After a difficult start to the season for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, the latter has been rocked by allegations of ‘systematic sabotage’ against the seven-time World Champion. An email scandal made waves in the paddock, and there were reports of the driver not getting along well with the team. This sentiment caught further wind following Hamilton’s comments on Saturday in Barcelona.
For Mercedes, it was a positive outing at first glance. Hamilton got P3 in Qualifying, putting him on the second row at the start of the Spanish GP on Sunday. However, he was far from happy, claiming he could have done better. Speaking to the media after the session, Hamilton said,
“I didn’t get a tow, as well. I think if I had had a tow in a couple of these areas, small areas that the car is really forcing me into, then I think we would have been right close with them.”
: Lewis Hamilton calls for unity within Mercedes, asking fans to stop criticizing the team and George Russell on social media. “We need support, not negativity. George hasn’t done anything wrong; he’s improving every day,” Hamilton stated. He hopes for a strong performance at… pic.twitter.com/HkTyqdbr9x
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) June 20, 2024
The Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona has a long main straight, where drivers can benefit a lot from a tow. Hamilton wanted Russell to emulate what Sergio Perez did for his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, allowing to latter to finish P2 (narrowly missing out on the pole).
Russell, too, didn’t seem particularly happy with Hamilton following Qualifying. This adds more fuel to the rumors pointing towards a rift between the two British drivers.
George Russell explains why he lost his calm on Lewis Hamilton
In Q3, things between Hamilton and Russell were heating up, leading to the latter losing his calm. While both were preparing for their push-lap, Russell didn’t like the way Hamilton was acting on the track. “What the f*ck was Lewis doing prepping that lap?”
Friday: email to the FIA alerting of Mercedes sabotage Lewis Hamilton
Saturday: George Russell cry pic.twitter.com/X7QZv7Mjfn— Belu (@benitezbeleen) June 22, 2024
Russell later explained that Hamilton was trying to get a tow from Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, which didn’t sit well with him. That’s because he too, wanted the Frenchman’s help.
Thus, Russell ended up getting hotheaded, having gained nothing out of his plans. Mercedes, however, would be happy with the overall result, as Russell finished just one place behind Hamilton (P4). They lock out the second row ahead of the 2024 Spanish GP and will be hoping for a double-podium finish to top the weekend off.
