Toto Wolff expressed satisfaction after Hamilton’s impressive 12-place recovery in his final race with Mercedes, capping an extraordinary partnership with a strong finish.
Wolff paid tribute to Lewis Hamilton following the Briton’s final race with the Mercedes F1 team. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the conclusion of 12 seasons of collaboration, highlighted by six drivers’ titles and eight constructors’ championships, prompting the team principal to offer heartfelt words for the seven-time world champion.
“It’s been 12 years with Lewis. Not only is this the longest partnership between a driver and a team in the sport’s history, but it’s also the most successful. A relationship of this length and such achievements creates a bond, trust, and shared values that are rare these days.”
“This is a period we will always hold dear, and I will personally cherish it forever. Even though we knew that what happened in our last race didn’t affect our legacy, we all wanted to finish on a high note. I’m so happy we were able to do that.”
“He will always be part of our family, and if it’s not us winning on the track, we hope it’s him. He deserves an eighth title, but obviously, the team, the drivers, and the brand remain our top priority to win, and we will give everything we can to beat him in 2025.”
“Returning to the race… Without the barrier that stood in Lewis’s way during qualifying on Saturday, I believe he could have fought for the win. He was fast throughout the day and made the alternative strategy work well. He drove like a world champion. It’s a fitting reflection of our time together and a true statement.”
The Austrian also shared thoughts on McLaren, the constructors’ champions, and George Russell, Mercedes’ future leader: “For George, it was more challenging. He didn’t have the pace to fight for the podium this weekend, but he did well to bring home solid points.”
“Congratulations to McLaren for their success in the Constructors’ Championship. They have done a fantastic job this year. They’ve built a solid team with good engineering, strong leadership, and excellent drivers. They fully deserve the title this year. We’re also happy for our colleagues at Brixworth; this is also a success for Mercedes Motorsport and HPP. While we know the factory team is our top priority, it’s great to see a customer team performing so well.”
A “worthy end” to the incredible journey with Hamilton
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, praised Hamilton’s impressive recovery during the race and the overall result for the team: “After the struggles on Saturday, we can hold our heads high in how we responded. Starting from 6th and 16th, we knew it would be tough to score points and fight for the podium.”
“George, as has been the case all weekend, didn’t have the extra pace needed to fight for the top 3. This is unusual, as he has been consistently fast this year, so we need to understand why. Nevertheless, he did a good job maximizing points for the team and raced cleanly in the final laps with Lewis.”
“Lewis, on the other hand, delivered a race worthy of our incredible 12-year journey together. He executed the alternate Hard-Medium strategy very effectively, calmly and methodically working his way through the field before deploying the Medium in the final stint. He passed several cars, broke away from Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, and made a great move to take 4th from George on the last lap. We would all have liked to be on the podium one last time, but such a strong, determined comeback against all odds seems like the perfect conclusion to our time together. We wish him all the best for the future, knowing that he will always be part of our family.”
“The season has been long and at times difficult. We know there’s still work to be done if we want to fight for the title again. Everyone at Brackley and Brixworth is focused on that goal. Congratulations to McLaren and our colleagues at Brixworth for their success in the Constructors’ Championship. They’ve been the best team this year and fully deserve the title. We look forward to racing them on track next year.”
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Wolff Delighted as Hamilton Gains 12 Places in Finale Wolff Delighted as Hamilton Gains 12 Places in Finale
