Who would have thought that police, IP address searches and harassment would be front and center in the sport.
Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes’ Formula 1 team, recently addressed the media about a disturbing trend of anonymous emails targeting their star driver, Lewis Hamilton. These emails, which have become so severe that police are now involved, accuse the team of deliberately sabotaging Hamilton’s performance and mental health.
The official Mercedes F1 social media accounts published a video of Lewis Hamilton with the sound of “La La La (Brasil 2014)” by Shakira.pic.twitter.com/jhEte4GDaE
— shakirastuff | fan account (@shakirastuff_) June 22, 2024
During a Team Press Conference in Spain, Wolff expressed his frustration and concern about these accusations. He strongly denied any wrongdoing by the team, stating, “It’s not from a member of the team. It is distressing when we receive a large volume of these emails, especially when they discuss mortality and other sensitive topics.”
Wolff detailed the steps the team is taking to combat these false claims, including working with law enforcement to trace the source of the emails through IP addresses and phone records. This is part of a broader effort to combat what he described as unacceptable online abuse. “On this particular one, I have instructed to go on full force. We have the police inquiring [about] it. We’re researching the IP address. We are researching the phone. All of this because that kind of online harassment needs to end, according to Wolff.
Lewis Hamilton made a request of his Mercedes #F1 team-mate after George Russell angrily swore at him during #SpanishGP qualifying 🗣👀 https://t.co/tiKq3RCjlU pic.twitter.com/ytqqLari74
— Mirror F1 (@MirrorF1) June 22, 2024
The Mercedes team leader dismissed the conspiracy theories surrounding the allegations with clear disdain, emphasizing the team’s commitment to fairness and success in the sport. “Lewis has been part of the team for 12 years. We have a friendship. We trust each other. We want to end this on a high. We want to celebrate the relationship,” Wolff said. He pointed out the illogical nature of the accusations, noting that undermining Hamilton would not align with the team’s goals of winning the constructors’ world championship.
Wolff also addressed the broader issue of online anonymity and its role in facilitating baseless attacks against public figures. He criticized those who hide behind fake accounts and anonymous communications to spread negativity and called for a more transparent way of critiquing and discussing issues. “If people feel like they want to abuse and hit out and hide behind a made-up Instagram account, or anything else, for me, that is… come up, say who you are, and we’ll take the criticism and discuss. But don’t hide,” he urged.
Things could’ve been very different for Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in qualifying 😬 #F1 #SpanishGP #MercedesF1https://t.co/jzJDcQehiO
— Total Motorsport (@TotMotorsport) June 22, 2024
Key Points:
i. Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes’ Formula 1 team, publicly addressed anonymous emails accusing the team of sabotaging star driver Lewis Hamilton’s performance and mental health.
ii. Wolff vehemently denied the accusations and revealed that the team has involved the police and is investigating the source of these emails by tracking IP addresses and phone records.
iii. He expressed frustration with online abuse and conspiracy theories, emphasizing the team’s commitment to integrity and success in the sport.
iv. Wolff highlighted the team’s long-standing relationship and trust with Hamilton, pointing out that undermining him would contradict their goal of winning the constructors’ world championship.
v. Wolff criticized the use of online anonymity for attacks, urging critics to be open and accountable rather than hiding behind fake profiles and emphasized taking serious actions against such harassment.
Susan Guglielmo – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
