Lewis Hamilton’s farewell tour with Mercedes has officially begun
Lewis Hamilton's farewell tour with Mercedes is in full swing, with a first stop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Lewis Hamilton has been a regular visitor to Malaysia over the years, due to the presence of Petronas, a key sponsor of Mercedes, based in the country.
As the seven-time Formula 1 world champion will leave Mercedes at the end of the year to join Ferrari in a resounding change, he bids farewell to the team that has been with him for over a decade.
This Tuesday, Lewis Hamilton was photographed in front of the iconic Petronas Towers. His farewell tour will continue tomorrow, with a lunch planned with the Mercedes board of directors in Stuttgart. Later this week, he will bid farewell to the Mercedes F1 headquarters in Brackley and Brixworth, United Kingdom.
In a short video posted on the Petronas Motorsport Instagram account, Lewis Hamilton declared: “This is obviously a very moving moment, coming back from Abu Dhabi directly into my farewell tour. I’m back at the Twin Towers [Petronas]. I’ve always loved coming here. I always receive a fantastic welcome from everyone here in Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur.”
(I) I am looking forward to seeing the Petronas team, who has been like family to me for the past 12 years. I hope this is not the last time I come back, but I am excited to see everyone again today.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 10, 2024
Lewis Hamilton absent from Abu Dhabi Tests
Due to his contractual commitments with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton is not taking part in the end-of-season testing in Abu Dhabi. Carlos Sainz, Nico Hülkenberg, and Esteban Ocon are already driving for their new teams, but he is not present.
With his current contract and the farewell tour, he will not be able to drive a Ferrari before the beginning of next year. The good news for Ferrari is that they have their own track at Fiorano, which will allow Hamilton to adapt to his new team.
According to Formula 1 regulations, Lewis Hamilton will be allowed to drive the 2022 Ferrari at some point, before the pre-season testing in Bahrain.
