Watches and wallets taken as two gunmen target stationary vehicle in Mexico City; unnamed team member was travelling from airport to team hotel; incident raises security fears ahead of Mexican GP
Thursday 3 November 2016 08:37, UK
A member of the Mercedes Formula 1 team has been robbed at gunpoint by two men ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.
Mercedes declined to name the team member, but the incident took place as they were travelling in a chauffeur-driven car from Mexico City's airport to the team's hotel in the capital on Wednesday. Watches and wallets were taken as the gunmen targeted the vehicle while it was stationary in heavy traffic.
The Mercedes team member was unharmed but are said to have been left shaken by the attack, which is likely to raise fears over security ahead of this weekend's race.
"A team member was robbed while travelling from the airport towards the city on Wednesday when in heavy stationary traffic," a Mercedes spokesperson said.
"Wallets and watches were taken and there were no physical injuries, but they were a little shaken up for obvious reasons."
The worker, who will remain in Mexico for Sunday's race, was not wearing team branded clothing and was not a high-profile figure.
In the latest security guidelines issued by the British government, crime and violence is recorded as "a serious problem" in Mexico, while visitors are urged to "keep car doors locked and windows closed, especially at traffic lights".
The spokesperson did not say if the team would take further safety precautions for a grand prix which Lewis Hamilton must win to keep the pressure on Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.
