Lewis Hamilton ended his superb 12-year spell at Mercedes with cheers and tears on Sunday after ending a rousing fourth from beginning sixteenth within the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, who will flip 40 earlier than he races with Ferrari subsequent season, stirred feelings together with his driving and his phrases after a traditional restoration drive that noticed him cross team-mate George Russell on the ultimate lap. “When he (race engineer Pete Bonnington) said ‘hammer time’ I did notice, in the moment, that it was the last time I’m going to hear that,” stated an emotional Hamilton afterwards. “It really clicked for me in that moment. “It was a extremely, actually arduous race naturally the place I used to be, I did not get as nice a begin as this one right here, my team-mate subsequent season (pointing to close by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc) and the primary stint was actually, actually troublesome.
“I wasn’t losing hope, but it just wasn’t going as well as I thought it would.
“I did not hand over, I stored pushing and pondering ‘come on, we will get there’ and switched on to the totally different tires and the automobile got here alive. I needed to complete on as a lot as a excessive and provides each ounce of me to the workforce as they’ve given to me all these years.(*1*)That was the drive of a world champion,” said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff.
“The drive of a world champion. Amazing!”
Bonnington said: “Stellar drive at the moment bud, it has been a pleasure all the best way.”
Hamilton replied: “The pleasure’s been mine. We dreamed alone, however collectively we believed and as a workforce we achieved issues, thanks for all of the braveness, the willpower and the eagerness for seeing me and supporting me.
“What started out as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books. We did everything together and I’m so grateful to everyone back at the factory from the bottom of my heart. All the best.”
Bonnington added: “It’s been an amazing journey and I’m so grateful to have been a part of this chapter of your life and best of luck for the next one.”
In a last remark, workforce boss Toto Wolff stated: “We love you too and you’re always going to be part of the family. And if we can’t win, you should win.”
In 12 seasons, Hamilton began 246 races with Mercedes, a document for a driver with a single workforce. He received 84, secured 13 different podium finishes and claimed 78 pole positions and 6 of his seven drivers’ world championships.
In a last social media submit, he wrote: “It’s been real. I love you all.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Topics talked about on this article
Check out this related article: Max Verstappen Faces Ban Next Year If He Collects More Penalties | Formula 1 News
Source link