Revealed: The three reasons why Toto Wolff isn’t on social media

Henry Valantine
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on the grid at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff on the grid.

Toto Wolff has explained why he is not on social media, giving three different reasons behind his lack of online presence.

While he is often seen in posts on Mercedes’ official channels, he does not use social media himself, saying it would be “super distracting” for him, adding that it doesn’t “make any sense” for him to update a social media profile while running a Formula 1 team.

Coupled with that reasoning, he added that his “emotional” qualities might make it not “beneficial” for him to post in the heat of the moment.

Toto Wolff explains absence from social media

Other team principals past and present have joined social media, with Christian Horner a regular Instagram user and Williams team boss James Vowles a recent addition to the platform, with former Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer also on there.

Drivers often use social media to enhance their own platforms and marketability, with Sebastian Vettel the one key exception in recent years until the first post on his newly-created Instagram account in 2022 was to announce his retirement from Formula 1.

But for Mercedes team boss Wolff, he has no interest in getting involved.

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“For me, having official Instagram channels or Twitter would be super distracting,” Wolff explained when asked whether or not he would join social media in future.

“I’m also an emotional person, so that would not be beneficial if I were to post things!

“I also believe that as a team principal, I’m running an F1 team, and I don’t believe that having an Instagram profile makes any sense.

“I’m not keen on taking selfies of myself or posing for the camera. Sports people or entertainment stars need to do that because it’s their profile.

“And therefore, no, these channels are nothing for me.”

It was then put to the Mercedes team boss that he seems authentic in the way he presents himself in the media, with Wolff having rarely shied away from offering frank responses in tougher times for the Silver Arrows or praising the team when proceedings are running smoothly.

“Thank you, the standard I try to live to professionally and in my personal life is being authentic,” he said in response.

“Sometimes that comes across maybe as emotional or negative, but in the moment I don’t want to change my face just because I’m speaking to the media. That’s how I am.”

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