MERCEDES have reportedly hired private investigators to detect the source of anonymous messages that claimed Lewis Hamilton is being ‘sabotaged’.
The 39-year-old is leaving the Silver Arrows at the end of the season after having confirmed he’d sign a two-year deal with F1 rivals Ferrari.
In a statement released today, meanwhile, Northamptonshire Police said no crime has been committed.
But Mercedes have outsourced the matter to a firm that specialises in these kinds of private investigations, according to The Mail.
A spokesperson told The Mail: “It is being dealt with externally.”
This development comes after Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff stated last week that he would ‘go full force’ over the accusations.
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The messages and email were sent to members of the Formula One community and Mercedes staff.
And the email purported to be from a Mercedes team member.
It was titled: ‘A potential death warrant for Lewis,’ and argued that the seven-time world champion was being endangered by being given cold tyres.
This allegation was then repeated in the phone messages.
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The correspondence claimed that a ‘scorned’ Wolff was favouring his other driver George Russell after Hamilton announced his decision to switch to Ferrari.
Ahead of last weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, where Hamilton finished third, a place ahead of Russell, Wolff admitted he was unhappy with the allegations.
Wolf said: “It is not from a member of the team. But it is upsetting, particularly when someone is talking about death.
“I don’t know what some of the conspiracy theorists, lunatics, think out there.”
A police spokesman said: ‘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.”
A Mercedes spokesman told The Mail that the team believe the email was sent by a random Hamilton fan.
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Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
