"Sir Lewis Hamilton, Thank you!": A Mercedes team member shares emotional farewell message for the departing F1 legend
Mercedes F1 team member Richard Wiltshire wrote an emotional farewell message for Lewis Hamilton who departed from the German team after an association that lasted 12 years. The British driver drove his final race for the Brackley-based outfit at the recently concluded Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend, where he finished a brilliant P4 after starting from P15.
The 39-year-old shocked the world of motorsport, after he announced that he would be joining the Ferrari F1 team from 2025 on a multi-year contract despite signing an extension with Mercedes in August 2023.
After a rather underwhelming farewell season, Hamilton capped it off in a memorable fashion at the Yas Marina Circuit with his comeback drive. Post the race weekend, Hamilton has been busy with his farewell tour in Kuala Lumpur Stuttgart, and the two British bases in Brackley and Brixworth.
Richard Wiltshire, who has worked as a Simulator Operator in the Vehicle Dynamic Group for over 13 years, wrote an emotional post on his LinkedIn profile and gave a proper goodbye to Lewis Hamilton. He wrote:
"It is hard to put into words the profound effect he had on the team. From meeting him in a secret test before he officially joined in 2012, to the last sim session before the last triple-header in 2024, he was always polite and so respectful to everyone in the team. His sense of humor was contagious, and his personality could fill a room.
"He also demanded so much from everyone to find every last drop of performance. Not since Senna, had the world seen such affinity in a cockpit of a race car. Little did we all know back when we first met, then as a single-time World Champion, would he leave the team as the most decorated driver in Grand Prix history. Sir Lewis Hamilton, thank you."
Lewis Hamilton posts a farewell message after his final visit to Brackley
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton posted a farewell message on his Instagram after his final visit to the Brackley base of the German team post the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
In his post, Hamilton showcased a series of pictures and wrote a heartwarming message, saying:
"This is really it. After Abu Dhabi, after Kuala Lumpur, and after Stuttgart it comes to an end here. This has been my home. To the thousands of people who work at Brackley and Brixworth, you have been friends and teammates and I can’t thank you enough for all the hard work and support. It’s been real."
Hamilton's Ferrari debut was delayed due to the sponsorship commitments with Mercedes and would see him joining the Italian team early next year.
The British driver would have a rapid program with the Maranello-based outfit given that he would have limited time to embed himself with the team before the start of the 2025 season.