Toto Wolff: My Untold Story of Traumatic Childhood, F1 Dominance & Hamilton Relationship (E304)
The High Performance Podcast
High Performance
4.8 • 4.7K Ratings
🗓️ 11 November 2024
⏱️ 79 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We welcome back Toto Wolff, CEO and Team Principal of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, to High Performance. Filmed at the team’s headquarters, Jake sits down with Toto to uncover the story behind his journey, the challenges of leadership at the top of F1, and the personal experiences that have shaped him into the leader he is today.
In this episode, Toto opens up about his close bond with Lewis Hamilton, from the early days of their partnership to pivotal moments that have tested their relationship, including Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes and the challenges that followed. He also reflects on the intense 2021 season, discussing how Hamilton coped with the pressures and how it shaped Mercedes’ strategy moving forward.
Beyond F1, Toto dives into his own journey, revealing how a challenging upbringing and his father’s illness fostered his resilience and emotional intelligence. He speaks openly about the role of therapy and the importance of empathy in his leadership style, which he’s continually refined to create a culture that values every individual’s best at Mercedes.
This episode offers a rare glimpse into the mindset of a leader navigating the ever-evolving landscape of Formula 1, highlighting the human side of a high-stakes sport and the relentless pursuit of excellence, even in the face of adversity.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | A quick reminder, if you love High Performance, you can get next week's episodes before anyone else on our High Performance app. |
| 0:05.8 | Right now, renowned personal trainer James Smith and the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, like you've never heard him before. |
| 0:13.4 | I had much worse in my life happening, like real drama and trauma. |
| 0:18.8 | This is not even moving the needle. |
| 0:25.6 | I heard the bells ringing two weeks before. And then I sent a text to Fred Vassur saying, |
| 0:28.6 | you're taking our driver. |
| 0:30.6 | I had none of that. |
| 0:32.6 | Only anger, everybody is against me. |
| 0:34.6 | No one wants me to win this championship. |
| 0:36.6 | You lose and you win and you hopefully learn from it. But we will prevail. We will overcome. |
| 0:45.3 | That is the distinctive voice of the Mercedes Formula One team principal, Toto Wolf, who joins us on today's show. |
| 0:51.3 | This is the second time that Toto's joined us on high performance. |
| 0:54.9 | Sadly, Damien couldn't be with me, so I was flying solo for this one. But I guess in some |
| 1:00.0 | ways, having spent some time working in Formula One as a host for the BBC a few years ago, |
| 1:05.3 | it felt really natural. For me, it felt like a very comfortable place to be. And I think that |
| 1:10.2 | you're actually going to hear a man |
| 1:11.5 | have a conversation about mental health who feels comfortable opening up and talking. But it's not just a |
| 1:18.9 | conversation about the challenges that Toto's had. You can expect to hear what really happened |
| 1:23.4 | when Lewis Hamilton turned up out of the blue and told Toto that he was walking away from |
| 1:29.9 | Mercedes. You'll also hear whether it was a total shock for Toto or whether he'd actually |
| 1:33.7 | already heard on the Formula One grapevine that Lewis was planning to make a change. |
| 1:37.9 | You'll also hear about the challenges at Mercedes. The fact they haven't won the world title |
... |
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