Lewis Hamilton F1 News: Mercedes share tribute in emotional farewell with departed F1 legend

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, Britain, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Mercedes share Hamilton tribute in emotional farewell with departed F1 legend

Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in 2025

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 12 December 2024 09:12 Updated: 11:37

Mercedes have shared an emotional tribute to Lewis Hamilton's time with the team, remembering the late Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda in the process.

Hamilton is set to join Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, bringing to an end a partnership that lasted 12 seasons with Mercedes and yielded 14 world titles across the drivers' and constructors' championships.

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The now seven-time world champion joined Mercedes back in 2013, and joined a team that was in its early stages as a works F1 team, with Toto Wolff and three-time world champion Lauda instrumental in bringing Hamilton to the Brackley outfit.

Lauda had been working as a non-executive chairman with the team since 2012, and reacted quickly to the news that their driver Michael Schumacher would be retiring for a second time.

Lewis Hamilton raced in his final race with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi GP

Niki Lauda was a three-time Formula 1 world champion

Mercedes' Lauda F1 tribute

Hamilton then went on to win 84 races with the team, forming close bonds with the likes of Wolff, Lauda and race engineer Peter Bonnington during his time at Mercedes.

Three-time world champion Lauda unfortunately passed away in 2019 aged 70, having experienced a period of ill health.

Hamilton and other F1 drivers including Sebastian Vettel wore helmets at the 2019 Monaco GP paying tribute to the great man, with Hamilton regularly explaining how much of an influence Lauda had on his career.

Now, Mercedes have shared a post on social media platform 'X' showing Hamilton with Lauda at the beginning of his time with the team, and a picture of Hamilton in his last race with the team touching Lauda's famous red cap, which was proudly hung up in the Mercedes garage.

"From the very start of Lewis' journey at Mercedes, to the very end, Niki is always with us," the team wrote in the post.

From the very start of Lewis' journey at Mercedes, to the very end, Niki is always with us ❤️ pic.twitter.com/08TkbCm92C
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 11, 2024