Lewis Hamilton produced an excellent comeback drive at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to mark his final appearance as a Mercedes driver. The next time the lights go out in Australia next year, he’ll be behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
Hamilton’s Ferrari move became public at the start of February, weeks before the season had even started. This set up a long goodbye for the most successful driver-team combination in F1 history.
It was perhaps predictable that it became awkward at times. Though never outright acrimonious, the consensus by the chequered flag at Yas Marina was that the relationship was ending at the right time.
The seven-time world champion implied, without ever directly stating, that the team were favouring George Russell. Hamilton’s loved ones privately accused Mercedes of holding him back – in their eyes the likeliest explanation for his poor performances.
Toto Wolff and co. denied that accusation in the strongest possible terms. While Wolff is relieved he didn’t have to let Hamilton go, he’s repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Russell beat his teammate in 19 of the 24 Grand Prix qualifying sessions this term. They were far closer in race trim, hence the relatively small 18-point gap at season’s end.
Lewis Hamilton said sorry to Mercedes after showing ‘the worst’ side of himself in 2024
Speaking in the official FIA press conference on Thursday, Hamilton said ‘you’ve all seen the worst of me and the best of me’ in 2024. He scored a masterful victory at the British GP in July, but also produced what was perhaps a career-worst stretch after the summer break.
While Hamilton didn’t say sorry publicly, Auto Motor und Sport’s Michael Schmidt read this as a contrite message to his Mercedes team. He knows he needs to handle adversity better in future.
He’ll hope to enjoy a far more competitive package at Ferrari next year. The Scuderia came within 15 points of ending a title drought that stretches back to 2008.
Schmidt said: “He actually apologised straight away on Thursday and said, people, ‘I saw the best and the worst in me this year’. I didn’t always manage the worst perfectly’. A bit of an apology. This will be a lesson for him in the future.”
Carlos Sainz knows exactly why Lewis Hamilton struggled before Ferrari move
Hamilton made an ‘extraordinary admission’, according to F1TV host Laura Winter, by saying he questioned whether he was still good enough. No driver has won more titles or races than the Briton.
The ground-effect era has largely been a struggle for Hamilton, with his Mercedes team rarely able to fight for wins. This has exacerbated the nagging self-doubt that has followed him throughout his career.
Indeed, Jake Humphrey says Hamilton lacked confidence even after winning his first title in 2008. Ferrari will focus on integrating him technically but they need to support him psychologically too.
Carlos Sainz explained why Hamilton struggled as he addressed his Maranello exit. He says it’s a unique challenge for a driver to stay motivated when they know they’re leaving a team at the end of that season.
