07/03/2025
NEWS STORY
Admitting surprise at Lewis Hamilton's switch to Ferrari, former Mercedes boss, Norbert Haug says the Briton was robbed of 2021 title.
A former racer and journalist, Haug was appointed head of Mercedes' motorsport operations in 1990. Along with Group C and DTM, the German took the Three Pointed Star back into F1 after an absence of almost 40 years, initially partnering with Sauber and subsequently with McLaren.
He was in charge when Mercedes bought a 45% stake in Brawn in order to enter F1 as a constructor, but left at the end of 2012.
Speaking to Sky Germany, Haug, who at one stage seemed to spend every working moment at a race track somewhere in the world, admitted his surprise that Lewis Hamilton, who won six of his titles with Mercedes, has left for Ferrari.
"It's actually very sad for me, I have to say," he said. "I would never have thought that Lewis would switch again.
"I've really known him since he was 14 years old," he continued, "there really is still a great relationship.
"I hadn't seen him for years..." he admitted, having caught up with him again when Hamilton bade farewell to his former team. "When you've worked with people, with racing drivers, for so long, it's like the first day, as if the last meeting was yesterday."
For those claiming that Hamilton is "past it", Haug has one thing to say.
"Anyone who thinks that he will give up at forty and step on the gas less and work less intensively will be wrong," he said. "He will give everything.
"I absolutely trust him to deliver the maximum possible performance in the race. And if the car is good, why shouldn't it work out with the eighth title?"
Reflecting on his former team, he said: "The last few years have been difficult since the title we lost in 2021. And that really was a stolen title, there's no other way to put it, due to the wrong Safety Car decision at the time, but there was a demolition after that. The car and the team that preceded it suffered many setbacks, including last year. The victories that did come were some at low temperatures."
Asked about Mercedes chances in the year ahead, he said: "I think we are, as you know, just as good as we were in the last race."