Lewis Hamilton has expressed his disappointment with how the recent controversies surrounding Red Bull and team principal Christian Horner have been managed, indicating that the situation has not been handled well.
Formula 1’s attention has been significantly diverted to off-track issues, overshadowing the sport’s competitive action.
A controversy erupted when an internal investigation by Red Bull GmbH dismissed allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Horner before the Bahrain Grand Prix, only for purported evidence to be leaked by an anonymous source during the practice day.
Since then, internal discord within Red Bull appears to have escalated, with no resolution in sight. Additionally, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is under scrutiny following claims by a whistleblower that he attempted to intervene in sporting decisions.
Amid these off-track controversies overshadowing the sport’s recent developments, Hamilton shared his thoughts ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, specifically addressing the turmoil within Red Bull.
The Mercedes driver expressed his concern, stating, “As someone who loves the sport, it is definitely disappointing to see what is going on right now.”
“It doesn’t look good from the outside world and it doesn’t look good from within. I think it’s a really, really important time for the sport to really show and stick to their values, holding ourselves accountable for our actions.
“It is a really pivotal moment for the sport in terms of what we project to the world and how it’s handled – and it’s not been handled very well to this point and transparency is really key.
“I am really hoping to see some progress moving forward, but I hope it is not a year that continues to go on with this, but it highlights some of the issues we also have within the sport.
“We talk about diversity, inclusion and making people feel comfortable in this environment is key, and that’s clearly not the case.”
