A relaxed atmosphere and lots of smiles at the annual gathering in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton: “Here is the Class of 2025. We are the only people in the world who do what we do, and for that we are incredibly lucky.”

As is now tradition, at the end of the last Thursday on the track of the season, the Formula 1 drivers gathered in Abu Dhabi to celebrate the end of the championship together with a group dinner. Of the twenty drivers in the top series, only three were absent: the two Aston Martin drivers, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, and Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg. Lewis Hamilton was the first to share the photo, accompanying the image of the drivers hugging and smiling with a long message: “Here is the Class of 2025. We are the only people in the world who do what we do, and for that we are incredibly lucky. I am grateful for this group of drivers I have the privilege of racing against, and even though we are rivals, there is nothing but respect between us, and I am proud to call them my friends. We hope to give you a great final race of the season.”

Comments—  The image was then shared by the other drivers, each with a different message: “It’s nice to get together again,” wrote Leclerc, “and spend some time together off the track,” while Esteban Ocon took the opportunity to thank Lewis Hamilton, who takes great care in organizing the event every year, for the dinner. Bortoleto emphasized that the dinner was full of “good laughs and great stories,” and Lando Norris chose irony, pointing out that “no food was thrown during dinner.” Starting tomorrow, however, it’s back to the track for the final round of the season, where the drivers will once again be rivals.