Four members of staff have been sacked by Formula 1 team Mercedes.
An inquiry into a complaint about racist bullying of a Muslim employee opened in July led to the firing of four workers, who are said to be from the company’s IT department.
Mercedes have won the last five constructors’ and drivers’ championships in Formula 1, with Lewis Hamilton looking likely to add another crown this season.
“Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd confirms that four individuals were dismissed from the company on 2 August 2019,” a statement from Mercedes-AMG said.
“These dismissals followed an internal investigation that confirmed breaches of our Diversity and Equality Policy.
“We condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms and acted immediately upon the complaint. We value the diversity of our employees and it is a source of strength for our team.
“Our working environment is based on appreciation and mutual respect.”
Three other employees were disciplined for breaching the diversity rules of the company.
A colleague was allegedly described as a “Muslim terrorist f***,” while it is also alleged that employees ran a poll guessing when the colleague in question would break their Ramadan fast.
A source told The Sun: “This was a really horrible case of racist bullying. They had been picking on one Muslim guy for years. It all came to light when they pinned up the poll.
“The guys who were sacked had all signed and dated it. It’s outrageous, especially with Lewis [Hamilton] being so outspoken about racism.”
