Mercedes insider has already made Lewis Hamilton and George Russell treatment clear

A Mercedes insider previously admitted there is undoubtedly a hierarchy between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. The Silver Arrows are on the up after a difficult few years since the seismic change of F1 regulations in 2022.

As they tried, often in vain, to bridge the gap to the all-conquering Red Bull team, tensions have simmered between their British drivers. Hamilton has been comprehensively outgunned by Russell in qualifying this season, leading to the seven-time world champion, who will leave for Ferrari next year, to hint that he isn’t getting equal treatment.

Both Russell and team boss Toto Wolff have stressed that isn’t the case. Russell put Hamilton’s comments down to “heat of the moment” frustrations and said “he knows full well that we get the same treatment”.

The team's development driver, Anthony Davidson, who conducts simulator work, has previously given an insight into how Mercerdes operates, suggesting that Hamilton has been the unofficial lead driver in the past.

“There’s definitely a hierarchy in that team,” Davidson told Sky Sports’ F1 Podcast in September last year. “And rightly so. Lewis has earned that status in that team as a seven-time world champion and George can’t argue against that.

“George is still the understudy and he’s doing a very good job on those occasions where he’s got the speed over Lewis to really take the fight to him. But he’s doing it in such a ‘George Russell polite way’ which is quite humorous to watch because I know inside the car, he’ll be fuming and steaming.

“And that’s why we see the near misses, the drivers coming almost to blows, almost to contact, but then he’s a good boy on the radio, he’s very British about it.”

Despite Russell and Wolff insisting both drivers are treated the same, it is Hamilton who has suggested his team-mate may be being prioritised, even though he is much more experienced and is widely seen as one of the best drivers of all time. The 39-year-old conceded in May that he’d had enough of “toiling” further down the grid and claimed he won't outqualify Russell for the rest of the season after the one-time Grand Prix winner was given Mercedes' only available front wing upgrade in Monaco over him.

Davidson's comments from 10 months ago clearly do not marry up with how Hamilton is currently feeling but the fact he claimed Mercedes 'do have a hierarchy' is an intriguing point, especially considering Russell's standing in the team is set to be elevated when his team-mate leaves for Ferrari the end of the season. Hamilton is currently trailing Russell by 11 points in the Drivers' Championship after beating him to third place at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend.

Meanwhile, Mercedes have been told no criminal offences were committed after the team called on police to investigate an anonymous email which claimed Hamilton’s car was being “sabotaged”. Speaking at the recent Spanish Grand Prix, Wolff vowed to go “full force” in response to the correspondence – allegedly said to be sent by a disgruntled Mercedes staff member – titled “a potential death warrant for Lewis”.

The email, addressed to Wolff, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali, FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem, as well as other major players in the paddock, arrived on June 10, a day after the Canadian Grand Prix – a race where Hamilton was overtaken by team-mate Russell on the penultimate lap.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said: “Northamptonshire Police received a report on June 12 regarding an email that had been circulated within the Mercedes AMG F1 Team. No criminal offences were found to have been committed however advice was given regarding any further emails the team may receive.”

The email accused Wolff of being “vindictive” and said the Austrian, 52, “is doing everything possible to get back at him [Hamilton]” for electing to quit Mercedes for Ferrari - something the Austrian vehemently rejected. It is understood the Silver Arrows have been urged to report any similar correspondence to the police.