Mercedes has addressed speculation surrounding Lewis Hamilton’s actions at the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship prizegiving ceremony, where he left his third-place trophy. This occurred amid tensions between the FIA and Mercedes following an investigation into Toto Wolff and Susie Wolff over alleged conflicts of interest.
Despite the investigation being dropped due to backlash, Hamilton criticized the FIA’s handling of the matter and questioned the sustainability commitment by hosting the awards in Baku instead of Paris.
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Contrary to assumptions that Hamilton gifted the trophy to a fan, Mercedes clarified the situation, stating that he accepted officials’ offer to send the trophy to the team, refuting claims of it being given as a gift.
Hamilton’s third-place finish in the 2023 F1 season marked a departure from his previous seasons, where he failed to secure a Grand Prix win for the second consecutive year.
The Mercedes W14 struggled against Red Bull’s RB19, even after introducing a B-spec in Monaco, prompting Hamilton to express confidence in Mercedes to regain competitiveness with a new car concept in the upcoming season.