The Mercedes-Lewis Hamilton duo was famous for dominating the F1 circuit between 2013 and 2020. While the racer was close to winning his record-breaking eighth world title in 2021, something unexpected happened. Max Verstappen was crowned the champion in a controversial decision, and Hamilton had to settle for second place. However, fans claimed Mercedes could have pushed harder in the final, deciding moments of the race.
Later, in 2022, Mercedes lost ground due to the regulatory revamp, and a rift was confirmed within the team. The new entry, George Russell, was not ready to settle for second place, and a new rivalry took root. Fast-forward to 2024, and Lewis Hamilton has almost packed his bags for Italy to Join the Maranello squad. However, the ‘conspiracy theory’ suggesting that the team sabotaged Hamilton was trending. Subsequently, the team principal slammed all the conspiracy theorists, claiming they have no brains.
Toto Wolff Slams All The Conspiracy Theorists As He Denies A Rivalry Among The Teammates
On June 10th, the Mercedes camp was taken aback after other F1 teams and leading media houses received an anonymous email. The sender claimed to be a Mercedes employee and accused the team of sabotaging Lewis Hamilton. The disturbing subject line, a ‘potential death warrant for Lewis Hamilton,’ followed by some creepy revelations, made it a trending topic. The perpetrator alleged Mercedes of putting Hamilton’s life on the line as they used risky setups for the Briton, including cold tyres. It all started when Lewis Hamilton gave an interview in a dull tone after the Monaco GP. Further, the team gave new front wings to Russell while the Briton had to use the old ones. Therefore, the online warriors did the math and accused Mercedes of sabotaging Hamilton. Moreover, Mercedes and George Russell endured immense online hate as the fans made cynical comments. Although Hamilton criticized such an act, asking for support instead of negativity.
However, after a podium finish in the Spanish GP, Toto Wolff was asked whether this was an answer to all the conspiracy theories. The Austrian executive answered appropriately, asserting conspiracy theorists as people with ‘zero brains’ and that he has no respect for them. Further, he explained that the team only wants a fast car, and anyone who doesn’t understand this simple thing should stop watching F1. Moreover, talking about Hamilton’s podium finish, Wolff expressed his delight, praising the team’s strategy.
Furthermore, the Austrian billionaire claimed there was no animosity among the teammates. Thus, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are in healthy competition, pushing each other to improve. The team principal claimed a slight rivalry is expected between two racers capable of winning. However, the mutual respect between the two makes them a great duo.
Police Conclude Investigation, Confirm No Criminal Offense Committed
As soon as the ’email controversy’ went viral, Toto Wolff called the cops, and an investigation began. The email’s subject line said, ‘A death warrant for Lewis Hamilton,’ which prompted police involvement. The Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman informed PA News that the police department received a report on June 12th. Furthermore, following the inquiry, the Police emphasized that no criminal offenses were committed, but the team was instructed to disclose any additional emails as soon as possible.
However, the Mercedes team was adamant about finding the source of the email. Therefore, a spokesperson representing the Brackley-based outfit confirmed that the team had outsourced this matter. Hence, a private investigating firm would tackle the situation now.