Mercedes-Benz

LEWIS HAMILTON’S Mercedes team have rubbished reports their 2022 F1 car failed the FIA’s crash tests.Merc issued a statement due to incorrect stories saying their W13 ‘completed its FIA homologation process on 13 January 2022′.
There were claims Lewis Hamilton’s car failed FIA crash testingCredit: Getty
Mercedes took to Twitter with the cheeky response over the reports
All F1 teams are required to submit their cars to stringent safety checks, including side-impact stiffness.
The new rules for this season mean the minimum weight of an F1 car has been increased to 795kg to allow for a stronger structure.
Merc will launch their car on February 18, just five days before pre-season testing begins in Barcelona.
The car will return to a traditional silver livery after two years of black, done to show support for diversity and a stand against racism and discrimination.
And it will be used in a race for the first time on March 20 at the curtain-raiser in Bahrain.
Hamilton will be in attendance at the virtual launch next month after the controversial end to the 2021 season.
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He has been silent publicly since the Abu Dhabi finale which saw Max Verstappen steal the title from him on the final lap, not even posting on social media in that time.
However, he was spotted in California grabbing a coffee over the weekend.
The 37-year-old has been the subject of intense speculation regarding his position in the sport in recent weeks.
Hamilton’s future hangs in the balance and is dependent on the outcome of an inquest into the title-deciding race, which is expected to be published TWO days before the start of next season.
New Merc driver George Russell will also be present for his first day as a Mercedes driver after replacing Valteri Bottas, but all eyes will be on Hamilton.
The new Mercedes car is yet to be released but is expected to revert back to the traditional silverCredit: AP More

GEORGE RUSSELL is ‘ready’ to go toe-to-toe with Lewis Hamilton in their Formula One battle at Mercedes, according to Mark Webber.The rising British star, 23, joins the seven-time world champion at the Silver Arrows this season following Valtteri Bottas’ departure.
George Russell has ambitions to challenge for the F1 title in 2022Credit: Rex
He will be teaming up with veteran and seven-time winner Lewis Hamilton for MercedesCredit: Alamy
And following some impressive performances for Williams, he will be ready to challenge the best in the business with an improved car – including his own team-mate and compatriot Hamilton.
Webber told formelaustria: “Going up against Lewis will be extremely challenging.
“But George has almost 50 races under his belt now, so he’s ready for it [60 F1 starts, 50 finishes].
“George will know that there will be a huge shift in intensity that comes with the expectation of qualifying for the front row every week and finishing every race in the top positions.”
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will be desperate his pair of drivers can retain the constructors’ championship – assuming Hamilton does not quit the sport.
The Stevenage star wants revenge on Max Verstappen after the 2021 F1 season finale which saw the Dutchman claim the drivers’ crown.
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But Russell will hope he can squeeze his way into the rivalry and challenge for the title, too.
Testing for the new F1 season gets underway next month with the first race in Bahrain on March 20.
Webber, who spent 12 years in F1 with three third-place finishes, also had his say on the sprint races amid talk of the new format being scrapped.
However, he compared the endurance required to win a full race to a Grand Slam five-setter in tennis.
The Aussie added: “In sprint racing, we need to make sure that the consumer understands what they are watching and what F1 is trying to achieve, and that is not always easy.
“Even though the longer events sometimes get more boring, like in tennis, all the top players want to win the Grand Slams and the bigger tournaments.
“The best of the best find a way to win in five sets.
“So we have to be careful with the sprint races in F1 that they don’t become a bit of a lottery and reduce the prestige of the series.”
Webber was at Red Bull for seven years and came third in the drivers’ championship three timesCredit: Getty More

CHRISTIAN HORNER hopes that Lewis Hamilton sticks around in Formula 1 this season.The Red Bull chief saw his charge Max Verstappen battle tooth and nail with the Brit in last season’s controversial title battle.
Christian Horner wants his man Max Verstappen to be taking on Lewis Hamilton againCredit: AFP
The Brit’s future remains up in the airCredit: PA
And despite Hamilton, 37, being his man’s biggest obstacle in retaining the championship this year, Horner hopes that he sticks around as the pair are in ‘a league of their own’.
He told World Is One News: “I certainly hope that Lewis will be around this year.
“He’s still driving at an incredible level, the two drivers last year were in a league of their own.
“But ultimately, it’s his choice, it’s his career, it’s his decision, so I’m sure he will decide to do what’s best for him, what he wants to do, and that’s none of our business.”
Hamilton has so far kept quiet on his future, not speaking publicly since Abu Dhabi.
But Mercedes chief Toto Wolff appears cautiously optimistically about the prospect of Hamilton pairing up with new Silver Arrows acquisition George Russell.
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He told Auto Motor und Sport: “I would wish that we had two lightning-fast drivers fighting for victory.
“And if not, then we need these drivers to get our car back on the winning track.
“The measure of Lewis is often wrongly questioned. Even after the events in Abu Dhabi, he immediately congratulated Max.
“Lewis only wants one thing: fair competition on the track. We will deliver that.”
Pre-season testing is set to take place in Barcelona between February 23-25.
Hamilton’s former McLaren team-mate Jensen Button doesn’t believe that his old pal will turn his back on the sport.
He said: “”I really do hope he will be racing. I think he will be racing. He wants to win that eighth title and be the most decorated Formula One driver in F1 history. And he will do that, I really do think so.”

Jenson Button believes his old pal will stay in F1Credit: PA More

WORLD champions Mercedes have announced February 18 as the date for the launch of their car for the upcoming 2022 season. And the team, led by Toto Wolff, will reveal the car that they hope will challenge for the title during the 2022 F1 season again in a month’s time – and Lewis Hamilton WILL be there.
Mercedes are close to officially unveiling their new car for the 2022 seasonCredit: Getty
The unveiling will be the first time Hamilton speaks after controversially losing the F1 driver’s title to VerstappenCredit: PA
Hamilton lost out on the driver’s title to Max Verstappen, but Mercedes still took home the constructor’s championship.
And the Brit is set to challenge this year in the new W13 car, which will be officially unveiled in a “special digital launch event” at Silverstone.
This will be attended virtually by both Mercedes drivers, Hamilton and fellow Brit George Russell.
The team are set to revert to a silver livery after two years in black colours as they bid to claim a NINTH consecutive constructor’s championship.
But new regulations mean the car will be vastly different to last season, as F1 chiefs have implemented the biggest changes to cars yet in the 71-year history of the sport.
The aim is to level the playing field, and cut out a two-way battle for both the driver and constructor’s titles.
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Mercedes are the fourth team to confirm a date for the launch of their new car, after Aston Martin (Feb 10), McLaren (Feb 11) and Ferrari (Feb 17).
Their announcement confirmed Hamilton’s attendance and the Brit will break his silence after the controversial end to the 2021 season.
New driver Russell will also be present for his first day as a Mercedes driver after replacing Valteri Bottas, but all eyes will be on Hamilton.
The 37-year-old has been the subject of intense speculation regarding his position in the sport in recent weeks.
He is set to address the media for the first time next month following the events in Abu Dhabi last month, which saw Verstappen snatch the title from him.
Hamilton’s future hangs in the balance and is dependent on the outcome of an inquest into the title-deciding race, which is expected to be published TWO days before the start of next season.
The results of the inquest are crucial to Hamilton’s future, according to Sky Sports.
Hamilton unfollowed everyone on Instagram last month in the aftermath of the chaotic title decider at Yas Marina.
And his silence has only heightened speculation that he may have already competed in his last F1 race. More

LEWIS HAMILTON’S mental strength can’t be questioned after the harrowing racism he suffered as a young go-karter, reveals Mercedes principal Toto Wolff.The Brit, who turned 37 on Friday, hasn’t been heard from since last season’s controversial finale in Abu Dhabi.
Lewis Hamilton suffered disgusting treatment as a young karterCredit: Getty Images – Getty
British hero Hamilton regularly stands up for equalityCredit: Getty
Hamilton’s future in the sport has been questioned with retirement rumours rife.
He is expected to come back stronger given his previous experiences, as Wolff explained while speaking to Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.
The Austrian, 49, said: “As a child he was insulted on the go-kart track.
“White parents forbade their children to interact with him; that definitely left big scars on him too.
“For him, racing was the valve to show everyone, and it still is.”
Hamilton has often used his public platform to fight racial prejudice.
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He has called on Formula 1 to address diversity issues within the sport.
While he has also ploughed £20million into launching his own Mission 44 foundation, which aims to support young people from under-represented backgrounds.
Hamilton believes that fighting for these worthwhile causes has helped his racing.
He told Sky Sports in October: “So now it’s the work that I’m doing in the background and then I’m turning up and I’m enjoying this job. Is it helping me race? I think so.
“It’s like my new drive and I feel like it’s giving me more longevity because it’s a lot of work we have to do. I feel like it also gives my life real purpose. Racing is not a purpose, it’s something you do.”
Hamilton has also repeatedly stood up for the LGBTQ+ community, most recently wearing a rainbow helmet in Qatar and Saudi Arabia – countries in which homosexuality is a criminal offence.
Hamilton has regularly donned a rainbow helmetCredit: AFP
Toto Wolff is in contact with HamiltonCredit: Getty
SunSport understands that Mercedes ARE in contact with Hamilton, despite his public silence.
It is also understood that he feels that by saying nothing, he is shifting the focus on to the FIA and keeping the pressure firmly on their investigation.
In the aftermath of FIA race director Michael Masi’s fudging of the rules that led to Max Verstappen beating Hamilton to last year’s title, Wolff gave his thoughts on the seven-time champion’s future.
He told RacingNews365: “I would very much hope that Lewis continues racing, because he’s the greatest driver of all time.
“We will be working through the events over the next weeks and months.
“I think as a racer, his heart will say, ‘I need to continue’, because he’s at the peak of his game.
“But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday, also because he is a man with clear values, and it’s difficult to understand that that happened.”

Hamilton is expected to carry on this yearCredit: Alamy More