04 October,2016 08:25 AM IST | | PA Sport
Mercedes dismissed suggestions of sabotage to Lewis Hamilton's car as ridiculous and stupid after another engine failure robbed the world champion of certain victory in Sunday's Malaysian GP
Lewis Hamilton is frustrated after his car is engulfed in flames during Malaysian GP in Sepang. Inset: Lewis Hamilton. Pics/AFP
Lewis Hamilton is frustrated after his car is engulfed in flames during Malaysian GP in Sepang. Inset: Lewis Hamilton. Pics/AFP
Kuala Lumpur: Mercedes dismissed suggestions of sabotage to Lewis Hamilton's car as "ridiculous and stupid" after another engine failure robbed the world champion of certain victory in Sunday's Malaysian GP. Hamilton, who now trails rival Nico Rosberg by 23 points to the title, stoked flames of a conspiracy theory claiming "someone doesn't want me to win", and demanded answers from Mercedes.
But on a dramatic day at a sweltering Sepang, Hamilton later insisted he was referring to a "higher power", and not turning on the team with whom he has won two successive titles. "I know Lewis very well, and he will not accuse the team," Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda said on Sunday night.
"I am responsible for the engine and team - and I apologise to him. We do not know the cause. But he has won two championships with us. How can you say we sabotage it? It's completely ridiculous, stupid." Hamilton was on course to cruise to the 50th victory of his career.