Lewis Hamilton has been with the Mercedes team for almost a decade. The Brackley-based team helped him develop from a young, capable racer to a motorsport icon. Furthermore, the Briton cherished some career-defining moments with Toto Wolff and the team. However, everything took a radical turn in the last race of 2021. When Lewis Hamilton lost a controversial race to Max Verstappen, Mercedes was accused of not pushing hard enough.
Since then, the dynamic between Hamilton and the British-based team’s management has been bitter. Although the two have managed a good relationship publicly, rumors suggest otherwise. Therefore, everyone was shocked when the Briton signed a contract with Ferrari. It came just a few months after his Mercedes contract extension, indicating everything was wrong. Further, fans accused Mercedes when Hamilton said he couldn’t out-qualify Russell this year.
Hamilton’s Barcelona Performance Silences’ Sabotage’ Allegations
The online warriors took social media by storm, believing the German Marque was sabotaging the seven-time world champion. Especially after the Monaco GP, the fans accused the Silver Arrows of deliberately providing Russell with a better setup. The belief strengthened when Russell was provided with new front wings. Although the team clarified that Hamilton himself denied using the new setup, the fans were adamant. This sparked a wave of online hatred towards Mercedes and George Russell. Hamilton later criticized the act.
However, things took a peculiar turn when the Mercedes camp received an anonymous email. The email consisted of a disturbing message accusing Mercedes of ‘sabotaging’ Hamilton.’ Thus, the team principal, Toto Wolff, called the cops, and an investigation started. The subject line of the email read ‘A death warrant for Lewis Hamilton,’ prompting police involvement. The Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman told the PA News agency that the police department received a report on 12th June. Further, after the investigation, the Police clarified no criminal offences were committed, but the team was advised to report immediately if any other email was received.
Moreover, this act enraged the F1 community, and Ferrari CEO Fred Vasseur backed the other Brackley-based team. He stated that it is unreasonable to believe that a corporation with 1500 people working tirelessly to improve one of its vehicles would purposefully do something like this. The Ferrari CEO was taken aback by the reports and acknowledged that no one in the paddock could commit something like this.
Toto Wolff Claims The Email Was ‘Disturbing’
The email received by the Mercedes staff disturbed the squad. Speaking to De Telegraaf, Toto Wolff indicated that team personnel would never send an email like this. He also said that the email had phrases like ‘death,’ so he phoned the Police.
Wolff claimed to have been friends with Lewis Hamilton for over twelve years. Their bond extends beyond the Formula One paddock and will continue similarly. As a result, he urged those internet haters to seek psychological treatment, as all of the claims appear absurd.
