Idea in Brief

The Question

No team in recent Formula One racing history has had as much success as Mercedes-AMG Petronas. What lessons can organizations learn from the practices of its leader, Toto Wolff?

The Background

Mercedes and Wolff granted Anita Elberse, of Harvard Business School, special behind-the-scenes access, allowing her to observe them up close as they prepared for, competed in, and analyzed their performance in races.

The Takeaway

Using what she learned about Wolff’s management style, Elberse presents six leadership lessons that can help companies of all sorts develop a winning culture.

Formula One (F1) is the most prestigious motor-racing competition on the planet. Every season, from March to December, 10 F1 teams participate in races across the world. The 2022 season features 22 “Grand Prix” weekends on five continents. Each involves three days of events: practice sessions on Friday and Saturday, qualifying sessions or short-sprint qualifying races to determine starting positions later on Saturday, and the actual race on Sunday. Close to half a billion unique viewers tune in to F1’s television coverage throughout the season, and the action on the ground can attract as many as 400,000 live spectators.

A version of this article appeared in the November–December 2022 issue of Harvard Business Review.