Lewis Hamilton reflected on his time with Mercedes as the greatest honor of his life after the seven-time champion concluded his final race with the team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Following an exceptional drive at the Yas Marina circuit, Hamilton acknowledged that, after a challenging year, it was gratifying to say goodbye on a high note. Hamilton's performance saw him move from 16th to fourth place in Abu Dhabi, a remarkable achievement that underscores his unparalleled partnership with Mercedes since joining the team in 2013. Over the past 12 seasons, he has secured six titles and 84 victories with the team. As he prepared to join Ferrari next year, Hamilton took a moment to reflect at the end of his last race, parking his car on the start-finish straight alongside the top three, where he knelt beside it.
"When I stopped the car, I just wanted to savor the moment, because it's the last time I'm going to step into a Mercedes and represent them; it's been the greatest honor of my life," he said. "Every moment I've spent in the car this week, I've known it's one of the last, and it's been really hard to let go. I'm proud of every race, every pole position, every win we've had together, every championship. When I knelt next to it, I was just giving thanks, firstly to my own spirit for continuing to push, and thanking everyone who powered and built that car. I'm proud of everyone."
After being denied an eighth title due to the controversial finish of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Mercedes and Hamilton have faced difficulties since the regulations changed in 2022. The team struggled to develop a consistently quick and well-balanced car. This year, while showing improvement, the car remained unpredictable, and Hamilton and the team had to navigate the reality of his departure, which he announced before the season began. "It's been a really turbulent year, probably the longest year of my life, because we've known from the beginning that we're leaving," he said. "It's like a relationship when you've told your counterpart that you're leaving, but you're living together for a whole year. Lots of emotional ups and downs, but we finished off with a high today."
Lando Norris secured the race at the Yas Marina circuit, delivering McLaren's first constructors' championship in 26 years with a commanding drive from pole to the flag. He outperformed both Ferraris under significant pressure, especially after his teammate, Oscar Piastri, was eliminated from contention on the opening lap by Max Verstappen. Norris expressed his pride in the achievement.
"Today was a very special day for all of us," he said. "It was ours to lose today, and I'm sure at certain moments people thought it was not far from being lost. The bigger picture of us winning a championship for the first time in 26 years feels wrong to say that McLaren haven't won a championship in 26 years, but for me to be part of that, for Oscar to be part of it, is something we're incredibly proud of. Delivering that for the team has put the biggest smile on everyone's face."
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
