Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur will "have a very good relationship", states Mercedes honcho

Following Lewis Hamilton's bombshell decision to join Ferrari for 2025 and beyond, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff anticipates that Hamilton will establish a healthy rapport with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.

Hamilton will be reunited with Vasseur at the Scuderia, a reunion that took 20 years in the making. Their acquaintance goes back to the time before Hamilton's F1 debut when he was making waves in the junior categories of open-wheel racing.

Toto Wolff said he has a respectful relationship with Fred Vasseur and bears no ill feelings towards the Ferrari team principal for signing his ace driver. He was quoted (via The Telegraph):

"It’s a cut throat environment. We’ve spoken numerous times. We’ve coordinated on our communications and I speak to him multiple times every week. You know, it’s a little bit like rugby, we punch each other on the nose, but we’re able to get off the pitch and have a respectful relationship."

As to the relationship between Vasseur and his latest recruit, Wolff added:

"As for Lewis...no doubt that Fred will be able to have a very good relationship with Lewis as his boss. No doubt about that. They’ve known each other for 20 years."

Lewis Hamilton drove for Vasseur's ASM Formule 3 team in the F3 Euro Series, where he dominated the championship in 2005. He soon graduated to GP2 (now F2) and claimed the championship with ART Grand Prix, a team founded by Vasseur.

The Frenchman has long been an admirer of the British driver and will soon be joining forces with him in the pinnacle of motor racing, forming a dream team with Ferrari prodigy Charles Leclerc.

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Toto Wolff on the rumors about Lewis Hamilton's possible replacement

With Lewis Hamilton parting ways with Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season, a competitive seat has opened up with several suitors. Carlos Sainz Jr., Fernando Alonso, and Alex Albon are speculated to be the top choices along with Mercedes' young sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

With the media speculating that the Mercedes F1 junior Antonelli is a possible replacement, Wolff weighed in on the rumors, suggesting he doesn't anticipate such a move.

"He’s been with Mercedes since he was 11. His junior career was very successful. I think the most important thing is he concentrates on F2. If we start to spin, or launch his name in the media, it will not help him. He’s not even 18. I would rather not speculate on him going into F1 at this stage," he told the Telegraph.

Antonelli will be skipping the F3 series and making his F2 debut with Prema Racing this season. Regarding the current driver market entering the silly season, Wolff added that Lewis Hamilton's early decision has given the team plenty of time to decide on his replacement for 2025.