Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates — On the Yas Marina Circuit, amidst the gleaming silver and black of his Mercedes W15, Lewis Hamilton paused, a moment suspended in time. This was not just another race finish; it marked the culmination of an era. Twelve seasons, 246 Grand Prix starts, 84 victories, and six world driver’s championships – the most successful and enduring partnership in Formula 1 history was drawing to a close. This poignant scene marked the final chapter of Lewis Hamilton with his iconic Mercedes car before his highly anticipated transition to Ferrari in February.
Balancing on the edge of the track, helmet still on, forearms resting on the car’s sidepod, Hamilton lowered his head, absorbing the magnitude of his journey with Mercedes. The victories, the defeats, the exhilarating highs, and the crushing lows – every moment contributed to a tapestry of unparalleled success.
“I wanted to truly embrace this moment, knowing it was the last time I would step out of a Mercedes, representing this incredible team,” Hamilton expressed, his voice filled with emotion in the post-race media session. “It has been the greatest honor of my life.”
Gratitude was the overwhelming sentiment in that reflective pause beside his car. “I was simply giving thanks,” Hamilton explained. “Firstly, to my own spirit for its unwavering resilience, for constantly pushing forward, and to every single person who designs, builds, and powers this phenomenal car. I am immensely proud of everyone.”
Just a day prior, the atmosphere was markedly different. Hamilton’s final qualifying session with Mercedes was marred by a strategic miscalculation. Mistiming his crucial Q1 run relegated him to a disappointing 16th on the starting grid. Team principal Toto Wolff was quick to apologize for what he termed an “idiotic” error, acknowledging the significant challenge it posed for Hamilton’s race.
However, in the post-qualifying debrief, amidst the engineers and strategists’ regret, Hamilton’s characteristic leadership shone through. He reminded the team of their shared triumphs, the countless moments of glory they had experienced together. He remained hopeful, determined to deliver a memorable swansong, a fitting tribute to the team that had been his professional and personal home for over a decade.
And Hamilton delivered precisely that – a remarkable comeback drive in Abu Dhabi, etching another memorable chapter in his Mercedes legacy.
From 16th on the grid, Hamilton surged forward at the race start, capitalizing on incidents ahead to gain several positions and enter the fringes of the points. Mercedes employed an alternate tire strategy, opting for a long first stint on hard tires. The plan was to bring Hamilton into contention for a strong finish in the latter stages of the race. Patiently holding his position as cars ahead pitted, Hamilton steadily climbed into a points-scoring position. Remarkably, towards the end of his first stint, Hamilton’s engineer, Pete Bonnington, informed him via radio that Mercedes’ data projected a potential third-place finish.
Emerging from his pit stop in seventh place with fresh medium tires, Hamilton was poised to attack cars ahead on older, slower hard compounds. For one final time, Bonnington delivered the iconic phrase that has spurred Hamilton to countless victories and pole positions throughout their shared journey.
“OK, Lewis, it’s hammer time!”
“When Bono said ‘hammer time,’ I had to think, ‘Wow, I can’t remember the last time he used that phrase!'” Hamilton recounted after the race. “I remember telling Bono in our first year together to use ‘hammer time’ instead of just ‘go faster.’ It became our signal, and it always worked!”
Hamilton responded instantly. He swiftly overtook Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly before receiving information about the 14-second gap to his teammate, George Russell, running in fourth place. Intriguingly, Hamilton and Russell entered the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tied on points after three seasons as teammates. This final stint would decide their intra-team rivalry for the year. Hamilton acknowledged that closing the gap to Russell required “perfection” in the closing laps.
The battle intensified, stretching to the very last lap. Wolff radioed Russell, reminding him to be mindful of the situation, a subtle team order to ensure a clean fight. However, Russell was ultimately unable to defend. At Turn 9, the same corner where Max Verstappen had overtaken Hamilton to clinch the championship three years prior, Hamilton executed a daring move around the outside of Russell, seizing fourth place. A bold, brilliant overtake that showcased Hamilton’s racing prowess one last time in a Mercedes.
“I only caught him on the very last lap, and I knew it was now or never,” Hamilton said. Russell acknowledged the fitting nature of their close finish, “just one second apart after these three years,” and expressed his delight at Hamilton’s stylish send-off. “He deserved it,” Russell stated. “The team deserved to give him that send-off.”
As Hamilton navigated the final corners, the sky illuminated with fireworks celebrating Lando Norris’s victory, he savored the last moments as a Mercedes Grand Prix driver before crossing the finish line. The radio exchanges with Bonnington and Wolff on the cool-down lap were deeply emotional, with Bonnington audibly moved to tears. The end of an era had arrived.
Post-race analysis from Wolff considered the what-ifs – pondering whether a clear qualifying session might have allowed Hamilton to contend for victory. However, Hamilton redirected the conversation, urging Wolff to focus on the extraordinary 84 wins they had celebrated together.
“These last few races don’t diminish our feelings about this incredible journey,” Wolff affirmed. “He drove like a world champion today, coming from P16 to finish fourth, pulling away from the Red Bull. That was a statement from a world champion.”
Hamilton also expressed satisfaction in concluding a challenging year on a positive note. Despite victories at Silverstone and Spa, his first since 2021, seventh place in the championship standings marked his lowest finish in F1, reflecting the difficulties he faced adapting to the often-unpredictable Mercedes car throughout the season. The backdrop of his impending move to Ferrari, announced in February, added another layer of complexity to the year.
“It’s been a truly turbulent year, probably the longest of my life,” Hamilton admitted. “Knowing from the start that I was leaving created a unique dynamic – like being in a relationship where you’ve announced your departure but are still living together for a year. Emotionally, there were many ups and downs. But we finished on a high today.”
Only positive emotions permeated Hamilton’s post-race reflections. He performed celebratory donuts on the start-finish straight, a permitted part of the FIA’s post-race procedures, before returning to the Mercedes garage to celebrate with his team. Many team members eagerly sought one final photograph together, wanting to preserve a lasting memento of their shared success and the history they had created.
The entire weekend was imbued with this sense of farewell. On Thursday, Hamilton took several engineers and mechanics, including Bonnington, for a hot lap around the Yas Marina Circuit. Mercedes hosted a team event on Thursday evening, a heartfelt retrospective of Hamilton’s era at Brackley, paying tribute to their collective achievements. The surprise event deeply touched Hamilton, who confessed, “That was incredibly emotional. I think I’ve run out of tears, really. It all came out there.”
Yet, Sunday was still filled with emotion. Despite the year’s challenges and the extended goodbye preceding his move to Ferrari – a fierce rival Mercedes has relentlessly battled – an underlying current of respect and affection persisted. The message from Wolff and the Mercedes board in Abu Dhabi was clear: Hamilton would forever remain part of the Mercedes story, and more importantly, part of their family.
When Hamilton chose to leave McLaren for Mercedes in 2012, many viewed it as a risky move. Few could have foreseen the unprecedented success that would follow. Even fewer could have predicted the depth and longevity of the relationship.
As Hamilton eloquently summarized on his cool-down lap, “What began as a leap of faith transformed into a journey into the history books.” Indeed, it has been an extraordinary journey.
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Top photo: Sipa USA
