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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was once slammed for professionalism due to Lewis Hamilton’s partnership with new mogul
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was once slammed for professionalism due to Lewis Hamilton’s partnership with new mogul
Toto Wolff once faced the wrath of the media after Lewis Hamilton failed to arrive at the first meeting at the 2018 Singapore Grand Prix. This took place after the Mercedes star was busy launching his own collection with $450 million fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger in Shanghai, China. Therefore, he got delayed for the GP while his team was busy preparing for the race.
As the media were busy asking Wolff questions on professionalism and the whereabouts of Hamilton, the Mercedes boss knew all of it. Interestingly, it all happened under the permission of the Austrian boss. He allowed the seven-time world champion to pursue his liking.
During the recent Secrets of Success podcast, Wolff talked all about it when asked by host Nasser Hussain. Speaking about this, Wolff said, “Lewis Hamilton is a friend of mine and he drives to be creative, successful in the fashion industry. Something that I permitted from the beginning and because we have the pact, he performs.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff
Following this, Wolff added, “I remember sitting with the engineers and he was face timing me and saying that ‘I’m on the catwalk, launching my own collection with Tommy Hilfiger and I can’t believe, thank you for letting me do this.”
Soon after this, Wolff revealed how elated the Briton was after he received the chance to launch his clothing line. Wolff instantly knew Hamilton was going to deliver in the race due to this.
The Silver Arrows boss then reflected on how impressive the British driver was during the GP. “That was the moment when everyone stopped telling me or telling him what to do or how to lead his life,” Wolff recalled. Hamilton indeed delivered a brilliant performance at the Singapore GP.
He took the pole position 0.319 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. Hamilton was then equally impressive during the race as well as he crossed the finish line almost nine seconds ahead of Verstappen.
Lewis Hamilton is a true fashion icon
Lewis Hamilton is undoubtedly one of the greatest F1 drivers on the planet. However, when he’s away from the circuit, he’s a certified fashion icon. From Tommy Hilfiger to Dior, the number of brands he endorses is endless. Recently, Hamilton arrived in Paris for the pre-event of Paris Fashion Week in association with Dior.
#F1 | Lewis Hamilton in Paris for the Dior Runway Show 2024. pic.twitter.com/b9eTj1jU5e
— deni (@fiagirly) January 19, 2024
READ: Inside F1 champ Kimi Räikkönen’s ‘James Bond-esque’ mansion: the multimillion-dollar Villa Butterfly
Apart from this, the Mercedes man is a regular at the Met Gala as well. During the 2021 Met Gala, the Silver Arrows ace bought out a table to provide young black designers a chance. Among his invitees were Kenneth Nicholson, Edvin Thompson, and Jason Rembert.
Hamilton is also an inspiration to fellow F1 drivers such as Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari driver revealed his love for fashion and talked about how he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Hamilton and launch his own clothing line. Hamilton launched his clothing line known as +44, and perhaps this is something the Monegasque wanted to follow.
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A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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