Lewis bid farewell to the team. Stephen Lord, team coordinator, recounts his last visit to the headquarters: “He was moved, but he also thought of Kimi, giving him advice”
First the end of the Hamilton era, then the new hope, namely Andrea Kimi Antonelli: the last few days have been emotionally intense for Mercedes. The German team ended its working relationship with Lewis, the Stuttgart team’s first champion in F1 since Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1950s. The curtain falls on a 12-season era, with six world titles for the Briton and eight Constructors’ World Championships. In 2025 the place of the future Ferrari driver will be occupied by the very young Italian talent, for whom Hamilton himself has reserved a special thought.
AFFECTION
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The “dedication” to Antonelli was born while Lewis was saying goodbye to his room in the Mercedes for the last time. A touching moment, told to the Beyond the Grid podcast by the German team coordinator Stephen Lord, revealing some background: “In Europe there is our race base, where the drivers have their rooms. After the last meeting with the engineers, Hamilton was ready to return home. He went down the stairs but, once he reached the bottom, he stopped and turned back. After ten minutes he reappeared saying: ‘I thought I would never see that room again.’ Lewis was really moved.” But the surprises weren’t over: “Later I walked right into the room and there was a long handwritten note for Kimi.” That is, Hamilton’s successor.
ADVICE
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Antonelli will make his debut in F1 at 18 and will replace a seven-time world champion: the task is not easy, even if his talent suggests a future as a protagonist. Lewis still wanted to provide him with some advice, contained in his note. Lord recalls: “He welcomed him to his new room, wishing him good luck. Lewis gave a nice description of the stable. In particular, he advised Antonelli to take care of this team, because the team would reciprocate his concern. It was a really nice gesture.” Hamilton’s last thoughts on his recent past before dedicating himself to the new challenge: winning with Ferrari too.
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