Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton could leave McLaren Mercedes, the team with which he won the title last year, depending on the outcome of the FIA council on April 29, reports in England have claimed.

Rumors that the British pilot might turn his back on the team appeared after the revelation that he and his team had given false testimony before the FIA stewards, after the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton later said he as asked to lie by McLaren’s sporting director Dave Ryan, who has been fired since then.

But the Hamilton camp, in particular the pilot's father and manager Anthony, was unhappy that his son's integrity and brand have been tarnished following the allegations of "un-sportsmanship conduct" and "lying to officials".
 
He was also frustrated by the "sub-standard vehicle" McLaren have developed, making it nigh-impossible for the world champion to successfully defend his crown, British broadshieet The Telegraph reported.
 
Paddock sources are reportedly feeling nervous at the possibility that that Hamilton could walk away from his long-term contract with the Woking crew and opt for another solution.

Norbert Haug, the head of the motorsports department at Mercedes, told German tabloid Bild that "Lewis has had a difficult time recently and has shown he is a decent person. The concept of him leaving is personal to him and will remain as such, when something like this happens, a man could think of everything".
 
The Telegraph, meanwhile, suggests that the "cheating charges" are solely against McLaren as a team and not Lewis Hamilton, but that by itself was not enough to heal the sudden rift between the pilot and the team that has guided his development from karting. With Brawn GP suddenly looking a strong competitor, the daily said a combination of two Britons - Jenson Button and Hamilton - would be "mouth-watering".