LEWIS MOS GO
I’ll back our boys in final
LEWIS HAMILTON says it’s coming home – and he plans on being in Russia to see it.
Britain’s four-time F1 champion has revealed he has already booked Sunday week off to make sure he will be in Moscow for the World Cup Final. And he’s willing ready to take a financial hit – not that it will impact much on his £30m-a-year salary – by skipping his post-qualifying duties at Silverstone tomorrow to watch the Three Lions’ quarter-final with Sweden. Hamilton, who went to school in Stevenage with England leftback Ashley Young, said: “I can only imagine the boys are on a high at the moment and they just need to continue to do that. “There is so much pressure on them, being it is the World Cup, but there is so much support for them.
“England are known for having such excited fans. You see it here at Silverstone and at football stadiums.
“I don’t watch enough football. I played it as a kid and I was massively passionate about it. I collected all the sticker books they used to do and I remember playing with Ashley at school.
“I’ve already booked Sunday week as my day off and I’m keeping it free as I want to be in Russia that day to support England.”
Hamilton could face a fine of several thousand pounds if he skips his media duties after qualifying tomorrow, which is due to finish at 3pm, the same time England kick-off in Samara.
The Herts-born racer, 33, said: “I’m going to be watching the game. I was going to ask what the penalty is for missing the press conference on Saturday.
“I had to watch the Colombia game on my phone but at least I got to see it.”
Hamilton is determined to add to the English success story this weekend by powering to a fifth straight victory at Silverstone and the sixth of his career.
The reigning champ insists his Mercedes team will bounce back from last week’s nightmare in Austria when his race was wrecked by a pit-wall strategy cock-up before he was forced to retire.
Hamilton, one point behind leader Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ standings, added: “Austria was a difficult weekend, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
“It would be great to take the lead back from Seb here. But taking the lead in general would be good, it doesn’t matter where it is.”