Hamilton shrugs off Albon shunt

LEWIS HAMILTON insists there is no bad blood between him and Alex Albon after their costly collision in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix.

Hamilton (left) saw his chances of challenging for a win disappear after stewards decided he was responsible for the shunt (right) and handed him a five-second penalty.

The sanction dropped Hamilton from second to fourth but it was worse news for Red Bull’s Albon, 24, who, after being punted off the track, was denied the chance of a maiden podium finish.

It is the second time Albon, who subsequently retired with engine trouble, has had a coming together with Hamilton after the pair also clashed in Brazil last year.

“Well firstly I have a huge amount of respect for Alex,” said the six-time world champion, 35. “He’s a super-talented young man, and I don’t have any bad blood or bad feelings towards him whatsoever.

It’s unfortunate that we collided, and I wouldn’t want to ever collide with anybody. I have to respect the decision that the stewards ended up taking, there’s nothing you can say otherwise about it.”

Sebastian Vettel was also in the wars at the Red Bull Ring after he made a hash of attempting to pass Mclaren’s Carlos Sainz, the man who will replace him at Ferrari next season.

And 2009 world champion Jenson Button says Vettel, who finished a lowly 10th, will know he made a serious error.

Button said: “It was quite an embarrassing spin. I’ve always stood up for Seb but that was one that he’ll look back and be very upset with himself I think.” ■■FORMULA ONE bosses will not stop Hamilton from taking a knee after he knelt before the first round in Austria.

F1’s American owners Liberty Media and governing body the FIA will inform Hamilton he is free to kneel for the remainder of the year.