Toto Wolff reveals how he found out Lewis Hamilton crashed in a secret MotoGP test ahead of the 2018 Formula 1 season, adding the seven-time world champion was competitive with the riders in a strong display of what makes him such a special talent.
The Brit’s passion for speed knows no bounds, extending far beyond the world of F1, and he got to broaden his horizons in 2018, when the 105-time Grand Prix winner secretly tested a Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike at the Jerez Circuit in Spain.
Setting lap times that were astonishingly close to those of professional MotoGP riders, he proved just why he’s considered one of the finest motorsport athletes ever. However, things were not perfect as revealed by 53-year-old Mercedes team principal.
“I wasn’t warned Lewis had decided to ride at Jerez,” Wolff told the Armchair Expert podcast after learning Hamilton crashed in the secret MotoGP test. “Followed by my strategy manager and one of his engineers who was particularly passionate about motorcycles.
“He told me that everything was fine, they had finished driving. And he added: ‘Whatever you may come to know, know that Lewis is fine.’”
A more serious crash could have spelled disaster for the Silver Arrows ahead of the 2018 F1 season, in which they became embroiled in an ultra-competitive fight with Ferrari before eventually prevailing at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico.
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Whilst Hamilton walked away largely unscathed, the same cannot be said for others. Ahead of 2022, Alpine’s Fernando Alonso fell from his bike and fractured his jaw, almost forcing him to skip testing.
A similar pattern then repeated two years later when his now-teammate, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, fell from his bike and had to miss testing; as well as racing the opening rounds of the campaign with a broken wrist in visible discomfort.
Wolff: Hamilton almost as quick as MotoGP Riders
Despite the crash, Hamilton’s performance on the bike was nothing short of extraordinary. Wolff revealed that his then-driver was lapping just four seconds slower than MotoGP riders, a feat that highlighted his innate talent for speed in any discipline.
The pace highlighted the 40-year-old’s ability to adapt to two wheels and lower downforce, as well as various other physics changes in a significant departure from F1’s highly engineered single-seaters.
“They told me that Lewis was lapping just four seconds behind the MotoGP riders,” Wolff added. “An incredible result.
“This sensitivity for speed is the secret that makes Lewis a natural talent and therefore a champion.”
Hamilton has tested another bike since the crash, when he collaborated with the legendary Valentino Rossi on behalf of their shared Monster Energy sponsorship back in 2019 as they swapped vehicles.
Rossi won seven MotoGP championships from 2001-2009 and 89 races, scoring 199 podiums and 55 poles before he decided to retire in 2021 after spending a combined 14 years with Yamaha, following stints with Ducati and Honda.
