Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes that Lewis Hamilton could have been in the mix to win the season finale at a the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The chance was there but drama in qualifying made it difficult to make it possible.
Hamilton has qualified P18 for the final race of year, after picking up a bollard, dislodged by Haas’ Kevin Magnussen, on his out lap. He had a significant performance loss in the final few corners on his push lap, which meant he was eliminated from Q1. In the end McLaren took a 1-2, with Lando Norris on pole.
Following grid penalties, including one for Hamilton’s future teammate Charles Leclerc, the Briton started from P16. He was lucky due to some chaos at the front and eventually ended up in the Top 8. On his last stint on mediums, he caught up teammate George Russell and overtook him for P4 in the final lap.
Hamilton’s drive “was a statement of a world champion”
Speaking after the Abu Dhabi GP, Wolff says that he believes that Hamilton could have won the race if he wouldn’t have had a bollard stuck under his car. The comeback drive would have been “a statement of a world champion”, he adds.
”I try to be analytical and if the bollard wouldn’t have been in our way yesterday, I think that Lewis could have fought for the victory. And obviously I’m continuing that thought.
”But then on the other side is something he said to me, we’ve had so many wins and so much success that these last few races, they don’t change anything of how we feel about it.
”And he drove like a world champion today, from P16, making it slowly through the cars, we’re playing the long game and then finishing fourth, driving away from the Red Bull. That was a statement of a world champion.”
Asked on what Mercedes estimated finishing position was for Hamilton, Wolff said it would have been sixth place.
”Before the race, the best estimate was P6. But on pure pace, and medium drive to medium drive with Lando [Norris], it was two tenths slower. But obviously with Lewis’ traffic situation, etc. etc. So, we would have been right up there.”
Lewis Hamilton has finished the 2024 F1 season in seventh place with a total of 223 points to his name. Mercedes secured fourth place in the constructors championship, with a 121-point gap to third-placed Red Bull Racing.
Wolff: Mercedes will cheer for Hamilton if they can’t win
After 12 years with the Mercedes works team, and being powered by Mercedes engines for 26 years, Hamilton’s is now departing for the Scuderia Ferrari. This was announced in February.
Wolff says that the long relationship with the seven-times world champion created a strong bond between the manufacturer and the driver.
”It’s been 12 years. It’s not only the longest driver-team relationship that the sport has ever seen, it’s probably also one of the longest relationships that any sports team had with a player. It would be interesting to dig those data out. It’s been one of the longest relationships that we had personally with another person.
“Obviously that creates attachment, trust, and those values in this day and age are rare. And that’s why it’s something, it’s a period of time that we will always hold close to our hearts and one of the best periods that I personally had on the team.”
The Austrian was then asked what he would miss the most about Hamilton. Additionally he explained that from 2025 they will be rivals. However, Mercedes would cheer for the 39-year-old if the Brackley based squad can’t get close to wins.
“We said that we’re going to work hard in maintaining the relationship. It’s going to be fierce competition on the track. But if individuals want the relationship to continue beyond the competition, we will do so.
”And we will still be doing our sports sessions where we’re both competitive and try to beat each other or ride a bike, motorbike. We’re not doing one person’s power, we do more. Have dinner together and all of those things.
”We will be competitors. And I said that if we can’t win, we’ll cheer for him. He merits an eighth championship. But obviously, you know, the team, the drivers, the brand, that is the main priority to win. And we’re going to give it everything we have.”
