Mercedes teammates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton collided at Turn 1 of the Qatar Grand Prix, sending the latter off the track and out of Sunday’s race.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were the butt of jokes after Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix following the disaster that befell Mercedes in the opening lap.
The two teammates collided dramatically in Turn 1, causing Hamilton to go off the track and ending the race after only 10 seconds. Meanwhile, Russell recovered to finish fourth and score 12 points. Hamilton quickly admitted the crash was “100%” his fault and that Mercedes’ rivals took full advantage.
In the recovery room after Red Bull star Max Verstappen overtook his rival and claimed another victory, he and runner-up Oscar Piastri were seen laughing over the incident. Joined by McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who finished third, Australian driver Piastri exclaimed after watching replays of the collision between Hamilton and Russell:
“Ha! Wow. Thanks, Mercedes.”
Verstappen, who after Saturday’s sprint race was crowned world champion for the third year in a row, then told his fellow drivers:
“You know what they call it? The law of the jungle.”
Hamilton’s head was certainly a mess after finding himself speaking to the media while the GP was still in full swing. The distraught Briton took full responsibility for the accident, telling Sky Sports:
“I really apologize to my team. Today is a chance to score some good points. “In the heat of the moment, I really didn’t understand what happened, I just felt a blow from behind. But I don’t think George probably has nowhere else to go and yeah, it’s just one of those really unfortunate situations. .. I mean, I’m happy to take on the responsibility of being the oldest.
The seven-time world champion also wrote on Twitter:
“I watched the replay and it was 100% my fault and I take full responsibility. I apologize to my team and George.”
Russell also posted a video of himself being greeted by his teammates after the race. Hamilton is heard saying:
“Sorry for that
Ahead of the United States Grand Prix in two weeks, Russell added a caption to further freshen the mood:
“There are no strong emotions. We are here to fight and maximize our team’s advantages. We misjudged today, but our car was exceptionally strong and I’m proud of the whole team. It’s time to regroup and continue growing at a rapid pace for Austin. »
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