Prost Warns Mercedes Over GP Street Fight
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Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 44 Prost warns Mercedes over GP street fight SINGAPORE: Alain Prost has warned Mercedes to be ultra- careful in their handling of the street-fighting duel between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton in this week- end’s Singapore Grand Prix. The four-time former world champion, who was embroiled in a similar intra-team scrap with Ayrton Senna when both raced for McLaren in the late 1980s, said he felt Mercedes had overreacted in previous races and bowed to outside pressures. As the heat intensifies ahead of the final races of a grip- ping season dominated by Mercedes, both men have sought to avoid inflaming a rivalry that team chief Toto Wolff this week described as “like enemies”. Prost, however, believes such emotive language has made the situation worse. “I don’t think the team has been 100 per cent right,” said the Frenchman. “In Hungary and in Spa, they were not right, not 100 per cent. They should react only to the facts and not the consequences.” Acting in his role as an ambassador for Renault, Prost added: “The consequence in Spa was very bad - they lost a race that they should not lose, and for Lewis it was very bad. “That’s the consequence, but the fact is almost nothing - it’s just a misjudgement. You cannot do that on purpose because you know there is a much better chance to break your front wing and not cause a puncture. “That is stupid what I read, ‘he has done it on purpose’ - it’s really absolutely impossible, but then they overreacted SINGAPORE: Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg of Germany (left) and team mate Lewis Hamilton of Britain (right) pose with and everybody overreacted. That is the risk of this kind of fans at the pit area of the Formula OneSingapore Grand Prix. —AFP situation. “Very often it is not coming from the drivers themselves, but from outside, and I was very surprised that Toto (Wolff) Smoky haze hits Singapore race and Niki (Lauda) - they almost attacked Nico. That could destabilise the situation. “Until now they have done no SINGAPORE: A smoky, ‘unhealthy’ haze has mistakes, in my opinion. But here, now, it’s going to be drifted over Singapore this week clouding much more difficult.” the build-up to the city-state’s glamour After his dramatic victory at the Italian Grand Prix, sporting spectacle - the Formula One night Hamilton remains 22 points adrift of Rosberg in the title race. race, but is determined to end defending four-time cham- Singapore’s National Environment pion Sebastian Vettel’s run of three straight Singapore Agency (NEA) said air pollution had risen wins for Red Bull with his second triumph in Singapore. into the unhealthy range yesterday after a Hamilton now has 28 career victories after winning six wind change had brought smoke from forest this year and, like Rosberg, relishes the chance to race fires on Indonesia’s Sumatra island. The clean and fair with restricted radio messages in the sea- three-hour Pollution Standards Index rose son’s only night race. “It’s crunch time now,” he said. above 100, the level at which the air is Rosberg admitted that the Briton’s recent surge of deemed unhealthy, at 3pm local time (0700 speed and form, coupled with his previous experience of GMT) on Thursday and continued to rise title battles in 2007 and 2008, may give him the edge. “It’s when the next two hourly readings were not a concern for me,” said Rosberg. published. “It might help him, yes, quite possibly having those The NEA advised on their website that Matt Giteau experiences, but it’s not something that I am too con- “healthy people” should “reduce prolonged cerned about. “I’m focused on my own thing. He is a strong or strenuous outdoor physical exertion” competitor, he has his strengths and weaknesses, but I when the haze levels reach over 100, which Wilko-less Toulon concentrate on doing my job with my team and getting also happened on Monday. the most out of it.” The Williams team said in a preview of in kicking turmoil Rosberg added that he was very disappointed with his Sunday’s race that the heat, humidity and length of the Singapore grand prix made it performance at Monza, where he missed his braking at the PARIS: Defending Top 14 champions injured in the 49th minute. one of the most arduous on the Formula One chicane to gift Hamilton the lead and victory, but said he Toulon go into their sixth game of the “Fred was playing a good match,” said calendar, with drivers losing over three kilo- was not feeling overwhelmed by pressure. “At the season at Brive today in the midst of a Toulon forwards’ coach Jacques Delmas. moment, I am enjoying the moment more than I ever have grammes over the 61 laps. kicker crisis. “If he hadn’t been injured and with his in the sport because I get to a race and I have a car where I Rain is forecast over the next four days The double European champions suf- kicking success, I think we would have know I can be on pole and I can win,” he said. which should help reduce the pollution lev- fered a hiccup last weekend when they won.” In his absence, neither James “That’s such a special experience and also this confi- els but race organisers said they would be went down 28-24 to Stade Francais, three O’Connor, long-range expert Delon dence that every race we go to, we have this dominant car. monitoring the problem. players missing six penalties and a con- Armitage nor Eric Escande could take the That just increases the enjoyment factor even more.” “In the event that the haze caused visibili- version between them. The metronomic points on offer. “Our sole kicker got Rosberg, widely seen as the cool analyst against ty, public health or operational issues, Jonny Wilkinson hung up his boots last injured. The others are not kickers, that Hamilton’s passionate charger, is clearly focused on retain- Singapore GP would work closely with the season, and his normal kicking back-up, much is clear,” straight-talking coach ing his advantage at all costs, said Wolff. relevant agencies before making any collec- Australian Matt Giteau, has sat out the Bernard Laporte said after the game. “It has changed from, let’s say, an almost amicable rela- tive decisions regarding the event,” a last three matches with injury. In a seemingly knee-jerk reaction, tionship at the beginning of the season to a very intense Singapore GP spokesperson said. Wales and British Lions’ goal-kicking Boudjellal immediately announced the moment, where it was almost like realising these two are Last year, smoke smothered Singapore, full-back Leigh Halfpenny, recruited by signing from January of Argentina’s enemies competing for the world title,” Wolff told BBC with pollution index levels reaching a record Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal pri- injury-prone 32-year-old Juan Martin Sport. 401 in June. A mark over 300 is deemed haz- marily as Wilkinson’s replacement, has yet Hernandez, before threatening that “It’s also a learning process. These boys have been cali- ardous. to start a game after first touching down Halfpenny’s contract could be terminated in southern France recovering from should it be proved that he arrived at brated their whole life that their main priority is to win the In August, Singapore’s parliament passed shoulder surgery and now having picked Toulon with an already-existing groin drivers’ championship in F1. “And here they go - they are a bill proposing fines for companies that cause pollution regardless of whether the up a groin injury. injury. So kicking duties today fall to in the same car, competing against each other for that tro- Boudjellal’s headache continues with Giteau, who booted 31 points in the companies operate on the island, though it phy and one is going to win and one is going to fail. This is Frederic Michalak also out. The mercurial opening two Top 14 matches of the sea- remains to be seen how the law can be a new experience for them, a difficult experience France back had hit four from five in the son before himself falling prey to injury in maybe.”—AFP enforced.—Reuters Stade Francais game before going off late August.—-AFP.