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      George Russell’s move to Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate next season all-but confirmed after pole heartbreak

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      GEORGE RUSSELL’s proposed move to Mercedes was all but confirmed by boss Toto Wolff after he narrowly missed out on a shock pole position. The Brit is expected to be confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate for 2022 within days, replacing Valtteri Bottas.
      George Russell narrowly missed out on pole in BelgiumCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff are set to be joined by Russell next seasonCredit: Reuters
      Russell looked to have done the unthinkable and taken pole for the Belgian GP in his Williams only to be pipped by Max Verstappen at the death.
      When quizzed on two occasion if he had made his decision over his driver pairing, Wolff simply said ‘yes’.
      He also added: “Like George, I was a bit disappointed he was not on pole.”
      SunSport understands the delay in confirming the switch is down to securing a place for Bottas in a different F1 team. 
      Wolff said: “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.”
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      Russell is now targeting a top-five finish after qualifying ahead of Hamilton, who will start in third place.
      Russell, 23, said: “I thought we would have done a good job to get out of Q1 but I had so much confidence and the car was feeling great.
      “I was in a fortunate position having got into Q3 with nothing to lose, so we thought, let’s go for it.
      “I am buzzing for tomorrow, which of course is the important one, so all eyes on that. We have to be realistic. We have fast cars behind us but I don’t see why we cannot finish in the top five.”
      Russell’s heroics came in a rain-soaked qualifying session in Spa, that was delayed by 40 minutes due to a huge crash involving Lando Norris at the notorious Eau Rouge section of the track.
      Lando Norris suffered a high speed crash during heavy rainCredit: Rex
      In treacherous conditions, Norris lost control at speed and slammed into the tyre barriers only to be catapulted back on track, with his McLaren spinning on its side.
      It was almost a carbon copy of an accident in the W Series qualifying session held the previous day that saw six cars slam into each other.
      Thankfully, Norris’s crash was not near any other driver, although Sebastian Vettel was next to arrive on the scene and slowed down his Aston Martin to check on the 21-year-old, who gave him the thumbs up.
      Vettel was furious having just told the race director, Michael Masi to stop qualifying due to the wet conditions. A plea that was ignored.
      He fumed: “Well, what the f*** did I say? What did I say? Yeah, red flag. It’s unnecessary.”
      Vettel later complained to Masi and says he gambled with drivers’ lives by starting qualifying in the heavy rain.
      He said:  “I think Michael is not proud of what happened either.
      “It’s always easy to play Captain Hindsight. But I think we need to find a way that we listen more to the information that we have.
      “Inside the garage, it’s very limited, because it’s like looking out of the window. But three kilometres that way, I have no clue what is going on.
      “When I went down to Eau Rouge and came up the hill, it was a lot of water and I was calling for a red flag.
      “I think the truth is, the session should not have started at all.
      “There’s plenty of things we could have done better. I think it’s better to be safe one time too many than one time too little.

      “It’s good that nothing happened, that’s the main news, but it could have been a different outcome for Lando.”
      Meanwhile, Norris has been given the all clear to race after undergoing an x-ray on his elbow.
      McLaren boss Andreas Seidl said: “The checks were done in the hospital, also on his elbow that was hurting a bit. Everything is good, and he’s good to be back racing tomorrow.”
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      Watch terrifying on-board footage of Lando Norris’ 180mph crash at Belgian GP qualy as McLaren ace, 21, taken for X-ray

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      LANDO NORRIS was taken for an X-ray after a terrifying 180mph crash in Belgian Grand Prix qualifying.The incident sparked a debate over whether the final run of Saturday’s session should have been delayed due to torrential rain at Spa.

      The heavens opened moments before Q3 and the McLaren racer, 21, lost control at the high-speed Eau Rouge before slamming into the barriers.
      It was the same location as Friday’s horror W-Series crash and Sebastian Vettel, who had already called for a red flag to allow the weather to pass, quickly shot over his team radio: “What did I say!?”
      Vettel slowed next to Norris’ wreckage to check the Brit was okay and Norris was able to gingerly climb out before being taken for an X-ray on an apparent elbow injury.
      Safety renovations are already planned for later this year, at a cost of £68m, but Sunday’s race is also set to take place in the wet.
      Footage of the crash showed Norris lose control of his car at the peak of the bend, hit the barrier, and spin several times across the track.
      Fortunately, no other cars were approaching that corner and a red flag was quickly produced.

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      Vettel, 34, said afterwards: “It’s always easy to play Captain Hindsight.
      “But I think we need to find a way that we listen more to the information that we have.
      “Inside the garage, it’s very limited, because it’s like looking out of the window. But three kilometres that way, I have no clue what is going on.
      “When I went down to Eau Rouge and came up the hill, it was a lot of water and I was calling for a red flag. I think the truth is, the session should not have started at all.
      “There’s plenty of things we could have done better. I think it’s better to be safe one time too many than one time too little.
      “It’s good that nothing happened, that’s the main news, but it could have been a different outcome for Lando.”
      Lando Norris lost control of his McLaren on the high-speed Eau Rouge bendCredit: AFP
      The Brit’s car hit the barrier and spun across the trackCredit: Sky Sports
      Norris fortunately walked away from the scene and was taken for an X-rayCredit: AFP
      Norris officially qualified tenth having looked good for a strong finish in F1 qualifying around Spa.
      But McLaren will likely have to change several parts of his car ahead of the race, which could incur a pit-lane start.
      Fellow British youngster George Russell qualified his Williams in second with a star performance after the red flag, and will start between pole sitter Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Belgium.
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      George Russell denied spectacular pole at Belgian GP by last-gasp Max Verstappen lap as Lewis Hamilton qualifies third

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      GEORGE RUSSELL stunned Spa to qualify SECOND behind Max Verstappen for the Belgian Grand Prix.Lewis Hamilton could only take third as the Williams star slotted himself between the championship rivals with just his latest mega performance on the toughest Saturday of the season.
      George Russell took second in qualifying for the Belgian Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Mercedes have delayed their decision over who will partner Hamilton next season but Valtteri Bottas will start only 13th in Sunday’s race, with a five-place penalty for crashing in Hungary added to his eighth in qualifying.
      The wet conditions at Spa promised a thrilling jostle for the grid but the Belgian circuit’s reputation for danger continued to grow after Lando Norris crashed heavily.
      The heavens opened moments before Q3 and the McLaren racer, 21, lost control at the high-speed Eau Rouge before slamming into the barriers.
      It was the same location as Friday’s horror W-Series crash and Sebastian Vettel, who had already called for a red flag to allow the weather to pass, quickly shot over his team radio: “What did I say!?”
      Vettel slowed next to Norris’ wreckage to check the Brit was okay and he was able to gingerly climb out before heading for an X-ray on his elbow.
      Safety renovations are already planned for later this year, at a cost of £68m, but Sunday’s race is also set to take place in the wet.

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      Mercifully, a long red-flag period allowed the downpour to pass and the nine drivers left standing battled huge spray trailing behind each car.
      Hamilton’s best time was pushed aside by Russell, who at one point looked like bagging his first-ever Formula One pole.
      Lando Norris crashed out in the heavy rain at the start of Q3Credit: AFP
      Sunday’s race at Spa is set to take place in more damp conditionsCredit: Alamy
      Verstappen struggled on his first Q3 hot lap yet soared to pole as he looks to fight back in the championship duel with Hamilton.
      Following the madness of the Hungarian Grand Prix that left the season on a huge summer-break cliffhanger, race winner Esteban Ocon took ninth on the grid after Fernando Alonso put his Alpine 14th.
      Williams duo Nicholas Latifi and Russell snapped up a valuable haul of points in Budapest and could do so again this weekend, the Canadian spinning before securing 12th with Russell chasing a podium in second.
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      F1 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen on POLE as Russell stuns Hamilton to take second, Norris crash

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN will start the Belgian Grand Prix on pole, with a Brit second on the grid – but it’s not Lewis Hamilton.George Russell produced one of the laps of his life to briefly set the fastest time in Spa before the Dutchman went faster.
      Lewis Hamilton could only settle for third spot on the grid after a long delay following Lando Norris’ brutal crash.
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      Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
      BUT HE IS BEATEN BY VERSTAPPEN
      Heartbreak for Russell, who is dumped down to second, but still, what a result for the Brit.
      He outqualifies Hamilton, who is third. The grid is Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Vettel, Gasly, Perez, Bottas, Ocon, Norris.
      RUSSELL TAKES PROVISIONAL POLE
      The track is drying and the Brit smashes in a time at the top. Sensational stuff.
      ONE MINUTE TO GO
      Hamilton still on provisional pole from Perez and then Verstappen. They will all have one more go.
      HAMILTON STRUGGLING
      He is wrestling to keep that Merc on the road. He is fighting it. Spray going everywhere.
      He completes the lap to take a provisional pole.
      HAMILTON: “STILL A LOT OF SPRAY”
      The world champion is out on track and his team tell him to pull back in again if he feels uncomfortable out there.
      He is told that no rain is expected.
      GREEN LIGHT
      It will be a busy eight minutes and 59 seconds as qualifying gets underway after a 40 minute delay.
      QUALIFYING WILL RESUME IN 2 MINUTES
      Time to go again while there is a break in the rain.
      SAFETY CAR OUT
      They are checking on the conditions to see if qualifying can resume. It is still raining.

      PLENTY OF CLEARING UP
      Norris is being checked out by medics but it OK, as the clean up to recover his McLaren and the debris.
      This corner is proving to be a problem. Especially with the way it spits cars back into oncoming traffic.
      NORRIS IS HURT – BUT WALKING TO THE MEDICAL CAR
      He is holding his arm. TV replays show he was aquaplaning coming up the hill at Eau Rogue.
      He hit the wall and into the left handside barrier, which spits his McLaren back out across the track.
      Luckily, no other cars were running behind him, as he would have been hit a second time, and they would have smashed into him.
      Vettel is first arrive on the scene and pulls over to check Norris. He gets the thumbs up.
      The German is livid Michael Masi, the FIA Race Director did not stop the qualifying.

      RED FLAG – HUGE CRASH FOR NORRIS
      Session has been stopped.

      Q3 IS GO – TOP 10 SHOOT OUT IS ON
      But, the heavens have opened and it is pouring down. Vettel is calling for the session to be red flagged. Says there is “too much water”.
      Norris also saying he is aquaplaning in his McLaren.
      Visibility is very poor.
      RUSSELL GETS IN TO Q3 AGAIN
      Great result from the soon-to-be Merc man. He makes it into the top 10 shoot out.
      Eliminated are Stroll, Alonso, Sainz, Latifi and Leclerc.
      Leclerc is not happy. Tells his Ferrari team: “We f***** it up. We will talk about it later.”
      WOW THAT WAS CLOSE
      Hamilton left it late but he makes it in to Q3 at the final attempt. Bottas also squeezes through.
      But it is that man Norris who again tops the time sheets.
      TWO MINUTES TO GO AND THE MERC DUO ARE IN THE DROP ZONE
      Incredible stuff here in Spa. With rain looming, Hamilton is at risk of getting booted out of Q2. He is in 11th.
      HAMILTON IMPROVES…BUT ONLY JUST
      He is in seventh, one place behind George Russell’s Williams. Bottas in 10th.
      The two Mercs are in grave danger here.
      IN THE DROP ZONE…
      Bottas, Hamilton, Alonso, Ocon, Latifi.
      Merc need to get a move on.
      LANDO NORRIS HAS HAD HIS WEETABIX
      The Brit is flying. He smashed Q1 and is now leading in Q2. This is sensational in such tricky conditions.
      GREEN LIGHT Q2 IS GO
      Carlos Sainz has been told that rain is expected five minutes into the session.
      So expect to see plenty of drivers on inters going out early to try and make Q3. Would any of the Williams attempt a run on slicks? Would be brave…

      NORRIS WAS FLYING THERE
      Took P1 from Verstappen by a whopping 0.416 seconds. Mega stuff from the McLaren man.
      THIS IS GOING TO BE CLOSE…
      Raikkonen, Mazepin, Schumacher, Tusnoda, Giovinazzi all in the drop zone.
      NORRIS NOW GOES QUICKEST
      The Brit swaps on to intermediate tyres and tops the time sheets, as more rain is expected.
      Verstappen in second place. Hamilton in fourth, which should see him through.
      RUSSELL GOES QUICKEST
      The track is now drying and the teams will soon be switching to intermediate tyres. It is currently Russell, Latifi, Norris, Verstappen.
      SPIN FOR LATIFI
      Thought those intermediate tyres were a gamble. The Canadian slides off, spins but avoids the barriers.
      He is fortunate to escape the boggy conditions and make his way back on track.
      GREEN LIST – QUALIFYING IS GO
      Interesting that Russell and Latifi have opted for intermediate tyres in the hope of scraping in to Q2.
      Load more entries… More

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      Heart-stopping moment MotoGP star Marc Marquez crashes bike at 170mph and skids for over 100 metres across Silverstone

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      MARC MARQUEZ suffered a terrifying crash at Silverstone that saw him skid across the track for around 100 metres.In MotoGP practice ahead of ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the Spaniard reached 170mph as he prepared to dart into the high-speed Maggots corner.

      But he overcooked his entry and lost control of his bike, which slipped away from underneath him.
      As his bike continued into the grass, Marquez skidded behind it into the run-off area and began tumbling across the surface.
      After seven rolls across roughly 100-metres of the grass, the 28-year-old ended up on the tarmac at the other side of the Becketts complex.
      Fortunately, he was able to stop before he re-entered the racing line and quickly hopped up to exit the track.
      Six-time MotoGP world champion Marquez only returned from a broken arm in April after almost a year out, and he took to the track shortly afterwards for Friday’s second practice session.
      But he required medical treatment after sand was caught in his eye in the incident.

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      Marc Marquez lost control of his Honda in British GP practiceCredit: Twitter@MotoGP
      Marquez said afterwards: “Unfortunately at the end of FP1 I had a big crash and in that crash I had some sand inside my eye.
      “This meant I was tearing up a lot during FP2, and it was difficult to concentrate well and to perform in the best way.
      “But even like this we did a good FP2, but then after FP2 I just started to feel worse with the eye. Always my vision was okay, but there was some sand so I went to the hospital and they cleaned everything.”
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      F1 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying: UK start time, TV channel, live stream and race schedule for Spa-Francorchamps

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      F1 is back on our screens this weekend after a month-long summer break.. The world’s best drivers will descend upon The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen set to resume their heated rivalry.
      Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will resume their heated rivalryCredit: Splash
      The last time the pair faced off was at the Hungary GP, which outsider Esteban Ocon won.
      But Hamilton will be aiming to pull level with Verstappen on five race wins this season in Belgium.
      When is the F1 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying?

      This year’s F1 Belgian Grand Prix qualifying will get underway at 2pmUK time on Saturday, August 28.
      Before that, practice three will take place at 11am.
      The race will take place Stavelot, Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
      There will be 75,000 fans in attendance at the race.

      🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
      What channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      All of the action from the Belgian Grand Prix will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 this weekend.
      First practice coverage begins at 10am UK time on Friday, August 27.
      You can live stream practice, qualifying and the Grand Prix from the NOW TV or Sky Go apps, both of which you can download onto your mobile or tablet device.

      F1 Belgian Grand Prix race schedule
      Friday, August 27

      Practice One – 10.30am UK time
      Practice Two – 2pm UK time

      Saturday, August 28

      Practice Three – 11am UK time
      Belgian GP Qualifying – 2pm UK time

      Sunday, August 29

      Belgian Grand Prix – 2pm UK time More

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      Terrifying moment five female racing drivers crash in six-car horror pile-up with two rushed to hospital at Belgian GP

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      SIX W-Series drivers were involved in a horror crash during the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, the venue for Sunday’s F1 race.Ayla Agren and Beitske Visser were taken to hospital following the shocking incident in the female-only event but evaded serious injury.
      Several W-Series drivers were involved in a huge crash at SpaCredit: Twitter
      One car flew up into the air in the dramatic incidentCredit: Twitter
      Beitske Visser was hospitalised but didn’t suffer any broken bonesCredit: Twitter@beitskevisser
      The incident happened at Spa’s notorious Eau Rouge corner, one of the most challenging in motorsport.
      It comes just two years after promising F2 driver Anthoine Hubert was killed at the exit of Eau Rouge.
      The drama unfolded when British driver Sarah Moore, 27, lost control at the corner and span into the tyre wall.
      Fellow Brit Abbie Eaton, 29, was just behind Moore and also went off the track and into the tyres, deflecting into her compatriot.
      Dutch star Visser, 26, Norwegian-Spanish ace Agren, 28, and Spaniard Marta Garcia, 21, went crashing into the British pair.
      Visser’s car was sent flying up in the air before a sixth driver – not caught on camera – hit Visser and ended up upside down.

      That was Fabienne Wohlwend, the 23-year-old from Liechtenstein, who recieved medical attention along with Moore, Eaton and Garcia.
      Agren and Visser were hospitalised but both drivers have since confirmed they’ve not suffered any broken bones.
      Visser tweeted: “Thank you all for your messages.
      “That was a very scary one but I think I had an angel on my shoulder, I’m very sore but luckily I have no fracture.”
      And Agren posted on Instagram: “Thank you everyone for your support and messages.
      “I am all ok, bruised and sore but no broken bones… Today is a new day and I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel soon.”
      The W-Series is an all-female racing competition that began in 2019, with last year’s championship not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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      Cal Crutchlow ‘dreaming’ of podium finish as he prepares for Silverstone return in British MotoGP a year after retiring

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      CAL CRUTCHLOW says he never expected to be given an opportunity to race at Silverstone again.The 35-year-old has earned a dream recall for the Monster Energy Yamaha team in place of the injured Franco Morbidelli and will race in the British MotoGP this weekend.
      Cal Crutchlow is ready for the British MotoGP – despite retiring a year agoCredit: PA
      The 35-year-old has earned a dream recall for the Monster Energy Yamaha teamCredit: Getty
      The Coventry-born racer retired at the end of last season to take a role as the team’s test rider.
      He said: “I never thought I would be racing in the British MotoGP again, let alone riding for the Monster Energy Yamaha team.
      “It is a privilege to be on the bike and on the grid in front of the British fans.
      “Over the years, I have been the British guy at the front of MotoGP and there was always the expectation to have a great result at Silverstone, which I always tried to do.
      “This year it is a little bit different. There is no pressure and I can enjoy it a little bit more and see how we go.
      “But seeing a sell-out crowd will be amazing, so I am looking forward to getting back out there and nice to be racing at Silverstone again.”

      Crutchlow’s best finish at Silverstone was second in 2016 and says that while a podium is unrealistic, he’s not ruling it out in front of a full house.
      He added: “A podium? You are absolutely dreaming! I am just looking forward to it but with MotoGP you never know.
      “One week someone can win and then the other week, they’d nearly be last. That’s what’s good about MotoGP, the battling and being so competitive.
      “I have no idea about this weekend. I will look to do my job and enjoy it.
      “I am not up to speed with the other guys, they have been riding all year and I have had five months off the bike.
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      “But I rode in Austria and got a feeling for it and it would be nice to be able to go better this weekend.”
      Despite being drafted in at late notice, he says he has no regrets about calling time on his racing career last year.
      He said: “I stopped racing full-time at the right time. I still believe it was the right choice and I enjoy watching it from home and seeing how my friends are getting on.
      “It has been a big part of my life for so long so to be back in, is good fun but I enjoyed being a test rider, so it is a perfect combination.”
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