A Mercedes insider has previously revealed an informal pecking order between driver Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
The Silver Arrows squad is finally feeling momentum shift its way after grappling with the sport's massive rule overhaul in 2022. During their attempt to close the chasm to the dominant Red Bull, friction has brewed subtly between their British racers.
So far this season, Russell has largely overshadowed Hamilton, especially in qualifying, prompting the seven-time world champion to drop hints about potential favouritism. Both Russell and principal Toto Wolff have dismissed such suggestions, with the former insisting that Hamilton "knows full well that we get the same treatment".
Anthony Davidson, a Mercedes development driver who undertakes simulator work, once gave a fascinating insight into how the team operates, revealing it was Hamilton who was the team's unofficial leader.
“There’s definitely a hierarchy in that team,” Davidson told Sky Sports’ F1 Podcast in September last year. “And rightly so. Lewis has earned that status in that team as a seven-time world champion and George can’t argue against that.
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“George is still the understudy and he’s doing a very good job on those occasions where he’s got the speed over Lewis to really take the fight to him. But he’s doing it in such a ‘George Russell polite way’ which is quite humorous to watch because I know inside the car, he’ll be fuming and steaming.
“And that’s why we see the near misses, the drivers coming almost to blows, almost to contact, but then he’s a good boy on the radio, he’s very British about it.”
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Despite Russell and Wolff insisting both drivers are treated the same, it is Hamilton who has suggested his team-mate may be being prioritised, even though he is much more experienced and is widely seen as one of the best drivers of all time. The 39-year-old conceded in May that he'd had enough of "toiling" further down the grid and claimed he wouldn't outqualify Russell for the rest of the season after the one-time Grand Prix winner was given Mercedes' only available front wing upgrade in Monaco over him.
Davidson's comments from 10 months ago clearly do not marry up with how Hamilton is currently feeling but the fact he claimed Mercedes 'do have a hierarchy' is an intriguing point, especially considering Russell's standing in the team is set to be elevated when his team-mate leaves for Ferrari the end of the season. Hamilton is currently trailing Russell by 11 points in the Drivers' Championship after beating him to third place at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.
Meanwhile, Mercedes have been told by police that no criminal offences were identified after the team reported an anonymous email alleging sabotage against Lewis Hamilton's car. Wolff, speaking at the Spanish Grand Prix, promised to tackle the issue with "full force".
George Russell led Lewis Hamilton by 11 points ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend ((Image: Getty))The contentious email was titled "a potential death warrant for Lewis" and sent to key figures including Wolff, F1 chief Stefano Domenicali, and FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem on June 10, following the Canadian Grand Prix.
A spokesperson for Northamptonshire Police confirmed: "Northamptonshire Police received a report on June 12 regarding an email that had been circulated within the Mercedes AMG F1 Team. No criminal offences were found to have been committed however advice was given regarding any further emails the team may receive."
The accusatory email branded Wolff "vindictive" and suggested he was retaliating against Hamilton for signing for Ferrari - something the Austrian vehemently rejected. It is understood that Mercedes has been advised to keep the authorities informed of any similar incidents.
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