Former F1 star claims Hamilton in danger of being kept 'out of the loop' by Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton has been left vulnerable to tricks after a power shift at Mercedes, according to a former F1 driver.

The seven-time world champion will depart the team for Ferrari at the end of this year, in a move that shocked the F1 world.

READ MORE: Hamilton to run 'failed' Mercedes upgrades at Dutch Grand Prix

His last season with the Brackley-based outfit got off to a less than ideal start, with the Mercedes star enduring what he described as his ‘worst start’ to a season ever.

Furthermore, the champion was consistently out-qualified by his team-mate George Russell, with Hamilton hinting at favouritism within the team in Monaco - claims that have since been denied by the team.

Johnny Herbert reveals Mercedes ‘power shift’

Mercedes’ performance has since improved allowing Russell to claim a win in Austria, and Hamilton to achieve victory at Silverstone and Spa, which he inherited after his team-mate was disqualified.

However, F1 race winner Johnny Herbert believes that the strategy that took place during the Belgian GP demonstrated a ‘power shift’ that could leave Hamilton vulnerable.

“I would be very surprised if Mercedes are working against Lewis Hamilton,” Herbert said to TopOffShoreSportsBooks.com.

“Lewis mentioned his tyres were good but the rears were going off. He is very good at knowing what is underneath him. He has that feel. But was he kept out of that loop of George’s team and what they were thinking? I don’t know how it is within Mercedes with regards to instructions being shared.

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“Maybe within the window of Lewis’s pitstop that decision had not been made. But was it delayed, and if so on purpose? Possibly.

“The question is, would a driver do that to his team-mate and try to hide it?

“The answer is ‘Yes, you would,’ George is in a more powerful position now to control all that and his destiny because he can play that game as he is going to be there next year. He is the one Mercedes will be backing.”

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