I’llquitifcalendarkeepsgrowing:Hamilton
LEWIS Hamilton has warned Formula One’s owners that he will walk out on the sport if they go ahead with their plans to expand the calendar to 25 races.
Earlier this week, Liberty Media, the American conglomerate which runs F1, announced that a race on the streets of Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi, will be added to the schedule in 2020.
Liberty are also keen to expand their portfolio in America by adding multiple races and remain hopeful of taking F1 to Miami within two seasons despite opposition from local groups.
The number of rounds stands at 21, while next year’s calendar, despite possessing the same number of races, is set to run into December for the first time Hitting out: Lewis Hamilton says the F1 season is already long enough
in more than half a century.
But Hamilton, who this weekend begins his title victory parade in Brazil and is F1’s most marketable star, said: “I am not going to be here if it gets to 25 races. It already feels like we are on race 25 this year, so I don’t think more races is a good thing.
“I am someone that really loves racing, but the season is long, it takes a big commitment from all of us, and it is a long time away from our families.
“The seasons are getting longer and the off-time is getting shorter, so from a competitor’s point of view the turnaround is short.
“You start preparing for next year as soon as the season is done, so getting your mind tuned is very difficult.”
Hamilton is keen to add to his tally of just one victory at the Interlagos circuit, and suggested he will not step aside for team-mate Valtteri Bottas, despite the Finn giving up his victory for the Briton at September’s Russian GP.
“The team are not going to make that call,” Hamilton added. “I haven’t asked Valtteri, but I don’t think he will want that. He wants to win in his own way.” ANDY Murray says he is feeling “a little bit better each day” as he continues his bid for peak form and fitness following hip surgery.
The former world number one called an early end to a difficult season in September, having played only six tournaments after going under the knife in January.
Murray will begin his 2019 season at the Brisbane International, which starts on December 31, and he said on the tournament’s Facebook page: “I’m feeling physically a little bit better each day.
“It’s obviously been a tough year with the hip injury and the surgery but I’m getting closer. I’ve been practising already for a few days and I’ve still got a Fitness battle: Andy Murray is pleased with his progress
couple of months to get myself in the best shape for the start of the tournament.”
Murray has spent a lot of time in Philadelphia working with specialist Bill Knowles in an attempt to get his body ready for what he hopes can be a full season in 2019.
The Scot, ranked down at 263, is now turning his focus to oncourt work. He will head to his usual training camp in Miami at the beginning of next month and is likely to spend Christmas in Australia as he builds up to the Brisbane event.
Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev has showcased his talent at the Next Gen ATP Finals before, thrilling fans at the Fiera Milano one year ago with his run to the championship match, and yesterday afternoon he maintained his hopes of advancing to the semi-finals this time around, beating Italian wild card Liam Caruana 4-3 (7), 4-1, 4-2.
“I was trying to fight for every point,” Rublev said.
“I was just trying to win each point, every point, doesn’t matter the score. And I won in three sets, so now we’ll see how it’s going to happen later.”