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There has always been some sort of tension between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, a consequence of the F1 adage of your teammate being your biggest competitor. There were a lot of nuances to their relationship, but it is amicable. Now, however, with George Russell getting comfortable as the number one driver of the team, the question looming is whether Mercedes will neglect their erstwhile favorite or worse, destroy him.

These thoughts were catalyzed by Hamilton’s statements post a disappointing qualifying session in Monaco. The Ferrari-bound driver not only revealed that only his teammate got the upgrades this race but also made a telling remark about his situation at Mercedes.

After being out-qualified by his teammate for the seventh time this season, Hamilton revealed to the press, “I anticipated it would be difficult to outqualify George because he has the upgraded component but it’s great to see we are bringing upgrades.” While there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in his voice, the mood shifts.

To Sky Sports, a disgruntled Hamilton then said, “I don’t anticipate being ahead of George in qualifying this year.” When asked why Hamilton predicted it to be all year, a shrug and a telling smile would’ve been enough, but he added, “We’ll see.”

But the damage was done. The fans understood the subliminal message Hamilton put out, if any. Safe to say, they are angry. Hamilton is usually all about his team and enjoys being a beacon of positivity. This side of him could only mean something is up.

Lewis Hamilton fans try to find answers

Was Lewis Hamilton hinting that Mercedes is sabotaging him? No one will know. But the tone that was conveyed to the fans took its tune. Seeing their driver hurt, the fans were angry.

Many also prayed for revenge. Hamilton recently admitted that he’s still relaying information to his team that could help them well into the future. Maybe he should stop?

While there was anger and frustration, there was also sympathy and worry.

And so the question remains: Is Mercedes really working against the driver who’s given them his every being? While it’s not impossible, one can hope that Hamilton’s predictions for his year ahead are wrong.