Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have "squashed" any controversy between them originating from the Italian Grand Prix, driver Lewis Hamilton stated. The comments address lingering issues from the event at Monza.
Meanwhile, the sport faces a new challenge with the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, which will be held on a hybrid street circuit at the Ifema complex near Madrid's international airport. This circuit presents a unique set of difficulties for drivers.
"It's a massively challenging circuit," Hamilton remarked about the new track. "Of all the new tracks that I've gone to, this one, maybe Saudi, are the two closest in terms of how difficult it was to get on top of the car and find the right lines and such."
George Russell, Hamilton's teammate at Mercedes, described the circuit as "crazy" and potentially one of the most perilous on the calendar. He noted the combination of high-speed corners with close-set walls, similar to Jeddah, leaving no room for error. Additionally, the circuit features slow braking zones where drivers may easily lock up their tires, leading to potential wall impacts. Russell anticipates that overtaking will be difficult, making the race a significant challenge for drivers.
Russell currently trails his teammate Kimi Antonelli by 66 points in the championship standings following Antonelli's victory at Monza from 19th on the grid. Russell acknowledged that his title aspirations are diminishing with only a handful of races remaining in the season. "I would definitely need some luck and I need some good performances," Russell said. "It's not really something I'm thinking about, because he's performing better than me, so he deserves to be leading the championship."
Antonelli, reflecting on his Monza win, called it "so far the best day of my life and definitely one I will remember forever." He shared that a karting session with the Mercedes team on Monday helped him to process the excitement of his victory and remain grounded. "After Monza, that night, that day overall, I was very excited. But then going karting on Monday helped me to go back to earth, just go back to the ground," Antonelli explained. He also emphasized his approach to pressure, stating, "I try to embrace it as much as possible. And I try to see it as a positive thing and try to see it as an opportunity too. That's also what is helping me to stay calm under difficult situations."