Hamilton strategy “battle” puts Mercedes in spotlight

Ever since Lewis Hamilton announced his shock switch to Ferrari for next year at the start of the current Formula 1 season, conspiracy has swirled over his treatment at Mercedes.

What the partnership has achieved together can only be spoken of in the same manner as Michael Schumacher’s stint with the Scuderia at the start of the century, yet there have been signs of disharmony across the current season.

With his qualifying form dipping at multiple rounds over the year – especially after strong practice pace – there have been suggestions from Hamilton’s supporters on social media that favour was now focused on team-mate George Russell.

A strategy call that resulted in Russell taking the win in Belgium, before being thrown out for an underweight car, left Hamilton reeling.

There was even an email in circulation earlier this year claiming to be from a Mercedes employee suggesting sabotage, threatening key members of the team and forcing a police investigation.

While there is no evidence of sabotage, nor claim from Hamilton himself, the way the world now works with Twitter (or X), Instagram and Facebook the dominant force for news and opinion means perception is often more powerful than truth.

Of course, Hamilton’s own admission that he was “not good” in qualifying when taking sixth on the grid for the Italian Grand Prix eliminates doubt.

But murmours of such unfair treatment returned after he was put onto the soft tyre at the start of the Singapore Grand Prix having qualified third – only one of two drivers to start on that compound.

It was to the detriment of his race and he would eventually finish just sixth, behind Russell.

Speaking at team sponsor Petronas’ headquarters in Kuala Lumpur in the week after the event – in a video filmed by an audience member and circulated on social media – Hamilton and Russell reacted to the strategy call.

Here’s how the chat went:

LH: “It wasn’t fun. We sat in our meeting in the morning before the race – actually, the night before they already mentioned they would like to split the cars. For me, I was a bit perplexed by it because, in the past, when we have been in that position… normally, if George has qualified well like he normally does and I’m out of the top 10, then we will split the strategies. But, when we were so close, it didn’t make sense to me. But I battled as hard as I could to fight for the…