Brazilian Grand Prix: F1 'needs to do more' to keep teams safe, says Lewis Hamilton

The Interlagos circuit is situated in sprawling Sao Paulo, a city of 12 million people

Lewis Hamilton says he was "upset" by news that personnel from his Mercedes team were robbed at gunpoint in Sao Paulo on Friday night.

A van of Mercedes workers was held up on the road away from the Interlagos track. No-one was hurt in the incident.

Hamilton said: "Gun shots fired, gun held at one's head. This is so upsetting to hear.

"It happens every single year here. F1 and the teams need to do more. No excuse."

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Hamilton added: "Please say a prayer for my guys, who are here as professionals today even if shaken."

A Mercedes spokesman said: "Valuables were stolen but most importantly everybody is safe and uninjured."

Other F1 personnel had near-misses on the same road, which is notorious for robberies.

A gunman approached a car containing officials from governing body the FIA and tapped his weapon on the window, but the vehicle was armoured with bulletproof glass and they escaped.

A car containing Williams team members was behind the FIA car and was approached by a gunman but managed to leave the scene safely.

They are the latest in a series of incidents affecting F1 personnel at the Brazilian Grand Prix in recent years.

Former F1 driver Jenson Button escaped a similar attempted robbery in 2010 when his driver, again in an armoured car, charged through stationary traffic to get away.