Hamilton needs talk with Wolff to prepare Ferrari F1 move

Hamilton’s bombshell move to Maranello was announced on 1 February, and the Briton has since been focusing on his 12th and final F1 season at Mercedes, with team principal Toto Wolff stating after the Australian Grand Prix that what was happening this year at Ferrari was “not his main priority today”, referring to his driver.

Yet, there will come a time when Hamilton and Mercedes will need to navigate this situation, as the squad seeks to hide any details regarding its next F1 car from its outgoing racer.

This won’t be a completely new situation for the seven-time world champion, but his transfer from McLaren to Mercedes had been announced much later in the 2012 season, on 28 September.

That’s why Hamilton is thinking about the moment he “will have to” start chatting to Ferrari and how that time will come about.

“I think it will start with a conversation with Toto, because I don’t know how to navigate”, the Briton said. “I’ve never been in this position before at this point of the year.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG, with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG

Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG, with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG

Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images

“When I was leaving McLaren, it was towards the end of the season. I didn’t get to go to Mercedes till, I think, it was in December when I had my first seat fit, after the season was done. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to navigate it.”

However, Hamilton reaffirmed his keenness to prioritise his current campaign with the Silver Arrows, especially as he seeks to end his unprecedented 49-race winless run.

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“Right now, I want to finish on a high here”, he added. “So all my energy is going into this. Of course, there’s excitement for the future. But right now, we’re going through a difficult place. That’s my challenge.

“That’s where all my energy is going, to try and figure out how we can get ourselves back to the top. How can I work with the guys? How can I give better debriefs, give them better direction to get back fighting at the front?

“I’m a competitor first and foremost, so I want to win. Just thinking about the next year isn’t going to help me do that.”