Lewis Hamilton honored in TOUCHING F1 championship celebration

Lewis Hamilton won the 2012 US Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

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Hamilton honored in TOUCHING championship celebration

McLaren won the Formula 1 constructors' championship in 2024

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Friday 10 January 2025 04:00

McLaren have paid tribute to one of their greatest ever drivers as they celebrate their first constructors' title of the 21st century.

The now-papaya cars beat out Ferrari in Abu Dhabi to claim the team title in 2024, with Lando Norris holding off the Scuderia's cars to make up for Oscar Piastri's woeful weekend.

Article continues under video

As well as it being the Woking outfit's first constructors' title since 1998, it was also the team's first F1 world championship since Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' crown back in 2008.

So it was perhaps fitting that as the constructors' trophy was paraded through McLaren HQ there was a nod to the seven-time world champion who now drives for Ferrari following his move this winter from Mercedes.

Lando Norris and Zak Brown celebrate for McLaren

Lewis Hamilton won the 2009 F1 Hungarian Grand Prix

When did Lewis Hamilton drive for McLaren?

However, eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that chilling in the background to the video is the MP4-24, the car which Hamilton drove during his title defence in the 2009 season.

Hamilton drove for McLaren from his F1 debut in 2007 right up until the end of the 2012 season before switching to Mercedes to replace Michael Schumacher.

Although the Brit proudly drove with the No 1 on the car to reflect his world champion status, it proved to be a nightmare season for Hamilton who along with team-mate Heikki Kovalainen suffered with the car's severe underperformance before a late season upgrade brought more respectability to bring wins in Hungary and Singapore.

McLaren will now go into the F1 2025 season hoping to defend the constructors' championship for the first time since 1991 while also targeting a drivers' title push with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri behind the wheel.