What's happened
Lewis Hamilton concluded his 12-year tenure with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, finishing fourth after starting from 16th. The seven-time world champion moves to Ferrari for the 2025 season, reflecting on a partnership that yielded six titles and significant emotional moments with team principal Toto Wolff.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, Hamilton's emotional farewell included a heartfelt message from team principal Toto Wolff, who emphasized their strong bond and the legacy they built together. The Independent noted Hamilton's struggles during the 2024 season but highlighted his determination to finish strong, reflecting on the highs and lows of his career with Mercedes. Kieran Jackson from The Independent remarked on the significance of Hamilton's move to Ferrari, suggesting it could be a pivotal moment in his career as he seeks to add to his championship tally.
How we got here
Hamilton's departure from Mercedes follows a challenging 2024 season, where he finished seventh in the standings. His move to Ferrari marks the end of the most successful driver-team partnership in Formula One history, which began in 2013.
More on these topics
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Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton MBE HonFREng is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
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Ferrari is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1939 out of Alfa Romeo's race division as Auto Avio Costruzioni, the company built its first car in 1940.
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Mercedes may refer to:
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Torger Christian "Toto" Wolff is an Austrian investor and former racing driver. He holds a 30% share in Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One Team and is Team Principal and CEO of the team. He was formerly a shareholder of Williams F1.
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McLaren Racing Limited is a British motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, Surrey, England. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor and also has a history of competing in American open wheel racing as both an entrant
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George Russell may refer to:
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The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race. It was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates. The first race took place on 1 November 2009, held at the Hermann Tilke designed Yas Marina Circuit.
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Max Emilian Verstappen is a Belgian-Dutch racing driver currently competing in Formula One, under the Dutch flag, with Red Bull Racing.
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Abu Dhabi is the capital and the second-most populous city of the United Arab Emirates. The city of Abu Dhabi is located on an island in the Persian Gulf, off the Central West Coast.
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Lando Norris is a British-Belgian racing driver. Currently competing in Formula One, for McLaren, he races under the British flag.
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The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is an association established on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users.