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Wolff insists Hamilton 'changed mind' over Ferrari switch

Sheona Mountford Monday 3 June 2024 10:14 Updated: 19:25

Wolff insists Hamilton 'changed mind' over Ferrari switch

Toto Wolff has revealed that Lewis Hamilton changed his mind when it came to making his Ferrari switch.

The champion recently announced that he will be moving to the Scuderia, where he will debut alongside Charles Leclerc in 2025.

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Mercedes have been uncompetitive since the regulation changes in 2022, with Hamilton failing to win a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Furthermore, rivals McLaren and Ferrari have edged closer to Red Bull this season, raising hopes that there will be a title fight in the coming seasons.

Lewis Hamilton has often bemoaned the pace of the Mercedes in 2024

Mercedes' rivals continue to fight Red Bull

Has Hamilton made the right decision to join Ferrari?

However, Mercedes remain excluded from the leading pack with both Hamilton and George Russell bemoaning their place in ‘no-man’s land’.

Hamilton’s Ferrari switch may have been timed perfectly, as the Italian team continue to bridge the gap to Red Bull, with a stunning Leclerc win in Monaco.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, however, did not see Hamilton's decision coming, revealing in a recent interview that he expected the seven-time world champion to remain with the team.‌

“He said he was going to stay and then he decided to go,” Wolff said to the PA news agency.

“But people change their minds and circumstances change and you have to respect that.

“Today’s opinion might be different tomorrow and I have no hard feelings.”

Toto Wolff opens up on Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari switch

The team boss also weighed up Hamilton’s chances at Ferrari, and whether he can obtain an elusive eighth world title denied to him at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.

“If Ferrari is able to give Lewis a competitive car, he can win a world championship. There is no doubt about that.

“I will always have a personal relationship with Lewis and I will look back at the great times, professionally and personally.

“When Lewis moves to Ferrari he becomes a competitor but I will always wish him happy days.”

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Ferrari McLaren Charles Leclerc