Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton credited George Russell after his Mercedes teammate swooped to his first podium finish for the team at the Australian Grand Prix.

We believe we can get there but it’s not going to happen overnight and it will be a number of races before we close the gap.” “I couldn’t fight [Russell] for third because the engine was overheating, so I had to back off. “George did a great job today.

Lewis Hamilton explained what he meant when he accused Mercedes of putting him in a difficult position during the Australian GP.

“This weekend we’ve had so many difficult moments with the car and so to get ourselves fifth and sixth in qualifying, to progress like we have and to have the reliability, and we definitely didn’t expect to have a third, fourth. “I got to see a bit of the battle at the end, racing Perez, and I wish I could have been in it,” said Hamilton. Hamilton was not able to close in enough though and he would take to the radio, bluntly telling his Mercedes team that “you guys put me in a really difficult position.”

But the seven-time world champion could not hide his frustration at his ongoing car troubles and revealed engine issues prevented him from taking on the ...

'Well I couldn't fight for third because the engine was overheating,' Hamilton revealed. but reveals frustration that he 'couldn't fight' because his engine overheated as car woes continue Lewis Hamilton hails third and fourth as a 'great result' for Mercedes at Australian Grand Prix and praises team-mate George Russell for his podium...

The seven-time world champion departs Australia 43 points behind Charles Leclerc following the Ferrari driver's one-sided victory in Melbourne.

Not to finish is pretty frustrating and unacceptable. “It is more important to finish races. Norris took fifth in his improved McLaren ahead of team-mate and home favourite Daniel Ricciardo. The gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.” “It is a strange feeling for me because we have such high expectations. Russell, who started sixth, also beat Norris to the opening bend.

Lewis Hamilton hailed George Russell's performance and Mercedes' result as "amazing" at the Australian GP as the world champions salvaged third and fourth ...

But I'm really really hoping we can get in the fight soon. "Will that be the case with this new car? "There are 20 races to go," he said. "We've got to be proud with the job we've done so far, with the lack of performance we have, and we believe we can get there, but it's not going to happen overnight and it's going to be a couple of races to close the gap." He's doing an amazing job. He's done an amazing job today, he had great pace.

Lewis Hamilton has lauded the performance of his Mercedes team after a much-improved display at the Australian Grand Prix.

Australian Grand Prix “We definitely didn’t expect to have a third and fourth. Australian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has explained the background behind his late-race radio message to Mercedes in Formula 1's Australian Grand Prix that some had interpreted as ...

I think from my side, I let the team down in the last race and didn't get the points but to come away with this result is great." "It's an amazing result for us as a team," he explained. "Basically, I couldn't race for position because the car was overheating," he explained.

Lewis Hamilton has explained what he meant when he told Mercedes they had put him "in a difficult position" while running behind teammate George Russell at ...

From my side, I let the team down in the last race and didn't get the points but to come away with this result, is great. This one was not accompanied by any of the preceding conversations Hamilton had with the Mercedes pit wall. I was up in third and it felt great to be fighting, or to feel like we're fighting for a podium in that moment.

The seven-time world champion departs Australia 43 points behind Charles Leclerc following the Ferrari driver's one-sided victory in Melbourne.

Not to finish is pretty frustrating and unacceptable. “It is more important to finish races. Norris took fifth in his improved McLaren ahead of team-mate and home favourite Daniel Ricciardo. The gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.” “It is a strange feeling for me because we have such high expectations. Russell, who started sixth, also beat Norris to the opening bend.

Lewis Hamilton hailed George Russell's performance and Mercedes' result as "amazing" at the Australian GP as the world champions salvaged third and fourth ...

But I'm really really hoping we can get in the fight soon. "Will that be the case with this new car? "There are 20 races to go," he said. "We've got to be proud with the job we've done so far, with the lack of performance we have, and we believe we can get there, but it's not going to happen overnight and it's going to be a couple of races to close the gap." He's doing an amazing job. He's done an amazing job today, he had great pace.

The seven-time world champion departs Australia 43 points behind Charles Leclerc following the Ferrari driver's one-sided victory in Melbourne.

Not to finish is pretty frustrating and unacceptable. “It is more important to finish races. Norris took fifth in his improved McLaren ahead of team-mate and home favourite Daniel Ricciardo. The gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.” “It is a strange feeling for me because we have such high expectations. Russell, who started sixth, also beat Norris to the opening bend.

In a show of defiance, Lewis Hamilton competed at Sunday's Australian Grand Prix with piercings in both ears and a nose stud, despite F1 chiefs' attempts to ...

These ones on my right ear are welded in so I would have to get it chopped off. 'I literally cannot even take these out. Lewis Hamilton reveals he has NO plans to remove jewellery and says F1 chiefs will have to CHOP OFF his right ear with piercings 'welded in'... as sport's rulers crackdown on drivers racing in jewellery

The seven-time world champion departs Australia 43 points behind Charles Leclerc following the Ferrari driver's one-sided victory in Melbourne.

“It is more important to finish races. Not to finish is pretty frustrating and unacceptable. Norris took fifth in his improved McLaren ahead of team-mate and home favourite Daniel Ricciardo. The gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.” “It is a strange feeling for me because we have such high expectations. Perez also eased past Russell before all three men were promoted a place when Max Verstappen’s Red Bull expired for the second time in three races. Russell, who started sixth, also beat Norris to the opening bend. “He has been so solid. There are 20 races to go. I am really hoping we can get in the fight, but with every bit of improvement we make so will Red Bull and Ferrari. It is not going to be easy. Previously, the only satisfaction I could get was beating my team-mate but here we have a bigger picture, and the long game we need to play is to catch these guys up because we are here to win.” “We have got some improvements that we need to make and we need everyone’s support in doing so.

The prohibition of jewellery in Grand Prix racing has been in place since 2004 but has always been largely ignored by drivers and by officials. But new race ...

But new race director Niels Wittich has decided the rule must now be prioritised and told that to Hamilton and his rivals in a meeting ahead of the Melbourne race, which was won by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. I feel there are personal things and you should be able to be who you are. He explained: “And there is stuff that I can’t move.

Despite body piercings being forbidden since 2004, new race director Niels Wittich addressed the subject directly this weekend in Melbourne. Advertisement.

These ones on my right ear are welded in so I would have to get it chopped off. They will be staying." The 37-year-old says the piercings in his right ear are "welded in" and he would have to get them "chopped off."

The seven-time world champion finished fourth at the Australian Grand Prix, with Mercedes' car continuing to lag behind Ferrari and Red Bull.

“I couldn’t race for position because the car was overheating so I had to back off,” he said when asked about the comment. It is about making sure we leave no stone unturned, that the hunger is there and we are maximising every moment. Hamilton now trails Leclerc by 43 points after three races, an enormous deficit to make up and one that cannot be addressed unless Mercedes solve their car’s aerodynamic jarring.

Mercedes left Australia with a much better result than expected, but Hamilton says hard work must be done now to keep alive his dwindling F1 title hopes.

To be standing on the podium is special.” He said: “There is performance to be gained in areas we know and we need it now - not in two or three races, as we all know as a team. I don’t even want to think about the championship fight at the moment.” "But with every improvement we make, the Ferrari and then Red Bull will probably make a similar step. Charles Leclerc comfortably won his second race of the year, meaning the Ferrari driver is already 43 points ahead of Hamilton in the drivers’ championship. Remarkably, Hamilton heads to Imola for the fourth round of the Formula One championship with his team lying second in the constructors’ table.

Lewis Hamilton was full of praise for his team after Mercedes bagged something of a surprising P3 and P4 finish in Australia – and explained a late radio ...

“I couldn’t fight for third because the engine was overheating so I had to back off,” he said. “It was a great team result. I was a bit unfortunate with the Safety Car, but I think we did a great job today; considering the pace deficit that we had to the guys up ahead, I think we did a good job.”

Hamilton competed at the Australian Grand Prix with piercings in both ears and a nose stud.

These ones on my right ear are welded in so I would have to get it chopped off. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. “I literally cannot even take these out.

Hamilton competed at the Australian Grand Prix with piercings in both ears and a nose stud.

These ones on my right ear are welded in so I would have to get it chopped off. “I literally cannot even take these out. While the prohibition of body piercings has been in place since 2004, F1’s new race director Niels Wittich brought the rule to the fore in his pre-race notes in Melbourne before addressing the subject directly with Hamilton and his peers in a two-hour drivers’ briefing.

JONATHAN MCEVOY IN MELBOURNE: It was an all-encompassing cry of frustration from Lewis Hamilton's cockpit. 'You guys put me in a really difficult position,' ...

He qualified ninth, slipped back five places off the line, and then lost control on the second lap to find himself beached in the gravel. So he came in to be re-booted before holding off Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu to take the last, single point. I am hoping we can get in the fight, but with every bit of improvement we make so will Red Bull and Ferrari improve. If you want to fight for the title, these things cannot happen.’ ‘There is performance to be gained in all areas and we need it now, not in two or three races. There are 20 races to go and if you think realistically about the way our sport goes in terms of development, the top teams progress at a similar rate. Russell also started well, gaining a place from sixth on the grid. ‘It is about making sure we leave no stone unturned, that the hunger is there and we are maximising every moment. I will be going on the simulator.’ Neither erred, even if Russell only passed his senior team-mate of 13 years in a fortuitously timed safety car deployed for Sebastian Vettel’s latest contribution to Aston Martin’s repair bill. Certainly, ongoing frustration at the Silver Arrows’ blunted performance was a major stimulus. ‘I will be making a lot of calls,’ he said.

The seven-time world champion departs Australia 43 points behind Charles Leclerc following the Ferrari driver's one-sided victory at Melbourne's Albert Park on ...

“It is more important to finish races. Not to finish is pretty frustrating and unacceptable. Norris took fifth in his improved McLaren ahead of team-mate and home favourite Daniel Ricciardo. The gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.” “It is a strange feeling for me because we have such high expectations. Perez also eased past Russell before all three men were promoted a place when Max Verstappen’s Red Bull expired for the second time in three races. Russell, who started sixth, also beat Norris to the opening bend. “He has been so solid. There are 20 races to go. I am really hoping we can get in the fight, but with every bit of improvement we make so will Red Bull and Ferrari. It is not going to be easy. Previously, the only satisfaction I could get was beating my team-mate but here we have a bigger picture, and the long game we need to play is to catch these guys up because we are here to win.” “We have got some improvements that we need to make and we need everyone’s support in doing so.

Toto Wolff has questioned new Formula One race boss Niels Wittich's jewellery ban by asking: “Is that a battle he needs to have?”.

Lewis does it every day, but you are guy who always seems to know better’. “There is a promoter of one of the races in the Middle East who said he was so relieved he had gone because he got so much abuse from him. He continued: “It is quite interesting because I had lunch with him [Masi] on the Wednesday before the race, and I said to him that ‘I really want to tell you, without patronising you, that you need to take criticism on board and develop from there.

Lewis Hamilton defied the FIA's clampdown as he competed with piercings in both ears and a nose stud at the Australian Grand Prix – and said afterwards that he ...

“The effort they are putting into showing respect – from the young kid to the best ever and from Lewis in appreciating the future talent that is in George – is impressive.” Lewis does it every day, but you are guy who always seems to know better’. “He was a liability for the sport because everybody kept talking about Abu Dhabi and the race director, and the race director should not be somebody that people talk about, but someone who does the job and makes sure the race is run according to the regulations.”

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to continue wearing jewellery during races despite the FIA's demand, with the seven-time world champion insisting "you should be ...

"But is that [jewellery ban] a battle he needs to have at this stage? So they'll be staying." Since I've been here it's been the rule, so there's nothing new. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff also questioned the race director's reminder about jewellery. "I feel they are personal things. There's stuff that I can't move.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton responded defiantly on Sunday after Formula One reminded drivers that jewellery cannot be worn during races.

"I feel there are personal things. I literally can't even take these out. "There is stuff that I can't move.

Lewis Hamilton would have chop his ear off to comply with the FIA's jewellery rules, and has defiantly said he's keep his - earrings and ear.

I’m just going to come with more jewellery next week,” Hamilton said at the time. “I feel there are personal things and you should be able to be who you are. “I don’t have any plans on removing [them],” he said.

CHARLES LECLERC has spoken out on Ferrari's porpoising problems after Lewis Hamilton admitted he wishes Mercedes were in the same situation.

He said: "I couldn't fight for third because the engine was overheating so I had to back off. Yeah, that's the goal right now – while we still have these problems, it's just maximise our points and that's what we've done today." But everything went well, it was just not so comfortable to do 58 laps like this." I couldn't have gone faster if I didn't have the bouncing. The Monegasque, now a four-time Grand Prix winner, said in Australia after Hamilton's comments: "I don't know why, but I am not very sensitive to it. We can't get rid of it at the moment."

Lewis Hamilton hailed George Russell's performance and Mercedes' result as "amazing" at the Australian GP as the world champions salvaged third and fourth ...

But I'm really really hoping we can get in the fight soon. "Will that be the case with this new car? "There are 20 races to go," he said. "We've got to be proud with the job we've done so far, with the lack of performance we have, and we believe we can get there, but it's not going to happen overnight and it's going to be a couple of races to close the gap." He's doing an amazing job. He's done an amazing job today, he had great pace.