Lewis Hamilton opens up on emotional Mercedes last that ‘hit me’ after Monza

Follow us on Google Discover

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have been the most successful driver-team pairing in Formula 1’s history, but the seven-time champion has agreed to join Ferrari in 2025.

The Briton’s farewell tour with the Silver Arrows this season has also thrown up a number of emotional moments. Hamilton won a record ninth British Grand Prix in July for starters, with it even his first win since 2021 – the longest drought the 39-year-old had ever endured in F1.

Another emotional moment unfolded last time out at the Italian Grand Prix, the home track of Ferrari, where the Tifosi only showed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz more affection. The Monza crowd cheered Hamilton throughout the weekend ahead of his debut in red in 2025.

Lewis Hamilton reveals the emotions from his final time in the Mercedes unit at Monza

But only when Hamilton left Monza after finishing the Italian GP in fifth place that it ‘hit me’ that it was his last race for Mercedes on European soil. The final eight rounds of Formula 1’s record 24-round calendar in 2024 are now flyaways, starting with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Hamilton will close out his 12 years at Mercedes with races in Singapore, Texas, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. But only as he left Monza did Hamilton realise it was the final time that he would sit in the Briton’s room in the Mercedes engineering truck.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025

Hamilton has called the Mercedes truck his home since 2013 and enjoyed 84 of his record 105 Grand Prix wins in it, plus 78 of his 104 pole positions, 152 of his 201 podiums and six of his seven drivers’ titles. So, leaving Monza sparked plenty of emotions and many memories.

“Leaving Monza, it hit me that it was the last European race this year,” Hamilton shared in an Instagram Stories post. “The last time I’ll be in my room in engineering that’s been my home for 12 years.

“This is such a unique time in my life, one that continues to bring out a lot of emotions. What I feel the most is pride and gratitude. The memories will last forever, as will the memories I make next year.”

The Lewis Hamilton-Mercedes farewell tour has further emotional stops to come

Hamilton’s farewell tour will continue to see him make emotional trips back to circuits that staged key events in his and Mercedes’ journey in Formula 1. The Singapore Grand Prix will be the first having staged one of the greatest laps of Hamilton’s career in qualifying in 2018.

READ MORE: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

COTA also saw Hamilton secure the 2015 and 2019 drivers’ titles at the United States Grand Prix. It was at also the 2017 and 2018 Mexican Grand Prix – now called the Mexico City GP – where Hamilton beat then-Ferrari star Sebastian Vettel to win the title in their fight for five.

While the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the last time that Hamilton drives for Mercedes in F1 ahead of joining Ferrari. It was also at Yas Marina where he won the 2014 title for the Silver Arrows’ first championship since Juan Manuel Fangio went back-to-back in 1954 and 1955.