Lewis Hamilton out of Qatar Grand Prix after George Russell crash on first turn
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Lewis Hamilton made a nightmarish start to Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix and was ruled out of the race after a crash with Mercedes team-mate George Russell at the first turn.
Hopes were high for the Silver Arrows due after Russell and Hamilton started second and third on the grid, respectively. However, Hamilton's ill-advised attempt to overtake his driving partner ended in disaster.
The two shared very different accounts of the incident over the team radio, with Russell heard blaring 'what the hell' at his team-mate's attempted manoeuvre. It was during the safety car shortly afterwards that the 25-year-old said he was 'lost for words' and 'couldn't do anything' having watched the crash back on a monitor.
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Hamilton, meanwhile, told his team he'd been 'taken out by his own team-mate' as he saw himself as the victim. In what should have been a major opportunity for Mercedes following Carlos Sainz's withdrawal shortly before Sunday's race, the clash in Qatar quickly turned calamitous.
Red Bull rival Max Verstappen already sealed his third consecutive world championship on Saturday after team-mate Sergio Perez crashed out of the Sprint race. But Hamilton's hair-raising departure will be an unexpected bonus for the Dutchman in his bid to build his points pile further.
It's not the first time Hamilton has run afoul of a team-mate on the first lap of a race. He and former Mercedes comrade Nico Rosberg crashed early on in the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, which forced both drivers to retire from the contest.
"Rookie error Lewis," remarked one social media user unimpressed with Hamilton's moment of madness. They were far from alone in taking aim at the seven-time world champion, with another commenting: "Classic Hamilton not being able to race wheel-to-wheel."
"Can’t believe he blamed George," wrote another incredulous spectator, clearly of the opinion the crash was Hamilton's fault. "Lewis had a third of a track to his left. He squeezed into George," agreed a fourth fan.
Russell rejoined the race sat way down the pack in 13th following the safety car, while Hamilton watched on from behind the scenes. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was forced to watch the debacle unfold from home as he continues to recover from surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament.
It can't have made for easy viewing as the Austrian attempts to restore the Silver Arrows to their place atop the F1 podium. However, the Qatar Grand Prix instead looks as though it will serve as another tribute to Red Bull's ongoing dominance in the current era.
- Lewis Hamilton
- Breaking News
- F1
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