P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton reflected on the poignancy of his final ‘Hammer time’ radio message from long-serving Race Engineer Peter Bonnington at the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton faced a challenging final race with Mercedes at the Yas Marina Circuit, starting in 16th place on Hard tyres. Despite a slow start, he made significant progress and switched to Mediums after a long opening stint. With a tire advantage but in seventh place, Hamilton received a crucial ‘Hammer time’ call from Race Engineer Peter ‘Bono’ to push for fourth. On the last lap, Hamilton executed an impressive overtake on his teammate, George Russell. Reflecting on their long partnership post-race, Hamilton expressed gratitude for Bono’s unwavering support throughout their 12 seasons together. Moving forward, Hamilton looks to close his successful chapter with Mercedes and prepare to join Ferrari in 2025.
