Sub (aka Sutta)

Fernando Alonso was the problem. His rookie teammate was beating him in his first season and instead of keeping things professional, he made it personal. He turned against the team, leaked information and used it to blackmail. Jenson Button was not the problem. He was his rival and Lewis Hamilton has openly admitted his own mistakes during their time together. Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were locked in a championship battle that turned toxic. The team had to step in and years later, he admitted to playing dirty. Their rivalry took a toll on him, both physically and mentally and he retired. George Russell was not the problem. He never pulled the kind of ridiculous moves that Charles Leclerc does. If anything, Mercedes and Toto Wolff made his final years with the team increasingly difficult. And let's add Valtteri Bottas to this list. He had his fair share of battles with Lewis Hamilton but eventually came to understand that reaching his level was not realistic for him. Instead, he focused on fighting for podiums and he succeeded. He finished his Mercedes career with double digit wins, multiple podiums and 5 Constructors' Championships to his name. Out of everyone you've listed, only 1 person has continued to speak negatively about Lewis Hamilton while the rest have consistently praised him. Lewis Hamilton has spent 20 years in Formula 1 and has experienced some of the most intense teammate rivalries in the sport’s history. He understands what it takes to win as a team, something Charles Leclerc struggles to grasp despite being in his 9th year in Formula 1. And continues to cost his team valuable wins and podiums, throwing away crucial opportunities and points that could make a difference in the championship. Funny how that works isn't it.