More trouble in the Mercedes camp

The long weekend is over and the dust is settling from another Formula One dust up. We’ll have all the reaction to the latest chapter of the Hamilton and Rosberg show, as well as news from the World Rally Championship and British Touring Cars.

Formula One

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Another Grand Prix, another piece of drama from Team Mercedes. Overshadowing Daniel Ricciardo’s victory once again, Hamilton and Rosberg had another coming together on the track. Attempting to pass Hamilton on the second lap, Rosberg clipped Hamilton’s rear wheel, causing a puncture that effectively ruined Hamilton’s race. Rosberg went on to finish second, whereas Hamilton limped on as long as he could before having to retire with five laps to go.

The fallout from Rosberg’s collision with Hamilton continues to intensify, especially as Hamilton claims that Rosberg admitted clipping his car intentionally. A Formula One driver hitting another on purpose is nothing new, but for driver’s on the same team, it is unprecedented. There have been team rivalries before, just look at Vettel and Webber in the past two seasons. Where does the future lie for team Mercedes and their two volatile drivers, both competing viciously for the driver’s championship?

 

World Rally Championship

The WRC arrived in Germany last weekend and what was expected to be another win for Team Volkswagen, turned out to be a shock victory. Belgian driver Theirry Neuville claimed his first ever victory in World Rally racing, coming just three days after he rolled his car six times at a pre-event shakedown. The Hyundai driver escaped unhurt, but his i20 car was severely damaged. Hyundai team mechanics worked non-stop to repair the car in time for the race. It seemed luck was destined to be on Neuville’s side, as he climbed from third to first after Jari-Matti Latvala and then Kris Meeke crashed off the asphalt course. Neuville was joined by team mate Dani Sordo in second place, completing a one two for Team Hyundai, its first year back in WRC. Neuville becomes the first Belgian to win a WRC race since Francois Duval in 2005.

 

BTCC

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Three races at Knockhill brought three new winners for 2014, as an exciting weekend of British Touring Car racing concluded. Honda Yuasa Racing’s Matt Neal beat Rob Austin and local hero Gordon Shedden to win the first 27 laps of racing. The second race finished with Mat Jackson claiming victory. The first of 2014 and his first win for almost two years. Race three brought the third different winner of the day, with Rob Collard making his way from sixth to pole, to win his first race since 2012, his last victory coming at the exact same course.

And finally…

We started with a bang and we’ll finish with one too. At a race in Slovakia, Tomas Enge pushed his Lamborghini Gallardo hard to win. Unfortunately he pushed too hard and was sent off course, resulting in a spectacular cart wheeling crash. Fortunately, Enge walked away without injury.

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