Both Toto Wolff and Lewis Hamilton say that they want to make the best of it in 2024 in the seven-time world champion's final season at Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton's farewell to Mercedes naturally stirred emotions and both Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and Hamilton himself responded on the official website of the Mercedes F1 team.
“As the team driver, our relationship with Lewis is the most successful the sport has ever known and that is something we can look back on with pride,” said Wolff. Lewis will always be an important part of Mercedes Motorsport history.
However, we knew that at some point our collaboration would come to a natural end and that day has now come. We accept Lewis's decision to take on a new challenge and our options for the future are exciting to consider. But for now we still have one more season to go and we are focused on racing to deliver a strong 2024.”
Lewis Hamilton also wants to say goodbye to the team he has been part of for eleven years.
“I have had an amazing eleven years with this team and I am so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was thirteen. It's a place where I grew up, so the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make.
But the time is right to take this step and I am happy that I can take on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support from my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish together on a high note. I am 100 percent committed to doing the best I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows one to remember.”