Toto Wolff: Mercedes's billion-dollar F1 boss
3/9/202645 min
Toto Wolff is the most successful team principal in Formula One history. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out what drives him. From losing his father and abandoning his own racing dreams, Toto Wolff redirected his love of risk and need for control into venture capital, making millions during the early tech boom. But Toto Wolff couldn’t stay away from motorsport. After a crash that almost killed him, he got involved in the business of the sport, ultimately transforming Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One into one of the most valuable teams in the sport, alongside his driver and friend Lewis Hamilton. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSimon Jack· Host0:00
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK.
Speaker 20:03
[soft music] Bring more gear, carry more passengers, face greater challenges. Welcome to the world of Defender. With seating up to eight, ample cargo space, and legendary off-road capability, it's built to make the most of every adventure. Learn more at landrover.ca.
Speaker 30:21
We're here with one of Planet Fitness's Black Card members. How are you feeling?
Speaker 40:25
Oh, pretty wiped, but I've got my eye on the Hydra-Massage beds.
Speaker 30:29
It felt like a real team effort out there.
Speaker 40:30
Oh, bringing a guest every workout? Game changer.
Speaker 30:33
Any other perks you want to tell the nation about?
Speaker 40:35
Two big ones: worldwide access and red light technology.
Speaker 30:38
Wow. This place really has it all. Back to you in the studio.
Speaker 50:42
Get your first month free with a PF Black Card. Get started for one dollar enrollment, then twenty-nine point ninety-nine a month. Deal ends March thirteenth. Forty-nine dollar annual fee applies.
Zing Tsjeng· Host0:49
[upbeat music] It's two-thousand and nine, and we're in the German mountains. The air is thick with the smell of pine trees and petrol. We're at a racetrack so infamous it's called The Green Hell.
Simon Jack· Host1:10
A tall man in a blue and white racing suit folds himself into his Porsche. Not any old Porsche. This car isn't actually street legal. It's designed for endurance and speed.
Zing Tsjeng· Host1:20
He whispers to himself- "It's time to put my balls on the dashboard"- As he starts the engine.
Simon Jack· Host1:25
In under fifteen minutes, that man will be in an ambulance, unconscious. But