Hamilton hot in practice

Mercedes driver sets the pace at Silverstone ahead of British Grand Prix

LEWIS Hamilton enjoyed a perfect start to his home British Formula One Grand Prix yesterday while car troubles left Mercedes teammate and championship leader Nico Rosberg stranded in the garage.

Triple world champion Hamilton was quickest in both practice sessions, with a best time of one minute and 31.654 seconds on a cloudy and grey morning, followed by a 1:31.660 after lunch.

Both times were quicker than his pole time last year of 1:32.248.

Hamilton, 11 points behind Rosberg after nine of 21 races, is hoping to win for the third year in a row at Silverstone and fourth time in total.

Rosberg, who was blamed by stewards for a controversial last-lap collision at the Austrian Grand Prix that brought a “final warning” from Mercedes bosses for both drivers, was second in the morning in 1:31.687.

However, he was last on the time sheets in the afternoon, without a lap to his credit as mechanics removed his car’s floor and worked on a water leak.

A team spokesman said the car had needed more detailed checks which could not be completed during practice, forcing the German to sit out the session.

Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo, fifth for Red Bull in the morning, was second quickest in the afternoon.

Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg was third fastest in the opening session, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel fourth in both.

Vettel, who tested the sport’s prototype “halo” cockpit head protection system during the session, had what appeared to be a gearbox problem towards the end of the morning.

Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, with his contract extension for 2017 announced before practice started, was fifth in the afternoon.

Hamilton could take the lead in the championship for the first time this year if results go his way tomorrow. He has spoken about the boost that he gets from racing in front of his home crowd.

“I personally draw a lot of energy from the fans. There’s races where you have a few and races where you have a lot. You come to Silverstone and that’s when the energy is in abundance,” he said.

“I just absorb that. Seeing people that have saved up to come and spend their money here and put all of their energy towards you getting across the finish line first – it’s pretty much impossible to describe how amazing that feels.

“All drivers will talk about it giving you that extra 10th or two on the weekend, and I generally find that is the case.”

Rosberg, meanwhile, said he had moved on from his Austrian Grand Prix collision with Hamilton and would be making no apologies.

“It is definitely not black and white. I fully respect the decision of the stewards but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with it,” he said.

“It is not a question of apologising,” he added, when asked about doing so.

“We are moving forward. It is a thing of the past. We have had our discussions, been through it, and together we have come to a conclusion as to how best to move forward.”

Hamilton has a contract that extends for two more years with Mercedes, and Rosberg is negotiating an extension on his deal and wants to stay.

“The contract negotiations do not have an impact on those (rules),” he said. “It is a monetary thing which does not have an impact on the long-term happiness of the team with me and me with the team.

Successful motor racing team owner Carl Haas, a former business partner with the late Hollywood actor Paul Newman, has died at the age of 86.

Haas, whose teams won 16 championships and more than 140 races over four decades in Can-Am, Formula One, Nascar and IndyCar, died at his home surrounded by family on June 29.

Haas created and co-owned Newman Haas Racing with Newman and Mike Lanigan, a team that became one of the most successful in IndyCar from 1983 to 2011. It was where Mario Andretti spent the last 11 years of his illustrious racing career.

Haas ran a Formula One team during the 1980s and a Nascar team in the 1990s. He operated the Milwaukee Mile race track and the Houston Grand Prix race from 1998 to 2001. – Reuters