What Hamilton Told Mercedes Staff On Last Stop Of His Farewell Tour

Saturday, 14 December 2024 at 17:58

Updated at Saturday, 14 December 2024 at 17:59

Lewis Hamilton's farewell tour came to the final stop at Brackley on the 13th of December. Here are his last words to the Mercedes staff.

Following the final Grand Prix weekend of the season at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, where Hamilton finished fourth, the 39-year-old went on a farewell tour, visiting Mercedes's major sponsors and all factories for the last time.

The seven-time world champion missed out on an opportunity to attend the post-season testing with his future team, Ferrari, in order to say goodbye to all the people with whom he spent the last 12 years.

No driver in the history of Formula 1 has spent as much time with a single team as Lewis Hamilton has with Mercedes. Consequently, the team arranged a proper goodbye show for both him and all the staff. The British driver said at the last stop of his farewell tour in Brackley:

"I'm leaving, you guys are going to go and have so much more success moving forward, because this is an incredible group of people."

"So much talent and so much passion here, and anyone would be lucky to be working with you."

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The next driver who will be working with the same people is Lewis Hamilton's successor, 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

As Mercedes's Stephen Lord revealed, the seven-time World Champion already educated Antonelli (through a heartfelt note) about how to approach and appreciate everyone within a team. Hamilton added:

"I hope that I, when I do eventually stop racing, I can come back and visit you all and know we can always look back on these fond memories."

"You know, what a journey. There's no driver in the world that's had this experience with a team, and it makes it that much harder to let go."

"But I'm taking with me the greatest memories. You guys have been living in my dream, and hopefully, I've been living partly in your dream, too."

"So a huge, huge thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also, my family thanks you for the dedication all these years, so a big, big thank you everyone. God bless you."