Formula 1 legend Hans-Joachim Stuck has indirectly claimed that Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was “snitching” about world champion Max Verstappen during the United States Grand Prix.
Many drivers have resorted to inform their team engineers over radio about rivals exceeding track limits during races throughout the season, and Stuck believes Hamilton is the guiltiest of all racers in this respect.
The United States Grand Prix, which was held in Austin last month, saw Verstappen exceed track limits three times at the end of the race as Hamilton continued his quest to overtake the Dutchman and notch his first win of the season.
Hamilton tried his best to communicate that a fourth breach had taken place as this would have led to a time penalty for Verstappen.
However, his attempts to do so were eventually unsuccessful.
If a driver is found to have exceeded the track limits during qualifying, they face a deleted lap time, but if they commit the same offence too many times during a Grand Prix, they receive a time penalty.
This prompts many drivers to try to point out such indiscretions over team radio, and Stuck wants this trend to stop and for drivers to focus on their own race.
“I don’t agree with what they’re doing because of the track limits,” he said.
“I won’t name names, but I wouldn’t say over the radio that this driver or that driver has exceeded the track limits. That’s pure snitching.
“The boys should instead step on the gas. That’s my opinion. The drivers don’t have to go and have a coffee after the race – because they’re racing! And sometimes you just have to let the race be a race.”
Has Russell been guiltier of snitching than Hamilton?
Hamilton may well have made the headlines for his radio conversations during the United States Grand Prix, but perhaps his teammate George Russell is even more guilty of doing this over the course of the season.
Such has been Russell’s regularity of pointing out such mistakes across various races in the season, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff even asked him to get on with his own race and stop bothering about others.
This is when Russell had complained about Red Bull driver Sergio Perez for forcing him off the road during the French Grand Prix.
Stuck is hopeful that drivers heed his suggestion and stop “snitching” about others in the final two races of the season.
These two races will be of particular importance to Hamilton, who will hope to get at least one win over the course of a utterly disappointing campaign.
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