Hamilton not ready to talk about Lauda

An emotional Lewis Hamilton withdrew from yesterday’s press conference in Monaco, informing his Mercedes team he was not ready to speak about Niki Lauda’s death.

T h e 3 4 - ye a r - o l d wo r l d champion had b een due to participate in the media event to preview Sunday’s race in Monte-carlo. But 30 minutes before Hamilton was set to take to the stage, it was announced the FIA, Formula One’s governing body, had given the British star permission to skip the televised briefing.

Hamilton was very close t o L a u d a , t h e Mer c e d e s’ non- executive chairman, who died on Monday.

It was the Austrian who played a key par t in p ersuading Hamilton to join M e r c e d e s , t h e t e a m f o r whom he has won four of his five world titles.

Hamilton had paid trib - u t e t o L a u d a o n s o c i a l media, describing him as “the bright light in my life”. A Mercedes spokesperson said: “We asked for Lewis to be excused in the circumstances following yesterday’s news. The FIA kindly agreed to a dispensation.”