Lewis Hamilton has conceded that he “massively underestimated how difficult” the 2024 Formula 1 season would be having announced his Mercedes exit in advance.
The bombshell revelation that Hamilton will be ending his long association to pursue a move to Ferrari in 2025 was dropped prior to a wheel being turned this season.
Hamilton has since experienced a challenging last campaign with Mercedes as he has struggled to gel with the side’s W15, prompting him to question his own speed.
But Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has insisted the impending split has been managed well as he denied that recent times have placed a mark on their collective success.
Hamilton, however, has revealed that both parties coming to terms with his decision created tension in the relationship earlier in the season that he hadn’t anticipated.
“The first meeting with Toto at the beginning of the year was awkward, of course,” Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week.
“So it was awkward from the get-go to the day after when I took some of the team paintballing and they had just found out.
“So, I mean, there has been very loads of moments through the year.
“I think ultimately I definitely I anticipated it would be difficult, but massively underestimated how difficult it would be.
“And, you know, it was straining on the relationship very early on. It took time for people to get over, get past it.
“And then just from my own self, you know, it’s been a very emotional year for me and I think I’ve not been at my best in handling and dealing with those emotions.
“I think this year and so many of you have been here my whole career. So some of you, I think you’ve all seen the worst of me and you’ve seen the best of me.
“I’m not going to apologise for either because I’m only human and I don’t always get it right.
“I definitely would say this year’s been one of the worst in terms of handling that from my side which I’ll work on trying to be better at.
“But I hope the good and the highs far outweigh the negatives in how I’ve handled it or behaved.
“And as I said, I just remember the good times. You know, I’ve had some, built some incredible relationships.
“I’ve gone through, can you imagine when you’re going through a season together with so many people, you’re not only on those race weekends,
you’re riding the highs and lows together but in their personal lives, through marriages, through divorces, through loss of family members, through cancer, through all sorts.
“You’re going through these journeys with these people so it’s a really beautiful journey you go on together. And being that it was so long, the emotions run so deep.”
Hamilton ‘calm’ amid impending Mercedes exit
Hamilton expressed that the realisation he is embarking upon his final race weekend with Mercedes at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi has begun to dawn on him.
“Pretty calm at the moment,” he said. “Feeling positive and excited just to give it our all this weekend.
“Every moment through the year, every single race has been the last time I’ll race and be in that specific place with the team.
“I think today, already from the briefings that we’ve had, you’re sitting there and you’re realising these are the last moments with the team, which is hard to describe the feeling.
“It’s not the greatest, of course, but I think mostly just really proud of what we’ve achieved and I have so much pride in this team.”
Hamilton’s abiding Mercedes moment
Hamilton has competed with Mercedes engines across his entire F1 career to date, during which time he has collected seven Drivers’ titles and a record 105 victories.
The Briton has been with the German outfit’s works setup since 2013, an inspired move which blossomed into the sport’s most decorated driver and team partnership.
Asked to pick an abiding moment from his spell with Mercedes, Hamilton replied: “I think it’s the smiles when we’ve had the success. I think it’s those moments.
“I can remember one particular engineer, for example. I remember our first win in Australia in 2014. I remember him being in tears when we were on the podium.
“It’s those moments that I take with me. It’s the emotions that we had in Silverstone this year. It’s all the good bits. Naturally, you mostly remember the good bits.
“I’m incredibly proud, but also just so grateful to every single individual, both here at the track, but also back at the factory, that have just worked tirelessly and been supporting me for all these years from day one.”
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