“Lewis, it’s hammertime.” With that iconic call, Bono instructed the seven-time world champion to push to the limit one last time. Hamilton responded flawlessly, clawing back a 14-second deficit to teammate George Russell and overtaking him on the outside in the final lap to secure fourth place in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
This marked Hamilton’s last race with Mercedes, the team with which he won six of his seven world titles. It was a fitting send-off, defined by an all-out attack and sheer determination, despite a costly qualifying error by the team that left Hamilton with significant ground to recover.
“I always had faith, but it feels great to finish with such a battle. I didn’t make any mistakes and drove well,” Hamilton said post-race.
“This year has been turbulent—probably the longest of my life—because we knew from the start that I’d be leaving Mercedes. Both the team and I were aware, and we had to coexist for an entire year knowing this. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, but today we ended on a high note.”
Reflecting on his chase of Russell, Lewis Hamilton praised his teammate’s pace despite running on much older tires.
“George was driving really well. He started much further ahead, so making up 14 seconds on him was tough. He was putting in strong laps, so I had to be perfect and deliver my best laps possible. I caught up to him right at the final lap and thought, ‘It’s now or never,’ so I went for it.”
“By the end of the race, I knew these would be my last moments with Mercedes. I tried to hold on to those feelings because it was the last time I raced for the team and represented them. It’s undoubtedly been the greatest honor of my life.”
“I’ve been powered by Mercedes engines in every race, pole position, victory, and championship. It’s impossible to pinpoint a single moment. There were times we celebrated championships as a team, and there were defeats and tears shed by everyone. There are just too many memories.”
Hamilton also commented on hearing Bono’s final “It’s hammertime” over the radio. “I noticed it. When he said it, I thought, ‘I can’t even remember the last time he said that.’”
“I remember asking Bono to say ‘Hammertime’ during our first year together. I thought, ‘Don’t just tell me to go faster—tell me it’s time to hammer down, and I’ll know exactly what you mean.’”
“For me, Bono has been one of my dearest friends over the years. It’s something I didn’t expect to gain, considering he’s worked with legends like Michael Schumacher and many other great drivers. But he stood by my side for so long.”
“For an engineer, staying alongside someone—no matter how frustrating or challenging it may be—he’s been there every single day, and he’s never missed a beat.”
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