Lewis Hamilton issues harmony claim after hosting Sebastian Vettel farewell dinner

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton on the podium — Photo: © LAT Images

Lewis Hamilton - Sebastian Vettel

Hamilton issues harmony claim after hosting Vettel farewell dinner

Mercedes driver picked up the bill for the event

Ian Parkes

Sunday 20 November 2022 05:00

Lewis Hamilton believes the current pool of F1 drivers are more harmonious now than at any time over the past 15 years.

The seven-time champion organised a farewell dinner for Sebastian Vettel in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night ahead of this weekend's season-ending grand prix, leading to a full turnout for the event.

The evening proved to be a roaring success, underlined by the images taken by the drivers and shared on social media afterward.

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Proclaiming the dinner to be "very important", Mercedes driver Hamilton, who picked up the bill, said: "I asked the group in Mexico whether they would be open to all doing dinner to give Seb a farewell.

"We haven't had dinner since years ago in China [2016]. It was the best evening, we were all laughing so much, [telling] great, great stories.

"Seb is a great leader, as well. He made a great speech trying to hand down some of his experience he has had over the years, particularly to the younger guys because they are the future.

"We had that photo and it was the most harmony I think any driver group has had, I would imagine.

"Maybe not in history because there are some images from the past many, many years ago, but maybe in these past 15 years."

Driver unity can push through change - Hamilton

The overwhelming suggestion that emerged from the night is that the drivers should not wait another six years for another get-together.

Hamilton feels such events can have a positive knock-on effect for the various messages the drivers are trying to deliver when it comes to diversity, inclusion and stamping out the toxicity that has started to emanate from social media.

"Afterwards we were like 'We should do this all the time'," added Hamilton. "Maybe we will make this an annual thing here, and maybe we will add another one in the year.

"But there is a lot we can do as the GPDA [Grand Prix Drivers' Association], as a united group. We have a responsibility.

"We have got a great platform, each and every one of us, collectively, and there are lots of things F1 has to push forward action-wise.

"It says we are doing a lot of things, sustainability and all of those things, but we need to make sure we are pushing through and doing our absolute best and maybe the GPDA can have a role in that."