The inside track on surprise switch that was pulled off with panache and pace usually reserved for race day
Lewis Hamilton and his close friend the Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, have long enjoyed a pre-season informal chat in the kitchen of Wolff’s Oxford home. Traditionally it has been a chance to connect face to face, to share their anticipation for the forthcoming season but on Wednesday it was the backdrop to Formula One’s most unexpected breakup.
In the past Wolff’s and Hamilton’s personal meeting over coffee has been so constructive it has been the occasion on which they have thrashed out the broad details of a new contract. This time a contract was on the agenda but it was not one Wolff had anticipated as Hamilton informed him of his intent to leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025. The most significant driver move for decades was as unforeseen for Wolff as it was to everyone in F1.