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Ricciardo wins at Spa


On Sunday, Daniel Ricciardo secured victory at the Belgian Grand Prix for Red Bull, while the day’s drama unfolded as Mercedes’ championship contenders, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, collided during the second lap.

Daniel Ricciardo

Hamilton struggled to finish due to a damaged car, whereas Rosberg, who faced blame from his team and was booed by the podium crowd, achieved a second-place finish, extending his championship lead to 29 points with seven of the 19 races left.

Ricciardo’s triumph marked his second consecutive win and the third of his inaugural season with the reigning champions, taking place on a surprisingly dry day at a circuit known for its unpredictable weather conditions.

This victory was also Red Bull’s second straight in Belgium, following four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel’s success the previous year, which initiated a remarkable streak of nine wins in a row.

Valtteri Bottas from Finland finished third for Williams.

However, Ricciardo’s win became almost secondary to the significant issue at Mercedes, which was already facing turmoil.

Both teammates were anticipated to dominate the race after earning front-row starts, but the fierce rivalry between the two resulted in a catastrophic outcome.

Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes motorsport, described the incident as ‘absolutely unacceptable’ and placed the blame on Rosberg, who opted not to comment until he had reviewed the footage.

“During lap two of a lengthy race, a crash occurred between teammates. We have had numerous discussions about this situation, and it unfolded today,” he expressed to reporters.

“There is no justification for attempting an overtaking maneuver with such aggression on lap two, resulting in damage to both vehicles.”

The team’s non-executive chairman, Niki Lauda, also expressed his frustration.

“This is unacceptable. Such incidents might be understandable at the end of a race, when vying for victory, but handing the win to Red Bull on the second lap is inexcusable,” remarked the former champion.

“I believed they had the intelligence to avoid this, but evidently they do not.”

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