Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff compared seeing Lewis Hamilton arrive at Ferrari with seeing a divorced partner in a new relationship, but has wished his former driver well ahead of the new season.
Hamilton, F1's most successful driver, switched from Mercedes to Ferrari over the winter after winning six championships over 12 years at his former team.
Although Hamilton's intention to move to Ferrari was announced nearly a year ago, Wolff said he still had an emotional reaction when he saw the first images of Hamilton at Maranello.
"It's a little bit like you divorce amicably, and it's all good, and then you see your partner for the first time with a new friend!" the Mercedes team principal told Sky Sports News at the Autosport Awards.
"But I'm really happy for him, and I told him that those pictures were iconic that he made -- it was so well curated and no surprise with Lewis."
Hamilton struggled for performance over the final three years of his time at Mercedes after the team got off on the wrong foot under new regulations in 2022.
Mercedes won four races in 2024 -- three more than it managed over the previous two years combined -- but its car performance fluctuated significantly depending on track layout and conditions.
Wolff said the season left the team with plenty of questions and possible solutions going into 2025, but it will only know if it has answered them at the first round in Australia on March 16.
"We were scratching our head a lot last year, particularly in the beginning," Wolff said of 2024's W15 car.
"Like all the other teams, we had ups and downs; we had some very dominant performances and then other races that were not so good.
"At the end of the day, when the flag drops, we're going to see in qualifying in Melbourne where we stand."
