1996 Formula One world champion Damon Hill believes Mercedes must give Lewis Hamilton the freedom he requires this season or risk potentially losing him to a rival team.
Since switching to Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton has enjoyed his most successful spell in his F1 career, racking up a total of 32 race victories and two drivers' world championships across the last four seasons. His time at the German manufacturer has not been totally free of controversy, particularly when fighting teammate Nico Rosberg for three successive titles between 2014 and 2016.
Tension between the two rivals reached a crescendo at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in which Hamilton disobeyed team orders in one final, and unsuccessful, attempt to win the championship by backing Rosberg into the chasing pack.