Lewis Hamilton bid farewell to Mercedes in 2024 after an incredible 12-year stint. But his season was not the goodbye he would have hoped for.
The seven-time champion won six titles with the Silver Arrows between 2014-2020 and set several records with the team, creating arguably the greatest partnership in F1 history.
But after losing the 2021 title to Max Verstappen, Hamilton began to fall backwards with Mercedes. The team faced difficulties in the ground effect era to build a competitive car.
Hamilton was beaten by teammate George Russell in 2022 and while he finished third in 2023, the 40-year-old failed to win a Grand Prix in either season.
The 2024 campaign was a new low for Hamilton as he recorded the lowest finish of his career with seventh in the standings. Russell convincingly beat the fellow Brit in the intra-team battle in qualifying and Grand Prix results.
| Category | George Russell | Lewis Hamilton |
| 2024 points | 245 | 223 |
| Grand Prix results | 15 | 9 |
| Grand Prix qualifying | 18 | 6 |
| Grand Prix wins | 2 | 2 |
| Grand Prix poles | 4 | 0 |
| Grand Prix podiums | 4 | 5 |
| Best finish | 1st | 1st |
| Disqualifications | 1 | 0 |
| Retirements | 1 | 2 |
| Retirements (classified finish) | 1 | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 2 | 2 |
| Grand Prix points finishes | 21 | 21 |
| Sprint results | 5 | 1 |
| Sprint Qualifying | 5 | 1 |
| Sprint wins | 0 | 0 |
| Sprint poles | 0 | 0 |
| Sprint podiums | 1 | 1 |
It was not the farewell season he had been hoping for, but Hamilton did display some moments of brilliance across the year.
His final race with Mercedes in Abu Dhabi saw a vintage performance from Hamilton according to Martin Brundle, as he climbed from P16 to finish fourth, passing Russell on the final lap with a superb overtake around the outside.
Lewis Hamilton left Alpine boss Oliver Oakes ’emotional’ after his win at Silverstone
The Brit grabbed two wins in 2024 – his first since Jeddah in 2021. He inherited the win in Belgium from Russell after his Mercedes was found to be underweight.
Hamilton’s first win of the season came at his home race at Silverstone. After a tense battle with the McLarens and Russell, the 40-year-old came home to win his ninth British Grand Prix.
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Hamilton left the media pen ‘shaking’ after his overtake on Russell for the lead. His victory marked an incredible moment in 2024, and it left Alpine boss Oliver Oakes ’emotional’.
Speaking on the James Allen On F1 podcast, Oakes admitted there was a ‘tear in my eye’ as Hamilton took the win in his final British GP as a Mercedes driver before his move to Ferrari.
“As a fan, out there, I think it’s going to be exciting not only to see the rookies on the grid, [but] seeing Lewis in red,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s sad to say but you can’t help but be emotional when he won at Silverstone as an Englishman.
“My home track in a way, my Hitech being based there. What he did, I had a bit of a, I’m not ashamed to say it, a tear in my eye because it was a massive win there.
“And then seeing him this year roll out in red, I think that’s great for F1. I think it’s going to be an amazing season to see all of those battles as well”.
Can Lewis Hamilton win an eighth title at Ferrari?
As Hamilton’s chapter with Mercedes closer, the attention now shifts to his next adventure with Ferrari and whether he can win a record eighth championship with F1’s most successful team.
The pressure is already on the Brit to deliver results at the Maranello outfit. Ferrari fans have demanded the world championship from Hamilton as they gathered to watch his first test for the test at Fiorano.
Martin Brundle says Ferrari may have improved more than McLaren during the winter, giving Hamilton a huge boost for his title aspirations. But there are concerns as to whether he can perform at Ferrari given his struggles last season.
Tom Coronel says Hamilton should ‘disappear’ if he cannot win the title with Ferrari. It seems the Maranello outfit are preparing for that possibility as Ferrari keep tabs on Oliver Bearman to potentially replace Hamilton in the future.
