Category: Motor Sports

• Hamilton 18th in qualifying thanks to dislodged bollard
• Mercedes’ Toto Wolff apologises for ‘idiotic mistake’

Bidding farewell with a flourish was the optimistic hope for Lewis Hamilton as he entered his final meeting with Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but even fortune, it seems, would not favour the British driver for his swansong where he finished 18th in qualifying.

His final hot lap was scuppered by the poorest of luck as he picked up a stray bollard dislodged by Kevin Magnussen, condemning his finale to probably be something of a slog from the lower reaches of the grid.

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• Mercedes driver said world champion threatened him
• Red Bull principal also responds to Toto Wolff ‘terrier’ dig

The Red Bull team principal, ­Christian Horner, has defended his driver Max Verstappen in the world champion’s increasingly ill-tempered feud with Mercedes’ George ­Russell and ­dismissed their very public falling-out as part of an end-of-year ­“pantomime season” before this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen has already been crowned drivers’ champion, a ­success overshadowed at this finale by the spat he is now embroiled in with Russell. Their ­altercation ramped up in Abu Dhabi when the British driver accused Verstappen of threatening to put him “on your fucking head in the wall” and that it was time someone stood up to the Dutchman’s bullying. Verstappen has denied making the threat.

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• Mercedes driver revealed tensions boiled over in Qatar
• World champion was ‘going to purposefully crash into me’

George Russell has claimed his Formula One rival Max Verstappen threatened him with violence during the escalating tensions between the drivers at the Qatar Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver said the newly crowned world champion told him “he was going to purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and ‘put me on my fucking head in the wall’”.

The accusations come after the Briton and Verstappen were embroiled in a dispute in qualifying for the race last weekend. The Dutchman lost pole position for blocking Russell during qualifying, with both drivers seeking out the stewards to discuss the incident. Verstappen – who vented his ire on Dutch television, stating he had “lost all respect” for the Mercedes driver – went on to win the race but only after a one-place grid penalty saw him start behind Russell.

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• Son of motorcycle great Mick replaces Esteban Ocon at Alpine
• Esteban Ocon released early to join Haas for post-season test

Australian Jack Doohan, son of motorcycle great Mick, will make his Formula One debut for Alpine in Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after departing Esteban Ocon was released early.

Ocon has signed for Haas and the switch will allow him to take part in the post-season test at Yas Marina next week, while also preparing Doohan for next season when he graduates from reserve to full race driver.

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• British driver sanctioned at Sunday’s Grand Prix
• McLaren chief says rulebook ‘must have dust on cover’

Formula One teams are demanding more from the sport’s governing body after controversy over decisions at the Qatar Grand Prix which have caused criticism within the sport and prompted McLaren to call for a review into the penalty imposed on Lando Norris.

Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, described the governance of the FIA as turning into a reality show and the McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, suggested it was choosing how to apply its regulations on the hoof.

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• Verstappen: ‘For me, I lost all respect … I can’t stand that’
• Red Bull driver wins race after incident in qualifying

Max Verstappen issued a blunt condemna­tion of his fellow driver George Russell stating he had “lost all respect” for him after the pair were involved in an incident during qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen con­sidered that Russell had tried to “screw me over” with the stewards and the pair exchanged words about it before the race at the Lusail circuit on Sunday.

Verstappen won the race in Qatar but afterwards his anger with ­Russell was direct. After qualifying ­Verstappen had been penalised for driving unnecessarily slowly and impeding Russell. Both drivers had been summoned to the stewards to give their sides of the incident and Russell’s behaviour had left ­Verstappen incensed.

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