Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has accused Lewis Hamilton of 'downing tools' at Mercedes with just three races remaining before his departure to Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion, who will join the Italian team next season on a £50million-per-year deal, has come under scrutiny following a disappointing Brazilian Grand Prix.
Steiner suggests Hamilton's knowledge of his imminent exit has led to a defeatist attitude, with the British driver becoming increasingly vocal about his frustrations with the current Mercedes car.
Hamilton endured what he called a 'disaster of a weekend' at the rain-soaked Brazilian Grand Prix, finishing in 10th place.
Lewis Hamilton has been accused of giving up on Mercedes as his time with the Silver Arrows draws to a close
REUTERS
The Mercedes driver struggled to control his car during Sunday morning's delayed qualifying session, crashing out in Q1.
Starting from 14th position, Hamilton was unable to make significant progress through the field, while team-mate George Russell qualified on pole and finished fourth.
Over team radio, Hamilton described the car as "the worst it has ever been" and hinted at potentially quitting before the season's end.
Speaking to the Red Flags Podcast, Steiner drew a stark contrast between Hamilton and Russell's approaches at Mercedes.
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Guenther Steiner believes Lewis Hamilton is too pessimistic and complains too much amid his Mercedes woes
PA
"The car [W15] is what it is. It's not the best car, it's the fourth-best car at the moment on a good day," he said. "So I think Lewis, knowing that he's leaving anyway, is like it's easier to complain.
"But George has got all the interest to do whatever he has to do there to get it out of it, to show that he's the leader of the team for the future.
"He has to prove that because he knows that his seat, when his contract is up, is not 100 per cent safe.
"Russell is trying to do his best, puts everything into it, and on the other side, Lewis is there and he doesn't like the car, how it drives, knows that now in three races that he's not there anymore. It gets at him, and I would say he's not dealing with that very well.
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Lewis Hamilton could only finish 10th at the Brazilian Grand Prix
PA
"Lewis has so much experience, he doesn't need to be in this meeting, I mean, his engineer is in there anyway, because you need to set the car up.
"Lewis always has to give the feedback, what he wants on the car. But it's all of these things. I mean, the car, it is what it is. I think Lewis is just, at this point, he doesn't like the car. He complains about it.
"He sees the glass half empty while George sees his half full with opportunity. Lewis sees it as, 'I've got a few more races to go here, there's nothing left to be won."
Hamilton was particularly scathing about the Mercedes car's handling characteristics in Brazil.
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"It's like a plank of wood. It's like, no suspension," the British driver said after the race.
The Mercedes driver was especially critical of the car's performance through corners, describing it as 'just so stiff.'
Hamilton has made history during his time at Mercedes, with six of his seven title triumphs coming during his time with the Silver Arrows.
However, the team have struggled to get anywhere near the F1 title since the 39-year-old missed out on glory to Max Verstappen in 2021.
The final three races of the season are set to take place in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi on November 24, December 1 and December 8 respectively.
