Toto Wolff has revealed he "hated" contract talks with Lewis Hamilton, feeling they strained their close friendship for two months.
Why it matters:
Despite signing four contracts during his tenure at Mercedes, negotiating deals with Hamilton was consistently challenging for Wolff, highlighting the complex blend of personal and professional relationships at the top of F1.
The details:
- Initial struggles: Even convincing Hamilton to leave McLaren for Mercedes' new project was difficult from the start.
- Ongoing challenge: This difficulty persisted as Mercedes became dominant, with Hamilton's contract lengths shortening over time.
- Friendship strained: Wolff told Formula.hu that he and Hamilton, who were "best friends" for years, both "hated" the negotiation periods because they put their 100 percent agreement and shared private lives on hold.
- The core issue: Wolff noted that negotiating with an ally whose goals are similar makes things more complicated, especially when disagreement arises.
The solution:
Mercedes eventually brought in a third party to handle negotiations with Hamilton's team. This allowed Wolff to maintain his relationship with Hamilton while the professional terms were ironed out. Wolff emphasized that this approach resolves the inherent difficulty of negotiating with "emotional athletes" while trying to preserve a good relationship.
What's next:
- Hamilton's new chapter: Now at Ferrari, Hamilton's salary is reported to be around $57 million annually, potentially reaching $100 million with bonuses, placing him among F1's highest-paid drivers.
- Succession planning: Hamilton himself has jokingly offered to help his reported successor, Kimi Antonelli, with contract negotiations, highlighting his deep understanding of the process with Wolff.