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      Lewis Hamilton warned he faces more boos from F1 fans as he arrives at Dutch GP wearing Holland’s famous orange colours

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN has stoked up his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton by warning the Brit he faces a hostile reception in Holland.Hamilton was jeered by the boo-boys at the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix by Verstappen’s Orange Army.
      Verstappen has warned Hamilton he better get ready to be booed at the Dutch GPCredit: EPA
      Hamilton arrived in Holland donning orange, the colour of the country’s national football teamCredit: Reuters
      But Hamilton hopes his arrival in Holland, wearing orange – which is the colour of the national team’s football kit – will be able to quell the jeers.
      Tensions boiled over earlier in the season after Hamilton’s wild celebrations at Silverstone – despite him crashing into Verstappen on the first lap, a huge shunt that resulted in the Dutchman going to hospital for checks.
      And while race bosses have appealed for calm, Verstappen says it is not up to him to stop his fans from booing him at their home race.
      He said: “Well, I look at it like this: you know when you go to a football match, you come into a home ground, the opposition will be booed at some point.
      “It is not up to the local club to go onto the speakers and say ‘guys, you cannot boo’, because it will naturally happen.
      “They are very passionate and they will support their local team.

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      “I don’t think it is up to me to then say ‘guys, you cannot boo’ because I am not them and I have to just focus on what I am doing on the track and I am sure most of them are here for just a great weekend to see cars racing.
      “Of course, some of them will boo but I cannot decide for them. I can say ‘you cannot do this’ but do you really think they are going to listen to me?
      “I just hope they will have a good weekend.”
      Through gritted teeth Hamilton claimed the booing actually spurs him on, however, after more heckles last Sunday in Spa he accused them of having “hate in their hearts.”
      After the farce at Spa, Hamilton wrote on Instagram: “I’d like to just thank each and every one of you here at the race supporting me #teamlh.
      “I know you sat in the rain all day and it’s miserable but knowing you are here encourages me to push and never give up.
      “I also know you stand alongside a lot of people who boo me and have hate in their hearts towards me so thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me.
      “Love conquers all and we gotta whole lot of love to give.”
      Verstappen says hearing his fans turn on his championship rival won’t give him any extra motivation in this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix.
      He added: “That would be bad if it gives me an added boost.
      “So as long as it doesn’t affect Lewis, I guess that is what you want to hear right? So that is the most important.
      “What I hope from the whole weekend is that everyone is having a good time and they enjoy seeing the cars on track and seeing us battling out there for the best possible result.”
      Meanwhile, Verstappen says George Russell’s move to Mercedes will “make life difficult” for Hamilton.
      Russell’s switch is expected to be confirmed next week as he replaces Valtteri Bottas, which Verstappen thinks could unsettle the seven-time world champ.
      The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt
      He said: “If he joins for sure he will make it very difficult for Lewis. He jumped into the car in Bahrain and basically was already making it very difficult for Valtteri.
      “You can only imagine the more experience you gain in that car and the more you get accustomed within the team, naturally you’re going to be becoming faster.
      “So, I’m very confident [in Russell]. You could see the performance he did at Spa was really good. I do expect him to do very well if he gets that seat.”
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      Lewis Hamilton will welcome George Russell to Mercedes with open arms with Brit set to be confirmed as 2022 team-mate

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      LEWIS HAMILTON will welcome George Russell to Mercedes with open arms.Russell is expected to be confirmed as Hamilton’s team-mate for 2022, with the news likely to be announced at next week’s Italian Grand Prix.
      George Russell (left) is expected to partner Lewis Hamilton (right) next yearCredit: Splash
      Both Russell and the outgoing Valtteri Bottas say they know where they will be racing next season.
      And while Hamilton has always been supportive of Bottas, he says Russell, 23, is the future of the sport.
      When asked about Russell joining the team, Hamilton said: “I honestly think it would be good. George is an incredibly talented driver.
      “I’d say the only highlight from last week was his qualifying lap, it was amazing. He’s humble, he’s got a great approach. Being British probably helps in terms of communication.
      “At the moment I have to be super-supportive to the team-mate I have right now, so that’s why I’m always supportive of Valtteri.
      “We have a job to do and neither of us can win the team championship alone. We have to do it collectively.

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      “But George is the future of the sport. He’s already shown incredible driving so far and I’m sure he’s going to continue to grow.”
      Hamilton also says that he does not feel threatened by Russell’s arrival in the team as he has “nothing to prove”.
      Hamilton, 36, added: “I have raced against some incredible drivers as team-mates. My rookie year I was alongside Fernando Alonso. I don’t feel like I’ve got anything to prove.
      “If anything, if it does turn out I’ve got a new team-mate, I’m in a different place in my life, I’m excited to see the youngsters coming through.
      “It’s not that I want to lose to a youngster but I’m excited to see the progression of the sport as I am a fan at the end of the day.
      “It’s encouraging to see these youngsters come through. They’re fierce, I see a lot of myself in the younger generation.  They’re what the sport is going to rely on.”
      My fans are probably a small portion in the grandstand and I admire them for being able to withstand the boos too.Lewis Hamilton
      Meanwhile, Hamilton says he will not suffer if he is targeted by the Dutch boo-boys who are coming to cheer on local hero Max Verstappen at this weekend’s Dutch GP.
      Hamilton added: “It’s something you could potentially expect. Of course we’ve seen a lot of the orange fans.
      “I’ve never been someone who would go to an event and boo, but I understand it, you see it in football.
      “It’s just a passion that the fans have – or the dislike that some of them have of their opponents.

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      “I respect it, I’ve always loved coming up to Holland, particularly Amsterdam is one of the greatest cities.
      “I know I do have some Team LH fans in the Netherlands, which I really appreciate. They’re probably a small portion in the grandstand out there and I admire them for being able to withstand the boos too, but that’s the sport.
      “What I do is try and churn that energy that they propel towards me, however you want to take it, and turn it to positive and try and put it into driving.”

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      F1 legend Kimi Raikkonen to retire from sport at end of year with Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas to replace him at Alfa Romeo

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      KIMI RAIKKONEN has announced his decision to leave F1 at the end of this season.As SunSport reported on Tuesday, the 41-year-old will quit the sport and be replaced at Alfa Romeo by Valtteri Bottas.
      Kimi Raikkonen is leaving F1 at the end of the season with the 2007 world title to his nameCredit: Reuters
      It is a move that clears the way for George Russell to replace Bottas at Mercedes to become Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate. 
      Raikkonen, Formula One’s most experienced driver with 344 races under his belt, won the drivers’ title in 2007.
      The Finn said on Instagram: “This is it. This will be my last season on Formula One.
      “This is a decision I did during last winter. It was not an easy decision but after this season it is a time for new things.
      “Even though the season is still on, I want to thank my family, all my teams, everyone involved in my racing career and especially all you great fans who have been rooting for me all this time.
      “Formula One might come to an end for me but there is a lot more in life that I want to experience and enjoy.

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      “See you all around after this. Sincerely, Kimi.”
      Raikkonen made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2001 and made his talent known with a series of top-five finishes.
      Snapped up by McLaren the following year, he later moved to Ferrari and denied Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by a single point to win the 2007 championship in his debut season with the Maranello team.

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      Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel play football during F1 rain delay in poignant nod to what dad Michael used to do More

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      Dutch GP bosses tell fans not to boo Lewis Hamilton and call for ‘respect’ for Max Verstappen’s fierce F1 rival

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      DUTCH GP bosses have appealed to fans to lay off booing Lewis Hamilton.The Brit could face a bumpy weekend in Zandvoort as Formula One returns to the Netherlands for the first time since 1985.
      Max Verstappen will be backed by a huge home crown in ZandvoortCredit: Getty
      The vast majority of the 105,000-capacity crowd will be cheering on their countryman, Hamilton’s title rival, Max Verstappen.
      The Brit has faced jeers at the Hungarian and Belgian GPs after clashing with the Red Bull ace on the first lap at Silverstone.
      But Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers has appealed for calm, insisting the seven-time world champion is treated with respect.
      He said: “Show your decency when a seven-time world champion comes here. We should be proud of that.
      “It is downright antisocial and unwise to yell ‘boo’. Respect is something you have to show if you want to get it for yourself.
      “As motorsport enthusiasts, we have to show that we handle this situation in a better way. Make sure that other people don’t have to be ashamed.”

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      Mercedes say they are treating this race just like any other despite the swathes of home fans.
      And Merc boss Toto Wolff is feeling confident his team can take the fight to Red Bull and Verstappen.
      He said: “F1 returns to Zandvoort this weekend for the first time in several decades.
      “It’s an exciting track for the drivers because it is fast and flowing.

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      “It feels like a proper old-school track, so I am sure they are looking forward to taking on that challenge.
      “As a team, we’re relishing the challenge of tackling a new track, because it is new for everyone and that means fresh opportunities to find advantage.
      “So we’ll be looking to hit the ground running on Friday and take the fight to our competitors. It will be exciting to see who comes out on top.”

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      Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel play football during F1 rain delay in poignant nod to what dad Michael used to do

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      THE BELGIAN Grand Prix was delayed due to bad weather on Sunday and drivers were left to their own devices when it came to keeping themselves busy.And Mick Schumacher, 22, and Sebastian Vettel, 34, decided to pass the time by kicking a football about.
      Sebastian Vettel (left) and Mick Schumacher (right) have a kick about in Belgium
      Michael Schumacher used to do the same while his races were delayed
      The pair were filmed playing with one another, with each driver taking turns to show off their kick-up skills.
      And the senior Schumacher Michael used to do exactly the same while rain delayed his races.
      The Tiktok video shows the German displaying his best keepie upies, and he used the Germany 2006 World Cup ball to keep occupied.
      And it seems he may have better skills than his son, who used assistance from the wall to pass the ball to Vettel.
      When the weather finally cleared after three hours and 17 minutes the Gran Prix finally set off, but lasted just three laps.
      Despite that, Max Verstappen was declared winner with Brit George Russell finishing on the podium for the first time in his career.

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      And Lewis Hamilton was left infuriated with the outcome of the event.
      He said: “It was a farce and the only people to lose out are the fans who have paid good money to watch us race.
      “Money talks. It was literally the two laps to start the race; it’s an all money scenario.
      “So everyone gets their money, and I think the fans should get theirs back too, because unfortunately, they didn’t get to see what they came and paid for.
      “I think the sport made a bad choice today.”
      Mick Schumacher is taking part in his first F1 season
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      Valtteri Bottas move to Alfa Romeo to be confirmed clearing path for George Russell to join Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

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      VALTTERI BOTTAS’s proposed move to Alfa Romeo is expected to be confirmed this week – paving the way for George Russell to join Mercedes.Russell will become Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate for the 2022 season to create an all-British line up for the first time in F1 since 2012.
      George Russell is set to get his move to MercedesCredit: Splash
      And Valtteri Bottas is heading to Alfa RomeoCredit: AP
      Russell, 23, was second in last weekend’s ill-fated Belgian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Hamilton, who was third.
      The racer from Kings Lynn won the GP3 title in 2017 and the Formula 2 championship the following year.
      He has been on loan from Merc at Williams for the past three years, helping the team in their battle from the back of the grid.
      However, he will now earn his promotion to the Brackley-based team where he will go up against Hamilton.
      Last weekend, Merc boss Toto Wolff confirmed that a decision had been made regarding his driver pairing.
      When quizzed on two occasions if he had made his decision, Wolff simply said ‘yes’.

      He added: “If it would have been an easier decision, we would have made it earlier because we know what we have with Valtteri and we know what we have with George.
      “Both of them deserve being looked after in the best possible way because both of them are part of the family and we hold them up high.”
      It is expected that Merc will first announce their intention not to re-sign Bottas, allowing Alfa Romeo to confirm his signing.
      Bottas, 32, has won nine GPs but has not been on the top step of the podium for almost 12 months.
      He will replace outgoing countryman Kimi Raikkonen, 41, who will leave Alfa Romeo, almost certainly bringing down the curtain on his F1 career.
      Once Alfa have confirmed Bottas’s arrival, Merc will in turn confirm that Russell has signed a new deal with the team.
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      Valtteri Bottas move to Alfa Romeo to be confirmed and clear path for George Russell to join Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

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      VALTTERI BOTTAS’s proposed move to Alfa Romeo is expected to be confirmed this week – paving the way for George Russell to join Mercedes.Russell will become Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate for the 2022 season to create an all-British line up for the first time in F1 since 2012.
      George Russell is set to get his move to MercedesCredit: Splash
      And Valtteri Bottas is heading to Alfa RomeoCredit: AP
      Russell, 23, was second in last weekend’s ill-fated Belgian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Hamilton, who was third.
      The racer from Kings Lynn won the GP3 title in 2017 and the Formula 2 championship the following year.
      He has been on loan from Merc at Williams for the past three years, helping the team in their battle from the back of the grid.
      However, he will now earn his promotion to the Brackley-based team where he will go up against Hamilton.
      Last weekend, Merc boss Toto Wolff confirmed that a decision had been made regarding his driver pairing.
      When quizzed on two occasions if he had made his decision, Wolff simply said ‘yes’.

      He added: “If it would have been an easier decision, we would have made it earlier because we know what we have with Valtteri and we know what we have with George.
      “Both of them deserve being looked after in the best possible way because both of them are part of the family and we hold them up high.”
      It is expected that Merc will first announce their intention not to re-sign Bottas, allowing Alfa Romeo to confirm his signing.
      Bottas, 32, has won nine GPs but has not been on the top step of the podium for almost 12 months.
      He will replace outgoing countryman Kimi Raikkonen, 41, who will leave Alfa Romeo, almost certainly bringing down the curtain on his F1 career.
      Once Alfa have confirmed Bottas’s arrival, Merc will in turn confirm that Russell has signed a new deal with the team.
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      F1 bosses to discuss rule changes after Belgian Grand Prix ‘farce’ but fans will not get a refund despite Hamilton plea

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      FORMULA ONE bosses will meet to discuss the Belgian Grand Prix “farce” – but disgruntled fans are set to be left out of pocket.Lewis Hamilton blasted race bosses for running a three lap procession behind the safety car to satisfy the rule book in classifying it as a race.
      Visibility at Spa was difficult for the driversCredit: Getty
      Fans at the Spa racetrack saw just three laps of safety car actionCredit: Getty
      But they are not expected to be given a refund for their ticketCredit: AFP
      He called it “a farce” and said that “money talks” with reference to why the ‘race’ went ahead in the first place, amid safety concerns due to the wet track.
      The F1 champ also called on sodden fans to be reimbursed for their tickets – however, SunSport understands that is unlikely.
      However, teams, F1 bosses and the sport’s governing body will meet during this weekend’s Dutch GP to ensure that the wash-out at Spa never happens again.
      F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has made it clear that safety was the priority as the wet track made the visibility too unsafe to race.
      McLaren CEO Zak Brown said that it was not “right” that the few laps behind the safety car were declared a race.
      He said: “The regulations state that after you do a few laps it can be called a race. I think that needs to be reviewed.

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      “I don’t think there is anyone who would argue the weather was safe to race in, but we need a better solution as a sport when that type of situation happens.
      “The outcome should not be a race after three laps behind a safety car.
      “That is what the rules say but that now needs to be reviewed by all of us, to learn from and realise that if we are given that type of situation, what would we do differently to make sure the outcome is everyone gets their race in – whether that is the following day or it comes back.
      “I don’t think anyone would say it felt right calling that a race, so we will work on this and hope that something like this doesn’t happen again.”
      FIA’s under fire Race Director Michael Masi agreed that the rules need changing to ensure there is no repeat of the embarrassment at Spa.
      He added: “At our next meeting for next year, we’ll look at a whole lot of things that you know we can all look at, to see what everyone wants.
      “The FIA works with all 10 teams and F1 to develop the regulations. And so we’ll go through all of the various scenarios and see what everyone thinks.”
      Meanwhile, Domenicali says it was not F1’s fault for starting the race at 3pm, despite the Porsche Super Cup and Formula 3 races being completed well ahead of F1’s proposed start time.

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      He also said it was impossible to roll the race over to the following day for logistical reasons.
      He said: “It’s the stewards that control that, if you want to change the time. As far as the information that we had, there was no sign that the rain would have been so bad.
      “Otherwise, a decision could have been taken by the stewards but you cannot schedule the race the day after for many things, related to availability of marshals, availability of other stuff.”
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