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Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1

“No way he would have left” : George Russell says Lewis Hamilton casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move

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“No way he would have left” : George Russell says Lewis Hamilton casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move George Russell stated that seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton would not have made the switch to Ferrari if he had delayed his decision till mid-year. Mercedes are currently on the upward trajectory, winning the last two races in Austria and Silverstone. Lando Norris’ and Max Verstappen’s incident in Austria helped George Russell claim Mercedes’ first win in under two years. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton ended his three-year drought of not winning a single race in his backyard in Silverstone. George Russell is fully convinced that Lewis Hamilton would have stayed at Mercedes, if the decision was to be made now. Ferrari have been struggling over the past couple of months, after Charles Leclerc claimed the race win in Monaco. “I don’t think he would have left if the team was performing like this. No way he would have left, for sure not,” said Russell. “For 2026, the PU’s looking really strong and everything we’re doing with the fuels is looking great and there’s a lot of optimism for us over the next couple of years. As tough as these last few years have been, it really feels like we’ve got the momentum with us now,” he added. “I think everybody wants change at some point” : George Russell on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move George Russell believes that Lewis Hamilton’s move was also partially driven by the fact that he had been with Mercedes for almost over a decade now. The Briton had won everything with the Silver Arrows, as he claimed six world championship titles in his first seven seasons here. “I think everybody wants change at some point. He’s been here 12 years now, he’s achieved so much with the team. I think for him it’s exciting to have that change,” Russell opined. However, George Russell claimed that a driver wants to be in the fastest car on the grid, and currently Mercedes are heading towards becoming one. Mercedes’ upgrades have really done wonders for them as they look to continue their performance in Hungary. Also Read: “I was surprised by Lewis Hamilton’s congratulations because he had never written to me” : Carlos Alcaraz on receiving text from seven-time F1 champion

Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1, Tennis

“I was surprised by Lewis Hamilton’s congratulations because he had never written to me” : Carlos Alcaraz on receiving text from seven-time F1 champion

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“I was surprised by Lewis Hamilton’s congratulations because he had never written to me” : Carlos Alcaraz on receiving text from seven-time F1 champion Carlos Alcaraz was recently crowned the 2024 Wimbledon champion after defeating Novak Djokovic in the finals. The Spaniard outplayed the seven-time Wimbledon champion in straight sets, claiming his second consecutive title here, and fourth Grand Slam title. Carlos Alcaraz revealed that he received a lot of text messages congratulating him for his success. Among some big names were the likes of Rafael Nadal, Brazilian footballer Neymar, and F1 driver Fernando Alonso. However, he also stated that he received a surprise text message from seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton after his victory. “The congratulations I have received have been similar and very special. From athletes and well-known personalities. Will Smith has congratulated me again, Neymar, who is always there following me and I am very grateful. Rafa [Nadal], Pau Gasol, Ilia Topuria, Fernando Alonso,” said Alcaraz. Carlos Alcaraz on receiving congratulatory message from Lewis Hamilton Carlos Alcaraz revealed that he had never interacted with Lewis Hamilton in the past, hence it was a surprise to receive his message. “I was surprised by Lewis Hamilton’s congratulations because he had never written to me before and we had never had any interaction. I’m sure there are others that I’ve missed, but I’m very happy to receive them all,” said Alcaraz. Carlos Alcaraz has had a brilliant year on the tour so far, winning the French Open and Wimbledon in a span of just over a month. Next up for him is the Paris Olympics, where he will certainly target a gold medal. As for Lewis Hamilton, he claimed his first F1 race win in almost three years, with a victory in his home race in Silverstone two weeks ago. Mercedes have now claimed two back to back wins, with George Russell winning the race in Austria. The next race of the season will take place in Hungary over this weekend. Also Read: “Only Jannik Sinner can play Carlos Alcaraz on equal terms” : Toni Nadal says Novak Djokovic made suicidal mistake in Wimbledon final defeat

Carlos Sainz
Formula 1

“We have lost two or three months of performance” : Carlos Sainz left frustrated after Ferrari revert to Imola car

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“We have lost two or three months of performance” : Carlos Sainz left frustrated after Ferrari revert to Imola car Things have looked quite ordinary for Ferrari in the triple-header, as they managed to claim just one podium finish via Carlos Sainz in Austria. Charles Leclerc has failed to score points in two of the last three races, as Ferrari were forced to revert to their car which they used at the Imola GP. Carlos Sainz stated that this change has meant that Ferrari have lost over two or three months of car performance. The Italian team brought in gradual upgrades from Barcelona, however, they started encountering bouncing issues. To solve the issue, Ferrari decided to take off its upgrades, and go back to their Imola GP version. This meant that they lost considerable amount of race pace as compared to their rivals, who have all brought in upgrades. “It is clearly not good enough. We have basically the same car as in Imola and since Imola everyone has upgraded, probably added two tenths to the car and we have had to revert,” said Sainz to Motorsport. “We have lost two or three months of performance gain in the wind tunnel or performance we could have added in these three months, so clearly we haven’t taken the right calls recently.I feel like today was at least back-to-basics, back to a car which was in Imola and we just need to upgrade it from here. But it is clear that our rivals are a good step ahead of us,” he added. “I think we did the maximum” : Carlos Sainz on British GP Carlos Sainz stated that he managed to extract the maximum out of his car at the British GP. He believes that the strategy was spot on from his team, as he could have caught up on the podium if Ferrari was a little faster. Carlos Sainz also revealed that he loved driving in wet conditions, as he was chasing the front pack rather comfortably. The Spaniard finished P5 in an eventful race, whilst also grabbing a point for the fastest lap. This is in contrast to his teammate Charles Leclerc who had another horrible weekend, as he finished outside the points. The Monaco based driver was put on intermediate tyres when it was mildly drizzling, which impacted his performance, and cost him a lot of time. “I think we did the maximum. Especially in the middle of the race when it was slicks-on-wet, I managed to catch the podium positions by six or seven seconds in those conditions that I always enjoy,” said Sainz. “Honestly, all the calls were pretty much spot on, all the tyres, all the radio calls. It was just a shame we were not faster because I feel like we would have been 100% in the fight for the podium or the win. But [fifth] and a bonus point at the end with the fastest lap, so we need to be happy,” he added. Also Read: “We are just really slow at the moment” : Charles Leclerc on another disappointing qualifying

Charles Leclerc Ferrari
Formula 1

“We are just really slow at the moment” : Charles Leclerc on another disappointing qualifying performance

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“We are just really slow at the moment” : Charles Leclerc on another disappointing qualifying performance Charles Leclerc had another disappointing start to the weekend, as he was eliminated in the Q2 session at the Silverstone GP. The Ferrari driver was not happy with the car, as he stated that they were really slow compared to the rest of the grid. Mercedes have been growing from strength to strength, as they secured a front low lockout with George Russell claiming the pole position. Meanwhile, McLaren driver Lando Norris rounded off an all-British top three, as Ferrari were well off the pace once again. Charles Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz had a decent qualifying session, finishing P7 in the tricky conditions. The Monaco based driver will start from P11 in Sunday’s race, as he looks to claim his podium finish in four races. “We are just slow. We are just really slow at the moment and we have a lot of inconsistencies with the car. I don’t think it quite helps that we are trying to also… we are trying to just assess the situation we are in at the moment and try to understand which are the directions in which we need to push into,” said Leclerc to the press after the qualifying session. “I felt like yesterday, by splitting the cars [with pre and post-Barcelona configurations], we understood a good amount to use for the future,” he added. “I hope we can bounce back as soon as possible” : Charles Leclerc Things started to look positive for Ferrari, after Charles Leclerc won the Monaco GP in May. They secured a double podium finish, as they cut Red Bull’s lead in the constructors championship to 20-odd points. However, they have dropped ever since, as Charles Leclerc hopes to bounce back as soon as possible. “However, that means that maybe you don’t optimise your whole weekend as you are focused on just trying to learn, and when you are speaking about a tenth to go to Q3, it’s all about small details. So at the moment we are just struggling with the situation we are in, and I hope we can bounce back as soon as possible,” added Leclerc. Charles Leclerc also stressed that there was no need to panic at the moment. He encourages the team to come up with a positive response, as they did it in the early part of the season. The 2024 Silverstone GP promises to be an exciting race, with Max Verstappen starting in P4, behind the three Brits. Mercedes have looked the fastest car on the grid this weekend, and are favorites to claim the race victory. However, with Lando Norris just lurking behind the Silver Arrows, they will certainly not be breathing a sigh of relief just yet. Also Read: “You don’t want to think about karma” : Toto Wolff delighted after Silverstone front row lockout

Toto Wolff
Formula 1

“You don’t want to think about karma” : Toto Wolff delighted after Silverstone front row lockout

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“You don’t want to think about karma” : Toto Wolff delighted after Silverstone front row lockout Mercedes continue to grow from strength to strength as they secured a front row lockout at the Silverstone GP. George Russell secured a pole position, finishing ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. This comes after a positive weekend in Austria, where George Russell claimed the race win. Toto Wolff has stated that he does not want to think about karma at the moment, but believes that Mercedes are certainly headed in the right direction. The Silver Arrows have had a rough couple of seasons, as they had secured just one win in the last two seasons. “You don’t want to think about karma, but we are making our first steps,” said Wolff. Mercedes claimed their first podium finish of the season with George Russell in Canada, and they have just kept building on that performance. “It’s exciting is that for the last two years we’ve been struggling with direction” : Toto Wolff Toto Wolff commented on the new found consistency at Mercedes. The Austrian boss believes that the Silver Arrows have really picked up from the Imola GP, and have consistently improved in terms of their race performance. “It’s exciting is that for the last two years we’ve been struggling with direction. We had one and off weekends. And since Imola we had direction put parts on the car and it went in the right direction,” he added. Toto Wolff has also confirmed that they will be bringing in upgrades in Hungary and Belgium, just before the summer break. George Russell was delighted after claiming the pole position, and stated that it would be a tough contest with Lando Norris in the main race. He also revealed that the car was feeling good at the moment, as was echoed by his teammate Lewis Hamilton. “The car at the moment is feeling good. It really came alive in qualifying. It’s going to be tight with Lando,” said Russell. “I think the car felt great. It was just about getting the tyre temperatures in the right place. I feel really confident about the car tomorrow. If we can work together we can keep Lando behind,” Lewis added. Also Read: “We still haven’t found a solution to improve things”: Charles Leclerc gives honest opinion after Austrian GP

Formula 1

“I see what Max did as more within the limits than what Lando did” : Helmut Marko

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“I see what Max did as more within the limits than what Lando did” : Helmut Marko The 2024 Austrian GP had an exciting conclusion, as Lando Norris and Max Verstappen’s late collision completely changed the dynamics of the race. As a result of their clash, the Red Bull driver who was leading the race with six laps remaining, could only finish P5. On the other hand, Lando Norris had to retire his car which ended his race. There were different point of views on the late collision between the two drivers. Red Bull Director Helmut Marko weighed in on the incident, and believes that it was reckless driving in the end by both the drivers. However, he believes that Lando Norris was more to blame here than Max Verstappen. Helmut Marko acknowledged that the two drivers were putting up a great show before their unnecessary incident. At the end, Max Verstappen was awarded a 10-second penalty which did not impact his final position on the grid, as he was well clear of Nico Hulkenberg, who was running in P6. “It was a very tough duel, where I believe it sometimes went beyond what was necessary. We knew that Lando had already crossed the white line three times. That was a procedure. That action brought both of them back. Lando was completely out of the race, and Max was deprived of the victory, which I saw as completely unnecessary,” said Marko. Helmut Marko defends Max Verstappen after widespread criticism Max Verstappen has been criticized by several fans and pundits for his reckless and aggressive driving. The Dutchman was blamed for moving too often in the braking zone, which led to Lando Norris exceeding track limits. However, Helmut Marko believes that the McLaren driver exceeded track limits in other parts of the circuit as well. He claimed that it was a big shame for the crash to happen, as it could have been resolved in a much better manner. Helmut Marko added that the temperatures during the race were below their expectations, as they had to alter their race strategy. He stated that Red Bull had to move to a medium-tyre race strategy which was not initially in their plans as they expected higher temperatures. “It was a shame because it was a great fight. It started with us not having any new medium tyres and that the pit stop went wrong for us the first time. It was unnecessary hard driving from both drivers, and it could have been resolved differently. “I see what Max did as more within the limits than what Lando did,” said Marko. “The temperatures were significantly lower than we had anticipated. It was overcast. The asphalt temperature was also much lower. As a result, the hard tyre didn’t work as we had expected. We were actually forced to go on the used medium, which was not initially planned.” “It shows that you can’t afford the slightest mistake, like our pit stop going wrong, being surprised by the tyre strategy and temperature. And then it becomes difficult,” he added. Also Read: “We still haven’t found a solution to improve things”: Charles Leclerc gives honest opinion after Austrian GP

Charles Leclerc Imola GP
Formula 1

“We still haven’t found a solution to improve things”: Charles Leclerc gives honest opinion after Austrian GP

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“We still haven’t found a solution to improve things”: Charles Leclerc gives honest opinion after Austrian GP Charles Leclerc endured another tough race at the Austrian GP, as he finished outside the points. The Ferrari driver was involved in an early incident with the likes of Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri which pushed him at the back of the pack. Charles Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz saved the day for Ferrari, as he managed to grab a P3 finish. This was after Lando Norris’ and Max Verstappen’s crash, which completely changed the dynamics of the race. After claiming his first win of the season in Monaco, Charles Leclerc has failed to score points in two of the three races thereafter. Charles Leclerc believes that the upgrades are doing their job, but it comes at the cost of some limitations. He also believes that Ferrari have still not found a solution to several problems. “In F1 there are few coincidences, since we introduced this package we have taken a step forward, following the numbers, but now we have to resolve these limitations because we have been struggling for two weekends. We still haven’t found a solution to improve things,” said Leclerc. Ferrari continue to struggle despite Carlos Sainz podium Ferrari’s weekend in Austria can be described as mediocre despite Carlos Sainz bagging a podium at the very end. The Italian team grabbed two podium places, including a race win in Monaco, and it looked inevitable that they would challenge Red Bull for the Constructors championship. However, as things stand, Mercedes have been making some huge strides in terms of their progress. Their upgrades have been working really well, as George Russell claimed Mercedes’ first race win of the season in Austria. The Silver Arrows now have three podium finishes in as many races. On the other hand, McLaren look the fastest car on the grid, as Lando Norris was ever so close to winning his second race of the season in Austria. However, his incident with Max Verstappen meant that he had to retire his car. Ferrari have some big catching up to do in the coming month, given that we have three races scheduled before the summer break. Next up, we move to the United Kingdom for the Silverstone GP. Also Read: “It’s probably not the right time” : Carlos Sainz says he will make a decision on his future after the triple-header

Carlos Sainz
Formula 1

“It’s probably not the right time” : Carlos Sainz says he will make a decision on his future after the triple-header

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“It’s probably not the right time” : Carlos Sainz says he will make a decision on his future after the triple-header Carlos Sainz is yet to make a decision on his future, as question marks grow over his presence on the grid for the next season. As things stand, the Ferrari driver will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton next season, as Carlos Sainz is yet to secure a seat for the 2025 season. The Spaniard has stated that he will not take a decision on his future in the coming weeks, stating that it is not a right time to take such a big call. The Ferrari driver stated that they were in a middle of a triple header, and with the races coming thick and fast, there was not enough time to consider options with his team. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff already ruled out Carlos Sainz’s move to Mercedes, stating that they will be considering a younger generation of drivers. That leaves Spaniard with just a couple of options, all towards the lower end of the field. Carlos Sainz to decide on his future post the triple-header Carlos Sainz is expected to take a decision on his future after the triple-header, or during the one-month summer break. However, given that teams will be eager to complete a deal for the summer break, the Spaniard could be prompted to make a decision soon. “No it’s probably not the right time. Probably a triple header isn’t the right time also to go back home, take the decision with my team and put all the options on the table and think carefully what’s best for me, for my future and for my career. So obviously, no it’s not now the right time,” said Sainz when asked about his F1 future. Carlos Sainz finished P6 at the Spanish GP last weekend, just behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. Ferrari have fallen off the pace in the past couple of weeks in Canada and Spain, as both driver finished outside points in Montreal. In Barcelona, they failed to match the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren in terms of race pace. Also Read: “I don’t know why they had a ‘dull’ weekend,” Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari’s performance at the Spanish GP

Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1

“I don’t know why they had a ‘dull’ weekend,” Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari’s performance at the Spanish GP

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“I don’t know why they had a ‘dull’ weekend,” Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari’s performance at the Spanish GP Lewis Hamilton claimed his first podium finish of the season, as he finished P3 at the Spanish GP. The British driver finished ahead of his teammate George Russell this time around, as Mercedes have started making some real progress over the past couple of weeks. Ferrari have fallen off the pace in the last two races, as both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished outside the points in Canada. To add to their misery, the duo finished fifth and sixth in Barcelona on Sunday, as Ferrari looked the fourth fastest car on the grid. Lewis Hamilton remains surprised with Ferrari’s performance in Spain, as they brought in a couple of new upgrades last week as well. The seven-time F1 champion will be interested in knowing how their rivals develop their car through the course of the season, as he will make his much awaited move to Ferrari in 2025. “I don’t know what happened to the Ferraris in the last two races, but they are progressing anyway and in Barcelona they also brought a package of updates, I don’t know why they had a ‘dull’ weekend,” said Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton says he does not regret moving to Ferrari next season Lewis Hamilton has made it clear that he does not regret his decision to leave Mercedes at the end of the season. The Silver Arrows have been making steady progress over the past couple of weeks, as Toto Wolff claims that they are quite close to matching McLaren and Red Bull in the upcoming races. “I have never had second thoughts about my choice to leave Mercedes for Ferrari and I certainly don’t have them now,” said Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton claimed his first podium finish after the Mexican GP last season. Moreover, he has now claimed a podium finish in each of his last 18 seasons in F1. The next race on the calendar is the Austrian GP which will take place over this weekend as a part of the triple-header. Mercedes are expected to continue fighting for the podium places, as they have now secured consecutive P3 finishes. Also Read: “Encouraging to see Lewis (Hamilton) at top of the timesheets,” George Russell delighted after Mercedes’ stellar start to Spanish GP weekend

Formula 1

“Encouraging to see Lewis (Hamilton) at top of the timesheets,” George Russell delighted after Mercedes’ stellar start to Spanish GP weekend

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“Encouraging to see Lewis (Hamilton) at top of the timesheets,” George Russell delighted after Mercedes’ stellar start to Spanish GP weekend George Russell was delighted with Mercedes’ strong outing on the first day of the Spanish GP. Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the second practice session on Friday, as he finished ahead of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris. The Briton stated that the car was finally feeling great, and Mercedes could indeed have a great weekend in Barcelona. His sentiments were echoed by his teammate George Russell, who was delighted to see the seven-time world champion set the pace in FP2. The young British driver claimed the first podium finish for Mercedes this season, as he finished P3 in Canada a couple of weeks ago. There has been a marked improvement in terms of car performance for both Mercedes drivers. George Russell believes that their single lap pace was pretty strong as compared to their competitors, however, they will have to work on their race pace. “We had a good day on track today. The car was performing really well around this circuit. It was encouraging to see Lewis top of the timesheets and we were consistently at the front,” said Russell to reporters after FP2. “Our long run pace in FP1 was competitive. In FP2, it seemed that our single lap pace was slightly stronger than our long run speed but overall, the car is feeling strong,” Russell added. George Russell remains optimistic yet cautious ahead of Saturday’s qualifying George Russell remained cautious as he did not want the team to get ahead of themselves just before Saturday’s qualifying session. Mercedes had a stellar weekend in Canada, as George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished P3 and P4, respectively. This was their largest haul of points in a single race this season. “It is only Friday, but it has been a while since we’ve been consistently at the upper end of the field. I’m feeling good and excited as this is what we’ve been chasing for a while,” Russell added. “We won’t get ahead of ourselves, though, and will work diligently tonight and tomorrow to prepare as best as we can for qualifying and Sunday’s grand prix.” Mercedes have brought in a bunch of upgrades in Monaco and Montreal. Both of the upgrades have worked well for the Silver Arrows so far. Mercedes trackside engineer Andrew Shovlin also remained optimistic for the rest of the weekend, stating that the car looks in really good shape to compete with the likes of Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren. “We made a step forward with the updates we brought to Monaco and Montreal, but it’s been encouraging to see that the car is working well around a track with plenty of high-speed corners. Our single lap pace looks competitive and quite close with several other teams,” Shovlin added. Also Read: “We didn’t want to have Carlos (Sainz) wait as he needs to take a decision” : Toto Wolff reveals why Mercedes did not offer a seat to the Ferrari driver

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