Lewis Hamilton Reflects on Emotional Challenges in Final Mercedes Season

Lewis Hamilton, who has secured 84 Grand Prix victories during his 12-year tenure with Mercedes, has acknowledged experiencing emotional challenges in his concluding season with the team. He expressed a desire to conclude his 12-year association with Mercedes “the right way.” The 39-year-old driver is set to join Ferrari in 2025, having signed a multi-year agreement, and will compete in his final race for the Silver Arrows this weekend in Abu Dhabi. While Hamilton achieved six of his record-tying seven drivers’ championships with Mercedes, he has faced difficulties in maintaining that level of performance since narrowly missing a historic eighth title in 2021. On Thursday, Hamilton stated, “It’s been a very emotional year for me and I don’t think I’ve been the best at handling my emotions this year.” He added, “You’ve seen the best of me and the worst of me, but I’m not going to apologise as I’m human.” Since the contentious conclusion of the 2021 season at Yas Marina, Mercedes has seen its position in the constructors’ standings decline, trailing competitors such as Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari. Following a subpar showing in sprint qualifying in Qatar last week, Hamilton remarked that he was “definitely not fast any more.” Despite this, he broke his streak without a win with an impressive victory at Silverstone in July, his home circuit. However, it took until his tenth race of the season to achieve a podium finish, securing third place in Barcelona. The surprising news of Hamilton’s move to the Italian team for the upcoming year was disclosed prior to the season’s commencement. The British driver characterized his initial meeting with team principal Toto Wolff following the announcement as “awkward.” He further commented, “Ultimately I anticipated it would be difficult but massively underestimated how difficult it would be.” Hamilton also expressed, “Realising these are the last moments with the team, it’s hard to describe the feeling – not the greatest of course.” Nevertheless, Hamilton indicated that he anticipates many positive aspects as he begins a new phase with the Scuderia. He stated, “It’s a dream scenario for any driver [joining Ferrari],” but cautioned, “But it’s not an easy step to join a new team, it takes time to build relationships and learn the tools.” Currently, Hamilton holds seventh position in the drivers’ championship, trailing his team-mate George Russell, who is in sixth place, by 24 points. Regarding the upcoming weekend, he remarked, “These days will be super emotional.”