Toto Wolff is wary of going up against Lewis Hamilton in a title race, knowing what his former driver is like when he “smells blood”.
Hamilton closed to within 41 points of Mercedes’ championship leader Kimi Antonelli by clinching his first victory as a Ferrari driver at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
Antonelli’s late engine failure, having just overtaken team-mate George Russell, has blown the title race wide open again after the Italian had won the previous five races in succession.
Mercedes’ dominance of the 2026 season was snapped by Hamilton’s victory and breathed life into Ferrari’s potential charge, with the Scuderia’s first win since Mexico City in 2024.
Wolff, who oversaw six of Hamilton’s seven world championships during a glittering 12-year spell at Mercedes, is all too aware of the threat his former charge poses to Antonelli and Russell.
“I’d rather not fight with him for a title. Because I know what he’s capable of. If he smells blood, he goes,” Mercedes boss Wolff said.
“I’ve seen it many years where suddenly the Lewis Hamilton train started to go and then it’s very difficult to stop it.
“What is it, 41 points? You see a DNF robs you of 25 points and it’s wide open.”
Hamilton’s shock switch to Ferrari from Mercedes ahead of last season came with much fanfare but the 41-year-old – whose victory made him the oldest F1 winner since Jack Brabham in 1970 – endured a difficult debut campaign with the Scuderia.
“He’s worked so hard and has gone through so many difficult moments, particularly last year, that wholeheartedly I’m happy for him that he’s won,” Wolff added.
“I always say, if it’s not our two to win, then it should be Lewis.”
Hamilton said winning in Ferrari red was “beyond his wildest dreams” but this victory has felt like it was coming.
The British driver finished second at the previous two races and looks far more at home in the team this season, pushing Ferrari to be more innovative with their car.
Wolff believes Hamilton is happy and says changes in his personal life may also have contributed, after making his relationship with American reality star Kim Kardashian public.
“Maybe the girlfriend helps!” Wolff added. “It helped me to have a partner that you have a stable family life with.
“And they seem to be getting on really well. I think it’s all of those factors that put together the emotional, personal and professional perspective. If they are in a good place, you win.
“You can see he’s driving strong. The dynamics in the team look to be good between him and his race engineer.
“I saw him on the podium on the telly. That face shows me that he’s very happy.”
