Lewis Hamilton To Miss Ferrari Post-Season Test As Mercedes Commitments Continue

Saajan Jogia | 12 Hours Ago

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain during media availabilities at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Mercedes has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton will not participate in Ferrari's post-season test at Abu Dhabi following the 2024 season finale. Instead, he will be involved in special farewell events with Mercedes, marking the end of his remarkable 12-season tenure with the team.

Hamilton announced his bombshell signing with Ferrari in February this year, after an unsuccessful stint with Mercedes in the ground effect era, that began in 2022. The seven-time world champion decided the big switch in the quest for his eighth world title. However, he won't be testing a Ferrari F1 car after the grand finale.

As per the usual protocol, a post-season test will be conducted at Yas Marina following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This event will allow young drivers to experience and test the latest Formula 1 cars, while also offering tire supplier Pirelli the opportunity to collect important data.

It is not unusual for drivers moving to new teams to take part in these tests. For example, Pierre Gasly had the opportunity to test Alpine's F1 car while still with AlphaTauri. Similarly, Fernando Alonso participated in the Abu Dhabi test for Aston Martin just days after his final race with Alpine in 2022.

However, regarding Hamilton, PlanetF1 reports that Ferrari has not requested his services for the test, and this topic is not considered a point of contention between Ferrari and Mercedes. On the contrary, Hamilton will be engaged in promotional activities with Mercedes, away from Abu Dhabi, as he prepares to bid farewell to the team before his contract concludes.

The final race could be an emotional milestone for the 39-year-old driver as he bids farewell to the team with which he secured six world championships. Speaking at the Italian Grand Prix last month, Hamilton reflected on how each race brings him closer to the conclusion of his remarkable journey with Mercedes. He said:

“It’s been there all year. Every single race you turn up.

“I love my team so much. We have been through a hell of a lot together so it will be emotional every single race.

“Because every race we do is the last time at that particular place. Every race we get closer and closer to the last time I’ll be in that Mercedes. It’s going to be tough, but my focus is just to do my best job for the team and to finish on a high.”

During the same weekend, Mercedes officially announced Hamilton's replacement by confirming F2 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli for the 2025 season alongside George Russell.