Formula 1 season finale: title for McLaren – tears at Mercedes: Hamilton’s “Thank you”

Lewis Hamilton remained in the car after a final, rapid race to catch up, then the record world champion knelt next to his Mercedes at a memorable and highly emotional end to Formula 1’s most successful era. While the new vice world champion and final winner Lando Norris howled with happiness, joy and pride as he hugged everyone in the team of the new constructors’ world champion McLaren, the spectators kept shouting “Lewis, Lewis” from the stands. And in the Mercedes pit, team boss Toto Wolff also fought back tears.

“It was a trip into the history books. From the bottom of my heart: only the best for you. I love you,” Hamilton radioed beforehand from his car, which had caused him so many problems this year. Then he spun smoking tops to fourth place from 16th on the grid. “We love you too,” Wolff radioed back. “And if we can’t win, then you should.” Next year, Hamilton, who has been driving for the Silver Arrows since 2013, will compete in a Ferrari like Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel once did.

The fact that he didn’t switch to the new team champion was mainly due to Norris. This time he showed no nerves, even though the pressure was enormous. Since 1998, the traditional British team has been waiting for the title, which has less prestige in the public eye, but is so huge for the racing teams: the further ahead, the more money there is. In 2008, Hamilton won the Drivers’ World Championship in a McLaren.

McLaren managing director: “It was a round of terror”

“It feels incredible, the team did a fantastic job. It’s perfect to end the season. I’m incredibly proud of everyone on the team,” said Norris. “It was 58 laps of terror,” said McLaren’s managing director Zak Brown, given the tension during the race and fearing that he had already sprained his ankle during the celebrations.

By winning from pole, he reduced Ferrari to powerlessness. Second place for Carlos Sainz and third place for Charles Leclerc – from 19th place on the grid – were of no use to the Scuderia. They should have made up 21 points, but they remained 14. Next year Ferrari wants to start the attack on both titles with Hamilton and Leclerc. “I hope so,” said Leclerc: “Lewis has achieved so much in our sport. That will also be a motivation.” 98 days after the race in Abu Dhabi, a championship starts in Melbourne in 2025 that has all the ingredients for spectacle in 24 acts.

It is extremely questionable whether Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez will be there. The fact that he had to end what was possibly his last Formula 1 race in the second lap after a collision, for which he was unable to do anything, fit into the gloomy picture of his season. “I’m happy that it’s all over now. It was a very frustrating one year,” he said on Sky and this time even admitted: He doesn’t know what will happen next, even if he still has a contract for the coming season.

Verstappen complains about punishment: “Stupid idiots”

Verstappen, who had already won his fourth crown in Las Vegas, finished the race at the Yas Marina Circuit in sixth place. After an offensive attack on Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri in the first corner, he received a ten-second penalty. The fact that he then continued to rant via pit radio could also lead to further consequences. “Stupid idiots,” the 27-year-old said.

This time there was actually nothing to celebrate for the dethroned team champion Red Bull. That’s why at McLaren. The team had already chilled 180 bottles of champagne. At the headquarters in Woking, England, the employees who stayed at home also celebrated.

But it was also party time at McLaren’s engine partner Mercedes. Towards the end of the race, George Russell also cleared the way for Hamilton. After a devastating tactical “idiot mistake” (Wolff) in qualifying and ultimately a starting position on the eighth row, Hamilton made his way to the front. “That was the ride of a world champion,” praised Wolff.

Hamilton competed in almost 250 races for the German works team. At that time he had replaced the German record world champion Michael Schumacher. The announcements over the radio when he should drive particularly fast became legendary: time for hammer time.

Rosberg: “The greatest natural talent in the history of Formula 1”

Hamilton celebrated 84 victories in the Mercedes, took 78 pole positions and reached the podium 153 times. He became world drivers’ champion six times in the Silver Arrow, and Mercedes won the constructors’ world championship eight times. “The greatest natural talent in the history of Formula 1,” said Hamilton’s former teammate and World Cup winner (2016), Nico Rosberg, as a Sky expert about the Brit, who had announced his departure before the season.

According to his own statements, he underestimated what followed. “The emotions come in waves, it’s not always easy to control,” he said at the Yas Marina Circuit. At a first farewell ceremony on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, “half the room cried,” reported Wolff. On Sunday it must have been everyone.