George Russell: "We have all come to the agreement that what happened in Abu Dhabi was incorrect. I really feel for Lewis. He had that race under control, he only had to bring it home to become an eight-time world champion, and he that completely taken away from him."
Hamilton: “If you really think about it, there are a lot of people here that like to drop my name in conversations because they know it will make waves and if you are a little bit lonely, and are not getting much attention, that is the perfect thing to do, just mention my name.”
Hamilton: “I am 100 per cent committed to this team and there is nowhere else I want to be. Just because we have hit a rough patch, it is not in my DNA to pack up. We are still world champions and we can fix this. It will be a painful year that we will have to ride out together.”
Hamilton: “The sport has to do something about this because if the FIA are relaxed with these rules then all the teams will go over [the budget] and spend millions more. Only getting a slap on the wrist is not great for F1. They might as well not have a cost cap in the future.”
Toto Wolff on BBC R4: “No, I was never worried [Hamilton would quit] – although you have to respect the driver is disillusioned. Lewis was the best guy on track, dominating, and then it is taken away by an individual against the rules, so to digest that is that very difficult."
And Norris on Russell: “Growing up with George was a lot of fun. He was a great person, but it is different at Mercedes – a different vibe and a different atmosphere. I just don’t see as fun a side of him.”
#F1
#BritishGP
Interesting line from Vettel on Masi at today’s Aston Martin launch: “It is not the easiest to be in the shoes of the referee, or Michael’s shoes. I don’t know what is in store for his future but I hope he sticks around because overall he has done a very good job.”
#F1
Verstappen on Sky boycott: “It has been a constant kind of digging and being disrespectful, especially from one particular person. At one point it is enough, and I don’t accept it. You cannot live in the past and you have to move on.”
Horner: “The lack of support that was shown to Michael was disappointing, especially at a time when mental health is so prevalent. To hear that his family and he received death threats is not right.”
Hamilton on Ecclestone interview: “There needs to be some accountability. You know what you are going to get with that, and I don’t know what their [GMB’s] goal is, and if they were seeking to create and divide here in the UK. We don’t need any more of it.
Bottas on the boo boys: "We are here as athletes to give everything we have for the sport we love and Lewis did an amazing lap and then you get booing so the people should question themselves. It is not right, it is not fair and we don’t want to see these kind of things."
Sainz on Russell’s claim that Ferrari look the strongest: "Typical Mercedes, typical George, hype up the others and come to the first race and blow the competition away. If it was the first year, I might have believed them. Already on the GPS we can see what they are doing."
Formula One has staged 13 rounds in eight countries over the last four months and returned just 54 positive Covid cases following 60,000 tests. Impressive.
Red Bull: "OK, look out for Stroll. He is starting a timed lap."
Verstappen: "Fuck him. He also fucked my lap. He can wait as well. Dick."
#SpanishGP
#FP3
Gezellig even de radio luisteren bij Max nadat Stroll in de weg reed tijdens VT3. Max had weinig zin om vervolgens Stroll weer voorbij te laten. Als je van veel fuckjes en getier houdt, here you go 😜
#F1
Brief chat with Lando Norris in the paddock. He’s still struggling with tonsillitis & says he’s only slept for a combined eight hours since Sunday’s Spanish GP. His media activities have been cancelled today but he expects to race.
#MonacoGP
#F1
Hamilton: “We are either where we were last year, if not, a little bit further behind. We are just on the wrong track. Right now we are a long way off the guys in front. There was good progress last year, but the gap wasn’t as big as it is now.”
#F1
#BahrainGP
Leclerc on Hamilton: “Lewis is an incredible driver, the most successful in history, and he brings a lot of experience to the team which is a good thing. I have had discussions with Lewis especially when everything was announced and official. We texted each other.”
#F1
Toto Wolff to
@PA
: “I am absolutely certain that Lewis can win the eighth world title with us. He is not going to go elsewhere, and if we can provide a car that is competitive and he can fight for wins, he is going to win more titles. For him retirement, is still far away.”
#F1
Hamilton on his penalty: “If you no longer go for a gap that exists, then you are no longer a racing driver, as Ayrton said. That is what I did. When I watched it back it feels like a racing incident. It wasn’t intentional. We should not be deterred from racing.”
#BelgianGP
#F1
Russell on Verstappen
#F1
quit threat: “He is whingeing because he wants more money. He is the highest paid on this grid and rightly so for what he is achieving but I think it is all a big tactic of his, this threat of retirement.”
Hamilton: “I picked up my old phone which I found at home. It has my old number. I switched it on, and hundreds of messages came through, and one was from Christian to get together and have a catch-up at the end of the season.”
Damon Hill: “The only conclusion is Max might have been thinking ‘I have to take him out’. I don’t want to think that of any driver - but it was either an error of judgement or a calculated move to collide with Lewis.”
#ItalianGP
#F1
Arise, Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton. Britain’s seven-time Formula One world champion has been awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours for services to motorsport.
Horner: “In an age where mental health is prevalent, we are seeing issues within our workforce. Kids are being bullied in playgrounds because they are children of Red Bull employees. That is not right. It has come about because of fictious allegations from other teams.”
And Ricciardo on LH’s form: “I definitely think Lewis is as capable as ever. We all knew George was quick - he is proving he is very good. But I also wouldn’t count Lewis out for having the ability to win this weekend for example. I don’t think he has lost anything, not at all.”
Hamilton on Ecclestone interview cont: “To hear from someone that believes in the war, and the displacement of millions of people, and the killing of thousands people, and supporting that person [Putin] who is doing that, is beyond me. I cannot believe I heard that today.”
Lando Norris has told
@PA
he was robbed while on holiday in Marbella: “We were out for dinner and our villa got robbed. A mixture of many things were stolen. Some were expensive and some were not so expensive. It is still an ongoing conversation so I cannot say too much.”
#F1
“If it is correct, I will be thrilled to see Lewis Hamilton joining the pantheon of sporting knights. Lewis is not just a serial champion, he is actually the biggest British sporting star in the world. A Knighthood is long overdue.”
@PeterHain
Verstappen: “It is incredible we won it here. I didn’t know if it would be half-points or how many points I was going to get.”
Helmut Marko: “It was a surprise because our statisticians said we needed one more point.”
Bonkers.
#F1
Wolff continued: “He is in love with the sport and we are ready to hunt for victories and hopefully the world championship. He is in the right mindset. Lewis is all about justice and sporting fairness. He needed time to reflect, he comes back strong, and is in good spirits."
Bearmam: “I received a video from Lewis in 2015 or 2016 and he said ‘keep pushing and hopefully you can make it to F1 one day’ and here I am. It is crazy to share the track with these guys. It is pretty special and a pinch-yourself-moment because in my eyes, they are huge stars.”
Hamilton waited by Bearman’s Ferrari before hugging the teenager as he got out of his car.
Leclerc: “I am sure he is extremely proud and everyone has noticed how talented he is. It is only a matter of time before he is in Formula One.”
Verstappen was asked if his father regretted his comments: “I have not asked him that, but my dad is very outspoken and he is not a liar, that is for sure. My dad and I are very close. We call every day. I don’t see myself in F1 without them (his father and manager) by my side.”
F1's obsession with cutting to crowd reaction rather than focusing on the unfolding incident needs to be addressed. We missed the Vettel-Stroll collision because of it.
#F1
#ItalianGP
Michael Masi back in an F1 paddock for the first time since Abu Dhabi ‘21. Does Hamilton plan to speak to him?
LH: “I don’t. I am just focussed on my future. I am focussed on trying to get back to winning. There is nothing to say.”
#AusGP
#F1
Toto Wolff: “It is the lack of comprehension of what is wrong that makes this car such a nasty piece of work. The car is not a good car. There are problems everywhere, with the base performance of the car and the lack of understanding of the car. It is not acceptable.”
#MiamiGP
Lewis Hamilton: “It is ultimately people creating rumours without facts, and it is never helpful. You would have thought that they would both know me by now... I am a fighter. There is no hold-up with our contract. It will get done when we are ready.”
#F1
FIA spokesperson: “Several days ago the President (Mohammed Ben Sulayem) took ill and suffered a fall and concussion. He received care in hospital and will make a full recovery.”
#F1
Ferrari to Vettel: "Let Charles by."
Leclerc: "You put me behind and I respected everything. We will talk later."
Vettel still leads. Pure Ferrari, this.
#RussianGP
A number of big names set to be in town for this week’s
#MiamiGP
: LeBron James, Michael Jordan, David Beckham, Dwayne Johnson, Wyclef Jean, Serena and Venus Williams, Pharrell, Renee Zellweger, Ryan Reynolds, Dennis Rodman and Sam Smith.
#F1
Harry’s father James: "Harry couldn't believe that Lewis Hamilton was talking about him, and had dedicated the race to him. He now thinks that Lewis is his absolute best friend... Mercedes have taken us to a much-better place in a dark time."
Mark Webber on Lewis Hamilton’s
#BritishGP
’08 win: “Bloody hell. What Lewis did that day was just magical. Everyone made a mistake, but Lewis didn’t. It was an exceptional display, and anyone that was there witnessed a bit of history.”
#F1
Update from Bahrain GP: "Ministries have activated a number of public health measures... [and] it is in the context of these initiatives that the Bahrain International Circuit is confident its preparations will result in a successful and safe Grand Prix later this month.”
#F1
Toto Wolff interview ahead of the
#LasVegasGP
.
On Hamilton: “I have a personal anger, and drive to make him win the eighth because he should have had it.”
On his future: “I would like to see myself in a few years not going to 24 races, and just to 15.”
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem: "They are targeting the infrastructure, not the civilians, and, of course, not the track. We've checked the facts and we've got assurances from the highest level that this is a secure place. Let's go on racing."
Vintage Lewis Hamilton this. Slower car but somehow on pole position. His team-mate qualified eighth. He might be getting on a bit but he is still such a valuable asset for Mercedes. Few, if any, could have done what he did today.
F1 statement on the Chinese GP, due to take place on April 19: “Following the ongoing developments in China and in light of official advice issued by the British Foreign Office we continue to monitor the situation in China closely with the FIA and the promoter on the ground.”
Lewis Hamilton: “There was a moment where I lost faith. While moments like this might define other people’s careers, I will refuse to let it define mine. We have to use this to make sure this never happens to anybody else in this sport ever again.”
Hamilton: "It's really important that the FIA are very strict on yellow flags. There could have been marshals on the track. These volunteers put their lives on the line to make sure we are safe, and you have got people who are being careless and not abiding by the rules."
Hamilton: “In the race [in Bahrain] they [Red Bull] were not pushing so they were a lot quicker than they seemed. They are a second-and-a-half a lap faster in the race. They will run away with it this year unless Ferrari can stop them.”
#SaudiArabianGP
Hamilton on Emma Raducanu: “It has been incredible to see her rise, the focus she has, and the sheer determination. She is a sweet person, too, so the UK can be proud of her and I am super-proud of her and I can’t wait to see what she does next. She is an inspiring figure.”
Hamilton: "It never gets old when you hear positive comments from such a great driver in Damon. I was such a big fan of his when I was younger. I have always admired him. He has been super-supportive so I really do appreciate the comment."
#BrazilGP
#F1
FIA president Jean Todt on F1 dropping grid girls for 2018: ``It's a stupid problem and I have more important matters in my life to discuss than grid girls. I'm sorry that there's been so much talk about this kind of bullshit.''