Lewis Hamilton bid an emotional farewell to Mercedes in his final team radio message to the team at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton put on a stellar drive from 16th on the grid to finish fourth at the Yas Marina Circuit, bringing the curtain down on the most successful partnership winin F1 history.
After joining the team in 2013, Hamilton won six Drivers’ titles and 84 GPs with Mercedes and unsurprisingly his final radio message to Race Engineer Peter Bonnington and Team Principal Toto Wolff was emotional.
“It’s been a pleasure all the way,” began Bonnington. Before Hamilton interrupted, saying: “The pleasure’s been mine. Bono, we dreamed alone, but together we believed.
“And as a team, we achieved things that… Thank you for all the courage, the determination, the passion, and 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 so grateful to everyone. From the bottom of my heart; all the best.”
Bonnington added, “Thank you, Lewis. Yeah, it’s been an amazing journey and yeah, I’ve been so grateful to be part of this chapter of your life and best luck for the next one,”
The emotional hammerblow came with Hamilton’s final response: “Yeah, I love you guys. I really, really do.”
At which point, Wolff said: “We love you too and you’re always going to be part of that family. And if we can’t win, you should win.”
The next chapter beckons for Hamilton in 2025 with Ferrari as F1’s most successful driver joins the most successful team.
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