P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Toto Wolff and Pep Guardiola have a long-standing friendship.
Toto Wolff revealed that advice from Pep Guardiola influenced his reaction to Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari for the 2025 season. Hamilton’s unexpected departure from Mercedes was confirmed in February 2024, as he opted to exercise a break clause in his contract and move to Ferrari. Wolff mentioned that Carlos Sainz Sr informed him about Hamilton’s move, as Hamilton’s departure paved the way for rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli to join Mercedes. Wolff shared a conversation with Pep Guardiola, where Guardiola’s advice about letting players go if they believe they can excel elsewhere resonated with Wolff’s approach to Hamilton’s decision. The decision to replace Hamilton with Antonelli was initially instinctive for Wolff but required validation from key figures within Mercedes, including Markus Schäfer, Ola Kallenius, Gwen Lagrue, James Allison, and Bradley Lord. The collaborative decision-making process ensured that Wolff considered all perspectives before finalizing Hamilton’s replacement.
