right balance, but obviously there are times when both parties want to optimize this and that, and that can make things complicated.”

Wolff’s approach, empathetic yet strategic, reflects the delicate tightrope he walks as a team boss managing multimillion-dollar deals while preserving personal bonds.

• Read also: Wolff acknowledges Horner’s success in F1 despite bitter feud

In the end, the Mercedes chief’s reflections reveal a universal truth: even in the glamorous world of F1, where speed and precision reign supreme, the human element – friendship, trust, and the occasional clash of egos – can make or break a deal.

For Wolff and Hamilton, it was a lesson learned the hard way, but one that only deepened their mutual respect.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook