Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes as Ferrari vie for title

Abu Dhabi: Lewis Hamilton bids farewell this weekend to Mercedes, the team that carried him to six world titles, as his future outfit Ferrari seek to...

Abu Dhabi: Lewis Hamilton bids farewell this weekend to Mercedes, the team that carried him to six world titles, as his future outfit Ferrari seek to win a first constructors’ crown in 16 years.

Sunday’s floodlit Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks the end of an era as the Briton concludes a remarkable 12-year spell with the Silver Arrows and a 26-year association with the Mercedes brand.

Hamilton will then move on to Ferrari, where Italy hopes he can rediscover the mojo that made him the sport’s most successful driver with seven titles and 105 wins before hitting a trough of frustration in the current ‘ground effect’ era.

This has seen Red Bull return to dominate with Max Verstappen winning four consecutive drivers’ titles, even if this season saw them decline, a fall that sees McLaren hanging on to a 21-point lead on Ferrari entering the season-ending race.

McLaren -- Hamilton’s first F1 home -- have not won the teams’ title since 1998 while Ferrari’s last success came in 2008, since when Mercedes and Red Bull have dominated.