Formula 1 constructor McLaren are investigating one of their employees after a string of abusive posts allegedly aimed at Lewis Hamilton were unearthed.
The seven-time title winner had numerous posts on social media directed towards him over innocuous moments in his career.
Hamilton has previosuly been subjected to racist abuse on social media
And when the British star, who won the 2008 title with McLaren, was disqualified from qualifying at the Brazilian Grand Prix in November last year, the staff member wrote: ‘F***ing get in!!! F*** off you p****.’
The official McLaren F1 account responded to the posts coming to light.
McLaren are looking into the social media posts
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A statement read: “We consider these comments to be completely at odds with our values and culture at McLaren.
“We take the matter extremely seriously and are investigating it as a priority.”
We consider these comments to be completely at odds with our values and culture at McLaren. We take the matter extremely seriously and are investigating it as a priority.
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British Superbike champion Tarran Mackenzie says he’s ‘been through the wars’ this year – and that’s certainly one way to put it.
With two crashes, the last of which occurred at 150mph, a dislocated shoulder and a pair of broken ankles – most people would be more dramatic.
Mackenzie has motorsport greatness in his sights
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But those people would be in the wrong sport.
Racing is in Mackenzie’s blood. With a three-time British Superbike champion for a father, he was able to run when most could barely walk. And that’s literally what he’s trying to do right now.
Despite having two plates inserted in his left ankle earlier this month, Mackenzie is trying to get back on the bike little more than two weeks later.
The 26-year-old Scotsman told talkSPORT.com: “I’ve been through the wars a bit. I’ve had two injuries this year, but I’m getting there.
“I’d never really crashed my bike, but in January I crashed, dislocated my shoulder and broke my right ankle.
“That was two months of recovery. I came back and had the biggest crash of my life: over 150mph – which broke my left ankle.
Bike racing is not for the faint-hearted
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“I just came off the Silverstone track and broke both sides of my ankle, so I’ve got two plates in there at the moment.
“If you’re into Formula One, you’ll probably remember Max Verstappen crashing at Turn 1 [in 2021], when Lewis put him in the barrier, that’s the corner after I crashed.
“I’ve got a race this weekend that I’m going to try and ride at. That probably won’t happen. I was told six weeks’ recovery and I’m two weeks in, so maybe I’m a bit ambitious.
“I’m still learning to use my foot and walk again.”
To the novice, motorcycle racing is terrifying. Its fatality rate is higher than most sports and Mackenzie is living proof of the potential for serious injury.
Tackling corners just inches from the ground, traveling parallel to the surface at ridiculous speed – Mackenzie doesn’t even try to pretend it’s not scary.
The McAMS Yamaha rider sealed his first British Superbike title in 2021
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“When you go at those speeds, you get a bit of adrenaline, you get in a zone, you’re not really thinking about the danger element of it,” he added.
“When you do come off, you’ve still got adrenaline in your body, so you can’t really comprehend what’s just happened.
“It’s a scary sport at the end of the day and you can get hurt. That’s the part of racing you try and block out.
“You can never predict when you’re going to crash. You go race-by-race hoping you’ll be OK and don’t injure yourself.”
So why the urgency to get back on the track? Because time is of the essence.
Tipped to join the likes of Jonathan Rea and Lewis Hamilton in British motorsporting immortality, injury denied him of the chance to make a WorldSBK debut earlier this month – and delayed the start of his British title defence.
After last year’s glory, 2022 has not gone to plan for Mackenzie
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This is a man who deals in high speed and he knows it’s time to up the pace.
Mackenzie is hoping to take the world stage by storm in his two wildcard events this season, before potentially moving on from the British Superbike Championship.
He added: “The world debut was a big thing for me this year so to miss that was quite annoying. Normally when I’m injured, I get by OK and I can get back on a bike pretty soon, but this one I’ve had to take a bit of time. I’m doing everything I can to get back sooner.
“I’d really like to [move to WorldSBK]. It’s a big step for what I’m doing at the moment. Being British Superbike Champion last year was a good box ticked, the natural progression is to do what I’m doing all over the world.
“I have a really good team and base in the UK so another year here won’t do any harm. I’ve not had the best start this year, getting injured twice, trying to push myself onto the world stage for next year.
“But there’s still plenty of time left and when I’m back fit, I’d love to push on and make that happen for 2023.”
His father, three-in-a-row champion Niall Mackenzie, will certainly be happy to see his son depart the domestic scene and leave his record unharmed.
Tarran’s father, Niall, is a bit of a legend in the sport
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“I’m not so motivated to try and be three-time British Superbike champion,” Mackenzie added. “If I don’t get to the world stage next year and I win again this year, then there would be good potential to match it at least.
“He [Niall] wants me to push onto the world stage more than anyone, so it’s probably to stop me getting his records! It’s a nice thing to happen in the family.
“People have won three championships, but never three-in-a-row like Dad has, so to match that would be pretty cool.”
Tarran’s brother, Taylor, was also a prominent motorcycle racer until his retirement in late 2021.
But despite the family’s inescapable racing background, a career on the track wasn’t always Mackenzie’s dream.
He added: “It was never set in stone when we were kids, I always wanted to be a professional footballer like every kid! When that couldn’t happen, I turned to bikes.
Mackenzie was more interested in football as a kid
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“Having a dad that’s been there and done it all, it’s easy to skip a few steps. A lot of parents have to go through being new to it.
“He definitely fast-tracked us through when we were younger, but it got to a stage when he’d done his bit and it was up to me.”
Rather than his own dad, Mackenzie will take aim at another one of his heroes when he eventually joins the global scene.
Six-time world champion and fellow Brit Rea is the most successful superbike rider in history, but was once a humble domestic competitor himself.
“Rea is one of my big heroes,” Mackenzie continued. “He’s come through a similar route to what I’m on at the moment.
“He’s been very dominant the last few years and I get to race him this year in July – which is really cool.
Rea is still going strong at 35
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“I’ve looked up to him for a very long time and he’s set the benchmark for British riders in the WorldSBK – and he’s still going. He’s in the form of his life at the moment.
“It will be hard to match Jonathan in the future but to be associated with his name will be amazing.
“Hamilton is probably the best and biggest British motorsport athlete of all-time. To have my name up there in the future would be amazing.”
When it comes to motorsport in the UK, it’s hardly controversial to suggest Hamilton’s name is more recognisable to the average sport fan than Rea’s.
For a multitude of reasons, Formula One has blown up in recent years, while its sister sport remains relatively small in comparison.
But Mackenzie hopes that will change moving forward. He said: “I’m a big fan of Drive to Survive. I think that’s really given people a behind-the-scenes insight into F1 rather than just watching the cars go around the track.
Hamilton is British motorsport’s household name
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“If you’re not into motorsport, you don’t really know what’s going on. MotoGP have just brought out their series on Amazon Prime and that’s a very similar thing.
“A lot of my friends watch and support me because they’re friends and not because they’re into motorsport, but they’ve watched the series and now they’re into the sport.
“Bike racing isn’t the most popular sport in the UK, but in Spain and Italy, these guys are in the news every week. It’s definitely going in the right direction in the UK.”
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Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for hiding £2.5 million worth of assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.
The former world number one, 54, was declared bankrupt on June 21 2017, owing creditors almost £50 million, over an unpaid loan of more than £3 million on his estate in Mallorca, Spain.
Boris Becker has been jailed for two-and-a-half-years
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BBC commentator Becker transferred almost 427,000 euros (around £390,000) from his business account to others, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely “Lilly” Becker.
The father-of-four also failed to declare his share in a £1 million property in his home town of Leimen, Germany, hid an 825,000 euro (almost £700,000) bank loan – worth £1.1 million with interest – and concealed 75,000 shares in a tech firm, valued at £66,000.
Becker, who was handed a two-year suspended sentence for tax evasion and attempted tax evasion worth 1.7 million euro (around £1.4 million) in Germany in 2002, was found guilty of four offences under the Insolvency Act between June 21 and October 3 2017 earlier this month.
Judge Deborah Taylor sentenced the six-time Grand Slam champion to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, of which he will serve half, at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.
Referring to his previous conviction, the judge said: “You did not heed the warning you were given and the chance you were given by the suspended sentence and that is a significant aggravating factor.”
She told Becker: “I take into account what has been described as your fall from grace.
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Becker could been seen arriving at Southwark Crown Court
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“You have lost your career and reputation and all of your property as a result of your bankruptcy.”
But she added: “You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy.
“While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility.”
Becker, wearing a striped tie in the Wimbledon colours of purple and green, tied his shoelaces on his black Puma trainers but showed no emotion as he picked up his Puma bag before being taken down to the cells.
Members of the press were on hand waiting for his arrival
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He earlier arrived holding the hand of partner Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro, while his eldest son Noah was also in court.
Following his retirement, the tennis star has coached current world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic, worked as a TV sports commentator for broadcasters including the BBC and acted as a brand ambassador for firms such as Puma.
His barrister Jonathan Laidlaw QC said the tennis star’s “fall from grace” was “the most public humiliation”.
“Boris Becker has literally nothing and there is also nothing to show for what was the most glittering of sporting careers and that is correctly termed as nothing short of a tragedy,” he said.
Becker held hands with girlfriend Lilian de Carvalho Monteiro as he arrived
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“These proceedings have destroyed his career entirely and ruined any further prospect of earning an income.
“His reputation is in tatters.
“He will not be able to find work and will have to rely on the charity of others if he is to survive.”
Becker told jurors his 50 million US dollar (about £38 million) career earnings were swallowed up by an expensive divorce to his first wife Barbara, child maintenance payments and “expensive lifestyle commitments”.
The 54-year-old was seen wearing his Wimbledon stripped tie
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The German national, who has lived in the UK since 2012, said he was “shocked” and “embarrassed” when he was declared bankrupt.
He claimed he had co-operated with trustees tasked with securing his assets, even offering up his wedding ring, and relied on the advisers who managed his life.
However, Becker was found guilty of four charges, including removal of property, two counts of failing to disclose estate and concealing debt.
Prosecutor Rebecca Chalkley said the jury had found he acted “deliberately and dishonestly” but added: “Even now, Mr Becker is still seeking to blame others when it was obviously his duty.”
Becker was red-faced as he appeared at court
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The court heard he received 1.13 million euros (about £950,000) from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership he owned in Germany into a business account used as his “piggy bank” for his personal expenses.
They included £7,600 on children’s school fees, almost £1,000 at Harrods, and payments made to Ralph Lauren, Porsche, Ocado and a Chelsea children’s club.
He also paid 48,000 euros (around £40,000) for an ankle operation at a private Swiss clinic and spent 6,000 euros (around £5,000) at a luxury golf resort in China, the court heard.
Becker was acquitted of 20 charges, including nine counts of failing to hand over trophies and medals from his tennis career.
A glum-looking Monteiro left the court without Boris after the hearing
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He said he did not know the whereabouts of the memorabilia, including the 1985 Wimbledon title that catapulted him to stardom, aged 17.
Becker was also cleared of failing to declare a second German property, as well as his interest in the £2.5 million Chelsea flat occupied by his daughter Anna Ermakova, who was conceived during Becker’s infamous sexual encounter with waitress Angela Ermakova at London restaurant Nobu in 1999.
Mr Laidlaw said Becker had not spent money on a “lavish lifestyle” but used funds to pay child maintenance, lawyers, business expenses and rent.
“He was in desperate financial straits and what in essence he has done is exercised his own choice as to which creditors to pay, choosing or preferring to my monies to dependents rather than allowing the joint trustees to determine how those monies should be applied,” he added.
Becker’s girlfriend wore sunglasses over her eyes after leaving
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Judge Deborah Taylor sentenced the six-time Grand Slam singles champion to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, of which he will serve half, at Southwark Crown Court on Friday.
Owing creditors almost £50m, the 54-year-old transferred almost €427,000 [around £390,000] from his business account to others, including those of his ex-wife Barbara and estranged wife Sharlely ‘Lilly’ Becker.
The father-of-four also failed to declare his share in a £1m property in his home town of Leimen, Germany, hid an €825,000 [almost £700,000] bank loan – worth £1.1m with interest – and concealed 75,000 shares in a tech firm, valued at £66,000.
Becker was handed a two-year suspended sentence for tax evasion and attempted tax evasion worth €1.7million [around £1.4m] in Germany in 2002.
He was also found guilty of four offences under the Insolvency Act between June 21 and October 3 2017 earlier this month.
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French Open 2022 schedule
First round – May 22, 23, 24
Second round – May 25, 26
Third round – May 27, 28
Fourth round – May 29, 30
Quarter-finals – May 31, June 1
Semi-finals – June 2, 3
Women’s final – June 4
Men’s final – June 5
Nadal claimed glory in the first Grand Slam of the year
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French Open 2022: What has been said?
Serena Williams is targeting a return to tennis in Roland Garros as she continues to hunt down Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slams.
The 23-time champion told CNN: “I should have been at like 30 or 32 (grand slam singles titles).”
“I should have had it (the record), really, I’ve had many opportunities to have it. But I’m not giving up.”
On the French Open, Williams added: “Paris is one of my favorite cities, and I actually love the clay. So we’ll see what happens.
“Hopefully if my body is holding up, then I’ll definitely be there.”
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Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his Wimbledon title in 2022 with players not requiring vaccinations to play.
Djokovic won three of the four Grand Slam titles in 2021, but his refusal to get vaccinated has caused huge problems this year.
Djokovic is a 20-time Grand Slam winner, six of those are Wimbledon titles
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He was deported from Australia in a lengthy saga that saw him detained in an immigration facility for a number of days.
At one stage it looked as though he may not be able to play at all in 2022 due to travel restrictions around the globe caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
He has only played three tournaments in 2022, most recently losing in the final of the Serbia Open to Russian Andrey Rublev, but his schedule is looking a lot fuller in the coming months.
The 34-year-old will be able to defend the French Open and now it has been confirmed that Wimbledon will not be a problem.
Djokovic should be free to play a full schedule through the clay and grass-court stretches, although he is currently still unable to enter the USA.
Speaking at Wimbledon’s spring briefing, All England Club chief executive Sally Bolton said: “As you will be aware, the requirements set out by government to enter the UK do not include mandatory vaccination and, therefore, while of course it is encouraged, it will not be a conditional entry to compete at the Championships this year.”
Djokovic’s refusal to take the Covid vaccine has caused him some problems
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All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt also explained further about the decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players for the 2022 Championships.
Hewitt said they were left with ‘no viable option’ by the UK government.
He said: “The UK Government has set out directional guidance for sporting bodies and events in the UK with the specific aim of limiting Russia’s influence.
“After lengthy and careful consideration, we came to two firm conclusions. First, even if we were to accept entries from Russian and Belarusian players with written declarations, we would risk their success or participation being used to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime, which we could not accept.
World number two, and US Open winner, Daniil Medvedev will be unable to compete at Wimbledon
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“Second, we have a duty to ensure no actions we take should put players or their families at risk. We understand and deeply regret the impact this decision will have on all the people affected.
“But we believe we have made the most responsible decision possible in the circumstances, and there is no viable alternative within the framework of the government’s position to the decision we have taken in this truly exceptional and tragic situation.”
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It was a superb weekend for the Milton Keynes-based team, who saw their main title rivals, Ferrari, end up with both cars off the track, and championship leader Charles Leclerc could only climb back to sixth.
The title looked like it may be heading back to Italy for the first time since 2007 thanks to Leclerc’s rapid start and Verstappen’s two reliability-inforced retirements, but things have quickly changed.
The two battled it out last season in one of the sport’s most astonishing title fights, but now the Mercedes is nowhere near the front-running cars.
This year’s aerodynamic rule changes have left Hamilton well off the pace, in a race where he couldn’t even get past Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri, the sister car to Red Bull’s challenger.
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Formula 1 2022 standings: Leclerc leads from Verstappen and Hamilton ahead of Imola
Hamilton spent most of the race being Gasly, unable to make a move stick
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And then came Verstappen to pass both with ease
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The Brit’s agonising lack of pace was highlighted when Verstappen lapped him late on with a number of high-profile names at Red Bull relishing the schadenfreude.
The world champion Dutchman’s father Jos, was particularly pleased to see the easy move, especially after the intensity of last season’s bout.
“Honestly, I did enjoy seeing Max lap Hamilton, after everything that happened last year” he wrote on verstappen.com.
“Hamilton really had a tough time, whereas his teammate George Russell seemed to be more balanced. It’s not often you have the opportunity to lap a Mercedes.”
Jos couldn’t help but enjoy the rare moment of dominance
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There were rumours of a retirement for 37-year-old Hamilton at the end of 2021, and when Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was asked about what his opponent was thinking, he couldn’t help but troll him.
“He was lapped by us so maybe he should have stopped last year, he is thinking maybe,” Marko said.
Verstappen himself was also asked about the lapping, but his reply was slightly more measured than those in his team.
“They have been slow all year so for me it’s not anything exciting, it just happens,” he said.
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Miami Grand Prix: What has been said?
“A weekend to forget for sure,” Hamilton said post-race in Imola. “I’m out the championship for sure, there’s no question about that.
“I’ll still keep working the hardest I can and try and somehow put it back together somehow.”
Leclerc: “Only time will tell [if his crash will impact title race]. For sure, Red Bull seem to be more competitive than the first three races.
“We had the upper hand in Bahrain and Australia, then they had it here and in Jeddah.
“It is very, very close and I think it will be that way for the rest of the season. It’s a big mistake but considering the mistakes, it could’ve been much bigger.”
Ferrari had a weekend to forget after Sainz crashed and Leclerc spun
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Miami Grand Prix: Driver Standings
Driver / Car / Points
Charles Leclerc / Ferrari / 86
Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing / 59
Sergio Perez / Red Bull Racing / 54
George Russell / Mercedes / 49
Carlos Sainz / Ferrari / 38
Lando Norris / McLaren / 35
Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / 28
Valtteri Bottas / Alfa Romeo / 24
Esteban Ocon / Alpine / 20
Kevin Magnussen / Haas / 15
Daniel Ricciardo / McLaren / 11
Yuki Tsounda / Alphatauri / 10
Pierre Gasly / Alphatauri / 6
Sebastian Vettel / Aston Martin / 4
Fernando Alonso / Alpine / 2
Zhou Guanyu / Alfa Romeo / 1
Alexander Albon / Williams / 1
Mick Schumacher / Haas / 0
Lance Stroll / Aston Martin / 0
Nicholas Latifi / Williams / 0
Nico Hulkenberg / Aston Martin / 0
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Raducanu is making her way through her first full season on the WTA Tour
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The 19-year-old has now gone through three coaches in the last year, starting with Nigel Sears.
Andrew Richardson then was in her camp when she won her Grand Slam title in September, before swiftly splitting from the Briton.
She said at the time she wanted a coach with more tour experience and got that in Beltz, but things have not quite worked out as hoped.
Now she is searching for her next permanent coach again after struggling to replicate her form that saw her blow away the competition in New York.
“I want to thank Torben for his coaching, professionalism and dedication over last half a year,” she said in a statement.
“He has a huge heart and I have enjoyed our strong chemistry during the time together. I feel the best direction for my development is to transition to a new training model with the LTA supporting in the interim.”
Raducanu had only started working with Beltz in November
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She will reportedly be supported by Iain Bates, head of women’s tennis at the LTA, while she plays in the Madrid Open this week.
Raducanu reached the quarter-final of the Stuttgart Open last week, before losing to world number one Iga Swiatek.
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George Russell has backed his teammate Lewis Hamilton to ‘come back so strong’ despite the pair suffering with a Mercedes car that is giving them ‘chest pains’.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton had another weekend to forget at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, leaving Italy having picked up zero points and conceding his bid to win a record-breaking eighth championship title.
Hamilton had one of the worst weekends of his career in Italy
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With his Mercedes all over the place
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The 37-year-old started Sunday’s feature race in 14th and made up only a single spot during a frustrating afternoon, behind the AlphaTauri of Pierre Gasly.
It was put to Russell that he was able to get more out of the Mercedes than his more experienced teammate, claims which he candidly dismissed.
“I think it’s just how things fall out sometimes in a race weekend,” he said.
“I made a very strong start. I don’t know what happened with him [Hamilton] at the start, but we are equally struggling, and when the car is so far out of bed, and it’s not in the right window, it doesn’t really feel like a proper racing car to drive.
“I expect him to come back so strong, and the way he’s pushing and motivating the team is inspiring.
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Russell doesn’t buy the idea that he’s outperforming Hamilton
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“I’m not getting comfortable with this position, because I know what he’s capable of.
“Lewis is going to come back incredibly strong, I have no doubt, and he’s definitely going to push me all the way.”
However, said changes have led to a new phenomenon, dubbed ‘porpoising’, where airflow under the car maxes out and momentarily lifts the car before it then drops back.
Every team is experiencing porpoising, but Mercedes are having the worst time of all
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The process then repeats itself and in real time shows drivers bouncing up and down on the straights – an unwanted outcome that some teams are mastering far better than others.
Mercedes – winners of the Contructors’ championship for seven years running – are arguably having the worst time of anyone on the grid, though, losing almost a second to the pace-setters on the straights with their drivers even having to lift off the throttle in Italy.
Russell, 24, explained the issues with the W13 in dramatic fashion, going into detail on the physical effects of the bouncing.
“When the car is in the right window and the tyres are in the right window, except for the bouncing, it feels really good to drive,” the former Williams driver said.
Russell put in a fine display to finish nine spots ahead of his teammate
“But the bouncing really takes your breath away, it’s the most extreme I’ve ever felt it.
“I really hope we find a solution, and I hope every team who is struggling with the bouncing finds a solution because it’s not sustainable for the drivers to continue with this level.
“This is the first weekend where I’ve truly been struggling with my back, and almost like chest pains from the severity of the bouncing, but it’s what we have to do to get the fastest lap times out of the car.”
His team boss, Toto Wolff, admitted Mercedes are struggling far worse than anyone else, and it may not be too long before they have to scrap their development plan to find a way out of their woes.
Wolff admitted Mercedes are running out of time to find solutions
AFP
“I think the fundamental issue which overshadows anything is our car is porpoising more than others,” Wolff explained.
“And because of the bouncing, we are not able to run it where it should run. That has huge ramifications on the set-up, on the tyre grip etc. One is interlinked to the other, and I think if we were to get on top of the porpoising we would unlock much more in terms of performance on the car.
“If we don’t get on top of that then there is a more conventional development path that we have not yet taken, and I want to give us the time to really properly make a decision.”
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Lewis Hamilton has declared his 2022 Formula 1 title bid is over while team boss Toto Wolff has called his ‘undrivable’ Mercedes ‘not worthy’ of a championship.
The seven-time champion was only able to move up a single position from his starting spot of 14th, while teammate George Russell managed to secure an impressive fourth-place finish.
Hamilton spent much of the race stuck being the Alpha Tauri of Pierre Gasly in a Grand Prix that saw him concede his chances of picking up a record-breaking eighth world title.
“A weekend to forget for sure,” Hamilton said post-race. “I’m out the championship for sure, there’s no question about that.
“I’ll still keep working the hardest I can and try and somehow put it back together somehow.”
The 37-year-old left Italy without putting any points on the board, having also finished outside of the scoring positions in Saturday’s sprint race.
Hamilton currently sits seventh in the drivers’ standings ahead of the Miami Grand Prix on May 8, with reigning constructors’ champions Mercedes in third.
Hamilton spent most of the race being Gasly, unable to make a move
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The Brackley outfit have struggled massively with 2022’s aerodynamic rule changes, with Hamilton and Russell occasionally unable to go full-throttle on the straights as their car bounces around.
Team boss Wolff made a rare radio appearance to apologise to 13th-placed Hamilton, taking responsibility for the W13 car’s struggles.
He said: “Lewis, hi, sorry for what you have needed to drive today.
“I know that this is undrivable and not what we deserve to score as a result so we move from there but this was a terrible race.”
Hamilton hid his disappointment behind his helmet
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“No worries Toto, let’s keep working hard,” Hamilton replied.
Wolff agreed: “Yeah, we will come out of this.”
Speaking to Sky Sports post race, Wolff put Hamilton’s result down to track position, while agreeing with his driver that they’re not in the running for a championship.
Asked about Hamilton’s race, Wolff said: “Really bad, he got squeezed by the Alpine, the other two cars undercut and then there is just no overtaking when you are in a DRS [drag reduction system] train.
Hamilton hit a new low when Verstappen appeared in his mirrors to lap him
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“We saw with George where the car can drive if you’re in free air but we are not good enough for a world champion, not worthy for a world champion and we just need to fix the car.
“We’re going to look at things for Miami, I think we can make a step in the understanding of the car and it’s another day, we just need to really understand, creep up, bring development onto the car which will fix the bouncing.”
Russell agreed with Wolff that the only difference between his and Hamilton’s performances was a bit of luck in finding free space on the track.
Russell had a far better Sunday but put it down to being able to find room at the start
When it was put to Russell if he’s able to get more out of the Mercedes than his countryman, he replied: “I don’t think I can to be honest, It’s just how things have fell this weekend.
“I think we’re both really struggling in certain conditions and when the car is far from optimal it is damage limitation and then we’re very close together on the grid on Saturday, and I made a really good start, right place, right time, and ultimately that was the difference today.”
Verstappen wasn’t too surprised to see his former sparring partner struggling so much
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Hamilton spent 2021 in a title bout for the ages with Verstappen, which is now a distant memory thanks to the Red Bull’s pace advantage this season.
And when Verstappen was questioned about lapping Hamilton, his answer showed just how much things have changed.
The Dutchman said: “They have been slow all year so for me it’s not anything exciting, it just happens.”
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