Lewis Hamilton will be cheered on by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff next year if the Austrian’s own drivers are not in contention to win the championship.
Hamilton brought his 12-year stint with the Silver Arrows to a close by finishing fourth at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, despite starting the race in 16th having been eliminated early in qualifying.
The Ferrari-bound 39-year-old won six of his seven titles with Mercedes and he departs with Wolff’s goodwill.
Journey's End ❤️#F1 @LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/QTiZZj3BeN
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 9, 2024
“If we can’t win, we will cheer for him. He merits an eighth championship,” Wolff told Sky Sports.
“But obviously the team, the drivers, the brand – that is the main priority to win and we will give it everything we can.
“It’s been 12 years. It’s not only the longest driver-team relationship the sport has ever seen, but one of the longest relationships any sports team has had with a player.
“And one of the longest relationships personally with a person. Obviously that creates attachment, trust and those values in this day and age are rare. That’s why it’s a period of time we will hold close to our hearts.
“And one of the best periods that I have personally had and the team.”
Hamilton finished a career-low seventh in the driver standings in 2024 and has been outperformed by Mercedes team-mate George Russell.
“It’s been a really turbulent year, probably the longest year of my life,” Hamilton told reporters.
“Because we’ve known it from the beginning that we’re leaving. It’s like a relationship when you’ve told whoever the counterpart is that you’re leaving but you’re living together for a whole year.
Toto and Lewis. A legendary partnership 🤝
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 9, 2024
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“Lots of ups and downs, emotionally, but we finished off with a high. I will miss everyone. I can’t tell you how much I will miss them.
“It’s going to be a huge amount because I’ve worked with them every day for the past 12 years.
“There’s a lot of love within this team and that’s not going anywhere.”
