Max Verstappen ‘having smoke and a pancake’ on cruise to title – Lewis Hamilton

By Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent, Francorchamps

Lewis Hamilton described Max Verstappen’s dominance of Formula One as being like “he is having a smoke and a pancake” following the Dutch driver’s eighth straight win at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Hamilton finished fourth and trailed Verstappen by 49 seconds at Spa-Francorchamps.

During the 44-lap race, Verstappen even goaded his rivals by calling on Red Bull to change his tyres for “some pit-stop training”.

Not again... 😳🏆 pic.twitter.com/qwbjoBkfvZ

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) July 30, 2023

And when asked if it was too easy for Verstappen at the front, Hamilton replied: “What do you want me to say? I have not spoken to him,” before adding with an accent: “He is having a smoke and a pancake. You know the film?”

The seven-time world champion was referencing the 2002 Austin Powers movie in which Dutch villain Goldmember asks the main character if he would “like a smoke and a pancake”.

Hamilton is now 35 appearances without a victory – the longest streak of his career.

Across the same period, Verstappen – the man who beat him to the title in the contentious season-ending Abu Dhabi race of 2021 – has triumphed 25 times.

Hamilton was demoted to seventh in Saturday’s sprint race after he was penalised by the stewards for tangling with Sergio Perez. He failed to make an impression on the podium places on Sunday.

Hamilton also bemoaned the unexpected return of porpoising for Mercedes which last season plagued the grid’s once all-conquering team.

“It was not bouncing a little bit, it was bouncing like last year,” said Hamilton. “It was bouncing everywhere.

“They (Mercedes) don’t know (what caused the bouncing) and to me it is a concern. I know what I want and I am praying for it. I am just waiting for the day that we get it.”

💬 "We struggled with the car at points today, so we've got some work to do to understand that. But going into the summer break, I believe we are on the right trajectory."

Lewis, George, Toto and Shov recap the #BelgianGP. 👇

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 30, 2023

Hamilton is out of contract at the end of the season, and while both he and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, say an extension to his £40million-a-season deal will be struck, it may not be concluded in the near future.

Asked if he expected Hamilton’s contract to be signed during Formula One’s four-week summer break, Wolff replied: “I don’t want to give you a date. It is lawyers speaking to lawyers. It is no material thing anymore. We have to give it time. And I don’t want to commit to a date.”

Reflecting on Mercedes’ porpoising, the Austrian added: “The car was bouncing on every straight, and even Blanchimont was a corner that Lewis was having to lift, and that is usually an easy flat.

“You bounce on the straight, you overheat the tyres on braking, and that is a vicious circle.

“It is frustrating to check out for the holidays like this but we will understand more tomorrow.”