Hamilton 'finished on a high' with Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton said he was happy his clip pinch Mercedes "finished connected a high" aft what he described arsenic "a really turbulent year".

The seven-time champion brought to an extremity his 12 years pinch Mercedes pinch a fourth-place decorativeness aft starting 16th connected the grid successful the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

"It has been astir apt the longest twelvemonth of my life, knowing from the opening I was leaving," Hamilton said.

"It's for illustration a narration that you've told whoever the counterpart is you're leaving but you're surviving together for a year. Lots of ups and downs but we vanished connected a precocious today."

Hamilton, 39, leaves Mercedes for Ferrari successful 2025 aft 12 years pinch Mercedes that was some the longest and astir successful team-driver operation successful F1 history.

He passed team-mate George Russell connected the last thigh to clinch 4th spot and past celebrated by doing doughnuts connected the pit straight, earlier climbing retired of his car, crouching beside it and spending immoderate moments pinch his thoughts.

"Each infinitesimal I person known it was 1 of the past and it has been really clear and really difficult to fto go," Hamilton said.

"When I stopped the car. I wanted to clasp the moment. Representing Mercedes has been the top infinitesimal of my life. Just giving thanks, my ain tone for not giving up, everyone the powerfulness to person built that car. I americium proud of everyone."

Hamilton has won 2 races successful 2024 - his first victories since the 2021 run successful which he controversially mislaid retired connected a grounds eighth drivers' title astatine the last title of the season.

But he has besides had difficult weekends, including successful Qatar a week earlier Abu Dhabi, erstwhile he vanished 12th.

He added: "We've decidedly had ups and downs but what's travel done is location has been existent love.

"The committee members who person stood by and supported maine each these years, who were upset astatine the beginning, but coming were saying you will ever beryllium portion of the family. It conscionable shows location is simply a batch of emotion betwixt us."

For his last 3 years pinch Mercedes, Hamilton has been collaborated by chap Briton Russell, who vanished 22 points up of him successful the drivers' championship.

Russell, 26, said: "I felt for illustration it was rather a fitting measurement to decorativeness pinch Lewis, to beryllium 1 2nd isolated aft these years, I americium happy he had a awesome weekend. He deserved it.

"I person learned truthful overmuch from Lewis arsenic a driver and a person. I americium proud to person had these years."

Russell, who will beryllium collaborated by 18-year-old Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli successful 2025, said Hamilton had taught him a batch astir really to behave arsenic a domiciled model.

"I recognise from Lewis that we each person this level and we person to usage it correctly. It has go moreover much evident to maine pinch my young nieces and nephews watching TikTok and Netflix.

"How you woody pinch the victories and losses you animate the young kids.

"The biggest life instruction I person learned from him is that, moreover if you really want to definitive something, location are hundreds of millions of group watching, and the measurement you do it is super-important."

Reflecting connected the 12 years together, Mercedes squad main Toto Wolff said: "It creates attachment, spot and those values successful this time and property are uncommon and that's why it is simply a play of clip we will ever clasp adjacent to our hearts."