Lewis Hamilton feels it was the best end he could have got in F1 Abu Dhabi GP after last lap pass on George Russell, as Toto Wolff reckoned victory fight was on.
It was a slightly slower start for Mercedes’ Hamilton in F1 Abu Dhabi GP on the hard compound. He was the only one using the white-walled tyres and so his progress was limited. But he gradually made up inside the Top 10 ahead of the midfield pack who started off ahead in the Top 5.
Once on the medium tyres, Hamilton was in a good position in the Top 5 ahead of Max Verstappen, who had to serve a penalty. The Brit had about 14s to clear against teammate Russell and he did so to pass him on the final lap around the outside to take fourth to end his Mercedes stint on a high.
Having had all the hardships, Hamilton was pleased with how it ended and reflected on the moments just outside the car when he was on the grid, soaking in the moments patting the Mercedes car for the last time. Despite losing out, Russell wasn’t feeling bad to finish fifth in the order.
He was pleased to see Hamilton end on a high. He didn’t need to radio call from Wolff, who advised him to keep it clean. The Mercedes chief reckoned the seven-time world champion could have fought for win if not for what happened in qualifying with the bollard.
Good end –
Hamilton: “It’s not that I need to have confidence, I’ve always had the confidence, but definitely really nice to finish with a strong hard battle. No mistakes, solid drive. It’s been a really turbulent year, probably the longest year of my life. I would say, because we’ve known it from the beginning that we’re leaving, and it’s like a relationship, when you’ve told whoever the counterpart is that you’re leaving, but you’re living together for a whole year. Lots of ups and downs, emotionally, but we finished off with a high.”
Russell: “The season has come to a close now. We’ve been off the pace this whole weekend. I felt like it was quite a fitting way to finish with Lewis, just one second apart after these three years. To be honest, I’m actually just really happy for him that he had a great final race because I think he deserved it. The team deserved to give him the send-off. Just pleased it’s come to a close now.”
Wolff: “I always try to be analytical and if the bollard hadn’t been in our way yesterday then we could have fought for victory. On the other side, he said to me ‘we’ve had so many wins and so much success these last few races they don’t change how we feel about it. He drove like a world champion from P16, moving up slowly through the cars.
“We played the long game and finishing fourth, driving away from the Red Bull, that was a statement of a world champion. The best estimate was P6. But on pure pace, to medium drive with Lando, it was two-tenths slower but obviously with Lewis’ traffic situation, etc, so we would have been right up there.”
Last lap –
Hamilton: “He was driving great, obviously he started a lot further ahead than I did, so to catch the 14 seconds was tough, but he was putting in good laps, and so it took perfection. I had to really put together the best laps I could possibly do, obviously in Vegas I was catching for a period of time and then stopped, so I was trying to make sure that I kept taking chunks out of the gap, and I only caught him right at that last lap, and I was like it’s now or never, and so I just waited for him.”
Russell: “No, of course, Toto doesn’t need to say it. Lewis and I have got so much respect for one another. We always race hard and fairly and come down to the wire. Ultimately, for me, having these three years together, I’ve learnt so much from Lewis as a driver, as a person. Today he deserved to finish ahead of me because he’s been quicker this whole weekend. As I said, I’m just proud to have had these years.”
Post-race feels –
Hamilton: “I think just those moments, I mean every moment that I’ve got in the car this week I’ve known that it’s one of the last, and it’s been really hard to let go. So I think when I stopped the car I just wanted to embrace the moment, because it’s the last time I’m going to step into Mercedes and represent them, it’s been the greatest honour of my life.
“[They’ve] powered every race, every pole position, every win we’ve had together, every championship, so I think when I knelt next to it I think it was just giving thanks, to firstly thanking my own spirit for continuing to push, thanking everyone that powered and built that car, I’m proud of everyone.”
Here’s Lewis Hamilton taking P4: https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-hamilton-snatches-p4-from-russell-on-the-last-lap.1817886946435731304
Here’s donuts by Lewis Hamilton: https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2024-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-hamilton-signs-off-from-mercedes-with-donut-celebration-at-yas-marina.1817886444814719387
Here’s how F1 Abu Dhabi GP panned out
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