Wolff defends Hamilton

MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff has defended both Lewis Hamilton and his strategists whose gamble backfired on them at the Dutch Grand Prix. Hamilton let rip at his team over the radio as his faint hopes of victory were ruined by being left out on older tyres than Max Verstappen. He consequently finished fourth rather than a likely second. ‘That was the biggest f***-up,’ yelled Hamilton. ‘I can’t believe you guys f****** screwed me.’ But Wolff looked to smooth over the situation, saying: ‘You get emotional in the race. And when you’re a driver, it just comes out. You can’t even stop it. ‘This is how it has always been between a frustrated driver and the pit wall.’ Asked if he was considering making changes to the strategy team Wolff delivered an emphatic ‘no’. ‘They are the best guys. They did exactly what we discussed — to take risks to try to win the race.’ AlphaTauri, meanwhile, have rebutted suggestions they staged Yuki Tsunoda’s bizarre retirement to help Verstappen because he drives for their senior team, Red Bull. AlphaTauri said: ‘We have always competed independently, fairly and with the highest levels of sportsmanship. To suggest anything different is insulting and categorically incorrect.’