Hamilton jokes that Verstappen is 'having a smoke and a pancake'

Belgian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton jokes that Max Verstappen is ‘having a smoke and a pancake’ after his EIGHTH win in a row

• Lewis Hamilton has joked that Max Verstappen is having a ‘joke and a pancake’
• The Red Bull driver won his eighth Grand Prix in a row at Spa on Sunday 
• Hamilton finished in fourth place and complained about his car ‘porpoising’

 Lewis Hamilton sent up Max Verstappen by saying of the double world champion’s dominance: ‘He’s having a smoke and a pancake.’

It was a reference to the 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember film, in which Goldmember asks Powers if he would like a ‘smoke and a pancake’ — a euphemism for cannabis.

Hamilton made the remark after finishing fourth in the Belgian Grand Prix, 49 seconds adrift of winner Verstappen.

Asked if it was too easy for the Red Bull man, Hamilton said: ‘What do you want me to say? I have not spoken to him. He is having a smoke and a pancake. Do you know the film?’

Hamilton has given a damning half-term report on his Mercedes ahead of the summer break, revealing his Mercedes is ‘porpoising’ again.

Lewis Hamilton said that Mercedes suffered with bouncing during the Belgian Grand Prix

Hamilton finished in fourth place in the race in Belgium, with Max Verstappen victorious again

‘It was not bouncing a little bit; it was bouncing like last year,’ said Hamilton. ‘I couldn’t keep up with the cars in front.’

Bouncing was a significant issue for Mercedes following porpoising at the beginning of last season. Problems have resurfaced after Mercedes made major changes to its car design midway through this season.

He continued: ‘The team don’t know what caused it, and it is a concern to me. I know what I want and I am praying for it.’

This analysis makes a mockery of Mercedes’ much-vaunted attempts to rectify their car, which remains way off the pace.

However, Hamilton managed to stay ahead of some of his rivals and also received a bonus point for the fastest lap (1:47.305) following a late pitstop with fresh tyres.

‘So at the end I was keeping the Ferrari within a few seconds but I couldn’t get any closer to that battle,’ he told Sky Sports F1.

‘Then to get the fastest lap at the end, it was nice to have the gap to the car behind, it was decent. But it was gusty today and it was very difficult out there and difficult to keep it on track.’

F1 returns in Zandvoort for the Dutch Grand Prix on August 27, but there are no guarantees Hamilton will have signed his new contract by then.

‘We have to give it time,’ said team boss Toto Wolff.

Hamilton says that Mercedes are unaware of what is causing the bouncing issue

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