Formula 1: Toto’s late-night chat with Hamilton saved their relationship: Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes in Formula 1 said that a late-night conversation between him and Hamilton once save their relationship. The relationship had deteriorated during Lewis Hamilton’s fierce rivalry with then-teammate Nico Rosberg. Follow Formula 1 updates on Insidesport.IN.
Wolff said, “We met at the Christmas party in my home in Oxfordshire that December, reluctantly. I said we need to decide whether we want to work together or not. You want to win as a driver, I want to win as a team. Sometimes our different agendas are going to lead to conflict and we need to decide whether we can cope with that situation.”
Formula 1: Toto Wolff reveals how the late-night kitchen chat saved their relationship with Lewis Hamilton
“We were in my kitchen. I said to him, and Susie Wolff, didn’t much like this analogy, that even though Susie and I might disagree about something, would never come into my mind to divorce. And it’s the same with you Lewis. I don’t want a divorce. You’re the best driver. I want you in our car and we want to provide you with the best car.”
“We kind of went into this discussion at loggerheads and then, after four or five hours in the kitchen, we found ourselves on a totally different level. A purely business-related relationship had become a personal relationship. He’s a friend. That doesn’t mean we don’t argue anymore but now, Lewis’s success is the team’s success, and the team’s success is Lewis’s success.”
Formula 1: Toto Wolff reveals how the late-night kitchen chat saved their relationship with Lewis Hamilton
Nico Rosberg was teammates with Lewis Hamilton from 2013 to 2016. It was Mercedes’ dominance from 2014 which meant both the drivers became each other’s rivals.
27 NOV, 2016: 🗓 ⏪
Five years ago today, another tense F1 title battle was decided at a dramatic final race in Abu Dhabi ⚔️
And it was @NicoRosberg who held his nerve to race to glory 🏆#F1 #OnThisDay @MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/7ShHAi9uc5
— Formula 1 (@F1) November 27, 2021
Hamilton won against Nico Rosberg in a tight fight in 2014 and had an easier run in 2015. But, 2016 saw a different Nico Rosberg altogether. Nico went out to claim his maiden f1 title that year. Rosberg even retired from motorsport just two days after winning his maiden title.
That season itself was the lowest point of two teammates’ relationships. One of the major flashpoints was the pair took each other out in Spain. Wolff even said it took time for his relationship with Hamilton to ease out following the season.
Formula 1: Toto Wolff reveals how the late-night kitchen chat saved their relationship with Lewis Hamilton
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