Wolff won't stop until Mercedes is 'winning once more.'

      "This is my area of expertise, and I plan to keep pursuing it."

      15 September 2025 - 10:25

      Toto Wolff has disclosed how close he was to stepping away from Formula 1 five years ago. The 53-year-old Austrian shared with Germany’s motorsport-total.com that he initially intended to conclude his active role with Mercedes at the end of 2020. "I really wanted to retire in 2020," Wolff confessed. "My initial plan was to stop dealing with racing cars by the time I turned 50, as that’s the age you become an adult."

      At that time, his contract as team principal was nearing its end, and there were rumors about a possible shift to a supervisory board position at Mercedes. Instead, he chose to stay in charge while also becoming a one-third shareholder in the Brackley-based team, which is now valued in the billions. "At some point, I told myself that this is my niche, so I will continue," he said. "And I’m going to forget everything I did previously. I also enjoyed venture capital. I made that choice for myself in 2020."

      While still leading the team, Wolff has delegated some responsibilities. Mercedes' communications chief Bradley Lord now serves as his deputy, stepping in at races that Wolff does not attend. "He takes a lot of the weight off my shoulders," Wolff mentioned. "But I believe I’ll remain team principal, as it’s fundamentally my team. Anything different would feel strange."

      Regarding the future, Wolff asserts that he will definitely continue as leader until Mercedes returns to the front. "I see myself as the executive team boss, at least until the team starts winning again," he confirmed.