There were a lot of goodbyes around the F1 paddock during last weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, but perhaps none as emotional and impactful as Lewis Hamilton’s. The Briton bid farewell to Mercedes after spending 11 seasons and winning six World titles with them, which is why it wasn’t surprising to hear that there were a lot of tears in the garage.
Cihangir Perperik, a Turkish journalist, documented Hamilton’s last few moments as a Mercedes driver at the Yas Marina Circuit and shared some pictures with a description of what he saw on his Instagram on Monday. Perperik revealed how Hamilton shook hands with every single person on his team—even hugged them.
“Then he found an empty space in the Mercedes garage where he had been for the last time… Tired, sensitive, proud, but fragile,” he added. Perperik admitted to getting goosebumps watching Hamilton kneel down like that, away from the camera, taking it all in.
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After some time, when Hamilton lifted his head to take a look around the garage once again, there were tears in his eyes. “I involuntarily felt the same too. I left two drops there,” Peperik continued. “And the fact that he even shook my hand when leaving the garage at the end…”
Admittedly, it was an emotional moment, not just for those associated with Mercedes or close to Hamilton, but for the entire F1 community as a whole. The FIA understood beforehand how monumental Hamilton’s Mercedes career ending would be, which is why they had reserved a spot for him on the main straight to perform donuts in, regardless of his result.
How Mercedes said goodbye to Hamilton
The team members at Mercedes made it a point to remind Hamilton how loved he was. Hamilton’s race helmet was passed around the garage, with almost everyone from the outfit—including Toto Wolff and George Russell—signing it.
Hamilton was elated. On Monday, he took to Instagram, saying, “Nothing like the last day of school. We’ve only just begun to celebrate this era and already I’m speechless.”
It is needless to say that Hamilton and Mercedes have parted ways on splendid terms. Wolff, after the Chequered flag got waved at the Yas Marina Circuit, also admitted that if Mercedes fails to develop a winning car in 2025, he would cheer for Hamilton.
