Toto Wolff reveals Pep Guardiola as the unlikely new influence on his ‘journey going forward’
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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says Pep Guardiola will be “part of my future journey” because he is “on the same wavelength” as the Man City boss after being spotted chatting together at the Abu GP Dhabi.
- Toto Wolff and Pep Guardiola were invited to a question and answer event for Puma sponsors
- Both have enjoyed unprecedented success as leaders in their respective fields.
- Mercedes boss lost constructors’ title for first time since 2013
- And Manchester City reaches the second festive period in the Premier League
Toto Wolff has revealed an unlikely influence for the rest of his journey as Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
The Mercedes boss was photographed in deep conversation with the Spanish coach at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early December, and Wolff has revealed that the two have strikingly similar approaches to their respective trades.
After missing out on the first constructors’ title since 2013 this season, Mercedes has announced Mick Schumacher as its reserve driver for 2023, and is confident Lewis Hamilton will not retire by surprise and expects him to sign a new contract.
Toto Wolff claims Pep Guardiola will play an ongoing role in his ‘journey’ as Mercedes boss
Both are considered among the preeminent individuals in their field; Wolff won an unprecedented eight consecutive constructors’ titles in the 2014-21 period and Guardiola became the first team to win a six-time title in 2009 with Barcelona.
The couple met at a Puma event at the Abu Dhabi GP.
“The two of us, we didn’t know each other, but when I heard him speak, it was like my prayers, the same approach, and he said the same thing about me,” Wolff said, speaking to the Beyond The Grid podcast.
“Fundamentally, it’s down to human management, and he’s someone who will definitely be a part of my journey going forward because he was on the same page, and even the family was on the same page between me and Susie.”
The first meeting between the two hugely successful bosses came at a Q&A event for Puma sponsors, where the pair were given the chance to pick each other’s brains.
Guardiola is known as one of the most forward-thinking managers in football, so it is perhaps no surprise that he can look outside of football for inspiration in his relentless pursuit of greatness and perfection.
But while both have enjoyed tremendous success in their fields, they come into the festive season in positions they perhaps didn’t expect to find themselves in 12 months ago.
Mercedes is increasingly confident that Lewis Hamilton will sign a new contract at the team
The Silver Arrows entered the 2022 season with great promise after Lewis Hamilton controversially lost the title on the final day, but was unable to challenge rivals Red Bull to sue a consistently underperforming car.
And 2022 was, in fact, the first season in which Hamilton failed to even win a race in his long Formula One career.
Guardiola’s City, which has been touted as one of the best teams in the world, enters the new year second in the Premier League table five points behind surprising leaders Arsenal.
Guardiola’s Manchester City reaches the festive period second in the Premier League
