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Lewis Hamilton described Max Verstappen’s dominance of Formula One as being like “he is having a smoke and a pancake” following the Dutch driver’s eighth straight win at the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished fourth and trailed Verstappen by 49 seconds at Spa-Francorchamps. During the 44-lap race, Verstappen even goaded his rivals by calling on Red Bull to change his tyres for “some pit-stop training”. And when asked if it was too easy for Verstappen at the front, Hamilton replied: “What do you want me to say? I have not spoken to him,” before adding with an accent: “He is having a smoke and a pancake. You know the film?” The seven-time world champion was referencing the 2002 Austin Powers movie in which Dutch villain Goldmember asks the main character if he would “like a smoke and a pancake”. Hamilton is now 35 appearances without a victory – the longest streak of his career. Across the same period, Verstappen – the man who beat him to the title in the contentious season-ending Abu Dhabi race of 2021 – has triumphed 25 times. Hamilton was demoted to seventh in Saturday’s sprint race after he was penalised by the stewards for tangling with Sergio Perez. He failed to make an impression on the podium places on Sunday. Hamilton also bemoaned the unexpected return of porpoising for Mercedes which last season plagued the grid’s once all-conquering team. “It was not bouncing a little bit, it was bouncing like last year,” said Hamilton. “It was bouncing everywhere. “They (Mercedes) don’t know (what caused the bouncing) and to me it is a concern. I know what I want and I am praying for it. I am just waiting for the day that we get it.” Hamilton is out of contract at the end of the season, and while both he and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, say an extension to his £40million-a-season deal will be struck, it may not be concluded in the near future. Asked if he expected Hamilton’s contract to be signed during Formula One’s four-week summer break, Wolff replied: “I don’t want to give you a date. It is lawyers speaking to lawyers. It is no material thing anymore. We have to give it time. And I don’t want to commit to a date.” Reflecting on Mercedes’ porpoising, the Austrian added: “The car was bouncing on every straight, and even Blanchimont was a corner that Lewis was having to lift, and that is usually an easy flat. “You bounce on the straight, you overheat the tyres on braking, and that is a vicious circle. “It is frustrating to check out for the holidays like this but we will understand more tomorrow.” Read More Max Verstappen taunts F1 rivals with ‘pit-stop training’ offer Lewis Hamilton reveals return of major issue with Mercedes car at Belgian Grand Prix Max Verstappen extends invincible streak with victory at Belgian Grand Prix ‘We should not be deterred’: Lewis Hamilton unhappy with stewards after penalty F1 Belgian Grand Prix LIVE: Race results and times at Spa-Francorchamps Max Verstappen sees off Oscar Piastri to win thrilling sprint race in Belgium

Max Verstappen goaded his forlorn rivals by challenging Red Bull to pointless “pit-stop training” during his exhibition win in Belgium on Sunday. Verstappen started sixth by virtue of a grid penalty for a gearbox change, but he assumed the lead on lap 17 of 44 before taking the chequered flag 22.3 seconds clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton started third and crossed the line in fourth. Verstappen’s triumph was his eighth in a row – leaving him just one short of Sebastian Vettel’s record. It also marked his 10th victory from 12 rounds so far this season, his 19th from his last 23 outings and Red Bull’s 22nd in that period. The team from Milton Keynes head into Formula One’s summer break unbeaten this season. Verstappen is riding on a wave of invincibility – a staggering 125 points clear in the championship – and with nine laps remaining here, his supreme confidence was expressed in a message to his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. “I could also push on and we do another stop?” he said. “A little bit of pit-stop training?” “Not this time,” replied Lambiase. “He has reason to be cheeky because he is just driving circles round everybody else on merit,” was the verdict of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff following another so-so afternoon for the Silver Arrows. “The stopwatch never lies and there is one guy in one car above everyone else.” From sixth to fourth at the end of the first lap, Verstappen dispatched of Hamilton at 210mph on the Kemmel Straight on lap six, and then Leclerc three laps later following a fine move round the outside of the Ferrari pole-sitter at Les Combes. Then came the first of a series of sharp-edged radio exchanges with Lambiase which would provide some entertainment on a one-sided afternoon in the Ardennes. Trailing Perez, Verstappen wanted Red Bull to perform a double-stack tyre-stop in order not to lose any time to his team-mate on fresh rubber. But his request was rebuffed by the Red Bull pit wall. “So don’t forget Max, use your head please,” said Lambiase. “Are we both doing it (stopping) or what?” replied Verstappen. “You just follow my instruction,” came Lambiase’s response. “No, I want to know both cars do it,” fired back Verstappen. “Max, please follow my instruction and trust it, thank you,” said Lambiase. Lambiase was promptly back on the radio to ask Verstappen if he could make his dry rubber last for the next nine minutes with fine drizzle anticipated. “I can’t see the weather radar,” was Verstappen’s spiky response. A lap after Perez stopped for tyres, Verstappen came in. He left the pit-lane 2.8 sec adrift of the Mexican but he required only two laps before he was crawling all over the back of his team-mate’s identical machine. Verstappen tracked Perez through the fearsome Eau Rouge-Raidillon section before he applied DRS and roared round Perez along the Kemmel Straight. By the end of that 17th lap, Verstappen had already established a 1.6 sec gap over his team-mate. It then began to drizzle, and Verstappen endued a hairy moment through Eau Rouge as the back end of his Red Bull stepped out at 180mph. “F***, I nearly lost it,” said the championship leader after he regained control. On lap 29, Perez now trailing Verstappen by nine seconds, stopped for a second time, with Verstappen following in on the same lap and then building on his lead. Lambiase returned to the airwaves. “You used a lot of the tyre on the out-lap, Max,” he said. “I am not sure if that was sensible.” Verstappen responded by producing the fastest lap of the race. Verstappen’s back-and-forth with Lambiase, known as GP, came 48 hours after they squabbled over the radio in qualifying. But Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “GP and Max have been together since the first race that Max stepped into the car. Max is a demanding customer. And you’ve got to be a strong character to deal with that. “GP is our Jason Statham equivalent, certainly a lookalike, and he deals with him firmly but fairly. “There’s a great respect between the two of them and that comes out of a mutual trust, which you must have between an engineer and a driver. There’s no counselling required.” The sport will now head for a four-week shutdown before Verstappen’s home race in the Netherlands on August 27.

Lewis Hamilton described Max Verstappen’s dominance of Formula One as being like “he is having a smoke and a pancake” following the Dutch driver’s eighth straight win at the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton finished fourth and trailed Verstappen by 49 seconds at Spa-Francorchamps. During the 44-lap race, Verstappen even goaded his rivals by calling on Red Bull to change his tyres for “some pit-stop training”. And when asked if it was too easy for Verstappen at the front, Hamilton replied: “What do you want me to say? I have not spoken to him,” before adding with an accent: “He is having a smoke and a pancake. You know the film?” The seven-time world champion was referencing the 2002 Austin Powers movie in which Dutch villain Goldmember asks the main character if he would “like a smoke and a pancake”. Hamilton is now 35 appearances without a victory – the longest streak of his career. Across the same period, Verstappen – the man who beat him to the title in the contentious season-ending Abu Dhabi race of 2021 – has triumphed 25 times. Hamilton was demoted to seventh in Saturday’s sprint race after he was penalised by the stewards for tangling with Sergio Perez. He failed to make an impression on the podium places on Sunday. Hamilton also bemoaned the unexpected return of porpoising for Mercedes which last season plagued the grid’s once all-conquering team. “It was not bouncing a little bit, it was bouncing like last year,” said Hamilton. “It was bouncing everywhere. “They (Mercedes) don’t know (what caused the bouncing) and to me it is a concern. I know what I want and I am praying for it. I am just waiting for the day that we get it.” Hamilton is out of contract at the end of the season, and while both he and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, say an extension to his £40million-a-season deal will be struck, it may not be concluded in the near future. Asked if he expected Hamilton’s contract to be signed during Formula One’s four-week summer break, Wolff replied: “I don’t want to give you a date. It is lawyers speaking to lawyers. It is no material thing anymore. We have to give it time. And I don’t want to commit to a date.” Reflecting on Mercedes’ porpoising, the Austrian added: “The car was bouncing on every straight, and even Blanchimont was a corner that Lewis was having to lift, and that is usually an easy flat. “You bounce on the straight, you overheat the tyres on braking, and that is a vicious circle. “It is frustrating to check out for the holidays like this but we will understand more tomorrow.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen taunts F1 rivals with ‘pit-stop training’ offer Max Verstappen beats Oscar Piastri to sprint race pole in Belgium How Max Verstappen and record-breaking Red Bull compare to Formula One greats

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Silverstone is one of the most iconic circuits in Formula One, holding the first championship race back in 1950 and 73 years later in 2023, the event is more popular than ever. It was a record-breaking weekend this year, as the British Grand Prix drew in the biggest crowd it had ever seen with 480,000 spectators entering from Friday (July 7) to Sunday (July 9). Though this figure should come as no surprise with F1 benefitting from the rise in popularity in recent years thanks to the Netflix series Drive to Survive which has propelled the sport into popular culture and widened its demographic in the process. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For this race, I was able to watch the action unfold in the grandstands for the first time – here’s a breakdown of my experience. Arrival Clouds and rain loomed on Sunday morning when arriving at the track at 9 am, after navigating the race day traffic (and getting briefly lost on the way in classic road trip style). Upon arrival, the rain jackets were on as we took in the scale of the event and walked around the circuit that was abuzz with fans of all ages excited for the upcoming race. Hospitality An unmissable sight around the perimeter of the circuit was the variety of food trucks belonging to Freemans Event Partners who have partnered with Silverstone for over four decades. As a spectator, a deep thought isn’t typically given to the logistical efforts that go into pulling off such a huge event like this but for Freemans, they had expected to sell the following over the weekend: 40,000 burgers 35,000 glasses of wine and champagne 6,000 kg of chicken 65,000 portions of chips 1m+ drinks 90+ cuisines across 260 outlets, with meat-free options available at every outlet Stephen Freeman CEO, told indy100: “As one of the UK’s biggest spectator events – with over 480,000 UK and international visitors – the Formula 1 Aramco British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone provides a unique opportunity to showcase the very best of British food and drink. “We’ve been working in partnership with Silverstone for over 40 years and this year, as part of our delivery of 270 food outlets, offering over 90 varieties of cuisine, we created a ‘Best of British’ food zone for the first time. “Featuring a Pimm’s branded double-decker London bus, a range of photo opportunities and competitions for spectators to enjoy, the area was situated at the heart of the circuit. He added: “A selection of British treats were on offer such as traditional Cornish pasties, fish & chips, and cream teas, as well as Pimm’s & strawberries over the course of the four days of festivities." Initially, it was the perfect weather for a nice hot cuppa to warm us up as the Formula 3 and Formula 2 races took place where we were confronted by the riveting sound of the race cars zooming past on the track. But as the day went on, summer finally decided to make an appearance – just in time for the driver’s parade where the F1 drivers waved to the crowds as they made their way around the track in classic cars. Two hours before the race, it was time for lunch and from the array of cuisines to choose from, we opted for a chicken kebab – a popular choice as the queue snaked around the area, but definitely worth the 30-minute wait as we got to feast while being entertained by spectacular the Red Arrows display. Seating and the race itself After some exploring, we settled back into our Stirling A grandstand seats which provided a perfect reprieve from the sun as strong winds cooled us down and a great view where we could see the car speed towards Copse Corner with the 180mph bend being one of the fastest of the circuit. The first lap provided a thrilling start as McLaren'sLando Norris jumped Red Bull's Max Verstappen to lead the first couple of laps while loud roars from the stands cheered the Brit on as he and the other drivers went flat out as they sped past us down to Copse. Though Verstappen was able to get back in front with DRS by lap five, and went on to claim his first win at Silverstone with the reigning two-time world champion's continuing his dominance this season. There was a safety car deployed on lap 33 due to a fire in the Haas car of Kevin Magnussen, and this "free" pitstop was perfect timing for Verstappen, Norris and Hamilton - and we managed to see this unfold on the big screen conveniently situated near our grandstand. In the end, Norris impressively held second place by choosing a different type of strategy and defended the position on hard tires, while Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was able to get ahead of Piastri to secure third. As a result, Norris and Hamilton are the first pair of Brits on the podium at Silverstone since 1999 when David Coulthard won the race, followed by Eddie Irvine in second. In true British style, the weather couldn't make up its mind so our rain jackets and sunglasses were on stand-by with clouds threatening a downpour one minute followed by bright sunny skies minutes later - though in the end, the rain didn't come but this element of unpredictability did still entertain us. Post-race events After the race, we headed over to the Chrome Main Stage where we watched The Big Moon, DJ Patrick Nazemi, and Tom Greenan perform where fans were enjoying the post-race music festival vibes. Between these artists, some F1 drivers also made brief appearances to discuss their race performance with Williams' Alex Albon, Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell and McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Some of the highlights included Russell bringing his niece and nephew on stage, and the McLaren boys toasting their result with a celebratory shoey. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was welcomed on stage with boos from the crowd but soon had the audience onside when his wife and Spice Girl Geri Horner made a surprise appearance. He also gained cheers when he asked the crowd "If we get [Daniel] Ricciardo back, will you be nicer to me?" as the Red Bull third driver was scheduled to carry out Pirelli tyre tests in the RB19. (Little did we know then, after doing the tests Ricciardo would be announced on July 11 as the new AlphaTauri driver, replacing Nyck De Vries). Following an action-packed day, we then chowed down on some food and made the most of the various cuisines available opting for a Greek Gyros, a Mac & Cheese pot and a Katsu Curry. With our bellies full and the day coming to an end, we headed home and as we discussed the day, the enjoyment of my first Silverstone Grand Prix already has me excited for 2024... Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.