Formula One F1 - Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - March 6, 2024 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Grand Prix REUTERS/Rula Rouhana
(Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton said Formula One faced a pivotal moment and needed to show its values amid controversies away from the track involving leading personalities in the paddock and governing body.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has been in the spotlight after a drawn-out investigation into misconduct allegations by a female employee showed clear divisions behind the scenes.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the governing FIA, has been accused by a whistleblower of attempted interference in a race and allegedly seeking to deny certification of the Las Vegas street circuit that debuted last November.
"As someone who loves the sport, it's definitely disappointing to see what's going on right now," the seven times world champion told reporters at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah.
"It doesn't look good from the outside world, the outside looking in. I think it's a really, really important time for the sport to really show and stick to its values, holding ourselves accountable for our actions.
"And it's a really pivotal moment I think for the sport, in terms of what we project to the world and how it's handled. And it's not been handled very well to this point.
"I hope it's not a year that continues to go on with this. But it highlights some of the issues we also have within the sport."
Hamilton also recalled from personal experience what it was like to be at a team whose leader's position was being challenged.
"I remember kind of when we were losing (McLaren boss) Ron (Dennis), for example, and the things that Ron was going through, and the steps that we had to take, it affected all of us," he said.
"A leader is super-important because they set the tone, they make sure the team sticks to the core values of what the sport is about, and integrity."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)
