Lewis Hamilton has refuted suggestions that Mercedes are making it harder for him to enjoy success in his swansong season with them.
The seven-time champion responded following an anonymous email that was sent out last week.
Hamilton will leave the Brackley-based outfit at the end of this campaign to join rivals Ferrari, signalling the end of what has been a successful 12-year spell with the team.
The Brit has been replaced by Max Verstappen as the sport’s dominant force in recent years, and hasn’t tasted victory since triumphing at the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
His struggles have continued in 2024, with the 39-year-old frequently airing his frustrations – alongside team-mate George Russell – regarding his car’s performance.
Hamilton currently sits eighth in the drivers’ standings, but is heading into this weekend’s race in Barcelona off the back of an impressive fourth-place finish in Canada.
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Last week, an email was sent to figures across the F1 paddock, claiming some were ‘unhappy about the systematic sabotaging of Lewis, his car, his tyre strategy, his race strategy, his mental health’, as reported by The Guardian.
The Independent have reported that Mercedes do not believe the email originated within from within their team.
Hamilton – who has previously hinted at favouritism within the squad – dismissed the accusations at a press conference prior to this weekend’s race, adding that he had not seen the email in question.
“There are always things that can be better within a team and that comes through conversations, through communication, and that’s what we’re consistently working on,” he said.
““But we’re all in the same boat, we’re all working hard together and we all want to finish on a high. We owe that to our long-term relationship.”