Lewis Hamilton has vowed to reach out to George Russell after a dramatic opening lap clash at the Belgian Grand Prix ended Russell’s race and saw Hamilton receive a five-second penalty. The high-profile incident at Spa-Francorchamps saw the Mercedes team-mate collide at Les Combes, sending Russell into the gravel and dealing a serious blow to his championship ambitions.
Hamilton, who was deemed at fault for the collision, incurred a penalty during his pit stop and ultimately finished fourth. Meanwhile, Russell’s hopes were dashed when he was left stranded, leaving him visibly emotional as he branded the incident a “racing incident” despite the stewards’ decision to penalize Hamilton.
Speaking to the media after the race, Hamilton addressed the tense situation and revealed his intention to check on his teammate. The seven-time world champion commented, “I’ll message him later because everyone is running out of here.” Hamilton acknowledged the seriousness of inter-team conflicts, saying: “The last thing you want to do is come down to your team-mate or your old team, who I respect very much, George. But it happened.”
The penalty not only wiped out Hamilton’s podium chances, but also fueled speculation about internal team dynamics at Mercedes. Despite the setback, Hamilton demonstrated impressive pace throughout the race and managed to finish fourth. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second, a significant achievement for the Scuderia at a position where they were expected to struggle.
Reflecting on Ferrari’s unexpected form at Silverstone and Spa, Hamilton praised the Italian team’s progress: “Yeah, it’s just showing that the car is moving in the right direction, and really that’s down to the team that is doing such a good job of improving every weekend.”
While the Spa incident will remain a topic of discussion in the coming weeks, Hamilton’s upcoming message to Russell could play a vital role in maintaining unity within the Mercedes camp after an expensive and controversial weekend.
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