PHOTO: Lewis Hamilton slays the fashion scene in Abu Dhabi with all-white outfit ahead of Ferrari switch
Lewis Hamilton decided to go all-white for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Media Day, his final race for Mercedes before he switches to Ferrari next season. He is set to receive a farewell after this race weekend before he parts ways with the Silver Arrows after 12 long years.
Formula 1 is in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the final race of the 2024 season. Max Verstappen already claimed the Driver's Championship in Nevada during the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, whereas McLaren and Ferrari are set to go head-to-head for the Constructors' Championship.
Hamilton's Mercedes is at a distant P4 as it is set to finish the season behind the top two (McLaren and Ferrari, for now) and Red Bull. Hamilton can fancy a race win at the Yas Marina Circuit race on Sunday to wrap up his Mercedes career in style.
Lewis Hamilton arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit donning an all-white outfit. He wore bright, white pants and paired them with a white Willy Chavarria shirt and sunglasses. Kym Illman, a renowned F1 photojournalist, posted a photo of the racer on Instagram, writing:
"Lewis Hamilton dressed in all-white walks the paddock like a catwalk. This is of course his last race with Mercedes and next year we will see him dressed in red a lot more."
Hamilton signed a multi-year agreement with Ferrari earlier this year. In 2025, he will replace Williams-bound Carlos Sainz and race alongside Charles Leclerc. As he is set to reunite with his old boss Fred Vasseur, Mercedes has already found his replacement. The Toto Wolff-led team signed Italian prodigy Kimi Antonelli as his successor in Mercedes. He, too, signed a multi-year deal with the German giant and will race alongside George Russell next year.
Toto Wolff explains why Mercedes would not leave Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari for post-season test
Formula 1 will hold the post-season test in Abu Dhabi after the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP concludes at the Yas Marina Circuit. Lewis Hamilton, however, cannot be a part of Ferrari's plan in the post-season test due to contractual and promotional obligations. Doubling down on this, Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, shared the reason behind the decision:
“Fred [Vasseur] didn't ask. I think it's a difference also if you're maybe going to Williams, but we have contractual agreements with sponsors. We're having a farewell for Lewis. We're having lots of activities that are planned. And him and I, we spoke about it shortly, and he said, ‘I guess that's not going to work.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I don't think it's going to work.’ And that was the whole thing. So I don't think Fred is particularly sad."
Hamilton is currently sitting in P7 of the Drivers' Championship with 211 points, 24 points less than his teammate, George Russell, who is in P6.