"This is really it": Lewis Hamilton makes his feelings known ahead of his final F1 race weekend with Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton recently wrote a heartfelt message ahead of his last race with Mercedes at the 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi GP. The seven-time world champion will soon leave Mercedes to join Ferrari.
Before the 2024 F1 season began, the Italian team announced Hamilton for 2025, which not only shocked the entire F1 space but also the motorsport industry in general. Hamilton's name was synonymous with Mercedes since they dominated the sport in the mid and late 2010s. The British driver won six of his seven titles with them, while Mercedes clinched eight consecutive constructors' championships with the help of his dominance.
The 2024 season for Lewis Hamilton was filled with ups and downs. He was unable to match his teammate, George Russell, in most qualifying sessions. On the other hand, he ended his 945-day winless drought this year as he won his home race in Silverstone. He also clinched another victory in Belgium after Russell was disqualified.
The Mercedes star struggled quite a bit in the last few races of the season, especially in Brazil and Qatar. Despite hinting that he was mentally checked out of 2024, he recently acknowledged what he achieved with Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton posted an emotional message on his official Instagram account with a reel showcasing all his race wins and achievements. He added that the fact that Abu Dhabi would be his last race with the team was dawning on him gradually.
He recalled how people doubted him back in 2013 when he made the bold move from a successful McLaren to a struggling Mercedes. Then he added that the records he made with the Brackley-based team prove otherwise.
"This is really it. My last race with @mercedesamgf1. What we’ve built together over the years is nothing short of historic. People doubted me making this move in 2013, and here we are now. The records we’ve broken, the championships we’ve won, it all speaks for itself," Hamilton wrote.
"This won’t be the last time I thank Mercedes, but going into my final race with this team is really hitting me now. It’s really the end of an era in my life, in my career, for the team, and in F1 history. I’m proud of what we’ve created, I’m proud of every single person that been part of this with me. Thank you. It’s been real, now let’s go again one more time," he added.
Toto Wolff plans a grand farewell for Lewis Hamilton's last race with Mercedes
Ahead of the 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi GP, Toto Wolff also wrote a heartfelt message, praising Lewis Hamilton and planning his farewell race with Mercedes.
In an open letter on Mercedes's official website, he wrote that the team would celebrate the seven-time world champion's legacy in the sport and what he has achieved so far.
Wolff also revealed that he and Lewis Hamilton would head to various locations after the Abu Dhabi GP, where the Mercedes team and Petronas have their headquarters.
"This weekend is a celebration. A celebration of everything that we have accomplished together. Lewis' association with Mercedes goes back 26 years. Every lap of his career so far has been powered by the three-pointed star. We will honour this unparalleled story in Abu Dhabi and across the following week as we visit Kuala Lumpur, Stuttgart, then finally Brixworth and Brackley," Wolff wrote.
Lewis Hamilton is currently in seventh place with 211 points after Qatar GP.