Wolff Explains Context Behind ‘Lucky Ba**ard’ Comment to Williams Chief

Mercedes AMG Formula One team principal Toto Wolff has opened up on his “lucky ba**ard” remark, addressed to Williams team boss James Vowles after Carlos Sainz secured his first podium for the Grove-based outfit.

Sainz joined Williams after Ferrari replaced him with Lewis Hamilton. A frequent podium finisher last season, the Spaniard was pushed to fighting cars in the midfield this season, sometimes even lower.

Despite the challenges at Williams, Sainz continued to adapt to the new car and strived to push further. The efforts paid off last weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he started the race from P2 and finished one place below in third. This not only marked Sainz’s first podium with Williams, but also Vowles’ first podium with the team since he took over as team principal ahead of the 2023 season.

Before that, Vowles worked closely with Wolff at Mercedes as the motorsport strategy director. Thus, to congratulate Vowles on his first podium as team principal, the Mercedes boss sent him a present with a note attached. It read:

“Lucky ba**ard! Congrats on your first podium as a TP.”

Now, Wolff has elaborated on the friendly but “jovial” message and addressed Vowles’ leadership capabilities. He told the media:

“The lucky ba**ard is more jovial.

“As team principals, we get lots of the criticism, but also the glory, when others are doing a great job.

“And I’m 100 per cent convinced that James is a great contributor to the team’s success, and to the long-term thinking.

“Everybody delivered. The driver delivered. The pit stops were good overall. It’s a trajectory that I enjoy seeing with him and for the team.”

Vowles was pleased with Sainz’s performance after the race. He managed to keep Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli at bay until the chequered flag was waved at the end of Lap 51. The Williams chief said:

“Just an exceptional drive by him. Lap after lap, he really built the pace. We knew Mercedes were quick, but well done to him. He didn’t put a foot wrong all weekend.

“You could see they were closing in on us half a second per lap. Either they would go for the undercut or we pulled the trigger first and capitalised on that P3. It was the right choice today.

“He and I spoke on Thursday. We had dinner together. This is a reset point where we start to move forward with our season. He needs this, and you’ll see now the momentum it generates.”