Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has confirmed he rejected Lewis Hamilton’s enquiry about driving for Ferrari at end-of-season testing in Abu Dhabi ahead of the seven-time world champion’s switch to the Italian team next year.
Following the final round of the season at the Yas Marina Circuit, Formula 1 holds a one-day test at which teams can run two cars, one for Pirelli tyre-testing purposes with experienced drivers and the other for young drivers to gain valuable miles on track.
Ferrari have allowed Carlos Sainz, who Hamilton is replacing, to drive for his new team Williams at the test, but Wolff admitted he was not willing to offer the same treatment for the Brit.
“I think it’s a different… also if you’re moving to Williams,” Wolff said while sat alongside Ferrari counterpart Fred Vasseur at the Las Vegas Grand Prix team principals’ press conference.
“We have contractual agreements with sponsors, we’re having a farewell for Lewis, we’re having lots of activities that are planned.
“Him and I, we spoke about it shortly, and he said, ‘I guess that’s not going to work’.
“And I said, ‘yeah, I don’t think it’s going to work.’ And that was the whole thing, so I don’t think Fred is particularly sad.”
Vasseur said he “respected” Wolff’s stance, noting the difference in circumstance with Sainz having been forced out of Ferrari rather than opting to leave.
“The story with Carlos is that I want to thank Carlos for the collaboration and I don’t want to block him or whatever,” Vasseur said.
“I think he did a very good job with us this season and a very professional one, because it would have been easy not to give up but not to have such a professional attitude.
“And for me the best way to thank Carlos was to give him the opportunity to do the test with Williams.”
Asked if he was “sad” that Hamilton wouldn’t be able to drive for Ferrari in Abu Dhabi, Vasseur added: “No. There is a contract. You have to respect this.
“It’s not because we are doing something for Carlos that everybody has to do the same. As Toto said, I didn’t ask him.”
Wolff: Timing of Hamilton ‘shelf life’ comments looked bad
Wolff also addressed comments he made over Hamilton having a “shelf-life” and his relief at the Brit’s decision to leave preventing him from possibly having to get rid of the 105-time race winner at a later date.
Wolff’s comments were reported in Mercedes’ new all-access book Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lanewhich followed the team through their turbulent 2023 campaign and the start of 2024.
Asked whether he needed to clear the air with Hamilton following the book’s release, Wolff replied: “Lewis and I speak, and we’ve always done so.
“A sentence that is being made public on the weekend particularly when he hasn’t been satisfied about his driving and about the car, then one plus one makes it look bad.
“But one rule that we’ve established very early in our relationship is that we talk immediately – ‘why did you say that or what did you mean?’ And that is what we have done.
“That was one sentence in a book and there were 99 sentences around the Brazil weekend and quotes in some interviews that I’ve given about Lewis where I clearly remark that he’s the greatest driver of all time, and if we are to give him a quick car, he’s going to be able to win and fight for a championship, but we have failed in doing so.”
‘Hamilton early exit thoughts not unusual’
The book’s release came just days after Hamilton had endured a torrid weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, which left the Brit doubting whether he wanted to see out his final three races with Mercedes.
Hamilton made comments over team radio at the end of the race that suggested it could be his “last time” driving for the Silver Arrows, before telling Sky Sports F1 he “could happily go and take a holiday”.
Mercedes played down Hamilton’s comments in the days after the race and suggested his radio remarks were directed at team members who would not be working at the final three races of the season in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
However, speaking on Wednesday, Hamilton revealed that in the moment he was genuinely ready to bring his season to an early end.
Wolff said: “Lewis, as we all know for so many years, wears his heart on the sleeve. And I think it was such a bad experience for him that whole race weekend, and particularly the Sunday, that (his reaction) was something that wasn’t in a way unusual.
“This time was probably particularly bad, but I think he and us as a team, we’ve been really doing well at holding on to working together.
“Because obviously three more races to go, he’s announced that he’s going to Ferrari at the beginning of the year and I’m quite proud of how we have achieved to maintain the professional relationships like they are.
“But we knew it was never going to be easy. And then the car is bad on such a day and we’ve not given him a tool that is good enough to what he should have.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Las Vegas GP schedule
Saturday November 23
2.15am: Las Vegas GP Practice Three*
5am: Las Vegas GP Qualifying build-up*
6am: LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*
8am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
Sunday November 24
4.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Las Vegas GP build-up*
6am: THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX*
8am: Chequered Flag: Las Vegas GP reaction*
9am: Ted’s Notebook*
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
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