9. Toto Wolff

Toto Wolff is the Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team and Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. As a managing partner, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the team’s success, both on and off the track.

Born in Vienna, Austria, Toto’s motorsport journey began at 17 when he watched a friend race at the Nürburgring. That moment sparked a brief racing career in Austrian Formula Ford, culminating in a class win at the 1994 Nürburgring 24 Hours. Three years later, he pivoted from the cockpit to the boardroom, transferring his competitive drive into business and investment.

After studying at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Toto founded Marchfifteen in 1998 and Marchsixteen in 2004. His early focus on internet and tech ventures during the ’90s evolved into strategic investments in industrial and listed companies. One notable deal was his investment in HWA AG—the engineering firm behind Mercedes-Benz’s DTM and Formula 3 programmes—where he held a stake until 2015.

Toto returned to racing in 2002, co-owning a driver management company with two-time F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen while also competing in the FIA GT Championship and later winning the 24 Hours of Bahrain in 2006. His dual expertise in motorsport and finance naturally led him to invest in the Williams F1 Team in 2009. By 2012, he had become its Executive Director, helping the team achieve its first win in eight years at the Spanish Grand Prix.

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In early 2013, after being invited by Daimler AG to assess Mercedes’ F1 performance, Toto joined the Mercedes F1 Team as Managing Partner, acquiring a 30% stake alongside Niki Lauda. He also took on the role of Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, a position that saw him overseeing all works racing programmes, including those in Formula One, DTM, and Formula 3. By the end of 2020, Toto, INEOS, and Daimler each held equal one-third stakes in the team, with Toto extending his leadership role for at least three more years.

An entrepreneur, investor, and racer at heart, Toto Wolff has led Mercedes to unprecedented dominance in Formula One, guiding the team to eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships (2014–2021) and seven Drivers’ Championships (2014–2020). His success can be attributed to his unique blend of business acumen, which allows him to make strategic decisions that benefit the team, and racing passion, which fuels his competitive spirit and commitment to excellence. This combination continues to define one of the most successful eras in motorsport history.