F1: Lewis Hamilton ends an era as McLaren, Ferrari fight for title

Formula One F1 – Qatar Grand Prix – Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar – December 1, 2024 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

ABU DHABI–Lewis Hamilton will bring down the curtain on his Mercedes career in Abu Dhabi on Sunday as his past and future Formula One teams, McLaren and Ferrari, fight for a constructors’ title to end years of waiting.

Even if Red Bull’s Max Verstappen secured his fourth successive championship last month in Las Vegas, eras will end with the final chequered flag of the season under the Yas Marina floodlights.

McLaren, who took Hamilton to his first title in 2008 but was last champion in 1998, is 21 points clear of Ferrari, the sport’s oldest and most successful team chasing a first crown since 2008.

READ: F1: Lewis Hamilton fine with Ferrari test wait

Whoever comes out on top will end a 15-year run where only Red Bull and Mercedes have won championships.

Hamilton, the most successful driver in the history of Formula One with seven titles and 105 wins, has been part of the Mercedes ‘family’ for 26 years but is joining Ferrari at the end of the month.

“This weekend is a celebration,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. “A celebration of everything that we have accomplished together.

READ: F1: Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes has found ‘North Star’

“We will honor this unparalleled story in Abu Dhabi and across the following week as we visit Kuala Lumpur, Stuttgart, then finally Brixworth and Brackley,” he added, referring to the headquarters of sponsor Petronas and Mercedes and the two factories in England.

“And honor it knowing that, whilst this phase of our relationship is coming to an end, Lewis will always be a part of our family.

“For now, though, our full focus is on the race weekend. There is no better way to mark the end of our time together than with a strong performance on the track. The entire team is focused on adding one more highlight to the reel.”

Hamilton, twice a winner this season, can only agree after the low of 12th in Qatar last Sunday with two penalties and a puncture.

“I’m still standing, it’s not how you fall, it’s how you get back up,” the 39-year-old Briton said then.

MCLAREN LEAD

(Front to back) McLaren’s Australian driver Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Ferrari’s  Charles Leclerc, and Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen compete during the Sprint race at the Jose Carlos Pace racetrack, aka Interlagos, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 2, 2024, on the eve of the F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)

McLaren, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri showing plenty of team spirit, are favorites for the constructors’ title but nothing can be taken for granted.

“Twenty-one points requires a perfect weekend from Ferrari and a bad weekend from McLaren,” said Carlos Sainz ahead of what will be the Williams-bound Spaniard’s last race for the Italian team alongside Charles Leclerc.

READ: Lando Norris boosts McLaren F1 title hopes with sprint pole

“We’re going to give it our best shot. I think if we nail a good weekend, we could still make it happen. Nothing to lose. We’re going to throw everything in to make sure we give ourselves the best chance.”

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur said his team would “fight until the last corner of the last lap”.

Verstappen will be chasing his 10th win of the season after victory in Qatar and a rancorous falling out with Hamilton’s team mate George Russell.

READ: F1: McLaren, Ferrari Red Bull fight for constructors’ title

The governing FIA will also be in the spotlight amid criticism from teams and media of race direction and stewarding decisions.

Red Bull will be saying goodbye to Jonathan Wheatley, the future principal of Sauber/Audi, having already parted with top designer Adrian Newey.

Nobody would be surprised if Verstappen’s underperforming teammate Sergio Perez left also, despite the Mexican having a contract for 2025.

Renault-owned Alpine, in a tight battle with Haas for sixth place overall, has already said farewell to Esteban Ocon with Australian replacement Jack Doohan set for a race debut ahead of schedule.

Other goodbyes will be said at Haas (Kevin Magnussen) and Sauber (Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu) as Formula One prepares for a new wave of young talent next season.