The 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix presented a challenging conclusion to Lewis Hamilton's season, culminating in a P18 classification after starting from P5 on the grid. The Mercedes AMG F1 W13, while showing flashes of pace throughout the year, encountered a terminal gearbox issue on lap 55, forcing Hamilton to retire from the race. Prior to the mechanical failure, Hamilton had been running a competitive pace, clocking his fastest lap of 1:29.788 on lap 42, ranking 11th overall for fastest laps during the event. This mechanical setback stood in contrast to his teammate George Russell, who managed to convert his P6 grid start into a P5 finish, securing valuable points for Mercedes. The Yas Marina Circuit has seen its share of dramatic conclusions, and while this race didn't have the championship-deciding tension of the previous year, it certainly added a footnote to Hamilton's 2022 campaign. For a look at other challenging races, one might recall [Fernando Alonso at the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix](/results/2014-spa-francorchamps-fernando-alonso), where technical issues also played a significant role in the outcome.
The DNF meant zero points for Hamilton, impacting his final standing in the Drivers' Championship. While he had entered the final round holding P5 with 240 points, the non-score saw him drop to P6 in the overall standings by the season's close. This mechanical retirement was a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of Formula 1 machinery, even for a seasoned competitor. The comprehensive [Formula 1 — official site](https://www.formula1.com/en) often details such technical challenges faced by teams. The 2022 season, overall, proved to be a learning curve for Mercedes with the new ground-effect regulations, and this Abu Dhabi result underscored some of the reliability hurdles. Comparing this to other races where Hamilton faced adversity, such as [Lewis Hamilton at the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix](/results/2014-hungaroring-lewis-hamilton) where strategic calls dominated the narrative, the mechanical nature of this DNF offered a different kind of challenge. Insights into historical race data and driver performances can be explored through resources like [Wikipedia: Formula One](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One), providing context for such events. For detailed F1 historical data, platforms like [Jolpica/Ergast — 2026 season data](https://api.jolpi.ca/ergast/f1/2026.json) offer extensive datasets.
Verified race record · Ergast