Hamilton’s plea

LEWIS HAMILTON has warned Red Bull that their stable of young drivers “needs time to progress” after Daniil Kvyat was axed just four races into the new season.

Kvyat, 22, will be replaced by Max Verstappen, four years his junior, with the Russian demoted to Toro Rosso.

Red Bull took the decision after Kvyat’s error-strewn display at the Russian Grand Prix, where he twice crashed into Sebastian Vettel on the opening lap.

“Red Bull need to be aware that the young drivers need time to progress. Mistakes do happen,” said Mercedes’ Hamilton ahead of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

“They have two fantastic drivers here and I hope that it doesn’t hinder either of them because they have bright futures.”