Mercedes chief names the moment Lewis Hamilton showed ‘real class’ to help his teammate

Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of switching silver for red as he moves to Ferrari in 2025.

The seven-time world champion waved goodbye to Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after 12 incredible years with the Silver Arrows.

Hamilton put in a vintage performance in the 2024 season finale to climb from 16th to fourth in what was a fitting end to his time with the Brackley-based outfit. It has been a frustrating farewell season at Mercedes as the 39-year-old suffered his lowest finish in the driver standings with seventh.

But his time with Mercedes will go down as arguably the greatest partnership in sporting history. Hamilton won six of his seven drivers’ titles with the team between 2014-2020 and helped win eight consecutive constructors’ championships from 2014 to 2021.

The Brit also broke numerous records as he became the most winningest driver in F1 history, as well as securing the most podiums and pole positions, enjoying many great moments with the Silver Arrows.

Mercedes technical director James Allison has worked alongside Hamilton since 2017 and saw the Brit win four consecutive championships. But of all the memories he has of Hamilton, one moment stands out above the rest for Allison – and it is not a race win or championship victory.

Lewis Hamilton showed ‘real class’ to help Valtteri Bottas at the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix

Valtteri Bottas replaced Nico Rosberg after his retirement in 2016 to partner Hamilton at Mercedes, and the duo struck a great relationship on and off the track in their five seasons together as teammates.

One moment that showed Hamilton’s ‘real class’ for Allison was the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix. As the two Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen led the race, Hamilton was allowed past Bottas for third to challenge the frontrunners after the Brit said he had the pace to fight them.

When he could not get past, on the final lap of the race at the final corner, Hamilton let Bottas back through to claim the last spot on the podium. Speaking on the official Mercedes YouTube channel, Allisons says that race showed Hamilton’s ‘essential fairness’ in what was an ‘extremely difficult’ move to execute.

“It’s a hard choice that is because it’s a very rich gallery of experiences over these seasons. And although I am a Johnny-come-lately to the team, [I] have been there through thick and thin, through four drivers’ championships with him and five constructors, so there is a lot to choose from,” he said.

“But I have said, given this answer previously, and I tend to default back to Hungary 2017, where Lewis had been allowed to go past Valtteri to have a go at the Ferraris in front, didn’t make the progress we’d hoped, but then honoured his pledge that if he was given the chance to fight the Ferraris and couldn’t make it stick, that he would let Valtteri have the place back.

“The way that was conducted was extremely tense, extremely difficult to execute cleanly, because there was a lurking Verstappen there that made it really hard to do, and Lewis did it and did it with real class.

“And I think that showed the essential fairness that is in Lewis’ character right alongside this snarling competitor that we all also greatly admire.”

When will Lewis Hamilton make his debut with Ferrari?

As the 2024 season comes to an end, fans around the world will be waiting in anticipation for Hamilton’s first appearance for Ferrari.

Many had expected the seven-time world champion to get his first outing for the Maranello outfit at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi. However, Mercedes blocked Hamilton from participating as he is still under contract with them until the new year, with Ferrari running his future teammate Charles Leclerc, and his brother Arthur Leclerc and Antonio Fuoco sharing the second car.

Ferrari are hoping Hamilton will test at the Fiorano Circuit in 2025 before F1 turns up for pre-season testing in February in what would mark a momentous occasion as the 39-year-old joins an elite list of drivers to have driven for F1’s most successful team.

Hamilton has signed a deal until 2026 with Ferrari – with the option of a further year – and could earn as high as £83m a year with bonuses added on. The Italian team will be hoping that will be money well spent as Hamilton eyes a record-breaking eighth world title with Ferrari.