Lewis Hamilton will be cheered on by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff next year if the Austrian’s own drivers are not in contention to win the championship.

Hamilton brought his 12-year stint with the Silver Arrows to a close by finishing fourth at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday, despite starting the race in 16th having been eliminated early in qualifying.

The Ferrari-bound 39-year-old won six of his seven titles with Mercedes and he departs with Wolff’s goodwill.

“If we can’t win, we will cheer for him. He merits an eighth championship,” Wolff told Sky Sports.

“But obviously the team, the drivers, the brand – that is the main priority to win and we will give it everything we can.

“It’s been 12 years. It’s not only the longest driver-team relationship the sport has ever seen, but one of the longest relationships any sports team has had with a player.

“And one of the longest relationships personally with a person. Obviously that creates attachment, trust and those values in this day and age are rare. That’s why it’s a period of time we will hold close to our hearts.

“And one of the best periods that I have personally had and the team.”

Hamilton finished a career-low seventh in the driver standings in 2024 and has been outperformed by Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

“It’s been a really turbulent year, probably the longest year of my life,” Hamilton told reporters.

“Because we’ve known it from the beginning that we’re leaving. It’s like a relationship when you’ve told whoever the counterpart is that you’re leaving but you’re living together for a whole year.

“Lots of ups and downs, emotionally, but we finished off with a high. I will miss everyone. I can’t tell you how much I will miss them.

“It’s going to be a huge amount because I’ve worked with them every day for the past 12 years.

“There’s a lot of love within this team and that’s not going anywhere.”