On Tuesday, footage of the Mercedes team chairman speaking on Austrian broadcaster Servus TV emerged during which Lauda alleged Hamilton trashed a hospitality room after crashing in Baku qualifying.
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“He did it because he had crashed”.
“He was sitting in the motor home and told me I must not follow because he was going to destroy everything”, Lauda said. “This is how it was”.
Niki Lauda, the non-executive chairman of Mercedes, has lifted the lid on Hamilton’s mood after missing out on pole in qualifying for the European Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, last month.
However, Lauda has now issued a statement denying those claims.
“He lied. It’s quite simple”, Lauda told Servus.
That’s the warning from former champion Damon Hill, who believes fans would be angry too, as Mercedes ponder how to control their two drivers at Sunday’s British Grand Prix. This is not the first time they have been embarrassed by the outspoken Lauda, whose position has been compromised by these events.
Rosberg, who was battling braking problems, then appeared not to turn into the corner, leading to contact with Hamilton and front wing damage to his own vehicle that dropped him to fourth by the chequered flag. The team principal, Toto Wolff, is also reluctant to impose them. “Fans want to see a race – and I think they have a right to see one”.
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The drivers have collided twice this season.
