Mercedes chiefs’ claims that Lewis Hamilton nonetheless retains his genius behind the wheel shall be music to Ferrari’s ears.
Hamilton ended his iconic stint with Mercedes on the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the place he went from sixteenth to fourth.
Hamilton will be a part of Ferrari in 2025, who can revenue from the brilliance that his closest allies insist he nonetheless has.
Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes to Ferrari
Peter Bonnington has fashioned the all-time race engineer and driver partnership in System 1 with Hamilton however was nonetheless shocked to see him attain P4 in Abu Dhabi.
“Not one of the technique plans confirmed us getting fairly to date forward,” Bono instructed Sky Sports activities.
Mercedes trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin added: “You noticed in Vegas how good he’s at chasing down a niche.
“He has been fast all weekend however we let him down in qualifying. We must always have began additional up the grid.
“It was good to complete with a extremely sturdy drive from Lewis, who has clearly nonetheless acquired it.
“He’s decided to maintain going, preserve profitable races, preserve including to his file. We shall be cheering him on.”
Shovlin reacted to Toto Wolff’s fury after a foul qualifying: “To be honest, we didn’t do a ok job. We all know what we’re right here to do, and the requirements we function to. The larger factor was that we’d put lots of work into making this a weekend to recollect for Lewis, and we had been unhappy that we dropped the ball.”
Bono delivered his well-known “it’s hammer time” radio plea earlier than Hamilton accomplished his good drive in Abu Dhabi.
“We simply wanted the Lewis magic,” Bono mentioned. “He’s a Sunday man. He carried out in addition to he at all times does.
“For him to have that perception in us? We knew that we had a aggressive programme arising with the V6 engine and the chassis. We didn’t suppose it’d be fairly so sturdy.
“That partnership with Lewis? The file says the story.”
Nico Rosberg praises Lewis Hamilton
Former teammate and rival Nico Rosberg mentioned in regards to the emotional post-race goodbyes: “It’s so highly effective to see these moments. Wonderful work that Lewis discovered from contained in the automobile.
“It’s lovely, the story that they wrote.”
Danica Patrick mentioned: “What a rollercoaster of a weekend. The struggles they’ve needed to be quick each weekend.
“He was operating effectively, then qualifying occurred. He didn’t have a superb qualifying – they despatched him out too late, he acquired into site visitors, picked up the bollard.
“Then he begins on the again, will get the race going, then had an opportunity at a podium!
“I don’t know if it was the chosen route but it surely made it thrilling to look at.”
Rosberg added: “The way in which he drove was the drive of a seven-time world champion and the best of all time.
“He handed George, who had began on the entrance. An exceptional drive from Lewis.”
Hamilton will type a robust partnership with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari in 2025, below Fred Vasseur’s management.
Mercedes’ new period may have George Russell as their senior driver, with rookie Kimi Antonelli changing Hamilton.
