Lewis Hamꦦilton believes he is “in the mix” at the 2024 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but admits Friday practice was “very surreal” ahead 🐼of his Mercedes farewell.

The seven-time world champion will leave the Meꦗrcedes team at the end of this weekend having joined the squad in 2013 to begin F1’s most dominant partn𒆙ership.

Hamilton ended 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Friday in Abu Dhabi in strong form, putting h𝓡is Mercedes fifth, albeit around six tenths o❀ff the fastest time, and showing well in race running.

But,♋ on the backdrop of hi🌃s Mercedes farewell, Hamilton admitted it was a “very surreal” final Friday of the season.

“It felt better today,” he told Sky Sports F1 when asked about his car’ওs performance in Abu Dhabi.

“It’s not been such a bad day. Very surreal, and I’ve just tried to be really as present asꦯ I can be t✨oday and just enjoying every moment.

“So, from arriving, to seeing the engineers and really just taking moments and really capturing them as much as I can, and then to getting ready and geꦑtting in the car.

“I’ve really enjoyed the day, I’ve really enjoyed driving the car today an💟d working with the guys in the garage and the engineers. We’ve got some work to do.

“The McLaren’s are still so fast, as is Ferrari, but we’re 🙈in the mix kind of but have got to find some time.”

Hamilton says h🥃e has been ꧟“trying to channel” his emotion over his Mercedes exit in improving the car.

“There’s no trick to it, I’m trying to keep my emotions as unde𒐪r coꦍntrol as I can,” he added.

“As 👍I said yesterday I’ve not been great at it this year, I’ve definitely been very up and down.

“It’s hu🎃man emotion, that’s normal. But I’m really just trying to channel it into the car, into the squad. I have so much lo🐲ve for the team.

“I’ve been wanting to do well for them for ages, but one last go at it. We won’t change too much on the car tonight and hopefully tomꦇorrow we will be there or thereabouts.”

On where Mercedes sit in the pecking or🌞der, Hamilton feels he is “a lot closer to the McLarens” in race trim but needs to find more for t🃏he time attack in qualifying on Saturday.

“I mean, it’s never that easy to determine,🌞 but I think our long run pace didn’t look too bad today,” he said.

“So, I ๊would say that was the big positive from today. I was a lot closer to the McLarens. On a single lap I think we’ve got some work to do.”