F1 LIVE: Verstappen escapes penalty in Hamilton clash as Bottas tops Qatar Grand Prix practice

Formula One stewards rejected on Friday a request by Mercedes to review their Sao Paulo Grand Prix decision not to penalise Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen for a race incident with Lewis Hamilton. The stewards ruled ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix that while new and relevant video evidence had emerged, it was not significant.

Verstappen could have been hit with either a time penalty for his race in Sao Paulo, with five seconds enough to knock him down to third and further reduce the gap to Hamilton, which is currently 14 points in the drivers’ standings, or else a grid penalty for the upcoming race in Qatar, but avoided any sanction.

Verstappen then lapped fastest in first practice for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix at the Losail circuit on Friday. The Dutch 24-year-old produced a quickest time of one minute 23.723 seconds in a dusty but uneventful session. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly, who also has a Honda engine, was second and 0.437 slower with a late quick run. Valtteri Bottas was third on the timesheets, 0.471 off Verstappen’s pace, for Mercedes with Hamilton fourth. Hamilton was 0.786 slower than his title rival, and also ran wide over kerbs at turn 14 before pitting with a damaged front wing.

Follow all the latest F1 news throughout the day below.

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• Mercedes denied right of review request - FIA

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• Verstappen forced Hamilton off the track in Brazil

• Hamilton wearing rainbow helmet for Qatar GP

Qatar Grand Prix: Verstappen tops Hamilton in P2; Bottas fastest

16:25 , Jamie Braidwood

Valtteri Bottas lapped fastest for Mercedes in floodlit free practice on Friday as Formula One prepared to race in Qatar for the first time with the title battle entering its decisive phase.

Red Bull’s championship leader Max Verstappen set the early pace in an exploratory and dusty daylight first session at the Losail circuit on the outskirts of Doha before Bottas ended on top in the evening.

“Today started nicely with the setup, the balance was pretty good in the first run with only minor tweaks to be done for FP2 (second practice),” said Bottas, whose seven-times world champion team mate Lewis Hamilton was fourth in both sessions.

“I would say that’s the ideal way to start a weekend on a new track.”

Hamilton was 0.786 slower than his title rival in the opening session when he ran wide over kerbs at turn 14 before pitting with a damaged front wing.

“Are we slow on the straight or something?” the Briton asked over the radio. “No, not particularly,” race engineer Peter Bonnington replied.

Hamilton said after the second session that he would be looking for some answers overnight.

“I don’t know how big the gap is but I’m off, I’m definitely not close,” he said.

“The track’s quite nice, no real issues. At the moment I’m a little bit slow so I need to figure that out tonight.”

Reuters

Hamilton trying to ‘figure out’ why he’s off the pace

15:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Lewis Hamilton, after finishing behind Max Verstappen in both practice sessions on Friday:

“I don’t know what the gap is but I’m off. I’m definitely not close. At the moment I’m a little bit slow so I need to figure that out tonight.”

Verstappen tops Hamilton in P2; Bottas fastest

15:08 , Jamie Braidwood

Valtteri Bottas topped the leaderboard a the end of the second practice session in Qatar, while Max Verstappen was again faster than title rival Lewis Hamilton.

Bottas set a fastest time of 1:23.148 seconds on medium tyres as Mercedes responded to Red Bull winning the first session, with Verstappen running fastest this morning.

Pierre Gasly again finished high up the leaderboard and was two-tenths behind Bottas.

Verstappen finished behind Gasly, 0.350 seconds off Bottas’ pace, but was quicker than Hamilton, who finished fourth, by a tenth.

Red Bull’s Horner questions Mercedes wing

14:44 , Jamie Braidwood

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has directly questioned Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff about the rear wing they are using on Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas’ cars.

“If we believe the [Mercedes] car is not in compliance, we will protest,” Horner said at the Qatar Grand Prix.

“The straight-line speeds we have seen in Mexico and Brazil was not a normal situation. And yes we know that a new engine with Mercedes comes with increased performance.

“But when you have a 27km/h closing speed and you see marks on the rear wing endplates that have been marking up from wings flexing, it is very clear to us what has been going on.”

During his press conference with Wolff, Horner turned to the Mercedes boss and asked: “How do you explain the score marks on the rear wing endplate?”

Horner, who indicated that he would be prepared to launch an official protest, added: “Make no bones about it, if we see it on the car here it will be protested.”

Second practice

14:34 , Lawrence Ostlere

The drivers are back out on the track in Qatar for the second practice session. Mercedes are going well so far, though it looks like Verstappen has the straight-line speed:

Verstappen escapes punishment for Hamilton incident

14:15 , Lawrence Ostlere

Our top story today:

Race stewards have rejected Mercedes’ right to review the incident from the Brazilian Grand Prix which threatened to see Max Verstappen hit with a time or grid penalty.

He was fastest in first practice at the Qatar Grand Prix on Friday, ahead of Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas.

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have had several run-ins this season, with their on-track racing as closely fought as the battle in the driver standings for the 2021 title.

Sunday’s race in Brazil saw another coming together, albeit a less-dramatic one than in Monza, as Hamilton was forced off-track as he tried to overtake his rival and the pair ran wide, with the manouevre costing the Brit more time.

Initially, stewards opted against investigating the incident, leaving Toto Wolff in particular unimpressed, but Mercedes appealed the decision once it became evident that a piece of video footage from Verstappen’s car had not been available at the time.

The FIA agreed to consider the additional evidence, although Martin Brundle suggested Mercedes would be unlikely to win the appeal - and he has now been proven correct, as Verstappen faces no further action with the right to review denied.

Verstappen escapes punishment after incident with Hamilton in Brazil

Toto Wolff ramps up rhetoric

13:54 , Lawrence Ostlere

“Olympic boxing went to pro boxing and is now MMA,” Wolff said as he discussed the growing battle between F1’s top two teams. “But that is OK, we are in the ring now trying to do the best job possible. Elbows are allowed now because the rules so say so and the gloves are off.

“I think the competition is just too high, you cannot expect that you are going to dinner with rival or the rival team or your enemy in the sporting competition, irrespective of the personality and the characters, everything else would be not normal. It is as simple as it is.”

Verstappen fastest in first Qatar GP practice

13:28 , Lawrence Ostlere

Everyone has been feeling the heat off the track in Qatar this week as the championship reaches its climax and the Mercedes-Red Bull rivalry intensifies, but on the track Max Verstappen has been as cool as ever. The championship leader was dominant in first practice and the early signs are promising for Red Bull that they can extend his lead at the top over Lewis Hamilton, which currently stands at 14 points.

Verstappen punishment would have ‘opened Pandora's box’ - Horner

12:59 , Jamie Braidwood

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said the decision to reject Mercedes’ right of review was correct as it would have set a “dangerous precedent” if it had been allowed.

“It’s obviously the right decision because it would have opened a Pandora’s box of a whole load of incidents at that race,” Horner said moments after the verdict was announced.

In the end, Horner was proved right after he said moments before the verdict was read out by the FIA that he didn’t think the new footage was “significant” enough to warrant a further investigation.

“I’d be surprised, I’d be disappointed if it was to go for another hearing,” Horner had said. “The danger for the FIA with this is if they do go down this route then every incident from now on will be questioned.

“There’ll be evidence from iPhones, or spectators’ phones, there will always be something which is deemed as new or relevant or significant. I think the stewards made their call, it was a non-issue, it was two drivers racing hard.

“Both went in deep, went in late, both went off the circuit. Where do you draw that line? The competitors are going to push every angle that they can but I really don’t see the relevance of it and I think it sets a dangerous precedent if this incident is re-opened.”

Mercedes ‘expected’ right of review to be denied - Wolff

12:49 , Jamie Braidwood

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he “completely expected” the FIA to reject their right of review request.

After stewards decided to not punish Max Verstappen for pushing Lewis Hamilton off the track at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Mercedes believed the emergence of new footage from Verstappen’s on-board camera would be decisive.

However, the FIA determined that although the footage was “relevant” it was not “significant” enough for them to change their original decision.

“Completely expected,” Wolff said moments after the verdict was announced.

“We wanted to trigger a discussion around it because probably it will be a theme in the next few races and I think that objective is achieved. We didn’t really think it would go any further.”

Breaking: Mercedes denied right of review request

12:38 , Jamie Braidwood

More from the FIA on why they have not penalised Max Verstappen over the incident with Lewis Hamilton and the Brazil GP:

“The stewards often must make a decision quickly and on a limited set of information. At the time of the decision, the stewards felt they had sufficient information to make a decision, which subsequently broadly aligned with the immediate post-race comments of both drivers involved.

Had they felt the forward-facing camera video from [Verstappen] was crucial in order to make a decision, they would have simply place the incident under investigation - to be investigated after the race - and rendered a decision after this video was available. They saw no need to do so.

“[Mercedes’] position is that the new footage provides sufficient information for the stewards to come to an altogether different conclusion to the one they did previously. However, the stewards determine that the footage shows nothing exceptional that is particularly different form the other angles that were available to them at the time.

“Thus, the stewards determine that the footage, here, is not ‘significant’.”

Max Verstappen: Stewards reject right of review for Lewis Hamilton incident at Brazilian Grand Prix

12:31 , Jamie Braidwood

Race stewards have rejected Mercedes’ right to review the incident from the Brazilian Grand Prix which threatened to see Max Verstappen hit with a time or grid penalty.

Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have had several run-ins this season, with their on-track racing as closely fought as the battle in the driver standings for the 2021 title.

Sunday’s race in Brazil saw another coming together, albeit a less-dramatic one than in Monza, as Hamilton was forced off-track as he tried to overtake his rival and the pair ran wide, with the maneuverer costing the Brit more time.

Initially, stewards opted against investigating the incident, leaving Toto Wolff in particular unimpressed, but Mercedes appealed the decision once it became evident that a piece of video footage from Verstappen’s car had not been available at the time.

However, the FIA have ruled the although the on-board camera footage was “new” and “relevant” it did not meet the test of being “significant” to deciding a different outcome.

More here:

Stewards reject Mercedes’ right of review for Verstappen-Hamilton incident in Brazil

BREAKING NEWS: Mercedes denied right of review request

12:22 , Jamie Braidwood

Mercedes have been denied the right of review into the incident between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Brazilian Grand Prix, the FIA have confirmed.

The stewards have ruled the new evidence of Verstappen’s on-board footage was “relevant” but not “significant”.

“There is nothing in the footage that fundamentally changes the facts,” the FIA said .

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff ‘does not expect’ Max Verstappen penalty

12:19 , Jamie Braidwood

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has admitted that he does not expect his team’s ‘Right of Review’ request to be successful and that the challenge was launched out of “principle”.

After Max Verstappen was not punished by race stewards for forcing Lewis Hamilton off the track at the Brazilian Grand Prix last week, Mercedes appealed the decision following the emergence of new evidence in the form of Verstappen’s on-board footage .

“We don’t expect to gain anything to be honest, from the right of review,” Wolff said.

“It’s more about the principle and the philosophy because if it remains that way it means overtaking from the outside is pretty much not possible anymore, because the inside controls the corner completely.

“Now that is the case anyway but before when a car is next to you you need to leave a car’s width. That wasn’t the case.

“So we just want to take it to the end, have a judgement on that and ask if necessary for the last few races.”

Qatar Grand Prix: Verstappen holds advantage over Hamilton

12:08 , Jamie Braidwood

While Max Verstappen held a clear advantage over the rest of the field after the opening practice session, the conditions for this afternoon’s P2 are set to be much more similar to the actual race conditions on Sunday.

Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s race day both start at 2pm GMT, which is when the second practice session starts today.

The track temperate will be cooler once the sun goes down and the lights will add a different dimension to the second practice session of the day.

Qatar Grand Prix: Wolff and Horner set for fiery press conference

11:47 , Jamie Braidwood

Oh, the drama. With the verdict on the incident between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen still to be announced, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner will speak to the media at a joint news conference shortly.

It’s part of the Grand Prix weekend that the heads of the two leading teams speak to the press, but with the verdict hanging in the air there will be plenty to discuss.

Wolff and Horner aren’t exactly on the best of terms, either. Horner called Wolff a “pantomime dame” just a few weeks ago while the Mercedes boss labelled his opposite number a “windbag” earlier in the season.

Christian Horner labels Mercedes rival Toto Wolff ‘a pantomime dame’

Qatar Grand Prix: Verstappen quicker than Hamilton after P1

11:38 , Jamie Braidwood

Max Verstappen tops the leaderboard at the end of the first practice session at the Qatar Grand Prix, with a clear 0.786-second lead over title rival Lewis Hamilton.

Pierre Gasly finished second with Valtteri Bottas in third. Hamilton finished fourth fastest.

The seven-time world champion was called back into the pits towards the end of the session after Mercedes reported an issue with Hamilton’s car.

Hamilton also asked his race engineer, Pete Bonnington, during the session: “Are we slow on the straight or something?”

It’s advantage Red Bull at the moment but there’s a long way to, and with the long-awaited verdict still to be announced.

Sainz offers F1 solution after Hamilton and Verstappen incident

11:25 , Jamie Braidwood

There’s not much room for error at the Losail International Circuit, with much of the track surrounded by dirt and gravel.

That would please at least one person on the grid, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, who said an increase in the number of gravel traps in the Formula 1 season would put an end to incidents like Max Verstappen’s battle with Lewis Hamilton at last weekend’s Brazilian GP.

Sainz believes there is an easy solution that will prevent drivers from willfully running wide in future, whether defending or attacking. Gravel traps are used at circuits such as Silverstone, Imola and Monza to slow down and stop cars that exit the track.

Old school F1 circuits made extensive use of gravel, but newer and renovated tracks have often sought to replace them with tarmac run-off areas that allow drivers to carry on pressing their foot to the accelerator.

“I personally think that this issue would be solved with a gravel trap on the exit of Turn 4,” said Sainz. “I think you also saw at the start a few cars – including ourselves – going wide in Turn 4. If there had been a gravel trap, we wouldn’t have gone there.

“And instead of actually it being an issue for the stewards, if you put a gravel trap there, it wouldn’t be an issue for the stewards, for Michael [Masi, FIA race director], for Lewis, for Max or for us.”

Qatar Grand Prix: Verstappen leading Hamilton on softs

11:14 , Jamie Braidwood

Verstappen has set a new fastest lap after coming into the Red Bull garage to switch from medium to soft tyres, with Hamilton and the rest of the field also changing over.

Verstappen now leads with a time of 1:23.723, with Hamilton behind teammate Valtteri Bottas and 0.786 seconds behind his title rival.

The Red Bull is finding some early pace out in the desert in Qatar.

Qatar Grand Prix: Verstappen goes fastest in P1

11:00 , Jamie Braidwood

Max Verstappen has hit the top of the leaderboard in Qatar, while Lewis Hamilton has reported that his car feels “massively down on power”.

Verstappen leads Lando Norris, Valtteri Bottas and then Hamilton after the first half an hour or so, after clocking a 1:24.855.

Hamilton, who is 0.505 behind at this early stage, said during his opening laps: “I massively down on power.”

He seems to have picked up since then, however.

Lewis Hamilton wears rainbow helmet at Qatar Grand Prix

10:51 , Jamie Braidwood

Lewis Hamilton is wearing a rainbow helmet during the first practice session in Qatar.

On Thursday, Hamilton called on Formula 1 to hold Qatar to account during the first Grand Prix to be held in the country.

Qatar’s human rights record, which, along with Saudi Arabia, is described as “extremely troubling” by Amnesty International, and acts of same-sex sexual activity between people are illegal and could be punished by the death penalty.

Hamilton said: “As sports go to these places, they are duty-bound to raise awareness for these issues.

“These places need scrutiny. Equal rights is a serious issue.”

Qatar Grand Prix: First practice session underway

10:39 , Jamie Braidwood

We are UNDERWAY in Qatar as the first practice sessions begins at the Losail International Circuit.

Both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are out on the track, as they look to get to grips with the latest circuit to stage a Formula 1 race.

And yet, we are still no closer to hearing a verdict from Mercedes’ right of review.

Could you imagine if the FIA dropped their verdict while Hamilton and Verstappen are out on the track?

Verstappen ‘should have had a penalty’ in Brazil, says Button

10:29 , Jamie Braidwood

Max Verstappen should have been penalised for forcing Lewis Hamilton off the track at the Brazilian Grand Prix, former Formula 1 world champion Jensen Button has said.

But the Briton also does not understand why it has taken so long for the FIA to reach their verdict and believes they should have already “moved on” from the incident ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Button said: “I think [Verstappen] was probably was on the limit of the grip level, so he’s probably not turning in because the rear is starting to come around.

“He’s not driven Lewis off track on purpose but he still drove him off the circuit so personally I feel he should have been told to let him pass in that race.

“It’s a shame that they didn’t just take care of it at the track because we shouldn’t be talking about this here. He should have got a penalty, he didn’t at that moment in time, and I think you’ve just got to move on.”

Qatar Grand Prix: Hamilton and Verstappen set to hit the track

10:17 , Jamie Braidwood

The first practice session for the Qatar Grand Prix starts in 15 minutes - and we are still no closer to hearing a verdict!

It’s an important practice session, too, as this is the first time Formula 1 has been to Qatar and the Losail International Circuit.

The 5.38km circuit has hosted MotoGP since 2004 and is considered to be a fast track, full of medium and high speed corners.

A long main straight takes up a kilometer of the track and should lend to plenty of overtaking opportunities on Sunday.

Lewis Hamilton addresses ‘steering column’ complaints

10:09 , Jamie Braidwood

Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton dismissed speculation about the steering of his Mercedes on Thursday and said the column was changed in Brazil last weekend after he complained about movement.

The Briton was asked about images on the internet that suggested the steering moved forward and backwards as well as left and right, triggering speculation about what might be going on.

“My steering column doesn’t move forwards and backwards,” Hamilton said. “We had that last year, we don’t have it now. On Saturday there was a little bit of play in it, less than a millimeter probably, that I don’t like so they had to change the column and (then) there was no play.

“So I’m not really sure what you’re watching.”

Mercedes had an innovative DAS (Dual-Axis System) steering last year but that was banned after one season of use.

Reuters

Hamilton and Verstappen await Brazil GP verdict

10:00 , Jamie Braidwood

In case you missed it, this is the incident which continues to hang over the Qatar Grand Prix ahead of the race weekend - five days on from the dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo!

The on-board footage from Verstappen’s car was not available to the FIA during the race last Sunday, which is why it took a couple of days for Mercedes to launch their ‘Right to Review’ request - which is still being poured over by F1 chiefs.

The footage has split F1 fans, so it’s no surprise that is has also taken the FIA to come to their decision. Verstappen has been accused of understeering to deliberately force Lewis Hamilton off the track at Turn 4 - but the Dutchman insists it was “hard driving”.

How could a time penalty impact F1 title battle between Verstappen and Hamilton?

09:42 , Jamie Braidwood

As Max Verstappen said himself, “if if if” the championship leader is penalised for forcing title rival Lewis Hamilton off the track in Sao Paulo, it could be a massive moment in the championship.

A five-second penalty, the minimum time penalty drivers can be hit with, would see Verstappen’s placing in Brazil drop from second to third, at a cost of three championship points.

That would cut Verstappen’s lead at the top of the standings to 11 points with three races of the season to go and ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, which would mean Hamilton to tie Verstappen at the top of the standings with a Mercedes one-two (and fastest lap bonus point) this weekend.

Mercedes would probably prefer a time penalty rather than a grid penalty, as Hamilton showed, following two stunning drives in Sao Paulo, that it is possible to battle the way through the grid if you have the pace.

Lewis Hamilton gears up for Qatar Grand Prix practice

09:27 , Jamie Braidwood

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are cutting a relaxed look this morning, or afternoon in Qatar, ahead of the start of the Grand Prix weekend.

The first practice session kicks off in a little over an hour, and it’s set to be an important one as both drivers and teams start to figure out a track that they have yet to race at.

We are no closer to hearing whether Mercedes will be granted their ‘Right of Review’ and before long, all focus must turn to the driving, rather than hearings and verdicts.

Verstappen defends ‘hard racing’: ‘We’re not in kindergarten'

09:20 , Jamie Braidwood

Max Verstappen said “we are not here to be in kindergarten” as he defended his driving at the Brazilian Grand Prix, and said title rival Lewis Hamilton would have done the same if he was in his position.

Aided by DRS, Hamilton tried to pass Verstappen around the outside of Turn 4 in Sao Paulo, with the Red Bull driver appearing to hold his position as both drivers ran wide off the track.

Hamilton went on to make the crucial pass later in the race but the incident is the subject of an on-going review ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.

“Listen, if it would have been the other way around in Brazil it would have exactly played out like that,” Verstappen told Sky Sports. “It’s hard racing. We are fighting for a championship; we are not here to be in a kindergarten.”

He added: “I thought it was a great battle and I had a lot of fun as well out there. As a driver, I think we know exactly what we can or cannot do in a car and we were fighting hard, braking late into the corner, the tyres were quite worn. If I would have turned more abrupt to the left, you’d just spin off the track.

“At the end of the day they [Hamilton and Mercedes] won the race, fair enough. They were faster than us. But I thought it was a good battle.”

Verstappen has ‘nothing to be concerned of’ - says teammate Perez

09:09 , Jamie Braidwood

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has admitted the Formula 1 stewards have a “tough job” on their hands as the FIA comes to a decision on whether to review Max Verstappen running Lewis Hamilton wide at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

If Verstappen is penalised, the Red Bull driver could lose points in the drivers’ championship, while the team would also be hit in the constructors.

But Perez, who finished fourth in Sao Paolo following his memorable podium position at his home Mexican Grand Prix, backed the stewards to make the right call on the incident, as well as over the final three races of the season.

“The stewards have a very tough job to do because it’s not like football here,” Perez said. “The rules are a bit open and very difficult. One steward may say one thing, another different things.

“But I think right now we should have the most experienced ones and being in their hands, there’s nothing to be concerned of.”

Mercedes review of Verstappen-Hamilton incident ‘unnecessary’ - Vettel

08:59 , Jamie Braidwood

Sebastian Vettel has questioned the need for Mercedes to request a review of the incident between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The four-time Formula 1 world champion said that Verstappen and Hamilton were “fighting” for the lead but saw little reason to penalise the Red Bull driver for pushing the Mercedes wide at Turn 4.

When asked about Mercedes’ decision to request a ‘Right of Review’, Vettel said: “I’m not involved. But I think it’s a bit unnecessary.

“I think time goes one way, so what changes? I don’t think anything changes. I think Lewis drove a great race. He won. He was faster. That’s it.”

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08:50 , Jamie Braidwood

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Qatar Grand Prix: Schedule for the day

08:46 , Jamie Braidwood

The Qatar Grand Prix weekend kicks off this morning with the first practice session taking place from 10:30am GMT.

It could be quiet likely, therefore, that we hear the verdict on whether the FIA will grant Mercedes their ‘Right of Review’ before the cars hit the track, following a four-and-a-half hour meeting yesterday.

If the stewards grant Mercedes their review, based on the evidence supplied during the hearing on Thursday, then they will reassess their decision to not penalise Max Verstappen for the incident with Lewis Hamilton at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The second practice session takes place at 2pm GMT - and it would be quite remarkable if we are still waiting for a decision by that point.

Lewis Hamilton ‘loves seeing Toto fighting spirit’

08:33 , Jamie Braidwood

That “intensity” of the F1 title race was best illustrated by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff’s reaction to Lewis Hamilton passing Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the Brazilian Grand Prix last week.

Wolff had been left furious after Mercedes and Hamilton were hit by grid penalties across the weekend - only to explode into celebration when his driver made the crucial pass of his title rival.

“I love seeing Toto’s fighting spirit, it makes me so happy,” Hamilton said. “There’s a shot I saw of him at the last race and it just made me laugh inside, it was so good.

“If Toto cared less and was just chill, I don’t know... that fire and passion is a part of our infrastructure and our ecosystem and it trickles down from him. He’s the leader of the team and you want that in your boss, someone that’s out there go-getting and pushing and chasing every millisecond and with you along the way.

“So I love that he stands for what he thinks is right. We’ve grown hugely [close] over these years, as we will continue to do.”

Hamilton on ‘intense’ F1 title battle with Verstappen

08:26 , Jamie Braidwood

During his media appearance of Thursday, Lewis Hamilton was asked whether his on-track battles with title rival Max Verstappen were “taking away” from one of the most dramatic titles battles in recent memory.

Hamilton, unsurprisingly, replied: “I don’t think so. It’s what sport is, right? It’s intense, the battle on and off-track… I think there’s no reason why as men it can’t be discussed and figured out. I think at the end of the day, respect is definitely important, that we remain respectful of each other, on and off-track.

“Of course I’ve relooked at it and have a different viewpoint naturally now [on the incident in Sao Paulo]. [But] I’m just putting all my energy to setting up the car, making sure I’m in the right headspace this weekend…

“I’ve just been focusing, sitting with Bono [race engineer Pete Bonnington] and the engineers. We’ve got to really start this weekend [strongly] and make sure we bring the fight to them.”

Hamilton calls for scrutiny on Qatar over human rights issues

08:15 , Jamie Braidwood

Although the incident with Verstappen dominated much of the conversation yesterday, Lewis Hamilton also made clear that he wants Formula 1 to hold Qatar to account by raising awareness of its human rights issues.

Qatar will host its first grand prix this weekend with a 10-year contract kicking in from 2023 that is thought to be the most lucrative in F1.

Qatar’s human rights record, which, along with Saudi Arabia, who host their first grand prix later in the season, is described as “extremely troubling” by Amnesty International.

“As sports go to these places, they are duty-bound to raise awareness for these issues,” Hamilton said. “These places need scrutiny. Equal rights is a serious issue.

More here:

Lewis Hamilton wants Qatar scrutiny over human rights issues

Hamilton has ‘different viewpoint’ on Verstappen incident

08:09 , Jamie Braidwood

While also speaking at the drivers’ press conferences on Thursday, Lewis Hamilton admitted new camera angles of his run-in with title rival Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix have changed his decision on the incident – but stopped short of calling for the Red Bull driver to be hit with a retrospective punishment.

Hamilton took the chequered flag at Interlagos last weekend to close the gap in the drivers’ championship to 14 points with three races remaining. But Verstappen escaped punishment for running his rival off the road as they duelled for first position on lap 48.

Hamilton said he has a “different viewpoint” having all but written off the flashpoint as a racing incident immediately after the race. “I think the reason I said that at the time was the mentality you have to take,” he said. “If you sit in the car in the moment and complain it will only hold you back. In the moment I could only move forward.

“It is difficult to judge when you haven’t seen all the angles. Of course I’ve relooked at it and I have a different viewpoint, naturally, now. But I’m just putting all my energy into setting up the car and making sure I’m in the right head space.”

Lewis Hamilton now has ‘different viewpoint’ on Max Verstappen incident

Verstappen wouldn’t change how he raced with Hamilton

08:07 , Jamie Braidwood

Mercedes have been given an initial nod by FIA chiefs over their request to review the incident from the Brazilian Grand Prix which saw Max Verstappen send himself and Lewis Hamilton off-track, but the Red Bull racer isn’t unduly worried and says he wouldn’t change his approach.

The pair came close together once more as the Brit tried to overtake his Dutch rival, with Verstappen’s course sending Hamilton wide.

“I didn’t need to look at the footage because I was driving the car, so I know exactly what happened,” Verstappen said at a press conference on Thursday

“And like I said last time out, I thought it was a great battle and I had a lot of fun as well out there. At the end of the day they won the race, fair enough. They were faster than us. But I thought it was a good battle.

“As a driver I think we know exactly what we can or cannot do in a car, and we were fighting hard, braking late into the corner, the tyres were quite worn. If I would have turned more abrupt to the left, you’d just spin off the track.”

Max Verstappen wouldn’t change how he raced with Lewis Hamilton in Brazil

07:46 , Lawrence Ostlere

The FIA released a statement yesterday confirming that the hearing into the lap 48 incident between Hamilton and Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix has taken place, and that a verdict will be issued today ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.

Verstappen, if found in breach of rules, could be hit with either a time penalty for his race in Sao Paulo, with five seconds enough to knock him down to third and further reduce the gap to Hamilton, which is currently 14 points in the drivers’ standings, or else a grid penalty for the upcoming race in Qatar.

Verstappen said he is not worried about a retrospective time penalty that would cost him points. “I don’t even think about that,” he said. “Also – if if if. I mean, it’s not the end of the world. But again, I don’t expect that to happen because I thought it was fair, hard racing between the two guys who are fighting for the championship. So it wouldn’t have been anyway an easy pass, because that’s not how I am and I don’t think how it should be when you’re fighting for the title.”