Lewis Hamilton ended his Mercedes career with an impressive comeback, securing fourth place after starting 16th at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton turned back the years and overtook his teammate George Russell on the last lap.

The race ended the most successful driver-team partnership of all time – in the twelve years since joining Mercedes, Hamilton won 84 races and six world championships, adding to the title he won with McLaren in 2008.

The partnership even surpassed Michael Schumacher’s legendary time at Ferrari between 1996 and 2006.

The British driver will now look to follow in Schumacher’s footsteps and end a losing streak in the Drivers’ Championship for Ferrari that dates back to Kimi Raikkonen’s 2007 title win in Hamilton’s rookie season.

This will also see him surpass the joint record of seven world championships that he shares with the German driver.

Hamilton’s first Ferrari appearance will not take place until early 2025.

There was a possibility he could have featured for the team in next week’s post-season test at the Yas Marina circuit had an early release been agreed, but he is still under contract with Mercedes until the end of the calendar year.

Next week, Hamilton will visit Mercedes title sponsor Petronas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as well as Mercedes headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, before visiting the team’s two British Formula One factories in Brixworth and Brackley.

Mercedes has said the visits will be a celebration of Hamilton’s career with the team.

Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already been confirmed as Hamilton’s replacement for 2025 – the teenage prodigy will partner George Russell.