Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has revealed he went through a difficult time with Lewis Hamilton after Nico Rosberg won the F1 title in 2016. They didn‘t talk to each other “for weeks“ after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The hybrid era was dominated by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, led by Mercedes F1 team principal Toto Wolff. The Brit won two championships for Mercedes already, while Rosberg was P2 in 2014 and 2015.
In 2016, both rivals found each other once more in a very close fight for the championship. It went on until the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi, which was won by the Briton. Rosberg finished second, which was enough to win the title.
On the High Performance Podcast, Wolff revealed that the aftermath of the season was having a difficult time with Hamilton.
The 39-year-old and his German teammate had multiple clashes on track that year, and it came to a head in Abu Dhabi as Hamilton tried to back Rosberg into Vettel and the Red Bulls to try and pip him to the title. Ultimately, it failed.
Wolff says speaking to Hamilton before a Christmas party was the foundation to their successful relationship in the future.
“There was a moment when we had a really difficult time in 2016 after Nico won the race and the championship,“ Wolff said. “And we didn’t talk to each other for a few weeks. And then he came to my home because I said, we have to talk.
“We spent many hours and we came out of this discussion. It was before the Christmas party, so strong. What I said to him is, we cannot not speak to each other. If there’s something that annoys us, you just have to pick up the phone. You have to tell me.
“That was the foundation of our relationship, friendship and relationship in the years to come.“
Wolff then said that a year or two later, he encountered a situation where he was annoyed. Hamilton called and remembered him that they always have to speak to each other.
“A year or two passed and we had a situation that annoyed me and I didn’t call him. He called me and said, ‘remember what you said to me. We have to speak to each other’. I said, ‘you’re absolutely right’. He reminded me of of what I said to him.
“So he just, when he thinks something is really good or a good skill to have or a character trait or mindset, you know, he just becomes that.“
The 2024 season is slowly coming to an end with three races to go. Hamilton is set to leave the Mercedes team, as he will join Ferrari next year. He will be replaced by top talent Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
