Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says he would want to see Lewis Hamilton win at Ferrari if his own team cannot win the championship.
Hamilton came through the field from 16th to finish fourth in his final race for Mercedes on Sunday as his 12 years with the Silver Arrows came to an emotional end on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 39-year-old announced before the start of this season that he would join Ferrari in 2025 and admitted he “massively underestimated” the challenge of this year.
Hamilton will be replaced by Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes next year.
“If we can’t win, we will cheer for him,” said Wolff.
“He merits an eighth championship but, obviously, the team, the drivers, the brand, that is the main priority to win and we will give it everything we can.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Lewis Hamilton reflected on his last ‘Hammer time’ with race engineer Bono on the final lap of his final race with Mercedes
Hamilton, who overtook George Russell on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, won six drivers’ titles, 84 races and took 78 pole positions for Mercedes.
Wolff says he will “work hard on maintaining the relationship” with Hamilton, including having dinners and riding motorbikes with F1’s most successful ever driver.
“It’s been 12 years. It’s not only the longest driver-team relationship the sport has ever seen but one of the longest relationships any sports team has had with a player,” continued Wolff.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Anthony Davidson is at the SkyPad to analyse Lewis Hamilton’s last ever overtake for Mercedes as he passed team-mate George Russell on the final lap in Abu Dhabi
“And one of the longest relationships personally with a person. Obviously that creates attachment, trust and those values in this day and age are rare. That’s why it’s a period of time we will hold close to our hearts.
“And one of the best periods that I have personally had and the team.”
Hamilton: Final ‘hammer time’ was moment it clicked for me
Hamilton had a big slice of misfortune on Saturday when he was knocked out in Q1 after running over a bollard, so started 16th.
He was the only driver to start on the hards, so ran long in the first stint before going on a late-race charge on the mediums, overtaking Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and made a brave move on team-mate Russell on the final lap.
Hamilton’s engineer Peter Bonnington became well known for his “it’s hammer time Lewis” radio message to his driver when they were fighting for victories, which was a signal to push hard before a pit stop. Bonnington delivered that message for a last time in Abu Dhabi, which was a special moment for Hamilton.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Martin Brundle shares the track with Lewis Hamilton in his older Mercedes’ ahead of his last race with them at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
“I think when Bono said it was ‘hammer time’ [during the pit stop phase], I did notice in the moment, I was like ‘that’s the last time I’m going to hear that.’ It really clicked for me in that moment,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1.
“It was a really, really hard race – naturally – from where I was, and I didn’t get as great a start as this one here [Charles Leclerc], my new team-mate.
“And that first stint was really, really difficult. I wasn’t losing hope, I was just like, ‘Oh, not going as well as I thought it would.’
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Sky Sports revisit Lewis Hamilton’s most emotional moments for Mercedes ahead of his final race in Abu Dhabi
“But I just didn’t give up, I just kept pushing, like ‘Come on, we can get there’ and then switched on to the different tyres, and the car came alive – but I had a massive gap to close, so I just focused on just getting absolutely everything from the car and not giving up.
“I wanted to finish on as much of a high and just give every ounce of me to the team, as they’ve given to me all these years.”
He added to F1 TV: “I will miss everyone. I can’t tell you how much I will miss them. It’s going to be a huge amount because I’ve worked with them every day for the past 12 years. There’s a lot of love within this team and that’s not going anywhere.”
Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
