Recent rumors and speculations about Lewis Hamilton being sabotaged by Mercedes have stirred significant controversy in the F1 community. These accusations gained traction particularly after the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix. During Monaco, Hamilton expressed doubts about outqualifying his teammate George Russell, hinting at possible unequal treatment within the team【63†source】.

Further fuel was added to the fire during the Canadian Grand Prix when Mercedes chose different tire strategies for Hamilton and Russell, with Hamilton being placed on hard tires while Russell received mediums. Despite the suspicion, Mercedes clarified they had no medium or soft tires left for Hamilton, suggesting no ill intent【64†source】.

Peter Windsor, a former Ferrari boss, dismissed the sabotage theory but acknowledged growing mistrust between Hamilton and Mercedes, especially after the controversial end to the 2021 season and the promotion of Russell over Valtteri Bottas【63†source】. Meanwhile, Jacques Villeneuve has also commented that Mercedes might be focusing more on Russell for the 2024 season【65†source】.