Wolff reveals he 'fired' Hamilton and Rosberg during toxic 2016 rivalry

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has revealed he took the drastic step of effectively firing both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg during the peak of their toxic 2016 title fight. Wolff drafted redundancy notices after their repeated on-track collisions, putting the interests of the Mercedes brand and its 2,500 employees above the two superstar drivers.

Why it matters:

This explosive admission sheds new light on one of F1's most intense intra-team rivalries and the extreme pressure it placed on team management. Wolff's willingness to sack both reigning and future world champions underscores a core principle of his leadership: no individual is bigger than the team. It highlights the fine line teams must walk between fostering competition and maintaining control, a lesson with lasting relevance for any top team managing multiple title contenders.

The details:

• The breaking point came after a string of collisions in 2016, most notably the double-DNF crash in Spain and a last-lap clash in Austria.
• Wolff called then-Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche to authorize making both drivers "redundant," arguing it was the only way to make them understand the gravity of their actions.
• He stated the rivalry had devolved from "healthy competition" into personal "animosity," which he would not allow to damage the organization or the Mercedes brand.
• An email was sent to both drivers informing them they were, at that moment, "not part of the team."
• Wolff admitted the difficulty of assigning blame for the incidents, telling the drivers that if it happened again, one would be fired—and he might "make a mistake" and dismiss the wrong one.
• He emphasized the wider impact on the team's workforce, questioning what the 2,500 employees relying on bonuses and mortgages would think of the drivers' conduct.

What's next:

While the ultimate nuclear option was not executed, the standoff had a definitive conclusion. Nico Rosberg won the 2016 championship and immediately retired from Formula 1, bringing the explosive partnership to an end. The episode remains a stark case study in team management, demonstrating the measures Wolff was prepared to take to protect his team's culture and commercial interests, a philosophy that continues to guide Mercedes today.