THE LEADER OF THE PACK

There is something intrinsically contradictory in what we’re doing, here in Toto Wolff’s private office on the Sunday of the Japanese Grand Prix. Mercedes is about to clinch its sixth consecutive constructors’ world championship, and does so a few hours after we’re done talking. A couple of races later, Lewis Hamilton will put the seal on his own deal – taking this team’s tally to an extraordinary and unprecedented six consecutive F1 championship doubles, making it undefeated since 2014.

We want to talk to the figurehead of this mighty operation, to understand his alchemy; to learn how he is able to inspire so many hundreds of people to greatness, to be better than they were before, year after year after year. But, as it is for all great leaders, this is not really about him. Toto simply sets the template, finds ways to unleash the potential of his workforce by understanding them and giving them the tools they need to succeed.

It sounds simple. But of course, this is far from easy. So many get swept away in the cult of personality, believe their own hype and ultimately fail because of it. Not Toto. As we’re about to learn, he works hard – to make this less about him and more about inspiring his people to keep Mercedes on top of Formula 1’s pile. His is a work many years in the making, and still unfinished.

We want to explore the human element behind the structure, the organisation behind the machine. How did