Disaster for Mercedes as Hamilton wiped out in first-lap crash with Russell
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Hamilton, starting on soft tyres, made a fast start and attempted to sweep around the outside of Turn 1 as he ran three-wide with Max Verstappen and Russell. But Hamilton’s rear wheel made contact with Russell’s front left, with the seven-time world champion losing a wheel as he was sent spinning off into the gravel. Russell picked up damage and was forced to pit at the end of the opening lap, but he is still running. “Yeah I got taken out by my own team-mate,” Hamilton said over team radio. Russell made his frustrations clear, saying: “Come on! What the hell?”Guys, come on. Two races in a row!”Russell later added: “So sorry, guys. I wasn’t even looking behind. I was just focused ahead and he came from nowhere.”I’m f****** lost for words, honestly. I’ve just seen the replays on the TV screen. I couldn’t do anything, I was sandwiched.”Russell’s engineer replied: “Keep your head down.”Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who is absent from the race as he recovers from knee surgery, got involved, telling Russell: “George, let’s race now, let’s make the best out of it.” The incident will be investigated after the race.
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