Lewis Hamilton Says Goodbye To McLaren After 14 Years

Lewis Hamilton says $31M per year deal from Mercedes was not why he left McLaren

F1 driver Lewis Hamilton "walked out of the McLaren headquarters on Friday after delivering a heartfelt and candid farewell speech to the workforce who supported his journey to F1 stardom," according to Malcolm Folley of the London Daily Mail. Hamilton was "granted a dignified departure by McLaren, a rare privilege in a sport renowned for being heartless when drivers switch allegiance."

He said, "It was the hardest decision I've ever made." He added, "It is to do with the process of growing up, of leaving home. That's why I am taking the next step, to grow as a driver and as a human being." Hamilton "has been lured from McLaren to Mercedes by more than the simple economics of a three-year contract worth £60M ($92.6M)." He "is attracted by the challenge of attempting to become the catalyst for the Mercedes team's development" — and future success — under Englishman and Mercedes F1 Team Principal Ross Brawn. Daily Mail