HAMILTON GUN PANIC
F1 champion Lewis Hamilton last night lashed out after his support team were ambushed at gunpoint.
Shots were fired and one of the star’s staff had a gun held to his head during the robbery after a final practice session ahead of today’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
Hamilton, who secured his fourth F1 drivers championship at the Mexico Grand Prix two weeks ago, yesterday tweeted: “Some of my team were held up last night. Shots fired, gun held at one’s head. This is so upsetting. This happens every year here. F1 and the teams need to do more.”
Military police were last night hunting for the bandits, who surrounded a motorcade near Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit at 8pm on Friday.
Raiders held up the Mercedes minibus and tried to rob a car belonging to the FAI, the sport’s ruling body, but the driver escaped.
Matteo Bonciani, FIA communications chief, was in the car. He said: “Three men hit the windows with weapons. But the driver was very professional.”
In 2010, Jenson Button was targeted by gunmen at the same track. His police driver fled in traffic.
Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s motherin-law Aparecida Schunck, 67, was kidnapped in Sao Paulo last year. A £28million ransom was demanded but she was later released unharmed.
Hamilton crashed out of qualifying and will start the race today at the back of the grid.