SPORT

MERCEDES have decided to allow feuding team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to continue to race this season after clear-theair talks yesterday.

The team have taken “suitable disciplinary measures” against Rosberg after he acknowledged his responsibility for the collision with Hamilton in last Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

Hamilton said: “Nico and I accept we have both made mistakes this season and it would be wrong to point fingers and say which one is worse.

“What’s important is how we rise as a team from these situations. We’ll emerge stronger.” DEFENDING champion and runaway series leader Marc Marquez, of Spain, dominated opening free practice for tomorrow’s British MotoGP at Silverstone, powering his Repsol Honda half a second clear of the pack, led by Stefan Bradl.

Dani Pedrosa, the only rider to beat Marquez so far this season, faces an uphill struggle, having run ninth fastest.

British riders rode strongly, with Bradley Smith fourth fastest on the Tech 3 Yamaha and Scott Redding, the winner of the Moto2 race last year, sixth on the Gresini Honda while Cal Crutchlow was 14th on his Ducati. CHRIS FROOME suffered his sixth fall in three months in yesterday’s stage of the Tour of Spain but – unlike in the Tour de France – the Sky man was able to ride on and stays in fourth overall .

Froome suffered cuts and bruises on his right side when he fell early on stage seven, won by Italy’s Alessandro De Marchi. Froome, who was seventh in the stage, said later: “I’m feeling OK, but you definitely get the feeling that when bad luck comes, it comes more than once.”