Lewis Hamilton F1 News: Champion drives 'FINAL Mercedes lap' in emotional farewell

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

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Hamilton drives 'FINAL Mercedes lap' in emotional farewell

Lewis Hamilton has now officially left Mercedes

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 27 December 2024 12:01 Updated: 16:07

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Lewis Hamilton’s final lap with Mercedes has been revealed, in an emotional farewell from the Formula 1 team.

Following more than a decade of world title success with Mercedes, Hamilton said goodbye to the team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of his move to Ferrari next season.

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However, the seven-time world champion’s final season with the team was plagued with performance difficulties, as Hamilton failed to extract the most out of the W15.

Furthermore, Hamilton was often out-paced in qualifying by team-mate George Russell, resulting in frustrated interviews after most sessions.

Lewis Hamilton has competed in his final season with Mercedes

The 2024 season contained several ups and downs for Hamilton

Hamilton and Wolff embark on final Mercedes lap

Regardless of Hamilton’s difficulties in 2024 his time with Mercedes ended on an emotional note, where the team organised a variety of tributes to celebrate his tenure at the Silver Arrows.

The 39-year-old achieved six of his seven world titles with the Brackley outfit and helped them achieve eight constructors' titles between 2014 and 2021, a legacy that will always outshine his tough 2024 season.

Hamilton even forwent his debut with Ferrari at the Abu Dhabi tyre test, to bid farewell to Mercedes’ sponsors and the team back at the factory.

Mercedes have since revealed the 'final' lap Hamilton has completed with the team, alongside team principal Toto Wolff, via an emotional video posted to their social media.

The tribute was captioned ‘the final lap of an extraordinary journey’, where the champion took to the track in one of his former F1 cars, whilst Wolff opted for the Mercedes-AMG ONE.

Their outing on track provided a stunning tribute to the partnership between Wolff and Hamilton, which has contributed to immense championship success over both of their careers.

#F1 – The final lap of an extraordinary journey. ❤️#WeLivePerformance #WorldsFastestFamily

Mercedes-AMG ONE | Energieverbrauch gewichtet kombiniert: 17.7 kWh/100 km plus 9.9 l/100 km | Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert bei entladener Batterie: 14.6 l/100km | CO₂-Emissionen… pic.twitter.com/MJsep0M87L
— Mercedes-AMG Motorsport (@amgmotorsport) December 23, 2024