Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team boss Toto Wolff has revealed that his first job was selling torches and candles in Vienna, Austria, after dropping out of university. The revelation came during an appearance on the TikTok series 'Career Ladder' by Max Klymenko.
Wolff, 53, told Klymenko that he launched the venture when he was 18 or 19 years old, buying up 25,000 torches and candles and selling them for €2.50 each. He described it as a 'humanitarian thing' that helped impact others' lives.
The billionaire team principal also confirmed he was a 'drop out' and did not have a university degree. Fans expressed surprise at both his early career and lack of formal education, with one commenting: 'Toto Wolff saying “I’m a dropout” was not on my bingo.'
Klymenko, who was born in Ukraine, won Creator of the Year at the 2025 TikTok Awards UK and Ireland. He has 8.5 million followers and his videos are watched billions of times annually.
