Hamilton Says Farewell To Mercedes With A Champions Drive

Lewis Hamilton raced one last time for Mercedes on Sunday, Formula Ones most successful driver and team partnership ending in a cloud of tyre smoke, a radio love-in and a performance worthy of a seven times world champion.

The 39-year-old Briton, who will be driving for Ferrari next season, arrived at Abu Dhabis Yas Marina circuit on race day dressed in red and bowed out with emotional farewells flooding the airwaves.

We dreamed a lot but together we believed, Hamilton said, after finishing fourth in a season-ender he started 16th thanks to a plastic bollard becoming wedged under his car in qualifying.

Thank you for all the courage, the determination, the passion and everything in supporting me.

What started out as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books. We did everything together and Im so, so grateful to everyone.