Lewis Hamilton’s final Mercedes race will be an emotional affair for every single person associated with the Brackley-based outfit. It has been Hamilton’s home for around 12 years and together, they have achieved unparalleled success. Sadly, this farewell weekend in Abu Dhabi isn’t going according to plan, with Hamilton set to start from the back of the grid.
Mercedes’ employees, however, are making this finale all about him. They all got together in the paddock on Saturday, doing something ‘special’ (but unknown to the public) for Hamilton. The seven-time world champion also reciprocated, creating a teary atmosphere within the stable.
“Yeah. On Thursday, they all got together in the paddock club and I couldn’t control it then,” Hamilton told journalist Lawrence Barretto ahead of the race.
Q : The team have done some lovely things for you, I’ve heard that you’ve done some lovely things for the team. Has it been quite emotional from a ‘teary’ side of things?
Lewis : Yeah. On Thursday, they all got together in the paddock club and I couldnt control it then.
And I’m… pic.twitter.com/QTrMPhQOEv
— sim (@sim3744) December 8, 2024
He then realized that he would have to face them all again once the Abu Dhabi GP got over, and then again at the factory. “This week when I go back to the factory to see everybody to say my last goodbye so,” he added. “But, anyway, right now, focus is on this – I’m not going to let you get me teary man.” On this, Barretto apologized.
Mercedes has been a significant part of Hamilton’s journey, even before he became an F1 driver. They played a key role in securing him a seat at McLaren and, in 2013, brought him on board as part of their ambitious plan to dominate the sport. 11 years later, Hamilton is set to depart as a seven-time world champion, with six of those titles won with the Silver Arrows.
Not the fairytale weekend Hamilton would have wanted
Hamilton would have wanted to be on the podium, if not get a win, at the very least on Sunday. But with how things went in qualifying, it looks unlikely.
His final Q3 flying lap began at an unfavorable time, and a bollard stuck to his W15 limited his performance. As a result, he could only muster up a time good enough for P18. Hamilton was distraught, and Toto Wolff was apologetic that he couldn’t send off his star driver on a high.
“You don’t risk so much in a Q1 when we had the pace to make it out of the session. The most valuable driver for the team and the sport is out in Q1. I can only say sorry to him,” the Mercedes Team Principal said.
At the same time, it could end up being a memorable outing for Hamilton, as the stage is set for a miraculous comeback drive. For sure, it would be remembered in F1 folklore for generations to come.
