🗣️| Andrew Shovlin recalls the decisive moments at the end of the 2021 season, highlighting Lewis Hamilton’s determination:
“For the last four races of 2021, I was added to a WhatsApp group called ‘We’re going to do it’, and Lewis put a few people in it. We had to win the last races. When I saw that he was the one who created the group, I got that feeling of ‘Yes, we’re going to make it’, because if he believes he’s going to make it, we’re there to support him.
He has this sense of belief so strong that he can almost make things happen. The turnaround in that moment, the dedication, the commitment, the level of detail he was putting in to make sure we could win all four races was incredible.
We all know what happened in the final rounds in Abu Dhabi, and it’s hard to be satisfied with how the year ended, other than the fact that we did what we needed to do, that we achieved the targets. The car was as fast as it needed to be.
But that’s the kind of thing where he’s unique, and that’s why he’s the best of the best,” he said.
Stephen Lord reveals that at Monza, Lewis Hamilton was feeling quite emotional, as it was the last race in Europe, and left a personal note for Kimi Antonelli in his room. The note has been framed and will remain there forever. 🥹🤍
“It was after the race at Monza. I think the engineers had left, so Lewis was upstairs in his room, alone. Lewis came down the stairs, ready to go. He got to the bottom of the stairs, stopped, turned around and went back upstairs. He must have forgotten something, I didn’t think much of it.
He came back down about 10 minutes later and called a guy who works with the team – Carlos. And you could see that Lewis was really very emotional. I was there and he said, ‘It just occurred to me that I’m never going to see this room again’ and he said, ‘I’m so emotional, it’s like I can’t leave, I feel kind of sad to leave this room because I’ve been in it for so many years and I’m never going to see it again’. And he was really excited to be leaving that behind.
I walked into the room and on the wall was a long handwritten note. It was a note to Kimi. It basically welcomed him to his new room, wished him luck, said really nice things about the team and that ‘if you care about them, they’ll care about you’ because they’re a great team. And I thought, ‘Wow, that’s a nice thing to do.’ We’ve actually framed the note now so it’s there forever.
I went into the bathroom and next to the toilet, above the toilet roll holder, it said ‘Lewis was here’ with a big smiley face.”
🗣️ | Journalist Cihangir Perperik published a text on his Instagram about Lewis Hamilton’s last day at Mercedes.
“First, he hugged everyone. They were the people with whom he had shared his career for years—his life, even. Then, in the Mercedes garage, where he was last, he found an empty space for himself. Tired, emotional, proud but vulnerable, he knelt and bowed his head. What he felt in that moment — only champions can truly understand.
Then he raised his head and looked once again at the team watching him closely. But this time, his eyes were filled with tears.
We are very lucky to be able to watch you for a while longer, Champion 🙏.”
It’s been a crazy few days which have been filled with a whole range of emotions.
But as you all now know, after an incredible 11 years at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, the time has come for me to start a new chapter in my life and I will be joining Scuderia Ferrari in 2025.
I feel incredibly fortunate, after achieving things with Mercedes that I could only have dreamed of as a kid, that I now have the chance to fulfil another childhood dream. Driving in Ferrari red.
Mercedes has been a huge part of my life since I was 13 years old, so this decision has been the hardest I’ve ever had to make. I’m incredibly proud of all that we’ve achieved together and I’m very grateful for the hard work and dedication of everyone I have worked with over the years and of course Toto, for his friendship, guidance and leadership. Together we have won titles, broken records and become the most successful Driver-Team partnership in F1 history. And of course I cannot forget Niki who was a huge supporter and who I still miss everyday.
I must also share my huge appreciation to the whole of the Mercedes-Benz board and everyone at the company in Germany and around the world for supporting me over these 26 years.
But the time is right to make a change and take on a new challenge. I still remember the feeling of taking a leap of faith into the unknown when I first joined Mercedes in 2013. I know some people didn’t understand it at the time but I was right to make the move then and it’s the feeling I have again now. I’m excited to see what I can bring to this new opportunity and what we can do together.
However, right now, I’m not thinking about 2025. My focus is on the upcoming season and getting back out on track with Mercedes. I am more driven than ever, I am fitter and more focussed than than ever and I want to help Mercedes win once again. I am 100% committed to the job I need to do and determined to end my partnership with the team on a high.
Thank you to all of you who have been on this journey with me, you have all lifted me up as I chase my dreams and I hope I can continue to make you proud. As always, sending you my love and positive energy.
🗓️ F1 2024 season to run from March 2-December 8; Season opener in Bahrain and second race in Saudi Arabia to be held on Saturday night, along with November’s Las Vegas GP; Chinese GP to return for first time since 2019; Japanese GP moves from September to April with Azerbaijan GP pushed back.
The launch of the Ferrari SF1000 from Teatro Valli, Reggio Emilia in Italy, the Scuderia’s 2020 Formula 1 World Championship challenger named in honour of their 1000th Grand Prix which will happen this season.
GRANDPRIX20.COM 