admits he has discovered it “powerful to deal with his feelings” this season along with his 2025 transfer to looming within the background.
The seven-time world champion strikes to the Scuderia subsequent yr and brings the curtain down on a wonderful 12-year stint with , which has introduced him six world championships, this weekend .
Hamilton has however did declare two victories this yr – and Spa – but is positioned solely seventh within the drivers’ standings heading into the ultimate race.
“I anticipated it will be tough [this year] however massively underestimated how tough,” he mentioned on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, about his 2024 marketing campaign.
“It [the Ferrari move] was restraining on the connection early on, it took a while for individuals to get previous it. It’s been a really emotional yr for me.
“And I’ve not been at my greatest in dealing with these feelings. So lots of you have got seen the worst of me and one of the best of me. I’m not going to apologise for both, I’m solely human and don’t get it proper.
“It’s been one of many worst years in dealing with that [those emotions] from my facet. I hope the great and the highs outweigh the negatives.
“I keep in mind the great instances, I’ve constructed some nice relationships.”
Hamilton has loved his fair proportion of highs and lows in Abu Dhabi for Mercedes. Whereas he claimed his second world championship 10 years in the past on the season finale, he missed out on the 2016 and 2021 titles on the Yas Marina Circuit – the latter in to Max Verstappen.
The 39-year-old added that it has been “awkward” at instances this yr along with his Mercedes colleagues.
“The primary assembly with Toto [Wolff] initially of the yr was awkward,” he mentioned. “There was a day I took a number of the workforce paintballing… and I bought plenty of photographs and a great deal of bruises! Folks went in on me!
“However I really feel calm in the intervening time. I’m feeling constructive and excited to present all of it this weekend. Immediately after the briefings, we realised it’s the final moments with the workforce. It’s arduous to explain, I believe principally simply actually happy with what we’ve achieved.:
Requested what he’ll miss probably the most about Mercedes, Hamilton replied: “The grins. Once we’ve had the success, these moments.
“I keep in mind our first win in Australia in 2014, I keep in mind our engineer being in tears on the rostrum. The feelings at Silverstone this yr, all the great bits.
“We keep in mind the great bits. Extremely proud however so grateful to each single particular person whose been supporting me since day one.”
Hamilton is trying to keep away from his worst-ever championship place this weekend. He at present lies seventh within the drivers’ standings and has by no means completed beneath sixth, however has a tall order to overhaul teammate George Russell, who’s 24 factors forward.
