Lewis Hamilton has blasted the handling of the investigations into Red Bull team principal Christian Horner as ‘disappointing’ and ‘not a good look for the sport.’
The inaugural grand prix of the 2024 season in Bahrain was overshadowed by an internal investigation into 'inappropriate behaviour' by Horner, which he was cleared of any wrongdoing in.
A document containing supposed messages sent by Horner were leaked over the weekend in Bahrain and Horner’s accuser has since been suspended by Red Bull.
As the situation continues to hang over the world of F1 heading into Saudi Arabia, Hamilton has said that the situation has ‘not been handled very well’ and that the sport faces a ‘really pivotal moment’ in how they now deal with the matter.
Hamilton: F1 faces a really pivotal moment
Speaking with the media ahead of practice in Jeddah, the seven-time champion said: “As someone who loves the sport, it’s definitely disappointing to see what’s going on right now. It doesn’t look good from the outside world, the outside looking in.
“I think it’s a really, really important time for the sport to really show and stick to its values, holding ourselves accountable for our actions.
“And it’s a really, really pivotal moment, I think, for the sport, in terms of what we project to the world, and how it’s handled. And it’s not been handled very well to this point.
“Transparency is really key. And I’m really, really hoping to see some progress moving forwards. I hope it’s not a year that continues to go on with this. But it highlights some of the issues we also have within the sport.
“And when we’re talking about diversity, inclusion, that inclusion for example, and making people feel comfortable in this environment, is key. And it’s clearly not the case.”