Toto Wolff voice note to Lewis Hamilton released after final ...

Describing it as the “most important message I’ve ever sent”, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff urged Lewis Hamilton to “find his people” who will truly have his back as he prepares to start a new F1 career chapter with Ferrari.

The 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the end of an era as Hamilton’s final race with Mercedes, the team he joined in 2013 and won six of his seven World titles with, setting records such as most wins, poles and podiums in F1 history in the process.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

The Hamilton and Mercedes story did end on a high after he raced from P16 on the grid to P4 at the chequered flag, knowing that when the grand prix action resumes in F1 2025, he will be a Ferrari driver.

But before that, Wolff left Hamilton a departing message, the “most important” he has ever sent, making it clear that he will always be among friends at Mercedes despite heading for his new home of Ferrari.

“Hi Lewis, I’m on the go, so I thought I’d better leave you a voice note like all this,” Wolff began.

“Yeah, the moment is here we all knew was coming. We’ve raced the last lap. The longest and most successful partnership in Formula 1 history. Who would have thought that when we started the journey?

“It’s been a crazy ride for a boy from Stevenage who had a dream, and who shared this journey with us at Mercedes.

“So now, you’re opening up a new chapter with Ferrari. But most importantly, remember one thing, find your people, not just the ones who work with you or sign your contract.

“Obviously, we know that’s important, but the ones who dream with you, who fight with you, who have your back and your ear, the ones who stand with you and kneel with you, the ones who see you, including the parts you don’t want seen, who never stop believing, even when you do sometimes.

“Because when you find your people, you don’t just beat the world, you change it. And whatever the future holds, just remember, we will always be your people, because every dream needs a team. You know it.

“Take care, my friend, see you on track. We are really looking forward to it. That’s the most important message I’ve ever sent.”

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Hamilton and Wolff both started at Mercedes at the same time in 2013, Wolff explaining that such a long relationship creates “attachment” for the team.

“Well, it’s been 12 years,” said Wolff when speaking to the media, including PlanetF1.com, after the Abu Dhabi GP. “It’s not only the longest driver team relationship that the sport has ever seen, it’s probably also one of the longest relationships that any sports team had with a player. Would be interesting to dig those data out.

“It’s been one of the longest relationships that we had personally with another person, and obviously that creates attachment, trust, and those values in this day and age are rare, and that’s why it’s something, it’s a period of time that we will always hold close to our hearts, and one of the best periods that I personally had and the team.”

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