Wolff tells Hamilton Mercedes will keep black on car livery

Toto Wolff has stated that Mercedes will continue to carry black on their car livery in the future, with the team boss crediting Lewis Hamilton for being instrumental in bringing the colour scheme when it was first introduced back in 2020.

Despite famously being known as the Silver Arrows, the squad opted to run their cars in black as part of a stand against racism and discrimination, as well as pledging to improve the diversity of their team.

The decision came amid global protests around the world in support of Black Lives Matter, a campaign that Hamilton had been a vocal supporter of. And when reflecting back on the livery change in a new video released by Mercedes, the seven-time world champion spoke with Wolff about the importance of the W11.

With the footage showing Hamilton and Wolff looking back at Hamilton’s iconic cars from his time with the squad – ahead of his departure for Ferrari this season – Wolff labelled the 2020 challenger as an “important one”, adding: “That’s the car that started silver, that went black.”

Hamilton then recounted the moment that he learned of the new colour scheme as he explained: “I couldn’t honestly believe… I was at my dad’s house after I had spoken to you about changing the car to black. I couldn’t believe when you called me and said that they’d all agreed.

IMOLA, ITALY - NOVEMBER 01: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas — Mercedes made the switch from a silver to a black livery for the 2020 F1 season

“That was a really emotional call for me, when I was at my dad’s house, I remember getting off [the call] and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, they’re changing the car to black. They’ve agreed.’”

Wolff acknowledged that the move was a “big step” for Mercedes, while Hamilton suggested that the car looked “best in black – it just looks like the Knight Rider”.

As such, Wolff responded: “That’s why we stick [with it]. We’re going to continue. It’s what you brought.” The W15, Mercedes’ 2024 car, sported black hues across much of the livery, with silver across the nose cone.

While the 2020 season was a shortened one owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamilton enjoyed a dominant campaign in which he equalled Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships, having won the title in emotional style during mixed conditions at the Turkish Grand Prix.

The Briton hailed the car as “unbelievable”, explaining: “Just the rear end and the balance of the whole car was just… It was like we ironed out all the creases from these [previous cars] to this. It’s such a shame it was such a short season.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 15: Race winner Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP — Hamilton emotionally won a record-equalling seventh world championship at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix

“[Turkey] was a difficult one. We couldn’t get the tyres to work. We tried heating them from the brake discs, all sorts. And then it was a bit up on the pressures but we probably didn’t go up enough. That’s why the others pulled away initially and then we caught them up later.”

The achievement was one of many shared by Hamilton and Mercedes during their 12-year partnership, the longest and most successful driver/team relationship in the sport’s history.

Hamilton also took a moment to look at some of his previous helmets in the footage with Wolff, leading Wolff to suggest that the soon-to-be Ferrari driver should open a museum to showcase these pieces, an idea that Hamilton appears open to.

“Yeah, helmets and suits. I could do a little museum, a little museum like this,” he responded. “A few cars in there.

“I don’t know where I’d do the museum, but… maybe like a little exhibition at the Tate or something like that. That could be kind of cool. I think for kids to go by and see what’s possible from where it starts, from the small radio-controlled car to this.”