‘If you file a complaint, you get fired’ – Lewis Hamilton slams F1’s lack of transparency after Christian Horner scandal
LEWIS HAMILTON has slammed F1’s lack of transparency and says it is impossible to trust the sport.
The seven-time world champion was speaking after Susie Wolff – head of F1 Academy and wife of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff – confirmed she has taken legal action against F1’s governing body, the FIA.
On Wednesday, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was cleared of meddling in the outcome of the 2023 Saudi GP AND trying to stop that year’s inaugural Las Vegas GP by a private internal investigation.
Plus Red Bull boss Christian Horner was also cleared to continue in his role after a grievance made against him by a female colleague was dismissed, the details of which are also being kept secret.
Unhappy Hamilton said: “Firstly, I’m incredibly proud of Susie. She’s so brave. She stands for such great values. She’s such a leader.
“In a world where often people are silenced, for her to be standing up sends such a great message.
“I love that she’s taking it out of this world, filing it from outside, because there is a real lack of accountability here within this sport, within the FIA.
“Things that are happening behind closed doors, there is no transparency, there is clearly no accountability.
“How can you trust the sport and what is happening here if you didn’t have that?
“Hopefully, this stand that she’s taken now will create change, have a positive impact, and especially for women.
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“We’re living in the time where the message is ‘If you file a complaint, you’ll be fired.’ That is a terrible narrative to project to the world.
“So, especially when we’re talking about inclusivity here in the sport, we need to make sure that we’re staying true to the core values here.”
Hamilton’s comments were echoed by his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, who added: “You trust that the leaders in this sport have the best interest at heart rather than their own interests…
“When we don’t have the facts and figures, and there is no transparency, you always think there’s something being hidden.
“That’s why it’s so important for the sport now to send the right message to everybody who’s supporting F1, watching F1, wants to be involved in F1, that things aren’t just swept under the carpet.”
Team bosses have been quick to call for full transparency from the investigation into Red Bull‘s investigation.
However, it is likely that matter will remain private as it was conducted by the energy drink’s HQ in Austria, rather than the racing team.
The FIA’s decision to clear their President raised eyebrows after a whistleblower made both complaints internally.
And Wolff said on her social media that she was appalled at the lack of “transparency or accountability” from the FIA.
It comes after the FIA launched an investigation into both her and her husband amid claims of an alleged conflict of interest.
The probe was suggested to be a reaction after rival team principals were worried that Merc boss Wolff was benefiting from information shared by his wife.
However, the investigation was immediately dropped by the FIA after all the F1 teams voiced their support of Wolff.
Yet she is unhappy that her and her husband’s integrity had been called into question.
She wrote on social media: “I can confirm that I personally filed a criminal complaint in the French courts on 4th March in relation to the statements made about me by the FIA last December.
“There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter.
“I feel more than ever it is important to stand up, call out improper behaviour and make sure people are held to account.
“Whilst some may think silence absolves them from responsibility – it does not.”