Hamilton Reflects on His Final Year at Mercedes, Acknowledges 'I Misjudged the Challenge'

Abu Dhabi, Dec 5 (NationPress) As Lewis Hamilton readies himself for his 246th and concluding race with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the seven-time Formula 1 champion has revealed the emotional ups and downs that have marked his farewell season with the Silver Arrows.

During Thursday's Drivers' Press Conference, Hamilton confessed to having underestimated the difficulties of his final year with the team after announcing his future move to Ferrari for 2025.

Hamilton’s announcement regarding his transition to Ferrari earlier this year sent shockwaves across the F1 paddock, leading to immediate consequences within Mercedes. Reflecting on the season's onset, Hamilton recounted the tension in his relationship with the team:

“The first meeting with Toto Wolff at the beginning of the year was awkward, of course; it was awkward right from the start,” he admitted.

The awkwardness was intensified by a team-building paintball event shortly after the news broke. Hamilton humorously reflected on the experience: “The day after, when I took some of the team paintballing, they had just found out. There have been numerous moments throughout the year. I got shot at a lot by people, loads of bruises. People really went in on me that day.”

Hamilton acknowledged that while he expected challenges, the reality of his final season was significantly tougher than he had imagined. “I expected it would be hard but greatly underestimated how tough it would be. It strained the relationship very early on; it took time for everyone to move past it,” he stated.

The tension impacted not only his professional relationships but also his ability to manage his emotions about leaving the team that had been pivotal to his record-breaking career.

“So many of you have been here throughout my entire career; some of you, I think, have witnessed the worst and the best of me. And I won’t apologize for either because I’m only human, and I don’t always get it right. This year has definitely been one of the most challenging in terms of how I’ve managed that, which I will strive to improve,” he shared.

“And as I said, just remember the good times. I’ve formed some incredible relationships. When you think about going through a season together with so many individuals, it’s not just during those race weekends that you share the highs and lows, but also in their personal lives—through marriages, divorces, losses, cancer, and various other challenges—you journey alongside these individuals.

“It’s a truly remarkable journey you share together, and having been involved for such a long time, the emotions run profoundly deep.”