SHOCKING REPORT: Las Vegas Mercedes cryptic team orders deny Hamilton win and accuse him of…….. full article below ⬇️

Speculation about team orders: Unpacking the Mercedes pit radio dram as a clash of strategy and speed at the Las Vegas Grand Prix unfolds – The Las Vegas Grand Prix provided a spectacle to remember, with Mercedes at the heart of the action. Lewis Hamilton, starting from a lowly 10th position, looked on course for a dramatic victory.

But in the end it was George Russell who took the win. The race sparked intense speculation about team orders and fuelled debate about what happened on the Mercedes pit radio during those tense final laps.

Hamilton’s incredible pace and Russell’s defensive driving created a narrative of internal competition that epitomised the fine line between teamwork and individual ambition in Formula One.
 

The Chase: Hamilton’s meteoric rise through the field

The race began with Hamilton facing an uphill battle from 10th on the grid. However, his relentless pace saw him systematically close the gap at the front, demonstrating the class of the seven-time world champion.

By the time Russell made his final pit stop on lap 32, Hamilton had begun to close a 13.1-second gap.

Hamilton’s tyres, five laps older than Russell’s, were far from ideal for a late charge. Nevertheless, he managed to reduce the gap to just 5.3 seconds by lap 42, turning what looked like a comfortable victory for Russell into a nail-biting contest. The prospect of Mercedes securing their first one-two finish since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix hung in the balance.

Team orders: What did Mercedes decide?

Given the stakes, many expected Mercedes to issue a team order instructing both drivers to hold their positions. But that order never came. Team Principal Toto Wolff later revealed that the possibility of such an order had not been seriously considered.

Asked after the race by ORF interviewer Alexander Wurz if Mercedes would have allowed Hamilton and Russell to race freely, Wolff replied without hesitation: “Yes, of course! I think they would have been smart enough not to crash into each other.”

Wolff dismissed the idea that Hamilton had a realistic chance of overtaking Russell, saying, “George did it all the time. I think he was twelve seconds ahead before Lewis changed. That was never an issue.”

Dissecting pit radio communications

While Wolff played down the intensity of the situation, pit radio told a different story. Shortly after Russell’s final pit stop, Hamilton asked for lap times. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, provided the data and mentioned that Russell was “carefully running in the tyres” with a high lap time of 1:37.

Moments later, Russell was informed that Hamilton was lapping significantly faster at 1:36.4. The gap was rapidly closing and Russell’s cautious approach to tyre management was becoming a concern. A nervous Russell finally asked for guidance, saying: “Tell me what to do. I’m still managing in these corners.”

The response from the Mercedes pit wall was clear: “We’re fine if you stop managing the tyres. This instruction effectively gave Russell the green light to push harder, recognising the threat posed by Hamilton’s charge.”

Hamilton’s relentless push

Sensing an opportunity to steal victory, Hamilton continued to push despite his older tyres. Bonnington’s calls for him to slow down were unlikely to have any effect on the determined and Ferrari bound British driver, especially with the allure of adding a Las Vegas triumph to his illustrious career.

Russell was briefed on Hamilton’s blistering pace, with one message standing out: “Lewis’ last lap was 35.9. We should do at least 36.2 to keep it boring. The cryptic instruction underlined Mercedes’ desire to avoid a dramatic on-track battle between their drivers.”

Things came to a head with four laps to go when Hamilton reported a possible problem with his right front tyre. This apparent problem took the pressure off Russell and allowed him to cruise to victory.