“I feel a little bit like 2007,” he added, referring to the championship he
lost to Kimi Raikkonen, then of Ferrari, at the final race here five years
ago. “I feel a little bit numb. It’s mixed emotions at the moment. We were
leading and we didn’t get to see through the race. I always like to see
through the race.”
Alas, he has failed to finish far too many times this year — surely a factor
in his decision to make fresh start elsewhere.
He said he was looking forward to beginning work at Brackley, “and then
hopefully, at some stage, I’ll have a little bit of luck.”
Hamilton’s retirement effectively handed second place in the constructors’
championship to Ferrari, which was worth some £10million.
“It’s a shame we weren’t able to seal second position in the constuctors’
world championship together, but we did our best,” he added. “I feel
comfortable going into this winter because I feel I did a good job this
year. I gave 2012 everything I had. I couldn’t have done anything more.”
An emotional farewell visit to the McLaren factory in Woking awaits at some
point over the next few weeks, as well as a planned meeting with former
mentor and team principal Ron Dennis, with whom relations have been strained
in recent seasons. But judging by his departure here on Sunday, Hamilton can
rest assured he will be missed by all at Woking.
Team principal Martin Whitmarsh sent him on his way with some kind words: “It
would have been fantastic if we could have scored the one-two finish that
was clearly within our reach but for that collision, not least for Lewis,
whose superb record for McLaren warrants setting out here: 110 grands prix,
21 wins, 49 podium places, 26 pole positions, 12 fastest laps and 913 world
championship points. On behalf of everyone at McLaren, we wish him well.”