Will Hamilton’s win avenge the ghosts of Abu Dhabi 2021?

The tears were as unexpected as the victory. Unprecedented, they came from a place deep inside. A mixture of joy and relief—somehow they seemed like catharsis.

Emotions flowed through the crash helmet that had been locked away since he was stripped of a record eighth world title in the controversial circumstances of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The sight of Lewis Hamilton ending his win drought, which began in December 2021 when he lost his title to Max Verstappen, is sure to become one of Formula 1’s most iconic moments and will be shown in video montages for the rest of time.

Since his last win, which came at the Saudi Grand Prix on December 5, 2021, Hamilton has been immersed in a depth of self-discovery and has repeatedly left himself wondering about his future in Formula 1.

Who can blame him for losing faith in the series and the race leaders? In the weeks following the defeat at Yas Marina, Hamilton has spent a lot of time digging into the truth.

He disappeared from our cell phone and television screens and stayed out of the limelight before posting a rather cryptic post on his social media channels on February 5, 2022. It was a picture of him standing in front of a wide valley with the words “I’m gone. Now I’m back!”
And now he’s back on the podium. But has he recovered from losing his title under these circumstances?

The psychological agony of seeing Verstappen inherit his title was compounded by Mercedes’s mechanical problems. Hamilton was shackled. Understandably frustrated, he sought a new challenge for 2025 and will join Ferrari.

This has led to question marks over whether he can still compete at the top. Now that he is 39, it is easy for people to claim that he has slowed down and lost his edge.

But Hamilton never gave up hope. He may have decided to change teams, but he was determined to end his Mercedes career with a big win. That was the end. But was it enough to take away the pain he felt in Abu Dhabi 2021?

Asked by Autosport if the tears were part of the healing process, Hamilton said: “I think only time will tell. What I can say is that I’m not giving up. I feel like I’m making the right decisions about my life, how I prepare and how I manage my time.”

“I made the decision, for example, for next year, and the commitment and the love I still have for this team and the love I still have for my job. I really, really love this job. There will never be anything that comes close to it. It’s something I’m very grateful for, to be among these 20 drivers in this great sport that is going through a very important time.

“Honestly, when I came back in 2022, I thought I was over it. I know I wasn’t over it, and it definitely took a long time to recover from that kind of feeling. That’s normal for anyone who has that experience. I just kept trying to work on myself and find inner peace day by day.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, pole position, celebrates at Parc Ferme with his father Anthony Hamilton

Photo: Andy Hone / Motorsports Pictures

On the lap back to the pits, his voice was shaking and trembling with emotion over the team radio. He was trying to hold back tears in his helmet. Hamilton stopped, got out of his car and stood with the Union Jack aloft above his head.

He was congratulated by his team-mate George Russell, then by Lando Norris, who finished third, before his father Anthony. The two embraced and hugged each other – just as they had done in Abu Dhabi.

It was also fitting that Apple was filming at Silverstone this week and ahead of the race, released the first trailer for its film, F1which will be in theaters next summer. Hamilton is one of the film’s producers, and this historic home race win was taken straight from a Hollywood script.

The win came at a time of political upheaval in the UK with a change in Downing Street, while England advanced to the semi-finals of the European Championship. Hamilton watched the decisive penalty shootout on the big screen with Mercedes team-mate George Russell. A day later, it was he who was receiving the praise.

The win was a sweet and wonderful way to say goodbye to his time with Mercedes, but the truth is that the wounds will not truly heal until he secures the eighth world title he so desperately wants. A title that he still feels the effects of after losing.