Mercedes-Benz

FERNANDO ALONSO was left fuming with Lewis Hamilton after the two drivers collided during the first lap of the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.The Spaniard, who started third on the grid, was quick to climb a position after lights out to jump up to second.

Alonso and Hamilton collided during the Belgium GPCredit: AFP
Alonso takes his right hand off the wheel to wag his finger at Hamilton
But, Hamilton was hot on his heals – so much so that the duo clashed midway through the first lap.
The Brit flew up and over his long-term rival, who then proceeded to rant to his Alpine team on the radio.
He said: “What an idiot! This guy only knows how to drive and start in first!”
And the most recent footage of the incident – which emerged on Sunday afternoon – shows Alonso furiously wagging his finger at the Mercedes driver as he drove past.
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Hamilton was forced to retire shortly after the collision due to the damage his car sustained.
After the race, the seven-time world champion took full responsibility for the crash.
He told Sky Sports: “I’m looking back at the footage and he was in my blind spot and I didn’t leave him enough space.
“So it was my fault today.
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“I am sorry to the team and I need to recuperate and get back on the treadmill.”
Red Bull went on to claim maximum points from the weekend, extending the team’s lead at the top of the Constructors Championship to 118 points.
Max Verstappen also extended his lead at the top of the drivers standings while Sergio Perez climbed up to second. More

LEWIS HAMILTON says “It’s nice to know how he feels about me”, after Fernando Alonso branded the Brit an “idiot” following a collision at the Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday.The Mercedes ace, 37, was forced to retire after he made contact with the Spanish icon in the first lap at Spa.
Hamilton admitted fault for the collision with AlonsoCredit: AFP
Alonso branded Hamilton an ‘idiot’ on the radioCredit: Rex
Hamilton hit back at the SpaniardCredit: Reuters
A spectacular impact between the seven-time and two-time Formula One world champions saw Hamilton’s rear end lift.
Raging over the team radio, Alonso fumed: “What an idiot!
“Closing the door from the outside. I mean, we had a mega start.
“But this guy only knows how to drive and start in first.”
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And Hamilton has hit back at Alonso, saying “It’s nice to know how he feels about me”.
Hamilton said on Alonso’s “idiot” comment: “I don’t really have a response to it.

“I know how things feel in the heat of the moment, but it’s nice to know how he feels about me.
“It’s better that it’s out in the open how he feels. And like I said, it wasn’t intentional, and I take responsibility for it.
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“That’s what adults do.”
Hamilton says he’s grateful the crash wasn’t any worse and that he’s “alive and in shape”.
He continued: “I remember looking at the ground, it was definitely high up.
“I’m grateful to be still alive and in shape.
“I could hear something’s broken in the gearbox. Coming down I would have broken so much in the back end, so I was told to stop.
“But obviously in that moment, you’re hopeful you can keep going.” More

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON was forced to retire in the first round of the Belgian Grand Prix after a dramatic crash in the opening lap.The Stevenage speedster went over the top of Fernando Alonso after colliding with the Apline ace in the second corner of the Spa race.

Lewis Hamilton went over the top of Fernando Alonso in the opening lap of the Belgian Grand PrixCredit: GETTY
Hamilton’s Mercedes was badly damaged from the crashCredit: Getty
Hamilton soared through the air but miraculously didn’t harm the Spaniard and was able to continue driving – albeit not very well.
After the collision, Mercedes chiefs told the Brit: “Stop, stop, stop!”
The seven-time champion begrudgingly listened to their advice, bringing his race to a premature end.
A furious Alonso raged on the Apline team radio: “Yeah. What an idiot!
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“Closing the door from the outside. I mean, we had a mega start.
“But this guy only knows how to drive and start in first.”
F1 fans were quick to react to the dramatic opening lap, with one saying: “All on Lewis there, anyway who says otherwise doesn’t watch F1.”
Another said: “Lu lu can only drive at the front with a fast car.”
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And another said: “As Fernando, said he only knows how to drive from 1st in the fastest car, complete fraud.”
One remarked: “Alonso just turned in on him.”
Another chimed in: “How’s that happened then?”
Mercedes superstar Hamilton was confident of picking up his first win of the season ahead of this afternoon’s race.
Sir Lewis Hamilton has yet to taste victory this seasonCredit: AP
He said: “We’ve been improving, we’ve had this consistency of the recent races and great progress that the team is making, everyone pulling together and continuing to push.
“The car is becoming more of a racing car, which is not particularly what it was at the start of the year!
“It’s more like a normal racing car in terms of its characteristics so that’s positive.
“The last race was the best showing we’ve had so far. That for us was a huge boost, that we can close that gap.
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“It’s naturally going to be tough, we’ll keep our heads down.
“The other guys are doing an amazing job but I do believe we can close the gap.”
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LEWIS HAMILTON has been handed a huge boost ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix with title leaders Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen set to be demoted to the back of the grid. The Brit driver is still looking for his first win of the season and will likely not get a better chance this season with both frontrunners having to fight through the pack.
Charles Leclerc is looking to turn his fortunes around after Ferrari’s form fell off a cliff in the last few racesCredit: Rex
Max Verstappen has an 80 point lead in the Driver’s ChampionshipCredit: Rex
Lewis Hamilton has not won an F1 race since December’s Saudi Arabian Grand PrixCredit: Rex
Leclerc and Verstappen are just two of SIX drivers set to take penalties, with several teams choosing to take new power units and having to start from the back of the grid as a result.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo and Haas’ Mick Schumacher are the other drivers set to be penalised.
The penalties have been confirmed by the governing body the FIA after the first practice session.
Teams are believed to be taking the penalties at this race as it is easier in to overtake in Belgium and make up places than other tracks.
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It will throw the cat among the pigeons as F1 returns from its mid-season break at the legendary Spa circuit.
Leclerc and Verstappen have won all but two races between them this season but their low starting positions could open the door to other drivers.

Lewis Hamilton finished 2nd at the Hungarian Grand Prix and was very competitive at last month’s chaotic British Grand Prix.
The seven-time World Champion is also on a run of five podiums on the bounce as Mercedes gradually close the gap to Ferrari and Red Bull.
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His team-mate George Russell may also now believe his first victory is within reach with the Brit snatching his first ever pole at Hungary in the last race.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, both with only a sole win so far this season, may also think their team-mates’ penalties could open opportunities for the race victory.
After his early season struggles, Hamilton is feeling increasingly positive about his Mercedes car.
He told the Belgian Grand Prix press conference that the Merc was becoming “more of a racing car” after its uncompetitive showing in the early races.
The 37-year-old also had an active summer break as he toured Africa to explore his roots. More

LEWIS HAMILTON believes he is finally closing in on achieving his first win of the year ahead of this weekend’s Belgium GP.Hamilton is currently on the longest winless run of his F1 career – a streak that stretches back to the Saudi GP last December.
Sir Lewis Hamilton is on the longest winless run of his F1 careerCredit: SPLASH
But the Brit is confident his drought will soon come to an endCredit: Splash
But the 37-year-old, who has won at least one race in every year he has competed in F1, is confident of finally breaking his duck in 2022.
Hamilton, who was second in Hungary, said: “We’ve been improving, we’ve had this consistency of the recent races and great progress that the team is making, everyone pulling together and continuing to push.
“The car is becoming more of a racing car, which is not particularly what it was at the start of the year!
“It’s more like a normal racing car in terms of its characteristics so that’s positive.
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“The last race was the best showing we’ve had so far. That for us was a huge boost, that we can close that gap.
“It’s naturally going to be tough, we’ll keep our heads down.
“The other guys are doing an amazing job but I do believe we can close the gap.”
Hamilton also says he has no plans to quit the sport, despite his soul-searching trip to Africa during the F1 summer break.
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He added: “There’s still plenty to achieve here, personally.
“Maybe not that many records, but still a lot of ground to cover with the team.
“I am still deeply in love with the sport.

“And I particularly like the direction and the things that we’re doing within it.
“But of course there’s lots more outside that’s continuing to grow as well. So it’s an exciting time.”
Meanwhile, F1 chiefs are expected to confirm on Friday that Audi will be coming into the sport in 2026.
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The German car brand have taken a majority stake in the Sauber team, who are currently badged as Alfa Romeo.
Audi is just one of the car brands owned by the Volkswagen group, with Porsche also expected to forge links with Red Bull.
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LEWIS HAMILTON and team-mate George Russell now have a shot at winning races.That’s according to Juan Pablo Montoya, who claims that Mercedes have had a “big, big upgrade” during the F1 break.
Lewis Hamilton will now have a shot at winning races, says Juan Pablo MontoyaCredit: Getty
The seven-time champ posted a photo on social media to declare that he was back driving after the F1 breakCredit: https://www.instagram.com/lewishamilton/
There are still nine races left on the calendar this season and Brit racer Hamilton sits sixth in the individual standings.
The upcoming Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday signifies the end of the month-long break for the drivers.
Hamilton, 37, whose father Anthony is of Grenadian descent, took the time to travel across Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania on a self-discovery mission.
The seven-time champ has not won a race since December last year, but legendary driver Montoya thinks that may change soon.
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He told Vegas Insider: “The rumour is that Mercedes has a big, big upgrade coming for their cars.
“And, if that is the case, Mercedes really comes up with a car, which is really cool to see from Mercedes.
“It is very exciting. Mercedes is still gonna get better, against everybody else, but everybody else in the field is gonna stay very constant.
“Because they all keep developing and making the cars better to drive, easier to drive.
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“Everybody is getting a little more comfortable with the new package, and understanding the new package.”
“So I think the way everybody is developing the cars is going to be very similar, but I still think that Mercedes out-develops everybody else. That is my two cents.” 
“The question is, is Mercedes’ step so big that they start winning every race, and they are going to win the last nine races, and they are going to do one, two, seven or eight times, and you know, they have a shot at the Constructor Championship, while everybody else fumbles?”
I see Mercedes might have a shot at winning a couple of races this year if their developing goes wellJuan Pablo Montoya
“Or their step is, ok, we are starting to fight against Red Bull and Mercedes, and we are just there? That is the more realistic version of what I see coming.
“I see Mercedes might have a shot at winning a couple of races this year if their developing goes well.”
Hamilton said he was “transformed” by his trip through Africa.
And it could prove to be the perfect reset after a tough start to the season where he remains winless – and on the longest drought of his F1 career.
He has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian GP last December, but said the break was “some of the best days of my entire life”.
Legend Montoya thinks that Mercedes ‘out-develop’ the rest over the course of the seasonCredit: Getty – Contributor More