Toto Wolff stands as one of the most influential figures in Formula 1. He is the team principal and co-owner of Mercedes F1, the team that has clinched the World Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships seven times in a row since 2014. But who is Toto Wolff, and how did he ascend to such heights in the pinnacle of motorsport?
Born on January 12, 1972, in Vienna, Austria, Toto Wolff was the son of a Polish doctor and a Romanian businessman. He kick-started his motorsport career in 1992 in the Austrian Formula Ford, where he also competed in 1993 and 1994. In 1994, he claimed his class victory in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. Later, he participated in the FIA GT Championship and the Italian GT Championship, even winning the 24 Hours of Dubai in 2006.
Beyond his racing career, Wolff also proved to be a successful investor and entrepreneur. In 1998, he founded Marchfifteen, followed by Marchsixteen Investments in 2004, specializing in strategic investments in medium-sized industrial and listed companies. One of his investments was in Williams F1, where he bought a stake in 2009 and joined the board of directors. In 2012, he was appointed as the executive director of Williams F1.
Moving to Mercedes
In January 2013, Wolff left Williams F1 to become the executive director of Mercedes F1, forming a management team with Niki Lauda. He also purchased a 30% stake in Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd, the parent company of Mercedes F1. In 2020, he increased his stake to 33%. As the team principal and CEO of Mercedes F1, Wolff has led the team to unprecedented heights, with seven consecutive double world titles and over a hundred victories since 2013. He is known for his leadership style, which is based on trust, transparency, and collaboration.
One of the quotes Wolff often uses to describe his philosophy is, “By admitting a mistake, it’s easier to pull yourself out of a spiral.” He believes in the importance of staying humble and learning from your mistakes, but also being ambitious and driven to achieve your goals.
Toto Wolff is married to Susie Wolff, a former Formula 1 test driver and previously the team principal of Venturi Racing in Formula E. They have a son together, Jack, and Wolff also has two children from a previous marriage. He lives with his family in Switzerland and is a lover of art, music, and sports.
For years, Wolff maintained a good relationship with Jos and Max Verstappen. However, this abruptly ended in the 2021 season when Max Verstappen clinched his first Formula 1 World Championship in a breathtaking finale in Abu Dhabi, defeating Lewis Hamilton. Wolff disagreed with the proceedings of this season finale, and tensions ran high throughout the season. In 2022, Wolff and Mercedes again fell short in the World Championship.
