
Lewis Hamilton frustrated by Mercedes tactics in Japanese Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton criticised Mercedes’ tactics and suggested he and George Russell needed to “work as a team” after on-track battles throughout the Japanese Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion finished fifth at Suzuka, two places ahead of Russell in a race where the pair scrapped repeatedly and aired frustration over the team radio. After an early coming together where Russell surged past Hamilton before swiftly losing the place again, the 38-year-old pushed his team-mate off track in a second scrap and they then disagreed over how to defend their places against Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Russell was struggling on his tyres having attempted a one-stop strategy, while others around him deployed a two-stop, and Hamilton urged his team to let him through. The 25-year-old resisted on the radio before being told “this is an instruction, George” and allowing Hamilton to pass. Hamilton was then told to stay within DRS range to help his team-mate defend against Sainz, as the Spaniard had done to thwart Russell a week ago in Singapore. “We should have swapped around earlier and I should have got as far ahead as possible to get the gap as big as we could to the Ferrari,” Hamilton said. “Because he (Russell) was trying to fight me he was damaging his tyres and I think it just made it all complicated. “The fact is we are not fighting each other in the team championship. As drivers it is not important where we are. “What is important is that one of us finishes ahead of the Ferrari and to keep the position. Today we really needed to work as a team.” We are not fighting each other in the team championship. As drivers it is not important where we are Lewis Hamilton Hamilton also disagreed with the team’s DRS strategy. “I don’t think that was a good idea at all,” he said. “When they suggested it to me I knew that they obviously thought of it from the last race but it made no sense. “I needed to get as far clear as possible. I was on my way, around two seconds ahead and they asked me to give George DRS and I had to come off the gas down the straight. “Then he got overtaken by Sainz. He then got past George and he was right on my tail which was not ideal.” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was absent for this race due to knee surgery, with his role divided among numerous other staff while the Austrian was on the intercom. The team’s lead to Ferrari was cut in the battle for second in the constructors’ championship – which Red Bull clinched at Suzuka with a record six races remaining. Max Verstappen stormed to victory, with McLaren pair Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the podium ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Russell, who lost sixth to Sainz at the death, said he had no hard feelings over the battle with Hamilton. “The main goal is to finish P2 in the constructors’ championship,” Russell said. “The drivers’ championship is out of the window for me totally. Lewis is in a good place to fight for a good position. “The goal is to finish ahead of Ferrari this season and keep on working for next year. No issues on my side. “I viewed it as good, hard racing. Of course we lost a bit of overall time fighting each other. You are a bit frustrated on the radio but that is just part of racing. “We are not even going to discuss it, there is nothing to discuss. We have bigger fish to fry which is how do we make the car go quicker.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice
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F1 Japanese Grand Prix LIVE: Race updates and times at Suzuka
Max Verstappen set a blistering pace to blow away the challenge of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and take pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen’s record 10-race winning run and Red Bull’s unbeaten season came to an end in Singapore last weekend. The Dutchman topped all three practice sessions at Suzuka to suggest the Milton Keynes-based team had banished the issues that they experienced in the city-state. And Verstappen was imperious around the high-speed corner circuit – where Lewis Hamilton warned the Red Bull would be “phenomenal” – taking pole by a massive 0.581 seconds ahead of Piastri. Follow live updates from the Japanese Grand Prix with The Independent Read More ‘It’s real’: Lewis Hamilton in state of shock after Japanese GP qualifying Max Verstappen storms to Japanese Grand Prix pole ahead of impressive Oscar Piastri AlphaTauri confirm driver pairing for 2024 F1 grid
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