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Lewis Hamilton concluded his glittering 12-year stay in the most successful Formula 1 team, Mercedes, in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the season finale for the 2024 Formula 1 season. Having spent twelve remarkable years with the team and claiming six of his seven World Championships, Hamilton bade a tearful adieu ahead of his move to Ferrari for the 2025 season.
The final moments for Hamilton with Mercedes were full of tributes from his heart. He did a reflective lap around the Yas Marina Circuit, shared with his race engineer, Pete Bonnington, aka “Bono.” A combination that has given the world some magic moments in F1 history, they were seen laughing and tearing up during their farewell drive.
Bonnington called the ride “mega,” while Hamilton simply said, “Appreciate you, mate.” As for their fans, the shared moment was both “healing” and “heartbreaking”-the depth of their partnership. The Abu Dhabi GP saw Hamilton start 16 th but charge up to a commendable fourth-a fitting display of the determination and resilience that has defined his career. Despite the celebratory end, Hamilton admitted to the bittersweet feelings of leaving Mercedes. The decision to switch to Ferrari, he said, finally fulfilled a lifelong dream, likening it to a childhood ambition to race in the legendary “red car” while seeking another challenge as his career enters its twilight.
The Hamilton-Mercedes relationship probably is one of the most successful in the history of motorsport. Under team principal Toto Wolff, it rewrote the records-105 Grand Prix victories, dominant in the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships for the lion’s share of the past decade. As Ferrari opens a new chapter in the life and times of Hamilton, his legacy remains indelibly linked with Mercedes’ golden era in F1.
He will join Charles Leclerc at Ferrari in 2025, looking to replicate his successes of old but in new team dynamics. But contractual restrictions stop him from taking Bonnington with him, underlining just how special the relationship between the pair has been. As Hamilton prepares to slip into the famous Ferrari, fans and the F1 world will be watching with bated breath.