Mercedes F1 boss apologizes as fire survivors slam sponsor

Criticism of the deal is particularly difficult for Mercedes because Hamilton, a seven-time world champion from Stevenage, England, has been outspoken in his support of the Grenfell community.

The head of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One racing team apologized on December 3 for the way the team announced its partnership with a company involved in a London high-rise where a fire killed 72 people.

The team announced a sponsorship deal this week allowing building products maker Kingspan to put its logo on the nose cone of world champion Lewis Hamilton’s car beginning with a weekend race in Saudi Arabia.

Survivors and family members of the people who died in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire immediately condemned the deal and asked the team to sever its ties with Kingspan. The fire started in a fourth floor refrigerator and raced up the residential building, which experts said likely was caused by flammable materials used in an exterior renovation.