Hill questions Hamilton's Mercedes support

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill has questioned Lewis Hamilton's support of Mercedes after sending "mixed messages" in the wake of a disappointing Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton finished 50 seconds off race-winner Max Verstappen in Bahrain and has since conceded that the margin would have been far greater had Red Bull pushed flat-out to the chequered flag.

Speaking in the aftermath of the race, Hamilton told the BBC that Mercedes 'didn't listen to me' with its development. In a separate interview, he further criticised the W14 adding, "This isn’t the right car."

Ahead of this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Hamilton has conceded that his words 'probably weren't the best choice', an opinion that was shared by Hill.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, 1996 champion Hill said: “(There were) mixed messages.

"After the race, he said ‘We’ve got work to do but I am supportive’. Then he said ‘I did warn them, I told them I didn’t like the car’.

“Well, you can’t criticise and be 100 per cent supportive."

READ MORE: Verstappen to overcome illness as Alonso out to dismiss FLUKE claims - What to expect at the Saudi Arabian GP

Hill highlights F1 abuse

F1 has fought to get a handle on abuse of all kinds in recent years with the sport launching a campaign to tackle online trolls last year.

But despite this effort, the problem remains prevalent as has been highlighted in a number of studies.

“Sometimes the people working for the teams get abused on social media," added Hill.

"In some misguided people’s minds, they are responsible for not giving Hamilton the car he wants. So it’s a blessing and a curse to have a driver as famous as Hamilton - people are loyal to him, but not the team.

“I imagine there has been a lot of stress."

READ MORE: Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: Date, start time, TV channel and live stream

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