Billy Monger acquired Lewis Hamilton to admit the difficulties in his relationships with Mercedes colleagues over the previous 12 months.
Hamilton ended his legendary stint at Mercedes with an excellent drive from sixteenth to fourth on the season-ending F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
He strolled via the Abu Dhabi paddock afterwards with Monger, the racing driver who had each legs amputated after an enormous crash and who now works for Channel 4 on their F1 protection.
“I bear in mind being a seven-year-old watching you on the couch, leaping and down with my dad, once you received your first world championship,” Monger instructed Hamilton on Channel 4’s present.
“You will have impressed so many youngsters and adjusted this paddock together with your profession.
“How has the method felt, shifting to a staff like Ferrari? Has it sunk in but?”
Hamilton replied: “It hasn’t, truthfully.
“I bear in mind firstly of the 12 months once I was printing off the contract, I couldn’t imagine it was really taking place.
“It’s been a extremely, actually lengthy 12 months. Powerful, to firstly go together with the announcement.
“Then, with the connection, turbulence and ups and downs with folks I’ve labored with for years.
“Managing that was actually powerful, all through the entire 12 months.
“There are such a lot of folks, and it has affected everyone. To undergo this low time then come again and get to some extent right here, the place love comes via.
“Past the upset, or individuals who can’t think about you in pink, now it’s ‘I want you all the most effective’ or tears. It’s stunning. I’m grateful to this staff. It has been the honour of my life.
“I can’t imagine I’ll be in pink subsequent 12 months. It seems to be good on me! Hopefully I could make it work.”
Lewis Hamilton ends Mercedes profession
The size of Hamilton’s brilliance within the F1 paddock may be measured in some ways, not least in his record-equalling seven titles, but additionally via the time he has identified Monger.
Hamilton teased Monger: “It’s loopy to see this one right here with a moustache as a result of I’ve identified him since he was younger!
“I’m pleased with him, he has carried out some wonderful issues.”
He added about ending his Mercedes tenure: “I really feel loads of satisfaction. I’m pleased with the outcome and the drive. It has ended on a pleasant observe and tone.
“All of the board members and the staff have smiles.
“I’m pleased with what we’ve carried out as a staff, it’s been an honour to be part of Mercedes.”
Closing ‘it’s hammer time’ Lewis Hamilton radio
Peter Bonnington aka Bono has been Hamilton’s race engineer throughout his time at Mercedes. Collectively, they’re F1’s most profitable race engineer and driver duo.
Bono delivered his well-known ‘it’s hammer time’ radio message one last time in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton mentioned concerning the grand prix: “I didn’t benefit from the first half when everybody began on the medium and I began on the arduous.
“I used to be like ‘shoot, have we acquired it proper?’
“I didn’t have tempo. I struggled with loads of understeer. It wasn’t going significantly properly. I assumed it is likely to be a race like Qatar which actually sucked.
“I stored my head down and thought ‘it’s going to get higher’.
“Folks had been pitting and I noticed on the board that I’d moved up. ‘Hammer time!’ It was cool to listen to Bono say that as a result of I haven’t for some time.
“I bear in mind telling him in 2013, inform me ‘it’s hammer time!’ And he has by no means stopped.”