
Toto Wolff plays down impact of ‘just please drive it’ remark to Lewis Hamilton
Toto Wolff insists his public rebuke of Lewis Hamilton at the Austrian Grand Prix will have no impact on the British driver’s Mercedes future. As Max Verstappen racked up his seventh victory from nine rounds with a crushing performance at Red Bull’s home race in Spielberg to extend his championship lead to 81 points, Hamilton crossed the line a disappointing seventh. Hamilton was the first of six drivers to be penalised by race director Niels Wittich for exceeding track limits. He then spent the remainder of the race asking why some of his rivals – namely Sergio Perez – had not been sanctioned, and also lambasted the speed of his under-performing Mercedes machine. Wolff rarely speaks to his drivers over the radio, but was on the intercom twice to Hamilton during Sunday’s race. “Lewis, the car is bad, we know,” said Wolff on his second appearance over the airwaves. “Just please drive it.” The dressing down might have stung Hamilton. Asked what provoked Wolff to deliver the remark, Hamilton’s answer was short, and not-so-sweet. Lewis, the car is bad, we know. Just please drive it Toto Wolff to Lewis Hamilton “I don’t know,” he said. “You will have to ask him.” Hamilton has six months remaining on his £40million-a-season deal. Might the exchange have a bearing on negotiations? “No, not at all,” said Wolff. “You should hear us talking on the phone and meeting each other. That was nothing. “We have had a bad weekend, all of us in the team, and that just makes us stronger. “It was only for the best interest of the driver and the team. Sometimes there is a certain moment when you need to calm things down but I meant well. “We had a lot of discussion about track limits and whether they were enforced or not. “I wanted to make sure we were getting the best out of the package that wasn’t performing, and trying to give it our best shot.” It has been a difficult weekend for Mercedes in Austria. Hamilton was 10th in the Sprint on Saturday, while team-mate George Russell finished eighth in both the shortened race and the main event. Hamilton’s losing streak now extends to 32 races and Wolff – despite suggesting on June 12 that his superstar driver’s next contract would be signed in “days rather than weeks” – confirmed that there will be no news of an extension at Silverstone this weekend. “I am still very confident it will get done,” added Wolff. “We want to do it super, and to every detail. “This is not a money discussion. It is about the future, what is it that we want to do right, and then optimise. “We are not talking anymore about money, or duration, it is about other topics.” I am still very confident it will get done. We want to do it super, and to every detail Wolff on contract talks with Hamilton Asked how long Hamilton’s next deal will be, Wolff replied: “For a while. The Brits say a couple means two, and the Americans say a couple means a few, so it is somewhere there. Several.” The day began strongly for Hamilton. He started fifth and leapfrogged Lando Norris at the opening corner. But he soon faced the wrath of race control for putting all four wheels of his Mercedes over the white line on three separate occasions. He was penalised with a black-and-white warning flag on lap 12, and then hit with a five-second penalty five laps later. Hamilton took his punishment at his second pit stop on lap 43, dropping him to eighth place. He moved up one spot when Pierre Gasly stopped for tyres but failed to make any impression on Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, crossing the line half a minute back. “The feeling with the car was the same as I had last year,” said Hamilton. “I didn’t expect to be as bad as we were today. It is surprising.” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari, while Perez raced from 15th to third, passing Carlos Sainz with 10 laps to go. Norris ended the day in fifth to record his best result of a difficult season for his under-performing McLaren team. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Austrian Grand Prix to remain on F1 calendar until at least 2030 Lewis Hamilton to start sprint race from 18th at Austrian Grand Prix Made us look like amateurs – Max Verstappen hits out over raft of deleted laps
2023-07-03 01:29

He’s amazing – Martin Odegaard hails ‘brilliant’ Declan Rice impact at Arsenal
Martin Odegaard believes his “amazing” midfield partner Declan Rice is already proving his worth after Arsenal eased into the Champions League knockout stages. England international Rice, a £105million summer signing from West Ham, was among a host of standout performers as the Gunners secured top spot in Group B with a 6-0 demolition of French club Lens. Arsenal captain Odegaard has been impressed with the instant impact and consistency of his 24-year-old team-mate, who has been ever-present in the Premier League and Europe this term. “It’s brilliant – I think he’s been amazing since he came here,” the Norway international said of Rice. “Every game he’s showing his qualities. He’s a great player, a great guy, so a great addition to the squad.” Rice was afforded a rest for the final 15 minutes on Wednesday evening as in-form Arsenal won their pool with a fixture to spare, four days after going top of the Premier League. Odegaard volleyed home the last of the rampant hosts’ five first-half goals against last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up before Rice’s replacement Jorginho converted a late penalty to complete the rout. The former Real Madrid playmaker says the Gunners are constantly striving to produce statement performances. “Every time we play we want to send a message,” said Odegaard. “Of course, we want to win every time we play and we want to put on performances like this. “The way we started the game was brilliant. We had complete control of the game with the ball. We played with a really high rhythm and intensity and we were effective in front of goal. “The last few games we’ve been really good defensively and we wanted to show even more on the ball and to get some more goals as well. “We did that and we knew what we were playing for and we saw the motivation and the hunger out there.” Read More Keira Walsh ‘feeling fresh’ before latest round of Women’s Nations League games On This Day in 2004 – Sir Matthew Pinsent announces retirement from rowing Arsenal through to last 16 as Manchester United squander lead again Erik ten Hag says Manchester United ‘have to learn’ from Galatasaray draw Man Utd set to face Galatasaray in Champions League despite bad weather Luke Donald humbled by players’ support for his return as Ryder Cup captain
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