WATCH: “Ship this b*m back to Williams”- Fans react as George Russell ruins Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying lap in SQ3

Lewis Hamilton qualified seventh and George Russell in tenth for the Sprint race.

WATCH: “Ship this b*m back to Williams”- Fans react as George Russell ruins Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying lap in SQ3

George Russell impeding Lewis Hamilton(Left) and George Russell (Right, credits: Daily Express)

The drama began to unfold on Saturday, a Sprint weekend, with the much-anticipated Sprint Shootout at the forefront. However, it quickly turned into a nightmare for the Mercedes team. During the Sprint Qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell lined up with five other cars for the final flying lap attempt in SQ3.

As the lights went green, signaling the start of their flying laps, George Russell and Hamilton were placed near each other. Attempting to gain an advantage, Russell locked up and went deep into Turn 1, causing Hamilton to catch up with him even before they reached the iconic Eau Rouge corner. The situation only worsened on the straight after the Eau Rouge-Raidillon ascent, as Russell’s pace impeded Hamilton’s progress, ruining both of their laps.

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The frustration was palpable in the aftermath of the incident. George Russell was quick to label the team’s performance as a “Total mess from start to finish.” Meanwhile, Hamilton tried to remain optimistic, acknowledging the disappointment but also expressing that he believed his last lap could have secured him a front-row position had it not been for the miscommunication issue. The team will appeal this incident, but the race control will be taking a look at it.

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George Russell
George Russell (credits: Formula1News.co.uk)

George Russell’s 2023 season has been overshadowed by Hamilton’s dominance, with the seven-time champion leading by 43 points. Fans reacted angrily, accusing Russell of purposely hindering his teammate as the seven-time champion was outshining him. Others chastised the British driver for his impolite actions, while a few called out the Mercedes crew for their blunder.

https://twitter.com/DrippyyUth/status/1685252659484274688
https://twitter.com/f1lu_/status/1685251750041616384
https://twitter.com/k1IIir/status/1685260312717500417

Thus, the incident further fueled debates about team dynamics and driver relationships, making it a talking point for both casual followers and die-hard enthusiasts of the sport. Mercedes have brought major upgrades to their package for this weekend and will be hoping to keep up with their rivals. As the Sprint race nears, it remains to be seen if the Mercedes can salvage their Saturday and put their incident behind them. 

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