British racing driver Lewis Hamilton has shared his emotional farewell from Mercedes, revealing the one thing he will miss the most: the iconic "Hammer Time" radio call.
After crossing the chequered flag at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 39-year-old seven-time world champion opened up about the significance of this moment in his career.
He revealed that the sound of his race engineer, Bono, calling "Hammer Time" is something he will miss deeply.
“I don’t know if we’re going to have Hammer Time ever again. I’ll have to get Bono to give me a call or something… I can’t let anybody else say Hammer Time to me,” Hamilton admitted.
The F1 legend recalled how this iconic phrase began.
“It was really cool to have Bono say that because I haven’t heard him say it for a while. I remember telling him back in 2013, he’d say, ‘Time to push this.’ And I was like, next time, tell me it’s ‘Hammer Time.’ And then he just never stopped."
Hamilton announced his departure from Mercedes on December 8, surprising fans and the motorsport world. He is now preparing for a new chapter with Ferrari.
Reflecting on his time at Mercedes, Hamilton said, “We dreamed a lot, but together we believed.”
He finished the season in fourth place at Abu Dhabi after starting from 16th, thanks to a plastic bollard getting wedged under his car during qualifying.
Hamilton expressed his gratitude, adding, “Thank you for all the courage, the determination, the passion, and everything in supporting me.”
After the race, Hamilton treated the crowd to some signature "doughnut" spins on the finish straight before getting out of his car, huddling by it, and kissing it as a final gesture of appreciation.
During his 12 years with Mercedes, Hamilton secured six drivers’ titles, eight constructors' championships, 84 race wins, 78 pole positions, and 153 podium finishes, cementing his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
