Members of Mercedes team robbed at gunpoint in Brazil

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes crew were robbed at gunpoint late on Friday night as they were making their way back to their headquarters from the Interlagos circuit.

At around 2200 local time in Sao Paulo, a minibus transporting the crew was stopped and assailants came on board, holding a gun to the head of some team members.

It appears that no members of the team were harmed during the incident.

Mercedes responded, issuing an statement:

“One minibus was robbed at gunpoint,” a spokesperson for the constructor team added.

“Valuables were stolen but everybody is safe and uninjured which is the main thing.”

This is not the first time such an attack has occurred, with Jenson Button being a victim of an ambush at the same circuit seven years ago.

Hamilton, the main driver of Mercedes, has tweeted his dismay at the situation.

Some of my team were held up at gun point last night leaving the circuit here in Brazil. Gun shots fired, gun held at ones head. This is so upsetting to hear. Please say a prayer for my guys who are here as professionals today even if shaken. — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) November 11, 2017

This happens every single year here. F1 and the teams need to do more, there’s no excuse! — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) 11 November 2017