Bono After Final Race With Hamilton: 'Loved Every Single Minute'

Wednesday, 25 December 2024 at 21:00

Lewis Hamilton's race engineer, Peter Bonnington, discussed his 12-year-long collaboration with the seven-time world champion after the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Peter Bonnington and Lewis Hamilton started working together as soon as the British driver (back then with "only" 1 title) joined the team in 2013.

Lewis Hamilton had big shoes to fill in Mercedes as he took over the seat of departing seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.

In the following 12 years, however, he achieved with the team what no one could imagine - six drivers's titles, eight consecutive constructors' titles, and countless podiums and race victories.

At the end of 2024, Hamilton also left Mercedes as a seven-time world champion. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, told Sky Sports after the final grand prix in Abu Dhabi:

"It's been one of ups and downs all the way. We've had some really low downs, but the highs outweigh it by a hundred times."

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Even the 2024 season brought many downs, such as disappointment with the performance of the car at the start and struggles after the summer break, but also ups, such as the victory at the 2024 British Grand Prix.

"We're here tonight celebrating but this is a bit of a ritual. Last race of the season we all tend to come back here and just congregate and just reflect on what we've done. For Lewis, as you say, end of an era, end of this chapter with him."

"I've loved every minute, even the tough times because what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

"We've bounced back from some pretty bad stuff but I'm just so grateful to have been part of his life and part of his achievement."

"I can't believe I'm still here doing it. He's stuck with me this long, so I must be doing something right."

"As you know, drivers tend to not have coaches but we feel that engineers are actually the driver coach."

"We're there to work them through all the engineering side of stuff but also the psychological stuff and just make sure we all stay together and keep it on the right path."

Although Lewis Hamilton would love it, Bono will ultimately not follow him to Ferrari, so the 39-year-old will need to find a new race engineer.

The British driver also might need to find a new catchphrase because he said no one other than Bono can tell him the iconic: "It's hammer time."