
Toto Wolff Backs Lewis Hamilton With Massive GOAT Claim
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff continues to support his former driver Lewis Hamilton as the Brit goes through a downturn in form.
Hamilton failed to score points at one of his best tracks historically in yet another disappointing race weekend.
The seven-time champion sits sixth in the standings and is out of the running for a title this season.
As a team, Ferrari hasn't been stellar operationally. The SF-25 requires the drivers to lift and coast to preserve the bottom plank under the car, and even at its fastest, it sits as the second quickest car over a race weekend.
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff attend WhatsApp & Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Empire State Building Viewing Party on April 29, 2024 at Virgin Hotels in New York City.
Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff attend WhatsApp & Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Empire State Building Viewing Party on April 29, 2024 at Virgin Hotels in New York City.
Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty
Charles Leclerc managed to score five different podium finishes and secured pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix, though mechanical issues cost him a win.
On the other hand, Hamilton still hasn't finished on the podium with Ferrari, and he is 42 points behind his teammate.
While the car hasn't been promising, Hamilton has certainly underwhelmed.
His lackluster results led him to question whether Ferrari would be better off switching drivers, and he seemed to lack confidence in his abilities.
Toto Wolff, however, still believes in Hamilton and his abilities to drive at a top level.
"It's what he thought very much when he was asked after the session was very raw," Wolff told the media during the Hungarian GP weekend.
"He was doubting himself, and we had it in the past. When he felt that he had underperformed his own expectations, and the team had its own goal, he's been that emotional, emotionally transparent since he was a young boy, a young adult.
"So, he's going to beat himself up. He's the GOAT. And he will always be the GOAT, and nobody's going to take that away. For sure, no single weekend or race season that hasn't gone to plan."
Toto answer when they asked him about Lewis yesterday pic.twitter.com/NF16FdNGbF — LH44(A) (@LH44Fanpage8) August 3, 2025
The Wolff-Hamilton partnership at Mercedes captured six titles and produced one of the most dominant eras in the sport.
Many expected Hamilton to retire with his long-time team, but he ended up making his dream move over to Ferrari for what should be the last stop of his career.
Hamilton announced his decision before the start of the 2024 season, allowing for the entire year to be a goodbye and homage to his time at the German racing team.
Wolff has continually backed Hamilton this season, believing that the great driver will adjust soon.
Hamilton gets a chance to reset over the summer break, and with plenty of racing left, there is time to establish momentum for the pivotal 2026 season.
For more F1 news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Wire
2 hours ago
- Business Wire
The Presidio Group Exclusively Advises Group 1 Automotive on the Purchase of Highly Sought-After Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Presidio Group LLC ('Presidio'), an independent merchant banking firm focused on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and investments in the automotive retail and consumer mobility sectors, exclusively advised Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) on the purchase of Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead in Atlanta from Gregory and Juanita Baranco. 'The Presidio team expects the current robust M&A market to continue throughout the second half of 2025, led by dealership groups looking for top-tier stores in strong, business-friendly markets.' — Presidio Managing Director Alex Watterson. The transaction was finalized on Aug. 4 and included all dealership real estate. Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead is one of the top luxury automobile dealerships in metro Atlanta and is located just a short distance from Mercedes-Benz USA's headquarters campus. For Group 1, the acquisition marks a significant portfolio addition and underscores the company's commitment to growth in top-tier markets. 'The Presidio team's dealership M&A expertise, professionalism and ability to facilitate a smooth process were invaluable,' Group 1 Automotive CEO Daryl Kenningham said. Gregory and Juanita Baranco, leaders in the Atlanta automotive community for decades, expressed confidence in the future of the dealership. 'Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead has been a significant part of our family and our community, and we are proud of all we have accomplished,' said Juanita Baranco. 'But the time was right to evaluate our portfolio of stores and make this transition. We look forward to seeing Group 1 continue the dealership's tradition of excellence, and we thank everyone who has supported us over the years.' Gregory Baranco added, 'After many years of building Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead into a world-class dealership, we are pleased to see it transition to Group 1, which will uphold the values that have defined our business and take great care of our employees and customers going forward. We thank The Presidio Group for its skilled navigation of the many steps necessary to complete a transaction of this significance.' The Baranco family will continue to operate Mercedes-Benz of Covington in Louisiana. They've also been awarded an open point for a new Audi dealership in Cumming, Ga., which will be operated by their daughter, Grené Baranco. 'We were honored to facilitate this noteworthy transaction and congratulate the Baranco family and Group 1,' Presidio President George Karolis said. 'We thank Daryl Kenningham and the leadership team at Group 1 for their continued trust in our firm. The successful closing of this transaction is a reflection of the strength of relationships built over many years. It also demonstrates the value a skilled M&A team can provide in today's strong market in which buyers are competing intensely for the best luxury dealerships.' The Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead acquisition was the sixth transaction since June in which Presidio has had an advisory role. The recent activity marks a resurgence in the dealership M&A market after a slower start to 2025. 'The Presidio team expects the current robust M&A market to continue throughout the second half of 2025, led by dealership groups looking for top-tier stores in strong, business-friendly markets,' said Presidio Managing Director Alex Watterson. 'Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead is widely recognized as one of the most desirable and respected dealerships in the region, and its reputation is a testament to the Baranco family's leadership. With its commitment to excellence, Group 1 is an ideal operator for the dealership going forward.' Group 1 Chief Legal Officer Gillian A. Hobson and external counsel Scott A. Wasserman and Hunter Carpenter of Akerman LLP provided legal counsel to Group 1. Stephen Dietrich and Sarah Seedig of Holland & Knight LLP provided legal counsel to the Baranco family. The Presidio Group provided exclusive M&A advisory services to Group 1 Automotive through its wholly owned investment bank, Presidio Merchant Partners LLC. About Group 1 Automotive Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), a Fortune 300 company headquartered in Houston, is one of the largest automotive retailers operating across the world. Group 1 owns and operates 258 automotive dealerships, 322 franchises and 39 collision centers in the United States and United Kingdom that offer 36 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships and omnichannel platform, the company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related vehicle financing; sells service contracts; provides automotive maintenance and repair services; and sells vehicle parts. For additional information, visit About The Presidio Group LLC The Presidio Group was founded in 1998 with the simple mission to relentlessly put the interests of our clients first. By steadfastly adhering to this philosophy, the firm has earned the trust of clients throughout the United States. During their careers, the professionals at Presidio have collectively closed more than 290 transactions for over $19 billion. The Presidio Group, based in Denver and Atlanta, publishes Presidio Perspectives: A Quarterly Outlook on Auto Retail and M&A Trends, a leading source of information about the automotive retail landscape. Presidio Merchant Partners LLC is a subsidiary of The Presidio Group LLC and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information on Presidio, visit


Motor 1
5 hours ago
- Motor 1
Mercedes Teases 'The Biggest Product Launch Program in History'
Mercedes isn't in its best shape these days. Sales fell by three percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. 2025 isn't great either, as demand declined by 6.2 percent in the first six months of the year versus the January–June 2024 interval. However, the three-pointed star has reasons to be optimistic about what lies ahead. A flurry of models is planned for the next two years, covering all segments of the market. In an official document prepared for investors, Mercedes touts 'the biggest product launch program in the history of Mercedes-Benz.' No fewer than 18 models are planned to hit the market next year, although two have already been unveiled. The recently revealed CLA Shooting Brake appears twice in the roadmap below because the German luxury automaker lists the gas and electric versions separately. Photo by: Mercedes-Benz Let's start from the bottom and move up to the top. There will be one new combustion-engine vehicle in the 'Entry' segment next year, when Mercedes plans to launch two EVs. Chances are the models teased here are the next-generation GLA and GLB compact crossovers. The 'Core' class pertains to the C-Class and GLC , presumably with mid-cycle facelifts for both gas models, joined by purely electric variants. For the 'Top End,' Mercedes is plotting four gas/diesel vehicles and five EVs, including facelifts for the S-Class and EQS. The Stuttgart-based company has already promised a 'major upgrade' for its traditional flagship, with CEO Ola Källenius saying they've 'invested a lot more in the model update of the new combustion engine S-Class than we normally spend on a facelift.' 2027 will be nearly as busy, with one gas car in the Entry class, two more in the Core segment, and another five at the upper end of the lineup. On the EV side, there will be a Core model without a combustion engine, along with five zero-emission vehicles in the Top End. 2026 Mercedes CLA lineup Photo by: Mercedes-Benz While the product roadmap is mostly about facelifts and next-gen cars, there will be additions to the lineup. Aside from the already revealed electric CLA/CLA Shooting Brake and the upcoming C-Class EV, Mercedes has confirmed plans for electric versions of the next-gen GLA and GLB. Additionally, it's cooking up a 'Little G' as a kid brother to the Geländewagen. Mercedes' AMG sidekick is keeping busy as well, with its first bespoke EV products. The GT XX concept previews an electric super sedan, which will spawn an equivalent SUV . A new combustion engine is also in the works for enthusiasts who prefer a brawny V-8. The large-displacement ICE is coming in 2027 and will be available until at least the middle of the next decade. One missing piece of the puzzle concerns the C63's future. AMG is adamant it won't revert to a V-8 for the sports sedan's facelift, while reports state the C63 and the lesser C43 will both be dropped altogether in favor of a six-cylinder C53 . It's also unclear whether the CLE63 Coupe/Cabriolet will indeed pack eight cylinders under the hood. Mercedes fans should look forward to what the brand is planning, considering there will be something for everyone. A unified design language between ICE and EV models is also in the works, as Mercedes intends to ditch the super-slippery EQ cues, having come to grips with the reality that the aero-focused strategy isn't paying off . Catch Up With Mercedes: The Mercedes-AMG GT Track Sport Is Coming With V-8 Power Mercedes Recalls Most AMG One Hypercars Over Fire Risk Source: Mercedes-Benz Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Will McLaren be worried about Norris-Piastri relationship?
Lando Norris just held off Oscar Piastri as he led home a McLaren one-two at the Hungarian Grand Prix, narrowing the gap to the Australian to nine points in the battle for the drivers' championship. Formula 1 now has a summer break before heading to Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix from 29-31 August. BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions following the race at the Hungaroring. Will McLaren be privately worried about the tense battle eroding the relationship between the two drivers, after Oscar Piastri again tried to dive-bomb Lando Norris? And if so, what can they say to both drivers to keep them both happy? – Jake McLaren were pleased with the way the Hungarian Grand Prix played out. They felt it epitomised the philosophy they have espoused for their intra-team competition between the drivers. They are allowed to race each other, as long as they are fair - and that includes the possibility of divergent strategies to try to win a race that has been getting away from one or another. That's what Lando Norris did in Hungary on Sunday. After finding himself in all the wrong places trying to pass Oscar Piastri off the line, Norris had to fight back from fifth place at the end of the first lap. He and engineer Will Joseph opted for a one-stop strategy that McLaren had not really considered would be a serious choice pre-race. It won him track position over Piastri for his final stint, and he managed it to perfection. McLaren did their best to give Piastri the best possible opportunity to beat Norris - by giving him as big a tyre offset as possible within the bounds of the race duration, even to the extent of costing him track position to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. But it did not work out for Piastri - he caught Norris with a few laps to go, but Norris had kept his tyres in decent shape and was able to fend his team-mate off. It created a tense, fascinating race. More than that, the radio transmissions - particularly those between Piastri and engineer Tom Stallard, as Piastri said he "didn't care" about Leclerc, all he wanted was to try to beat Norris - revealed for the first time just how much this fight means to both drivers. Relations have been - and remain - so harmonious that it has sometimes been hard to appreciate the intensity of the title fight, how much it means to them, from the drivers' public utterances. This left no doubt about it. Far from being concerned, McLaren's management were thrilled. Chief executive officer Zak Brown described it as "an epic finish". Team principal Andrea Stella said on Sunday: "When you have two great drivers, like Lando and Oscar, who race for a victory in a Formula 1 grand prix, and race for the drivers' championship, it's always going to be very close. "But that was firm racing, it was fair racing at the same time. It was definitely within our principles. "We had a bit of a lock-up with Oscar, but at the same time, Lando left some space, because he knew that Oscar would have been at the limit of braking. "We keep being very proud of our Lando and Oscar racing. This is a great way of honouring F1 racing. These are the values of McLaren, and it's going to be, hopefully, a matter between the two McLaren drivers, even if we saw Ferrari today was in the competition for the victory for two-thirds of the race. "I think we have a very entertaining and interesting final part of the season." With Max Verstappen staying at Red Bull for next year, it would seem certain Mercedes will now re-sign George Russell. Is there any suggestion of how he feels about seemingly being considered the second option to Max given how well he has driven this year? - Tom Russell made it very clear in the lead-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix that he was not especially comfortable about the way his contractual situation has been dealt with this year. He is both managed and employed by Mercedes, so the team are effectively negotiating with themselves about his contract. As Russell put it: "Something we need to think about. What do they want and what do I want? "We have been in a bit of a unique situation for the last few months. I don't have huge power in this agreement. And maybe interests were not aligned for the last six months. "But it's my job to perform and reduce that risk. "I still trust Toto [Wolff] and the team will continue to support me, but for Kimi [Antonelli] and me, the last six months have not been the most assuring and that is conflicting." Both Russell and Antonelli will continue to race for Mercedes next year. It's also clear that the same situation as arose this year could arise again next. Team boss Toto Wolff's interest in Max Verstappen is not going to go away, and if Red Bull are not competitive next year, then Verstappen could well be looking for a way out. I'm not making life easy for myself - Norris Hungarian Grand Prix Review Is there any clear explanation as to why Aston Martin performed so much better in Hungary than in the past? Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were significantly faster than the previous week. - Stan Aston Martin themselves were a bit confused as to why their form had improved so much for the Hungarian Grand Prix. After all, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were together on the back row of the grid in Belgium the week before, and there they were together on the third row in Hungary. But there doesn't seem that much of a mystery, really. Alonso said: "I would say that it's track characteristics, to be honest. We didn't change the car massively since Spa, seven days ago. No new parts for anybody. Just the layout, the characteristics of the circuit is just suiting our car, apparently. "It will be nice to understand why the car is operating in this sweet spot here, because if we understand that, we can use it in the next few races." There are two things to think about here. One is that, before Spa, Aston Martin had been on a positive trajectory after introducing a major upgrade at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in mid-May. Alonso qualified fifth at Imola, seventh in Monaco, 10th in Spain, sixth in Canada, 11th in Austria and ninth at Silverstone. In that context, it's the Spa result that should be seen as out of kilter, not Hungary. And that's simply because the Aston Martin is a car with poor aerodynamic efficiency, which struggles on the straights. And two-thirds of Spa is straights. The Hungaroring has a much higher percentage of corners. Silverstone is also a fast track, but the other difference is that Aston Martin ran an old-spec floor at Spa, thinking it would better suit the track - including with the issue of bottoming at high-speed at Eau Rouge. This meant abandoning the new floor introduced at Silverstone for a previous-spec one introduced at Imola. Perhaps that also played a part. Alonso drove a superb race on Sunday, committing early to the one-stop strategy that won Lando Norris the grand prix, to convert his grid position in Hungary into the same race result. And Stroll was less than 10 seconds behind in seventh. It would seem logical to assume that Aston Martin's form may continue to fluctuate according to track characteristics from now on. Of the next few races, Monza will likely be a tricky event for them. But at Zandvoort and Singapore they can be expected to be contending for the top 10 again. 'He definitely has it', so why did Hamilton say he was useless? Cardile working for Aston after dispute resolved Does holding investigations after a race has finished damage the credibility of F1? I can't think of any other sport where the result can change afterwards. - Martin This is presumably a reference to the decision to look into the incident between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at Turn Four after the race in Hungary. This should be seen as a reaction by the FIA to many requests from teams and drivers in the past to look into potentially contentious incidents thoroughly, rather than make decisions themselves during the race. Take the controversy between Verstappen and Lando Norris in Austin last year. Then, McLaren argued that stewards should have heard the views of both drivers before making a decision. That's what the stewards decided to do in Hungary. As it turned out, Hamilton did not turn up for the hearing. Verstappen said: "I don't think Lewis actually felt a lot for it because if he really felt something for it, then of course he's there in the stewards' room, right? "I think both of us didn't have the best of weekends anyway, so that's just one little thing." Of course, it may also have been that Hamilton did not turn up because he was in a bad mood after a difficult weekend and he didn't fancy arguing the toss over an incident that would make no difference to the result of his race. The stewards' verdict said that Verstappen was ready to give Hamilton more room, but that Hamilton had chosen to go off the track himself. It added: "There was no contact and the incident does not qualify as forcing another car off track despite the ambitious nature of the overtaking attempt and take no further action."