Lewis Hamilton: Toto Wolff says he needs outgoing Mercedes driver to win at Ferrari if Silver Arrows can't | F1 Information

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has mentioned he want to see Lewis Hamilton win at Ferrari if his personal group can’t win the championship.

Hamilton rose from sixteenth within the standings to complete fourth in his ultimate race for Mercedes on Sunday as his 12 years with the Silver Arrows got here to an emotional finish on Sunday on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The 39-year-old introduced earlier than the beginning of this season that he would be a part of Ferrari in 2025 and admitted he “vastly underestimated” this yr's problem.

Hamilton shall be changed by Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes subsequent yr.

“If we are able to’t win, we’ll cheer for it,” Wolff mentioned.

“He deserves an eighth championship however clearly the group, the drivers, the model, it’s the primary precedence to win and we are going to give all the things we are able to.”

Hamilton, who overtook George Russell on the ultimate lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, received six drivers' titles, 84 races and took 78 pole positions for Mercedes.

Wolff says he’ll “work arduous to take care of the connection” with Hamilton, together with eating and racing bikes with essentially the most profitable F1 driver of all time.

“It's been 12 years. It's not solely the longest driver-team relationship the game has ever identified, but additionally one of many longest relationships a sports activities group has had with a participant,” Wolff continued .

“And one of many longest private relationships with an individual. Clearly it creates attachment, belief and these values ​​are uncommon today. That's why it's a interval that we are going to hold near our hearts .

“And among the best durations I’ve skilled personally and for the group.”

Hamilton: Final 'hammer time' was when it clicked for me

Hamilton had a giant share of misfortune on Saturday when he was eradicated in Q1 after hitting a bollard, so he began sixteenth.

He was the one driver to start out on the hards, so he ran lengthy within the first stint earlier than going late within the race on the mediums, overtaking Haas' Nico Hulkenberg, Alpine's Pierre Gasly and made a courageous transfer on his teammate Russell on the final lap.

Hamilton engineer Peter Bonnington turned well-known for his radio message “it's Lewis hammer time” to his driver as they battled for victory, which was a sign to assault arduous earlier than a pit cease. Bonnington delivered this message one final time in Abu Dhabi, which was a particular second for Hamilton.

“I believe when Bono mentioned it was 'hammer time' [during the pit stop phase]I seen on the time, I mentioned to myself “that is the final time I’ll hear this”. It actually clicked for me at that second,” Hamilton mentioned. Sky Sports activities F1.

“It was a extremely, actually robust race – understandably – from the place I used to be, and I didn't get nearly as good a begin as I did right here. [Charles Leclerc]my new teammate.

“And that first stint was actually, actually robust. I wasn't giving up hope, I used to be identical to, 'Oh, this isn't going in addition to I believed it might.'

“However I simply didn't surrender, I simply stored pushing, like 'Come on, we are able to make it,' after which I placed on completely different tires, and the automotive got here to life – however I had a Big hole to fill, so I simply centered on getting completely all the things out of the automotive and never giving up.

“I wished to complete on a excessive word and provides each ounce of me to the group, like they’ve given me all these years.”

He added to F1 Tv: “I'm going to overlook everybody. I can't inform you how a lot I'm going to overlook them. It's going to be large as a result of I've labored with them each day for 12 years. There's a number of love on this group and it’s not going wherever.”

Watch all 24 race weekends of the 2025 System 1 season reside on Sky Sports activities F1, beginning with the Australian GP from March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime