Lewis Hamilton admitted he “massively underestimated” what his last yr at Mercedes can be like within the wake of saying that he was becoming a member of Ferrari for 2025 and that he has not all the time dealt with his feelings in one of the best ways.
Hamilton will race for the Silver Arrows for the 246th and last time at F1’s season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend, the ultimate chapter in a team-driver relationship that has rewritten the game’s file books over the previous 12 years.
However because the seven-time champion prepares to shut a troublesome season through which he’s on track for his worst championship end in F1, a reflective Hamilton opened up on the strains and feelings of the previous 11 months since his bombshell Ferrari swap was made public.
“The first meeting with Toto [Wolff] at the beginning of the year was awkward, of course, so it was awkward from the get go,” stated Hamilton in Thursday’s Drivers’ Press Convention.
“The day after, after I took a few of the workforce paintballing, they usually had simply came upon. So there’s been a great deal of moments by the yr. I received shot at so much by individuals, a great deal of bruises. Folks went in on me that day.
“I anticipated it will be troublesome, however massively underestimated how troublesome it will be. It was straining on the connection very early on, it took time for individuals to get previous it.
“After which simply from my very own self, it has been a really emotional yr for me, and I believe I’ve not been at my greatest in dealing with and coping with these feelings.
“So many of you have been here my whole career, so some of you, I think you’ve all seen the worst in me, and the best of me.
“And I am not going to apologise for both as a result of I am solely human, and I do not all the time get it proper. And I might positively say this yr has been one of many worst when it comes to dealing with that from my facet, which I’ll work on making an attempt to be higher at.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Sky Sports activities revisit Lewis Hamilton’s most emotional moments for Mercedes forward of his last race in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton although stated that in the end it will be the highs of their towering achievements collectively and the power of relationships constructed on the workforce which in the end will stand the take a look at of time.
“I hope the good and the highs far outweigh the negatives, in how I’ve handled it, or behaved,” he added.
“And as I said, just remember the good times. I’ve built some incredible relationships. If you imagine when you’re going through a season together with so many people, not only on those race weekends are you 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 is a actually stunning journey you go on collectively, and being there for therefore lengthy, the feelings run so deep.”
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday December 6
5.45am: F1 Academy Practice
7am: F2 Practice
9am: Abu Dhabi GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying
12.45pm: Abu Dhabi GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)*
2.30pm: F1 Academy Qualifying*
3.15pm: The F1 Show*
Saturday December 7
8.10am: F1 Academy Race One
10.15am: Abu Dhabi GP Practice Three (session starts at 10.30am)
12.10pm: F2 Sprint Race
1.15pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: ABU DHABI GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: F1 Academy: Race Two
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday December 8
7.10am: F1 Academy Race Three
9.20am: F2 Feature Race
11.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP build-up
1pm: THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP reaction
4pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Watch the final race of the 2024 Formula 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports activities F1 or stream with NOW
