Hamilton battling to avoid unwanted record in Mercedes farewell

Lewis Hamilton is battling to avoid an unwanted F1 record in his 246th and final start for Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

After 12 seasons, 84 wins and six world titles, what is statistically the most successful driver-team partnership will end after Sunday's race as Hamilton departs for Ferrari in 2025. 

If results go Ferrari's way, it could welcome Hamilton as the reigning constructors' champions, with it needed to out-score McLaren by 21 points if wins at Yas Marina or by 22 if it does not to land a 17th constructors' title. 

But for Hamilton, he is facing a near-impossible challenge to avoid his lowest-ever placing in an F1 drivers' championship. 

The Briton currently has 211 points to his name, some 24 behind team-mate George Russell in sixth. 

As the table below shows, Hamilton has never finished lower than sixth in the drivers' standings in his career, but such have been his struggles with the W15, he is set to break the unwanted record. 

In terms of his worst season in terms of points scored, he has beaten his record from 2013 when he scored 189 in his first Mercedes season, finishing fourth in the standings.

However, when the seasons from 2007-2009 are converted into the modern points system used since 2010, Hamilton's worst season tally was a lowly 126 points. 

NOTE: The number in brackets for the 2007, 2008, and 2009 seasons in the table below represents how many points Hamilton actually scored under the old points system then in use).