Lewis Hamilton said he was "very proud of everybody" in the Mercedes team despite a season to forget for the seven-time Formula One world champion.
Hamilton endured a tough campaign in 2022, finishing without any pole positions or wins for the first time in his career and placing sixth in the F1 drivers' standings, 35 points behind fourth-placed teammate George Russell.
His DNF at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday perhaps summed up his year as Hamilton retired with three laps remaining with a suspected hydraulic issue. He was running fourth before he was forced into the pit lane.
“Ultimately, I think we started with a car that we didn’t want and we finished with a car that we didn’t want but we were basically stuck with it," Hamilton, 37, said. "We kept trundling way, kept working away at improving it, but I think the fundamentals have still been there until the end, as you saw this weekend.
“It’s been more of a team building exercise this year and I’m very, very proud of everybody. Whilst we’re not celebrating a world championship, we’ll be celebrating them still for their hard work and efforts.
“I hope that the struggles this year really provide us with the tools and the strength to fight for many more championships moving forward.”
There was plenty of reason for optimism from the Mercedes garage ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a fine showing in Brazil, where Russell stormed to his maiden F1 victory and Hamilton claimed second.
However, they were once again outclassed by Red Bull and Ferrari, with Russell taking fifth almost 36 seconds behind race winner and world champion Max Verstappen.
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Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, presents the trophy to the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen of Red Bull last year. Photo: Mohamed Al Hammadi / UAE Presidential Court -
Max Verstappen celebrates victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 20, 2022. All pictures Victor Besa / The National -
Max Verstappen on the podium with Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez -
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez of Mercedes finished first and third -
Sebastian Vettel says goodbye and thank you to fans after his last race -
Fans celebrate Verstappen's victory -
Max Verstappen of Red Bull on his way to victory -
The start of the race at Yas Marina Circuit -
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action before he was forced to retire -
F1 champion and race winner Max Verstappen dominated in Abu Dhabi, as he has for most of the season -
The Al Fursan aerial display team above Yas Marina Circuit before the start of the race
Asked for his thoughts on the first winless season of his career, Hamilton said: "I always believed right to the last race that there was potentially a chance, I think it's important to hold on to hope.
"I gave it everything and the last race was almost like the whole season, sums up the whole year and I'm glad it's done.
"It would have been nice to have a win. One win is not really enough. I feel like this year when we got our first fifth it felt like a win; first fourth, it felt like a win; first podium, it felt like a win. The seconds really felt like we'd achieved something, so I just hold on to those."
Hamilton said he will now take the off-season as a chance to rest and recharge.
“I think right now I’m not looking forward to another year or anything like that, I’m looking forward to putting now my energy into my family, and to just getting back and seeing the family," he said. "I haven’t seen them for a while – and yeah, just relaxing, being healthy, staying positive."
