I’ve seen worse body language from a driver sitting in his own motor home, but not since 2007 when Fernando Alonso, in the press conference following a squabble with his then McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton at Hungary, moodily chomped his way through a pear.

But, still, Hamilton’s demeanour this week – monosyllabic and making a few jibes at George Russell – was the inevitable consequence from the moment he told Mercedes he would be with them for life and then dropped the bombshell he was actually decamping to Ferrari next year.

It was never going to end well. Mercedes would feel scorned; Hamilton would succumb to his natural inclination for paranoia; Russell’s abilities would present themselves (he has outqualified the seven-time world champion 8-1, a mighty feather to wear in his cap). These factors lay behind the awkwardness exhibited here only nine races down. And the only way out of it is for Hamilton to take the rest of the season off. Otherwise, the resentment will fester.

Another layer of resentment is the correspondence sent in emails and a WhatsApp following the last round in Canada, claiming to be written by a Mercedes staffer, arguing that Russell is being dramatically favoured. ‘Sabotage’ was a word used. I cannot see it, though a Hamilton backer has told me directly he thinks it is.

What is more likely is that because Hamilton decided to fly the nest, and embarrassed Wolff in doing so, adds weight to Russell’s cause. He is the man staying, part of Mercedes’ future, not of their past.

Lewis Hamilton’s demeanour this week and jibes at George Russell were inevitable from the moment he said he would leave

Mercedes have contacted the police over an anonymous email accusing them of ‘sabotaging’ Lewis Hamilton because of the seven-time champion’s decision to switch to Ferrari

Russell has outqualified Hamilton 8-1 and things are becoming increasingly awkward

The only way out for Hamilton is to take the rest of the season off – or resentment will fester