untold story of Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur’s silence

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Identical to a cleaning soap opera, the Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari saga continues to stir debate, with Toto Wolff shedding mild on new facets of the yr’s most talked-about deal, uncovering beforehand unknown particulars.

Amid lies, cellphone calls, and press silence—simply as if it had been a cleaning soap opera— Toto Wolff was interviewed by British day by day newspaper *The Guardian* and talked about that troublesome second virtually a yr in the past when Lewis Hamilton knowledgeable him that he could be becoming a member of Ferrari.

“I wasn’t shocked in any respect. I knew a few weeks earlier than it occurred once I acquired a name from Carlos Sainz and his father. He instructed me that ‘one thing was brewing.’ I requested myself why this needed to occur earlier than the beginning of the season.” – the Mercedes crew boss identified.

Nevertheless, Toto Wolff was unprepared to obtain calls from others throughout the F1 paddock.

“That very same afternoon, I acquired calls from a few drivers near Charles Leclerc. Even Fernando Alonso reached out. I consider it began with Charles Leclerc, who already knew about it throughout the winter, after which his closest allies heard that there could be a emptiness at Mercedes. I instructed Susie that each one of this was occurring with out us formally realizing something.”

Toto Wolff then despatched a message to Frédéric Vasseur to grasp the scenario. However when he requested, “Are you taking our driver?” he obtained no response—which was uncommon, given the 2 have an excellent relationship. At that time, Toto knew what was occurring however selected to not name Lewis Hamilton immediately. “I didn’t wish to put him ready the place he’d need to mislead me as a result of the contract hadn’t been signed but.” – the Austrian billionaire investor and motorsport govt continued.

A few weeks later, the British driver got here to see him. Toto Wolff already knew the entire story, and Lewis Hamilton was clearly struggling. “I might really feel his ache in telling me. ‘Why now? When ought to we announce it?’ and he replied that the information had already leaked.”

Toto Wolff revealed that he spared Lewis Hamilton a good harsher dialog by which he might have instructed him he was too “outdated” for a renewal. “I’d have achieved it. However it will have been a real nightmare for each of us.”