Mercedes technical director James Allison says than even in the face of adversity following a disastrous qualifying session in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton’s leadership and positivity played a pivotal role in lifting his team’s spirits ahead of their final race together.
A seemingly innocuous incident in Q1 with a loose bollard that wedged itself under Hamilton’s car wreaked havoc on the Briton’s efforts, leaving him a lowly P16 on Sunday’s grid at Yas Marina.
It was anything but the send-off team and driver had envisioned for each other. The weight of the moment, the culmination of years of shared triumphs and struggles, hung in the air as Allison reflected.
“I think it would be very hard to summarize such a complex set of feelings,” Allison explained in Mercedes’ post-race Q&A on YouTube.
“We would of course love this whole season, let alone the last race, to be more of a fairy tale ending to a partnership that has set all the benchmarks in Formula 1.
“It would have been fitting if we could have finished on the podium at the very least or ideally on the top step, but that was not to be.”
The disappointment from the team was palpable, especially when it became clear that the race would not culminate in a final podium finish, let alone the top step.
However, despite the setback, Hamilton's response was nothing short of inspiring.
“I think it could not have been more well handled by Lewis and by the team. I think that owes a massive amount to the respect that there is between Lewis and the team and the huge amount of appreciation for everything we have achieved together.”
Despite the frustration of the qualifying incident, Hamilton refused to let it dampen the team’s collective spirit. Allison recalls how, in the debrief after qualifying, when everyone was feeling down, Hamilton took it upon himself to lift the mood.
“In the debrief afterwards when we were down in the mouth, he was telling us, ‘Look, put your chins up, we’re going to make the most of tomorrow and remember all the times when we’ve got this right together’.”
It wasn’t just Hamilton’s resilience that stood out in that moment, but his ability to remind the team of their rich history of success.
Allison noted that, over the course of their partnership, Mercedes and Hamilton had faced numerous challenges, but they had always come out stronger.
“It was this shared history that allowed the team to stay focused and optimistic despite the adversity of the moment.
“I think that is what it feels like. We have had some difficult seasons recently but over the span of this relationship no other driver-team partnership has come close to matching what we have done together and it has just been a fantastic run for all of us.
“We could not wish him more well than we did on that last day together.”
Although Hamilton’s comeback in the race would see him finish a remarkable fourth, Allison couldn’t help but feel that the incident in qualifying had cost him a shot at what could have been a perfect ending.
He believed that Hamilton’s form during the weekend had been strong enough to challenge for a podium finish.
“It is possible, yes. I think he had been pretty speedy during the weekend prior, was feeling confident in the car,” Allison said.
“The gaps actually between P5 and the front row were quite small and had he wiggled his way into Q2 without the untimely intervention of the bollard, then I think he would have had a strong qualifying session overall and then would have been obviously much better placed to fight in the race than eventually he was.”
In the end, Hamilton’s resilience in the face of disappointment was a fitting reflection of the extraordinary relationship he had built with Mercedes over the years.
Despite the challenges of the final race, he managed to charge through the field, showcasing his trademark skill and determination as he crossed the line in fourth place.
For Mercedes, it was a bittersweet conclusion, but one filled with immense gratitude for a partnership that had achieved so much. And for Hamilton, it was a final race that, despite not being a fairy tale finish, ended with a testament to the respect and unity that defined his legendary career with the team.
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