"If it can't be one of our two drivers then we hope it is" Hamilton, claims Wolff
Hot on the heels of Lewis Hamilton's maiden victory for Ferrari, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff revealed the reason why he left the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix delighted despite Andrea Kimi Antonelli's retirement.
Mercedes executed the opening phase of the race with precision. Russell launched cleanly from pole, Antonelli slotted into third, and both drivers managed the early laps on the medium tyre exactly as planned.
But the moment it became clear that Lewis Hamilton was on a three‑stop strategy, Mercedes faced a strategic dilemma: cover the Ferrari or commit to their own two‑stop plan. They chose the latter — and the timing of the Virtual Safety Car punished them.
Hamilton gained a cheap final stop, emerged ahead, and from there controlled the race. Russell and Antonelli were left to fight each other, with the Italian closing a six‑second gap and overtaking his teammate into Turn 1 before his power unit failed almost immediately.
For Wolff, Hamilton’s win was both a sporting highlight and a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift.
“Congratulations to Lewis (Hamilton). It has been a while since his last victory, and he has worked incredibly hard to earn the top spot again. We always say that if it can't be one of our two drivers then we hope it is him.”
He acknowledged that the VSC played a decisive role: “Despite the Virtual Safety Car helping him at the final stop, he drove a great race and is a fully deserving winner.”
Wolff also took a moment to recognise Ferrari’s team boss: “I am also happy for Fred (Vasseur). Being the Team Principal of Ferrari is not easy, and I am pleased for him as my friend.”
The bigger issue for Mercedes was Antonelli’s retirement — the second reliability‑related DNF for the team in three races.
“It is disappointing that we've suffered another reliability issue that has cost us a lot of points today. We know that we will need to improve this if we are to fight for both World Championships.”
Wolff did not shy away from the pattern: “It was George who suffered in Canada and today it is Kimi. We know that to finish first, first you have to finish, and we will be working flat out to make sure we improve our reliability.”
Wolff was clear that Mercedes had the pace to shape the race — but not enough to control it: “Today could certainly have played out differently.
"George's pace in the opening stint was superb and no‑one behind could touch him. He wasn't as quick on the Hard tyre though and we were kept honest throughout by both Lewis and Lando (Norris).”
The Austrian also highlighted the competitiveness of the 2026 field: “We have seen today just how competitive the field is, and we will not have this season our own way. We will need to redouble our efforts and come back stronger in Austria.”
