That’s proper, Wolff, the person who has performed a key position in serving to Mercedes to say a file eight consecutive constructors’ world championships and 7 drivers’ titles throughout the previous eight seasons, as soon as donned the overalls of Mercedes’ F1 nemesis.
Lengthy earlier than his enterprise into turning into a famend staff boss in F1, the then profitable businessman Wolff was a succesful racing driver in sports activities automobiles. He even had a foray into rally driving.
After starting his profession in Method Ford, Wolff gained his class within the 1994 Nurburgring 24 Hours and later competed within the FIA GT Championship and Italian GT Championship.
Between 2004 and 2006, Wolff raced in blue Purple Bull overalls and a automobile splashed within the vitality drinks agency’s branding. Alongside Karl Wendlinger, Dieter Quester and Stefano Zonca, Wolff took class victory within the 1000 Miles of Interlagos in 2004. Amid treacherously moist circumstances, it was Wolff who posted the quickest lap time.
Wolff, Quester, and Philipp Peter additionally gained the Misano 6 Hours in 2005, whereas the trio, together with German legend Hans-Joachim Caught, made historical past by turning into the inaugural winners of the Dubai 24 Hour race in 2006.
In any respect of those occasions, Wolff wore Purple Bull colors.
Almost twenty years later, Wolff discovered himself main Mercedes towards Purple Bull in one of many fiercest and most intense title battles F1 has ever seen.
The 2021 F1 world championship noticed the start of a really epic rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, however the combating spilled off observe as properly.
Wolff and Purple Bull staff boss Christian Horner engaged in a brutal rivalry, with the pair coming to blows in a confrontation a number of instances all through the season because the title battle heated up.
Nevertheless, issues have considerably calmed down this season, with Purple Bull and Mercedes now not in a direct struggle for the world championships.
The day record-chasing Wolff practically died
In April 2009, Wolff set about tackling the revered 20.7km Nurburgring Nordschleife, thought of to be the hardest and most harmful observe on the planet.
Certainly, no accident on the Nordschleife is ever small. Three-time F1 world champion Niki Lauda, who practically misplaced his life on the circuit in a horrific, fiery crash in 1976, warned his pal it was “idiotic” to embark on a lap file try.
However Wolff was undeterred. On his take a look at lap, he broke the GT automobile lap file held on the time by the late Sabine Schmitz – dubbed the Queen of the Nurburgring – by 4 seconds with a 7:03.28 in his Porsche 911 RSR.
Decided to put up a sub-seven minute lap, and probably obtain a brand new outright file, Wolff saved pushing arduous – regardless of noticing that the automobile’s dealing with wasn’t proper.
Wolff was travelling flat-out at 189mph when the suitable rear tyre on his Porsche exploded, pitching him right into a violent spin into the guardrail at Fuchsröhre.
Though Wolff initially bought out of the automobile unaided, he misplaced consciousness and collapsed. Wolff suffered a heavy concussion and was taken to hospital. Wolff initially reported he couldn’t really feel his legs.
The ferocious crash broken Wolff’s nerves and left him unable to style or scent for six months.
“I used to be nice however I made a decision to not return to the Nordschleife anymore,” Wolff instructed ESPN in an interview reflecting on the accident.
“I really like this observe and I do not remorse a factor, however then I met Niki Lauda once more – who earlier than had mentioned that the file try was idiotic – and after I got here again and we had dinner once more, he merely mentioned ‘I instructed you so’.
“In order that was my expertise of the Nordschleife.”