Hamilton faces penalty

AS THEIR battle for the Formula 1 world championship resumes, Lewis Hamilton could lose ground to Nico Rosberg this weekend as Mercedes admit ‘it is likely’ that Hamilton will be hit with a grid penalty for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. Mechanical problems blighted the start of Hamilton’s season, as Rosberg eased 43 points clear after five races. Failures in China and Russia effectively handed victories to the German and mean the Brit has used up his engine components allocation. With 10-place grid penalties dished out for each component, Hamilton could even start from the back of the grid on Sunday. Mercedes targeted this race and next week’s in Italy as the best places for Hamilton to take his penalties as both circuits provide overtaking opportunities. With nine races to go, Hamilton leads Rosberg by 19 points having won six of the last seven. The three-time world champion said: ‘The first half of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster, so it’s great to be in this position.’