Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his third successive Formula One pole position on Saturday with Mercedes' world champion Lewis Hamilton joining the youngster on the front row for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who was fastest after the first flying laps in the final session of qualifying, made mistakes on his last effort and qualified third with Red Bull's Max Verstappen fourth.

Leclerc, 21, also started on pole in Belgium and Italy and won both races.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his third successive Formula One pole position on Saturday with Mercedes' world champion Lewis Hamilton joining the youngster on the front row for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his third successive Formula One pole position on Saturday with Mercedes' world champion Lewis Hamilton joining the youngster on the front row for the Singapore Grand Prix. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who was fastest after the first flying laps in the final session of qualifying, made mistakes on his last effort and qualified third with Red Bull's Max Verstappen fourth. Leclerc, 21, also started on pole in Belgium and Italy and won both races.

Charles Leclerc stuns with pole hat-trick in Singapore

Sebastian Vettel led Ferrari’s charge in practice for the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday but the German’s Formula One victory drought, already more than a year long, still looked set to continue.

The German, whose 52nd and last win came at the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, was second and third fastest on the timesheets in Friday’s two sessions at the Marina Bay track.

Team mate Charles Leclerc, who eclipsed Vettel with successive wins in Belgium and Italy, was 19th in the first session after being sidelined by a gearbox failure and sixth in the second.

While Vettel was just 0.167 seconds off pace-setter Max Verstappen’s Red Bull over the first 90 minutes, he was nearly a second off the pace set by Mercedes' championship leader Lewis Hamilton in the floodlit night-time running.

Ferrari's car was aerodynamically well-suited to the flat-out blasts of the Spa-Francorchamps and Monza circuits but the twisty Marina Bay street track, with more corners than any other circuit, has shifted the balance away from the Italian team.

"I think Mercedes was very strong today," said Vettel. "Everybody could see that, not just on one lap and not just on the timing tables.

"I think overall they were a bit faster. On our side we can do better, we can improve the car so let's see."

Vettel has won four times in Singapore, the same as five-times world champion Hamilton with the pair the most successful drivers at the event.

His last win in the city state came in 2015, his first year with Ferrari.

The German heads into this weekend’s race off the back of a scrappy display at Monza, Ferrari's home race, where he spun off and was sanctioned by stewards for rejoining the track dangerously.

That was the latest in a series of mistakes going back to last year’s German Grand Prix and he is now 13 points behind Leclerc in the standings.

The German's current form has fuelled speculation, despite his statements to the contrary, that he might not see out his Ferrari contract which runs out at the end of 2020.

"Certainly not the best one right now,” said Vettel when asked if this was the worst point of his career. "But also it’s not the worst one either.&nbsp;

"I still love racing and I look forward to a lot of races this year to hopefully get in a better position and finish the season in the way we want.&nbsp;

"Then prepare for next year."

Sebastian Vettel led Ferrari’s charge in practice for the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday but the German’s Formula One victory drought, already more than a year long, still looked set to continue.

Sebastian Vettel led Ferrari’s charge in practice for the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday but the German’s Formula One victory drought, already more than a year long, still looked set to continue. The German, whose 52nd and last win came at the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix, was second and third fastest on the timesheets in Friday’s two sessions at the Marina Bay track. Team mate Charles Leclerc, who eclipsed Vettel with successive wins in Belgium and Italy, was 19th in the first session after being sidelined by a gearbox failure and sixth in the second. While Vettel was just 0.167 seconds off pace-setter Max Verstappen’s Red Bull over the first 90 minutes, he was nearly a second off the pace set by Mercedes' championship leader Lewis Hamilton in the floodlit night-time running. Ferrari's car was aerodynamically well-suited to the flat-out blasts of the Spa-Francorchamps and Monza circuits but the twisty Marina Bay street track, with more corners than any other circuit, has shifted the balance away from the Italian team. "I think Mercedes was very strong today," said Vettel. "Everybody could see that, not just on one lap and not just on the timing tables. "I think overall they were a bit faster. On our side we can do better, we can improve the car so let's see." Vettel has won four times in Singapore, the same as five-times world champion Hamilton with the pair the most successful drivers at the event. His last win in the city state came in 2015, his first year with Ferrari. The German heads into this weekend’s race off the back of a scrappy display at Monza, Ferrari's home race, where he spun off and was sanctioned by stewards for rejoining the track dangerously. That was the latest in a series of mistakes going back to last year’s German Grand Prix and he is now 13 points behind Leclerc in the standings. The German's current form has fuelled speculation, despite his statements to the contrary, that he might not see out his Ferrari contract which runs out at the end of 2020. "Certainly not the best one right now,” said Vettel when asked if this was the worst point of his career. "But also it’s not the worst one either. "I still love racing and I look forward to a lot of races this year to hopefully get in a better position and finish the season in the way we want. "Then prepare for next year."

Sebastian Vettel leads Ferrari's Singapore charge but Mercedes on top

Former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher was admitted to a Paris hospital for "secret treatment" earlier on Monday, Le Parisien newspaper reported.

Schumacher turned 50 on January&nbsp;3 but has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in the French Alps five years ago that left him with severe head injuries and in a medically-induced coma for several months.

Schumacher was taken to the Pompidou hospital in southwest Paris on Monday afternoon, Le Parisien said, without citing its sources.

The French newspaper said the former champion would undergo treatment based on stem-cell transfusion by French surgeon Philippe Menasche.

A spokeswoman for Schumacher did not immediately return a request for comment.

Schumacher remains motor racing's most successful driver, with a record 91 grand prix wins. He won his first two titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before five in a row with Ferrari between 2000-2004.

In January his family released a statement saying he was in "the very best of hands".

Former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher was admitted to a Paris hospital for "secret treatment" earlier on Monday, Le Parisien newspaper reported. Schumacher turned 50 on January 3 but has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in the French Alps five years ago that left him with severe head injuries and in a medically-induced coma for several months.

Former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher was admitted to a Paris hospital for "secret treatment" earlier on Monday, Le Parisien newspaper reported. Schumacher turned 50 on January 3 but has not been seen in public since a skiing accident in the French Alps five years ago that left him with severe head injuries and in a medically-induced coma for several months. Schumacher was taken to the Pompidou hospital in southwest Paris on Monday afternoon, Le Parisien said, without citing its sources. The French newspaper said the former champion would undergo treatment based on stem-cell transfusion by French surgeon Philippe Menasche. A spokeswoman for Schumacher did not immediately return a request for comment. Schumacher remains motor racing's most successful driver, with a record 91 grand prix wins. He won his first two titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before five in a row with Ferrari between 2000-2004. In January his family released a statement saying he was in "the very best of hands".

Michael Schumacher admitted to Paris hospital for 'secret treatment': Report

Charles Leclerc secured pole for Ferrari in the Italian Grand Prix in shambolic circumstances on Saturday when only two cars participated in the final qualifying showdown laps.

An unprecedented ‘cat-and-mouse’ procession as the teams crawled round the circuit, backing each other up to claim good slipstreaming positions, resulted in a farce that saw eight cars timed out by the chequered flag.

"A big mess," said Leclerc, who took pole ahead of defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

The Monegasque and Carlos Sainz of McLaren were the only drivers to produce final qualifying runs after clocking lap-times on their first runs in Q3.&nbsp;

The stewards immediately declared that the shambolic failure at the end of the session was under investigation, the teams having failed to deliver a contest for the paying public.

"Today, to see so many people here feels amazing,” said a happy Leclerc, who claimed his maiden victory at last week’s tragic Belgian Grand Prix where he dedicated his win to the memory of his late friend Anthoine Hubert, who was killed in the previous day’s F2 race.

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1979 F1 world champion Jody Scheckter presents <a href="https://twitter.com/Charles_Leclerc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Charles_Leclerc</a> with his <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PirelliPolePositionAward?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PirelliPolePositionAward</a> 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItalianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItalianGP</a> 🇮🇹 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/pirellisport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pirellisport</a> <a href="https://t.co/gkBoGa9CZS">pic.twitter.com/gkBoGa9CZS</a>
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"I am happy with pole, but disappointed at the end.

"Honestly, I have to be grateful we're on the front row to have a fight with the Ferraris," said Hamilton.

"It’s a bit of an anti-climax, but we just timed out."

Valtteri Bottas qualified third in the second Mercedes ahead of Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari, the two Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg and Sainz, who was seventh.

Red Bull new boy Alex Albon was eighth ahead of Lance Stroll of Racing Point and Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo, both of whom failed to clock a time in Q3 when Raikkonen crashed. He was uninjured.

Bottas said he and Mercedes had been unlucky to be trapped in the bunched traffic.

"The yellow flag in the last corner meant we probably missed the pole."

Charles Leclerc secured pole for Ferrari in the Italian Grand Prix in shambolic circumstances on Saturday when only two cars participated in the final qualifying showdown laps.

Charles Leclerc secured pole for Ferrari in the Italian Grand Prix in shambolic circumstances on Saturday when only two cars participated in the final qualifying showdown laps. An unprecedented ‘cat-and-mouse’ procession as the teams crawled round the circuit, backing each other up to claim good slipstreaming positions, resulted in a farce that saw eight cars timed out by the chequered flag. "A big mess," said Leclerc, who took pole ahead of defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque and Carlos Sainz of McLaren were the only drivers to produce final qualifying runs after clocking lap-times on their first runs in Q3. The stewards immediately declared that the shambolic failure at the end of the session was under investigation, the teams having failed to deliver a contest for the paying public. "Today, to see so many people here feels amazing,” said a happy Leclerc, who claimed his maiden victory at last week’s tragic Belgian Grand Prix where he dedicated his win to the memory of his late friend Anthoine Hubert, who was killed in the previous day’s F2 race. 1979 F1 world champion Jody Scheckter presents @Charles_Leclerc with his #PirelliPolePositionAward 👏#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 #F1 @pirellisport pic.twitter.com/gkBoGa9CZS — Formula 1 (@F1) September 7, 2019 × "I am happy with pole, but disappointed at the end. "Honestly, I have to be grateful we're on the front row to have a fight with the Ferraris," said Hamilton. "It’s a bit of an anti-climax, but we just timed out." Valtteri Bottas qualified third in the second Mercedes ahead of Sebastian Vettel in the second Ferrari, the two Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg and Sainz, who was seventh. Red Bull new boy Alex Albon was eighth ahead of Lance Stroll of Racing Point and Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo, both of whom failed to clock a time in Q3 when Raikkonen crashed. He was uninjured. Bottas said he and Mercedes had been unlucky to be trapped in the bunched traffic. "The yellow flag in the last corner meant we probably missed the pole."

Italian Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc on Monza pole after qualifying 'mess'

Daniel Ricciardo has appealed for "more adult" behaviour and understanding from Formula One fans following an outbreak of cheers when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-crash-causes-red-flag-stoppage-at-spa-practice-246848">Lewis Hamilton crashed</a> in practice at last weekend's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ferraris-charles-leclerc-wins-belgian-gp-for-first-race-victory-247028">Belgian Grand Prix</a>.

Speaking at Monza, ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, the Renault driver said he supported Hamilton's comments made after his accident in third practice last Saturday morning, just hours before the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/french-racer-anthoine-hubert-dies-after-formula-two-crash-organisers-246905">death of French driver Anthoine Hubert</a> in a Formula Two race.

The defending five-time world champion skidded off-circuit and into the barriers at Spa-Francorchamps where massed groups of rival teams' fans – many of them supporting Max Verstappen -- revelled in his misfortune.

Hamilton was unhurt.

In an Instagram post, the Briton said, "If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe your hugely mistaken.

"All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough."

Ricciardo, who admitted he was unsure he felt motivated to race on Sunday following <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/family-and-motor-racing-teams-pay-tribute-to-anthoine-hubert-247020">Hubert's death</a>, said he agreed with Hamilton and suggested it was childish to cheer when a driver crashed.

"Whether you like someone or not, it is not nice to cheer for someone's downfall or mistake," said the Australian. "He (Hamilton) thinks the crowd assume the crash happens and we are ok, or whatever, and it is not like that.

"Every time we go on track, there is a risk and every time we do hit a wall, whether we are ok or not, it still plays something on your mind when you crash.

"Every time you go back to that corner, maybe there is something psychological there. So it does have an impact, one way or the other, physically or mentally, and I guess that is where he was coming from with that.

"I do agree with him, but it is also so hard because the fans, unless you race and put yourself in that position, they never experience what we do.

"It is just the nature of being a fan of a sport you don't compete in. It is hard to grasp or understand.

"All we can ask for is that if you are a fan, then be a true fan and respect what we do -- not only the skill, but also the risk. That is probably all we can ask."

He added that it was understandable that fans had favourites and there was some rivalry.

"You don't have to like every driver," he went on. "But to behave like that – you would expect if from kids, not adults. You would hope they behave better."

Daniel Ricciardo has appealed for "more adult" behaviour and understanding from Formula One fans following an outbreak of cheers when Lewis Hamilton crashed in practice at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo has appealed for "more adult" behaviour and understanding from Formula One fans following an outbreak of cheers when Lewis Hamilton crashed in practice at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. Speaking at Monza, ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, the Renault driver said he supported Hamilton's comments made after his accident in third practice last Saturday morning, just hours before the death of French driver Anthoine Hubert in a Formula Two race. The defending five-time world champion skidded off-circuit and into the barriers at Spa-Francorchamps where massed groups of rival teams' fans – many of them supporting Max Verstappen -- revelled in his misfortune. Hamilton was unhurt. In an Instagram post, the Briton said, "If a single one of you watching and enjoying this sport think for a second what we do is safe your hugely mistaken. "All these drivers put their life on the line when they hit the track and people need to appreciate that in a serious way because it is not appreciated enough." Ricciardo, who admitted he was unsure he felt motivated to race on Sunday following Hubert's death, said he agreed with Hamilton and suggested it was childish to cheer when a driver crashed. "Whether you like someone or not, it is not nice to cheer for someone's downfall or mistake," said the Australian. "He (Hamilton) thinks the crowd assume the crash happens and we are ok, or whatever, and it is not like that. "Every time we go on track, there is a risk and every time we do hit a wall, whether we are ok or not, it still plays something on your mind when you crash. "Every time you go back to that corner, maybe there is something psychological there. So it does have an impact, one way or the other, physically or mentally, and I guess that is where he was coming from with that. "I do agree with him, but it is also so hard because the fans, unless you race and put yourself in that position, they never experience what we do. "It is just the nature of being a fan of a sport you don't compete in. It is hard to grasp or understand. "All we can ask for is that if you are a fan, then be a true fan and respect what we do -- not only the skill, but also the risk. That is probably all we can ask." He added that it was understandable that fans had favourites and there was some rivalry. "You don't have to like every driver," he went on. "But to behave like that – you would expect if from kids, not adults. You would hope they behave better."

Daniel Ricciardo backs Lewis Hamilton over fans cheering crash

Charles Leclerc again set the pace for Ferrari as the Italian team led a crash-strewn first practice for their home grand prix at a soggy Monza on Friday.&nbsp;

The 21-year-old Monegasque, on a high after his first Formula One victory in Belgium last weekend, lapped the historic circuit near Milan with a quickest time of one minute 27.905 seconds.&nbsp;

Ferrari and Monza are both celebrating 90th anniversaries this weekend, with a big crowd already on Friday despite the wet weather.&nbsp;

The morning featured three red flags and was hardly representative, however, with McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris second and third on the timesheets and the track drying towards the end after heavy overnight rain.&nbsp;

Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, last year's winner for Mercedes, set the fourth fastest lap of 1:28.730 while Leclerc's German teammate Sebastian Vettel was only eighth quickest and 2.6 seconds off the pace.&nbsp;

Hamilton goes into the weekend with a 65 point lead over teammate Valtteri Bottas and all bets on where he wins the championship rather than whether.

Alfa Romeo's former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen and Racing Point's Sergio Perez both crashed in the treacherous conditions while others spun later on, including Bottas who ended the session ninth fastest.

Raikkonen was first off at Parabolica with half an hour completed, while Perez hit the wall heavily at the Ascari chicane.

Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly caused the final red flag when his car hit a kerb at the first chicane and briefly caused an obstruction, before being shoved clear by marshals.

British-born Thai racer Alexander Albon, who has traded places with Gasly, was fifth fastest for Red Bull with teammate Max Verstappen seventh.

Verstappen will drop to the back end of the grid due to engine changes, along with Gasly and Norris for the same reasons.

Charles Leclerc again set the pace for Ferrari as the Italian team led a crash-strewn first practice for their home grand prix at a soggy Monza on Friday. The 21-year-old Monegasque, on a high after his first Formula One victory in Belgium last weekend, lapped the historic circuit near Milan with a quickest time of one minute 27.

Charles Leclerc again set the pace for Ferrari as the Italian team led a crash-strewn first practice for their home grand prix at a soggy Monza on Friday. The 21-year-old Monegasque, on a high after his first Formula One victory in Belgium last weekend, lapped the historic circuit near Milan with a quickest time of one minute 27.905 seconds. Ferrari and Monza are both celebrating 90th anniversaries this weekend, with a big crowd already on Friday despite the wet weather. The morning featured three red flags and was hardly representative, however, with McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris second and third on the timesheets and the track drying towards the end after heavy overnight rain. Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, last year's winner for Mercedes, set the fourth fastest lap of 1:28.730 while Leclerc's German teammate Sebastian Vettel was only eighth quickest and 2.6 seconds off the pace. Hamilton goes into the weekend with a 65 point lead over teammate Valtteri Bottas and all bets on where he wins the championship rather than whether. Alfa Romeo's former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen and Racing Point's Sergio Perez both crashed in the treacherous conditions while others spun later on, including Bottas who ended the session ninth fastest. Raikkonen was first off at Parabolica with half an hour completed, while Perez hit the wall heavily at the Ascari chicane. Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly caused the final red flag when his car hit a kerb at the first chicane and briefly caused an obstruction, before being shoved clear by marshals. British-born Thai racer Alexander Albon, who has traded places with Gasly, was fifth fastest for Red Bull with teammate Max Verstappen seventh. Verstappen will drop to the back end of the grid due to engine changes, along with Gasly and Norris for the same reasons.

Charles Leclerc fastest in practice for Ferrari's home race

Lewis Hamilton on Monday predicted more success for his triumphant Ferrari rival <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ferraris-charles-leclerc-wins-belgian-gp-for-first-race-victory-247028">Charles Leclerc</a> and tipped the Monegasque driver as the favourite for this week's Italian Grand Prix at Monza. &nbsp;

After finishing second behind Leclerc at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, a race weekend overshadowed by the death of French Formula Two driver <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/family-and-motor-racing-teams-pay-tribute-to-anthoine-hubert-247020">Anthoine Hubert</a> a day earlier, Hamilton forecast that having finally secured his maiden win, Leclerc would now go on to claim more victories.&nbsp;

"Ferrari are going to have a happy weekend at Monza," said the defending five-time champion and current series leader.

"They are so much faster than us and Monza is all straights ... We will do our best, but it is going to be a tough job to match them."

Hamilton increased his lead in this year’s title race to 69 points ahead of re-signed Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who came home third, and was quick to praise 21-year-old Leclerc for his performance under pressure.

Leclerc, who started from pole and resisted intense Hamilton pressure as he chased him in the closing laps, dedicated his win to his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/family-and-motor-racing-teams-pay-tribute-to-anthoine-hubert-247020">late friend Hubert</a>.&nbsp;

"He did a great job," said Hamilton. "Even if we had different strategies, it would have been hard to have beaten him. He deserved to win."

Greatness

Leclerc, widely tipped as a future champion, performed with grace and humanity on and off the circuit during a stressful race weekend that saw him move within 12 points of his Ferrari team-mate and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ standings.

He has now out-qualified Vettel at six races in succession, leaving the German battling to retain his status as Ferrari’s lead driver.&nbsp;

On Sunday, Vettel was asked to pull over and allow Leclerc to pass mid-race on his way to finishing fourth. It is now more than a year since his last win, ironically at Belgium in 2018.&nbsp;

"I think his results speak for themselves really," added Hamilton, referring to Leclerc, who has delivered five podium finishes in his last seven outings.

"It's not easy for any driver to jump into a top team, let alone Ferrari... and then to be continuous from race one, out-perform, out-qualify and out-drive a four-time world champion is not easy to do.

"So I think that speaks for itself. He's been really unlucky in quite a few races this year. Could easily have been the third win today.&nbsp;

"So, there's a lot more greatness to come from him and I'm looking forward to seeing his growth and racing alongside him ... Today, it was fun, trying to chase him. He was just a little bit too quick."

While Leclerc finally seized a victory, another young driver impressed by finishing fifth —- Red Bull rookie Alex Albon climbing from 17th to secure a strong result in his first race with the team following promotion from Toro Rosso.&nbsp;

"I’ve been very impressed with Alex’s performance and he put in a great recovery drive in his first race," said Red Bull team chief Christian Horner of the London-born Thai racer.

His Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen made a poor start and retired after crashing on the opening lap.

"I had some good fun out there and I enjoyed this race a lot," said Albon. "I started off the weekend very nervous and if you had told me I’d finish the race fifth I’d be very happy, but I’m a bit more relaxed now."

Lewis Hamilton on Monday predicted more success for his triumphant Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc and tipped the Monegasque driver as the favourite for this week's Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Lewis Hamilton on Monday predicted more success for his triumphant Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc and tipped the Monegasque driver as the favourite for this week's Italian Grand Prix at Monza. After finishing second behind Leclerc at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, a race weekend overshadowed by the death of French Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert a day earlier, Hamilton forecast that having finally secured his maiden win, Leclerc would now go on to claim more victories. "Ferrari are going to have a happy weekend at Monza," said the defending five-time champion and current series leader. "They are so much faster than us and Monza is all straights ... We will do our best, but it is going to be a tough job to match them." Hamilton increased his lead in this year’s title race to 69 points ahead of re-signed Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who came home third, and was quick to praise 21-year-old Leclerc for his performance under pressure. Leclerc, who started from pole and resisted intense Hamilton pressure as he chased him in the closing laps, dedicated his win to his late friend Hubert. "He did a great job," said Hamilton. "Even if we had different strategies, it would have been hard to have beaten him. He deserved to win." Greatness Leclerc, widely tipped as a future champion, performed with grace and humanity on and off the circuit during a stressful race weekend that saw him move within 12 points of his Ferrari team-mate and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ standings. He has now out-qualified Vettel at six races in succession, leaving the German battling to retain his status as Ferrari’s lead driver. On Sunday, Vettel was asked to pull over and allow Leclerc to pass mid-race on his way to finishing fourth. It is now more than a year since his last win, ironically at Belgium in 2018. "I think his results speak for themselves really," added Hamilton, referring to Leclerc, who has delivered five podium finishes in his last seven outings. "It's not easy for any driver to jump into a top team, let alone Ferrari... and then to be continuous from race one, out-perform, out-qualify and out-drive a four-time world champion is not easy to do. "So I think that speaks for itself. He's been really unlucky in quite a few races this year. Could easily have been the third win today. "So, there's a lot more greatness to come from him and I'm looking forward to seeing his growth and racing alongside him ... Today, it was fun, trying to chase him. He was just a little bit too quick." While Leclerc finally seized a victory, another young driver impressed by finishing fifth —- Red Bull rookie Alex Albon climbing from 17th to secure a strong result in his first race with the team following promotion from Toro Rosso. "I’ve been very impressed with Alex’s performance and he put in a great recovery drive in his first race," said Red Bull team chief Christian Horner of the London-born Thai racer. His Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen made a poor start and retired after crashing on the opening lap. "I had some good fun out there and I enjoyed this race a lot," said Albon. "I started off the weekend very nervous and if you had told me I’d finish the race fifth I’d be very happy, but I’m a bit more relaxed now."

Charles Leclerc destined for greatness, says Lewis Hamilton

Sergio Perez will stay at Racing Point until at least 2022 after singing a fresh three-year deal, the Canadian Formula One team said on Friday.

The Mexican will partner Lance Stroll, son of team owner and Canadian billionaire Lawrence, in an unchanged line up for the Silverstone-based outfit.

The deal was announced after Friday's practice sessions for the Belgian Grand Prix.

"I've been working together with this group of people for a long time now and they have become my second family," Perez said in a statement.

"I have been impressed with the direction the team has taken over the last twelve months and that gives me confidence for the future.

"I believe the best times are still to come and I look forward to celebrating plenty of podiums in the years ahead."

Perez joined Racing Point when in 2014 when it was co-owned by troubled Indian magnate Vijay Mallya.

The team's assets were bought out of administration by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll last July, with the squad starting over as Racing Point at last year's Belgian Grand Prix.

The change of ownership brought some much needed fresh investment to the team which is now in the process of building for the future.

"Over the last six years we have seen him (Perez) become a very complete driver with excellent qualifying speed and exceptional race craft," said team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

"Sergio believes in the long-term vision of this project and getting his commitment until the end of 2022 gives us valuable consistency going forward."

Perez, who brings important financial backing from Mexican sponsors, has scored five podiums for the team in his career and his confirmation was considered a formality.

The news is the latest in a flurry of announcements that kicked off Formula One's first weekend back after its annual mid-season break.

Mercedes on Thursday said it would keep Valtteri Bottas alongside Lewis Hamilton for another year while Renault said Frenchman Esteban Ocon had signed to drive alongside Daniel Ricciardo starting next season.

Sergio Perez will stay at Racing Point until at least 2022 after singing a fresh three-year deal, the Canadian Formula One team said on Friday. The Mexican will partner Lance Stroll, son of team owner and Canadian billionaire Lawrence, in an unchanged line up for the Silverstone-based outfit.

Sergio Perez will stay at Racing Point until at least 2022 after singing a fresh three-year deal, the Canadian Formula One team said on Friday. The Mexican will partner Lance Stroll, son of team owner and Canadian billionaire Lawrence, in an unchanged line up for the Silverstone-based outfit. The deal was announced after Friday's practice sessions for the Belgian Grand Prix. "I've been working together with this group of people for a long time now and they have become my second family," Perez said in a statement. "I have been impressed with the direction the team has taken over the last twelve months and that gives me confidence for the future. "I believe the best times are still to come and I look forward to celebrating plenty of podiums in the years ahead." Perez joined Racing Point when in 2014 when it was co-owned by troubled Indian magnate Vijay Mallya. The team's assets were bought out of administration by a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll last July, with the squad starting over as Racing Point at last year's Belgian Grand Prix. The change of ownership brought some much needed fresh investment to the team which is now in the process of building for the future. "Over the last six years we have seen him (Perez) become a very complete driver with excellent qualifying speed and exceptional race craft," said team principal Otmar Szafnauer. "Sergio believes in the long-term vision of this project and getting his commitment until the end of 2022 gives us valuable consistency going forward." Perez, who brings important financial backing from Mexican sponsors, has scored five podiums for the team in his career and his confirmation was considered a formality. The news is the latest in a flurry of announcements that kicked off Formula One's first weekend back after its annual mid-season break. Mercedes on Thursday said it would keep Valtteri Bottas alongside Lewis Hamilton for another year while Renault said Frenchman Esteban Ocon had signed to drive alongside Daniel Ricciardo starting next season.

Sergio Perez to stay with F1 team Racing Point for three more years

Birthday boy Valtteri Bottas did not need a reason to celebrate but confirmation he would be staying at Formula One champions Mercedes next season gave him another excuse to party.

The Finn turned 30 on Wednesday and had already marked the milestone with a party a day earlier.

Mercedes’ decision to retain him alongside five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for another season, which was announced on Thursday but had been signed and sealed the weekend before, only made the celebrations sweeter.

“Obviously, 30, it happens only once in a lifetime,” the Finn told reporters at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on Thursday shortly after the Mercedes announcement ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.

“There is always a good excuse to throw a party, but that’s a good excuse, it was good, I enjoyed it.

“I knew by then, everything was done by then, so it was actually nice to celebrate with the closest people.

“Another good excuse.”

Bottas bounced back strongly from a winless 2018 campaign, opening this season with victory in the first race in Australia.

He has taken two wins and a further seven podiums from 12 races this season, though his last victory was at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April and he has faded over recent races.

The Finn is second in the overall standings, 62 points adrift of Hamilton, who has won eight races, and facing a growing threat from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who is seven points behind him in third.

Ocon Competition

Once considered a shoo-in for the Mercedes drive on the back of his early season form, Botttas faced competition from Mercedes-backed 22-year-old Esteban Ocon for his seat over recent weeks.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix before the August shut down that they would choose either Bottas or Ocon to be Hamilton’s team mate next season.

Bottas' improved form convinced Mercedes to retain him, with Ocon signing to drive alongside Daniel Ricciardo for Renault.

Bottas said he had begun to put a back-up plan in place in case Mercedes chose not to retain him.

“To be honest, going to the summer break, and in this sport you know once you’ve not signed, anything can happen...

“So for sure I was trying to make a plan for something else but then things started to go the right way...”

Hamilton, who has enjoyed a far more harmonious relationship with Bottas compared to the bitter rivalry he was embroiled in with the Finn’s predecessor Nico Rosberg, said Mercedes had made the right decision.

“Continuity is always a great thing,” said the Briton. “I really enjoy working with him in general. We get on well both outside and on the track.”

Birthday boy Valtteri Bottas did not need a reason to celebrate but confirmation he would be staying at Formula One champions Mercedes next season gave him another excuse to party.

Birthday boy Valtteri Bottas did not need a reason to celebrate but confirmation he would be staying at Formula One champions Mercedes next season gave him another excuse to party. The Finn turned 30 on Wednesday and had already marked the milestone with a party a day earlier. Mercedes’ decision to retain him alongside five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for another season, which was announced on Thursday but had been signed and sealed the weekend before, only made the celebrations sweeter. “Obviously, 30, it happens only once in a lifetime,” the Finn told reporters at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on Thursday shortly after the Mercedes announcement ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. “There is always a good excuse to throw a party, but that’s a good excuse, it was good, I enjoyed it. “I knew by then, everything was done by then, so it was actually nice to celebrate with the closest people. “Another good excuse.” Bottas bounced back strongly from a winless 2018 campaign, opening this season with victory in the first race in Australia. He has taken two wins and a further seven podiums from 12 races this season, though his last victory was at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in April and he has faded over recent races. The Finn is second in the overall standings, 62 points adrift of Hamilton, who has won eight races, and facing a growing threat from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who is seven points behind him in third. Ocon Competition Once considered a shoo-in for the Mercedes drive on the back of his early season form, Botttas faced competition from Mercedes-backed 22-year-old Esteban Ocon for his seat over recent weeks. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix before the August shut down that they would choose either Bottas or Ocon to be Hamilton’s team mate next season. Bottas' improved form convinced Mercedes to retain him, with Ocon signing to drive alongside Daniel Ricciardo for Renault. Bottas said he had begun to put a back-up plan in place in case Mercedes chose not to retain him. “To be honest, going to the summer break, and in this sport you know once you’ve not signed, anything can happen... “So for sure I was trying to make a plan for something else but then things started to go the right way...” Hamilton, who has enjoyed a far more harmonious relationship with Bottas compared to the bitter rivalry he was embroiled in with the Finn’s predecessor Nico Rosberg, said Mercedes had made the right decision. “Continuity is always a great thing,” said the Briton. “I really enjoy working with him in general. We get on well both outside and on the track.”

Valtteri Bottas to remain at F1 champions Mercedes in 2020

Sebastian Vettel topped the times ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of Red Bull in Friday morning's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix.&nbsp;

The four-time world champion clocked a best lap in one minute and 44.574 seconds to outpace Leclerc by two-tenths of a second, a performance that supported Italian hopes that their team can enjoy success on the high-speed Ardennes circuit.&nbsp;

In front of thousands of his 'orange army' of Dutch supporters, Max Verstappen was third, just under a second adrift of the lead and less than one-tenth of a second ahead of his new Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon, who was making his debut with the team following promotion from Toro Rosso.

Valtteri Bottas, who celebrated his 30th birthday this week with confirmation of a Mercedes contract extension for 2020, was fifth ahead of championship leader and defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

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CLASSIFICATION - END OF FP2 
 
Another 1-2 for <a href="https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScuderiaFerrari</a> - but this time it's <a href="https://twitter.com/Charles_Leclerc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Charles_Leclerc</a> on top 
 
Hat-tip to <a href="https://twitter.com/SChecoPerez?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SChecoPerez</a> - although his session ends with what looked like overheating issues<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BelgianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BelgianGP</a> 🇧🇪 <a href="https://t.co/aJdlW8CWsH">pic.twitter.com/aJdlW8CWsH</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1167445762243989504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Both men were running Mercedes' upgraded power-unit for the first time, and Hamilton struggled with various issues including a throttle pedal problem and over-heating tyres in a frustrating session that saw him returning to the pits at regular intervals for adjustments and minor repairs.

Canadian Lance Stroll was seventh for Racing Point ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Renault, Sergio Perez in the second Racing Point and Carlos Sainz of McLaren.

The session was run in mild and dry conditions with few interruptions apart from a brief use of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) after the engine cover flew off Stroll's car on the Kemmel Straight and a spin for Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat.

Sebastian Vettel topped the times ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of Red Bull in Friday morning's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel topped the times ahead of his team-mate Charles Leclerc as Ferrari set the pace ahead of Red Bull in Friday morning's opening free practice at this weekend's Belgian Formula One Grand Prix. The four-time world champion clocked a best lap in one minute and 44.574 seconds to outpace Leclerc by two-tenths of a second, a performance that supported Italian hopes that their team can enjoy success on the high-speed Ardennes circuit. In front of thousands of his 'orange army' of Dutch supporters, Max Verstappen was third, just under a second adrift of the lead and less than one-tenth of a second ahead of his new Red Bull team-mate Alex Albon, who was making his debut with the team following promotion from Toro Rosso. Valtteri Bottas, who celebrated his 30th birthday this week with confirmation of a Mercedes contract extension for 2020, was fifth ahead of championship leader and defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton. CLASSIFICATION - END OF FP2 Another 1-2 for @ScuderiaFerrari - but this time it's @Charles_Leclerc on top Hat-tip to @SChecoPerez - although his session ends with what looked like overheating issues#F1 #BelgianGP 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/aJdlW8CWsH — Formula 1 (@F1) August 30, 2019 × Both men were running Mercedes' upgraded power-unit for the first time, and Hamilton struggled with various issues including a throttle pedal problem and over-heating tyres in a frustrating session that saw him returning to the pits at regular intervals for adjustments and minor repairs. Canadian Lance Stroll was seventh for Racing Point ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Renault, Sergio Perez in the second Racing Point and Carlos Sainz of McLaren. The session was run in mild and dry conditions with few interruptions apart from a brief use of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) after the engine cover flew off Stroll's car on the Kemmel Straight and a spin for Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat.

Vettel leads the way as Ferrari dominate opening practice in Belgium

Thai Formula One driver Alexander Albon was promoted Monday to race alongside Max Verstappen in the Red Bull team and has the rest of the season to make the move permanent. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The 23-year-old -- born in England of a Thai mother -- is promoted from Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso whilst Frenchman Pierre&nbsp;Gasly&nbsp;will go in the opposite direction.

Albon's first drive for Red Bull will be the Belgian Grand Prix on September 1.

"Alexander Albon is being promoted to Aston Martin Red Bull Racing to drive alongside Max Verstappen, while Pierre&nbsp;Gasly&nbsp;will return to the Red Bull sister team, Scuderia Toro Rosso," read the team statement.

"The Team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020."

Albon -- who was signed up to the Red Bull Junior Team in 2012 -- has accrued 16 points in his maiden season in the championship with a best-placed sixth in the German Grand Prix.

Gasly, also 23, is in his second full season in Formula One -- he competed in five Grand Prix in the 2017 campaign -- and has garnered 63 points thus far this term with fourth in the British Grand Prix his best performance.

Thai Formula One driver Alexander Albon was promoted Monday to race alongside Max Verstappen in the Red Bull team and has the rest of the season to make the move permanent.

Thai Formula One driver Alexander Albon was promoted Monday to race alongside Max Verstappen in the Red Bull team and has the rest of the season to make the move permanent. The 23-year-old -- born in England of a Thai mother -- is promoted from Red Bull's sister team Toro Rosso whilst Frenchman Pierre Gasly will go in the opposite direction. Albon's first drive for Red Bull will be the Belgian Grand Prix on September 1. "Alexander Albon is being promoted to Aston Martin Red Bull Racing to drive alongside Max Verstappen, while Pierre Gasly will return to the Red Bull sister team, Scuderia Toro Rosso," read the team statement. "The Team will use the next nine races to evaluate Alex’s performance in order to make an informed decision as to who will drive alongside Max in 2020." Albon -- who was signed up to the Red Bull Junior Team in 2012 -- has accrued 16 points in his maiden season in the championship with a best-placed sixth in the German Grand Prix. Gasly, also 23, is in his second full season in Formula One -- he competed in five Grand Prix in the 2017 campaign -- and has garnered 63 points thus far this term with fourth in the British Grand Prix his best performance.

Alexander Albon given chance to secure Red Bull drive permanently

Mexico will stay on the Formula One calendar for three more years after a new contract was signed on Thursday, with the sport set to expand to a record 22 races next season.

Formula One said the race would change its name to the Mexico City Grand Prix from 2020 to emphasise the support of the city authorities.

"It’s an honour to announce that we will carry out this event in Mexico City until 2022," Formula One chairman and CEO Chase Carey told a news conference.

Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said in a statement that the agreement was based on a new financing model without the use of public resources.

"The Mexico City government will be an intermediary, creating a trust that will raise the private investment required to deliver this international event," she said. Ticket prices will remain unchanged.

Confirmation of Mexico means the 2020 calendar is set to expand from 21 races, with new ones in Vietnam and the Netherlands while only Germany is set to drop off.

Teams agreed to the extension at last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Mexico's future had looked uncertain earlier in the year, with president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador saying in February that state funds would in future go towards a tourist train project being planned in the south of the country.

Mexico returned to the grand prix calendar in 2015 after a 23-year absence.

The race, scheduled for Oct. 27 this year at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit and paired with the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, is organised by CIE and has won the governing FIA's award for best event for the past four seasons.

It was also the race where Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, now a five-times world champion, clinched the title in 2017 and 2018.

Mexico will stay on the Formula One calendar for three more years after a new contract was signed on Thursday, with the sport set to expand to a record 22 races next season.

Mexico will stay on the Formula One calendar for three more years after a new contract was signed on Thursday, with the sport set to expand to a record 22 races next season. Formula One said the race would change its name to the Mexico City Grand Prix from 2020 to emphasise the support of the city authorities. "It’s an honour to announce that we will carry out this event in Mexico City until 2022," Formula One chairman and CEO Chase Carey told a news conference. Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said in a statement that the agreement was based on a new financing model without the use of public resources. "The Mexico City government will be an intermediary, creating a trust that will raise the private investment required to deliver this international event," she said. Ticket prices will remain unchanged. Confirmation of Mexico means the 2020 calendar is set to expand from 21 races, with new ones in Vietnam and the Netherlands while only Germany is set to drop off. Teams agreed to the extension at last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Mexico's future had looked uncertain earlier in the year, with president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador saying in February that state funds would in future go towards a tourist train project being planned in the south of the country. Mexico returned to the grand prix calendar in 2015 after a 23-year absence. The race, scheduled for Oct. 27 this year at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit and paired with the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, is organised by CIE and has won the governing FIA's award for best event for the past four seasons. It was also the race where Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, now a five-times world champion, clinched the title in 2017 and 2018.

Mexico staying on F1 calendar for three more years

Lewis Hamilton denied pole-sitter Max Verstappen to win a gripping Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Verstappen led until lap 66 of 70 when Hamilton took the lead helped by a brilliant pit strategy by his Mercedes team.

This was Hamilton's 81st Grand Prix triumph and it extended his lead in the Formula One drivers' championship.

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BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton wins the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HungarianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HungarianGP</a> 🇭🇺 
 
Max Verstappen started on pole but finishes in P2 
 
Sebastian Vettel takes P3 after overtaking his team mate, Charles Leclerc<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/OK7JP6PRJi">pic.twitter.com/OK7JP6PRJi</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1158027287247433728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Lewis Hamilton denied pole-sitter Max Verstappen to win a gripping Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday. Verstappen led until lap 66 of 70 when Hamilton took the lead helped by a brilliant pit strategy by his Mercedes team.

Lewis Hamilton denied pole-sitter Max Verstappen to win a gripping Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday. Verstappen led until lap 66 of 70 when Hamilton took the lead helped by a brilliant pit strategy by his Mercedes team. This was Hamilton's 81st Grand Prix triumph and it extended his lead in the Formula One drivers' championship. BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton wins the #HungarianGP 🇭🇺 Max Verstappen started on pole but finishes in P2 Sebastian Vettel takes P3 after overtaking his team mate, Charles Leclerc#F1 pic.twitter.com/OK7JP6PRJi — Formula 1 (@F1) August 4, 2019 ×

Lewis Hamilton beats pole-sitter Max Verstappen to win Hungarian Grand Prix

Mick Schumacher, the 20-year-old son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, on Sunday claimed his first Formula Two victory ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The German driver won the 28-lap 'sprint' race for Prema Racing after starting from pole position in a reverse grid race. He had finished eighth in Saturday’s full-length feature race.

Schumacher, who is a member of Ferrari’s driver academy, finished 1.5 seconds ahead of Honda-backed Nobuharu Matsushita of Carlin. His previous best result was fourth at the Austrian Grand Prix in June.

"Amazing", he said afterwards.&nbsp;

"The car was great and thanks to the team for that. It wasn't easy, but I am just really happy."

Schumacher is in his first season of Formula Two, the main feeder category of racing for Formula One.

Mick Schumacher, the 20-year-old son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, on Sunday claimed his first Formula Two victory ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Mick Schumacher, the 20-year-old son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, on Sunday claimed his first Formula Two victory ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The German driver won the 28-lap 'sprint' race for Prema Racing after starting from pole position in a reverse grid race. He had finished eighth in Saturday’s full-length feature race. Schumacher, who is a member of Ferrari’s driver academy, finished 1.5 seconds ahead of Honda-backed Nobuharu Matsushita of Carlin. His previous best result was fourth at the Austrian Grand Prix in June. "Amazing", he said afterwards. "The car was great and thanks to the team for that. It wasn't easy, but I am just really happy." Schumacher is in his first season of Formula Two, the main feeder category of racing for Formula One.

Mick Schumacher opens Formula 2 account

Secrets of mind-boggling pit stop timings in Formula 1

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton set a track record in final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday with Red Bull's Max Verstappen looking the Mercedes driver's closest rival for qualifying.

Hamilton went top of the timing screens right at the end of a session that was shortened by 10 minutes to allow track workers time to clear oil dumped earlier by a blown Formula Two engine.

The Briton's time of one minute 16.084 was 0.013 quicker than Verstappen's best.

Three different teams filled the top three places, separated by just 0.082 seconds with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel third.

Valtteri Bottas was fourth fastest for Mercedes, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Pierre Gasly in sixth with clouds of white cement dust billowing up as cars went over the repairs.

McLaren's Lando Norris was best of the rest, 0.690 slower than Hamilton on a cloudy afternoon with a 60% chance of rain forecast for qualifying at the Hungaroring outside Budapest.

Five times champion Hamilton won from pole position last year and, 41 points clear of Bottas after 11 races, is chasing his eighth victory of the season.

Verstappen is the form driver, however, with two wins in the last three races even if the 21-year-old Dutchman has yet to start from pole position.

Poland's Robert Kubica, with plenty of support from his compatriots, was the slowest man on track but his Williams team mate George Russell was 18th and ahead of Racing Point's Lance Stroll.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton set a track record in final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday with Red Bull's Max Verstappen looking the Mercedes driver's closest rival for qualifying.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton set a track record in final practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday with Red Bull's Max Verstappen looking the Mercedes driver's closest rival for qualifying. Hamilton went top of the timing screens right at the end of a session that was shortened by 10 minutes to allow track workers time to clear oil dumped earlier by a blown Formula Two engine. The Briton's time of one minute 16.084 was 0.013 quicker than Verstappen's best. Three different teams filled the top three places, separated by just 0.082 seconds with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel third. Valtteri Bottas was fourth fastest for Mercedes, ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Pierre Gasly in sixth with clouds of white cement dust billowing up as cars went over the repairs. McLaren's Lando Norris was best of the rest, 0.690 slower than Hamilton on a cloudy afternoon with a 60% chance of rain forecast for qualifying at the Hungaroring outside Budapest. Five times champion Hamilton won from pole position last year and, 41 points clear of Bottas after 11 races, is chasing his eighth victory of the season. Verstappen is the form driver, however, with two wins in the last three races even if the 21-year-old Dutchman has yet to start from pole position. Poland's Robert Kubica, with plenty of support from his compatriots, was the slowest man on track but his Williams team mate George Russell was 18th and ahead of Racing Point's Lance Stroll.

Lewis Hamilton fastest in final Hungarian practice

Major takeaways from epic, rain-lashed and wildly-spectacular German GP

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff was critical of his team's preparations and reactions on Sunday after both drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed out of contention in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/red-bulls-max-verstappen-wins-chaotic-german-grand-prix-239045">chaotic rain-hit German Grand Prix</a>.

Wolff, wearing braces and 'baggies' as part of champions Mercedes' decision to revert to 'retro' 1950s outfits in celebration of 125 years of motorsport, said the team was not prepared and made the "wrong calls".

The Austrian team boss seemed frustrated and angry that the team were distracted from their jobs by a need to dress in old overalls and flat caps.

Dutchman Max Verstappen claimed his second victory of the season for Red Bull, making five pit-stops on the way, to finish ahead of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso.

In pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/major-takeaways-from-epic-rain-lashed-and-wildly-spectacular-german-gp-239075">Major takeaways from epic, rain-lashed and wildly-spectacular German GP</a>

Defending five-time champion Hamilton, who had been feeling poorly with a sore throat, finished 11th after two mistakes and six pit-stops while Bottas crashed out in the closing laps.

It was the team's 200th Formula One race start as a constructor, another cause for their celebrations in advance at their home race where their parent company was the event's main sponsor.

"Many drivers crashed," said Wolff. "Overall, for us, it was a bad day and, for the drivers, it was a bad day, it cannot go much worse.

"This shows that you shouldn't fool around with the staff. You should concentrate on the job. We are not superstitious, but we believe in karma and it's a day to learn."

He added: "I think we had a decent start with good pace. Then you had incidents, crashing out in tricky conditions, the wrong calls."

Asked about Hamilton's crash and pit-stop, he said: "It was unfortunate, crashing right at the entry of the pit lane.&nbsp; You are not prepared. We made the wrong calls afterwards -- it was all coming together.

"Many others made the same mistake. Leclerc crashed and many others crashed."

Hamilton finished outside the points for the first time in 23 outings for Mercedes.

He said: "It was my worst day in the office for a long, long time. You live and you learn. I don't know what happened today, but I'm glad its over and there are more races ahead so we can focus on regrouping and coming back strong."

He accepted his share of the blame for the team’s worst result since Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collided on the first lap of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, when Verstappen won on his debut with Red Bull.&nbsp;

"Me hitting the wall not helpful and them putting on the slick tyres not helpful either," he said.

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff was critical of his team's preparations and reactions on Sunday after both drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed out of contention in a chaotic rain-hit German Grand Prix.

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff was critical of his team's preparations and reactions on Sunday after both drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed out of contention in a chaotic rain-hit German Grand Prix. Wolff, wearing braces and 'baggies' as part of champions Mercedes' decision to revert to 'retro' 1950s outfits in celebration of 125 years of motorsport, said the team was not prepared and made the "wrong calls". The Austrian team boss seemed frustrated and angry that the team were distracted from their jobs by a need to dress in old overalls and flat caps. Dutchman Max Verstappen claimed his second victory of the season for Red Bull, making five pit-stops on the way, to finish ahead of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso. In pics: Major takeaways from epic, rain-lashed and wildly-spectacular German GP Defending five-time champion Hamilton, who had been feeling poorly with a sore throat, finished 11th after two mistakes and six pit-stops while Bottas crashed out in the closing laps. It was the team's 200th Formula One race start as a constructor, another cause for their celebrations in advance at their home race where their parent company was the event's main sponsor. "Many drivers crashed," said Wolff. "Overall, for us, it was a bad day and, for the drivers, it was a bad day, it cannot go much worse. "This shows that you shouldn't fool around with the staff. You should concentrate on the job. We are not superstitious, but we believe in karma and it's a day to learn." He added: "I think we had a decent start with good pace. Then you had incidents, crashing out in tricky conditions, the wrong calls." Asked about Hamilton's crash and pit-stop, he said: "It was unfortunate, crashing right at the entry of the pit lane. You are not prepared. We made the wrong calls afterwards -- it was all coming together. "Many others made the same mistake. Leclerc crashed and many others crashed." Hamilton finished outside the points for the first time in 23 outings for Mercedes. He said: "It was my worst day in the office for a long, long time. You live and you learn. I don't know what happened today, but I'm glad its over and there are more races ahead so we can focus on regrouping and coming back strong." He accepted his share of the blame for the team’s worst result since Hamilton and Nico Rosberg collided on the first lap of the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, when Verstappen won on his debut with Red Bull. "Me hitting the wall not helpful and them putting on the slick tyres not helpful either," he said.

'It was karma': Mercedes boss rages after German GP flop

Mick Schumacher stepped into his father Michael’s 2004 Formula One championship-winning Ferrari at the German Grand Prix on Saturday and found it a perfect fit.

The 20-year-old, who races in Formula Two, did a demonstration run at Hockenheim in the F2004 car which carried his father to 13 wins from 18 races and his seventh and last title.

Schumacher senior won four times at the German track, boosting the popularity of the sport to new heights in his homeland.

"It was amazing to be able to drive the car around here especially knowing it was my dad’s seat and everything and it fit perfectly," said the youngster, who also drove his father’s 1994 Benetton around Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps track in 2017.

"To be able to drive the V10 (engine) and feel how that one behaved and sounded was obviously something very special,” added Schumacher, wearing a helmet painted in both his father’s 2004 colours and his own.

Schumacher, who is a member of the Ferrari young driver academy and has tested the latest car, graduated to Formula Two this year after winning the European Formula Three title.

Currently 15th in the overall standings, he has had a mixed season with a fourth-placed finish last month in Austria his best result so far.

"I think Mick is showing a real good performance,” said Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost, who worked with Mick's uncle Ralf Schumacher at Williams.

"He showed some very good races, in some other races he was involved in incidents, but it is a learning year. I’m convinced that he will make his way into Formula One."

Michael Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013.

Mick Schumacher stepped into his father Michael’s 2004 Formula One championship-winning Ferrari at the German Grand Prix on Saturday and found it a perfect fit. The 20-year-old, who races in Formula Two, did a demonstration run at Hockenheim in the F2004 car which carried his father to 13 wins from 18 races and his seventh and last title.

Mick Schumacher stepped into his father Michael’s 2004 Formula One championship-winning Ferrari at the German Grand Prix on Saturday and found it a perfect fit. The 20-year-old, who races in Formula Two, did a demonstration run at Hockenheim in the F2004 car which carried his father to 13 wins from 18 races and his seventh and last title. Schumacher senior won four times at the German track, boosting the popularity of the sport to new heights in his homeland. "It was amazing to be able to drive the car around here especially knowing it was my dad’s seat and everything and it fit perfectly," said the youngster, who also drove his father’s 1994 Benetton around Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps track in 2017. "To be able to drive the V10 (engine) and feel how that one behaved and sounded was obviously something very special,” added Schumacher, wearing a helmet painted in both his father’s 2004 colours and his own. Schumacher, who is a member of the Ferrari young driver academy and has tested the latest car, graduated to Formula Two this year after winning the European Formula Three title. Currently 15th in the overall standings, he has had a mixed season with a fourth-placed finish last month in Austria his best result so far. "I think Mick is showing a real good performance,” said Toro Rosso team boss Franz Tost, who worked with Mick's uncle Ralf Schumacher at Williams. "He showed some very good races, in some other races he was involved in incidents, but it is a learning year. I’m convinced that he will make his way into Formula One." Michael Schumacher has not been seen in public since he suffered head injuries in a skiing accident in 2013.

Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari a perfect fit for son Mick

Charles Leclerc topped the times ahead of Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel in Friday afternoon's sweltering and crash-hit second free practice for the German Grand Prix.

In a session that suggested the Italian team's determination to recover competitive form was paying off, Leclerc was quickest in one minute and 13.449 seconds, outpacing the four-time champion by 0.124 seconds.

Vettel enjoyed his return to home soil and topped the morning session to the delight of German fans and his father Norbert who was supporting from the Ferrari pits.

Series leader and defending five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was third, 0.146 off the pace set by the Monegasque driver, but half a second ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/know-why-mercedes-are-painted-different-for-german-grand-prix-238605">Mercedes</a> team-mate Valtteri Bottas in fourth.

Max Verstappen was fifth for Red Bull ahead of Romain Grosjean of Haas, Lance Stroll of Force India and Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo with Nico Hulkenberg ninth for Renault and Sergio Perez 10th in the second Force India.

Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Pierre Gasly was unable to clock a soft-compound time at the end of the session after crashing.

On a very hot afternoon, with an air temperature of 37 degrees Celsius and a track temperature of 50, Ferrari found the conditions to their liking again. Vettel topped the times in the morning and Leclerc in the afternoon, while Mercedes appeared to be keeping some performance in reserve.

But it was a disappointing day for Frenchman Gasly who, after an encouraging run in opening practice, lost control of his Red Bull in the final minutes of the afternoon session at the final corner and hit the barriers on the outside. The impact damaged the left side of his car, but he was unhurt.

"I lost it," he told the team, a blow to his fragile confidence only two weeks after his best result, fourth, at the British Grand Prix. Replays showed that the rear of his vehicle lurched away from him as he accelerated on exit from the corner.

The session was red-flagged for seven minutes and resumed with nine remaining.

Hulkenberg, hoping to retain his seat at Renault in 2020, lost power and pitted immediately while Leclerc requested a check on his Ferrari's brakes as the action continued. The team confirmed all was well.

"It is difficult to judge anything," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "It is so hot it affects everyone. As far as engine cooling goes, we are OK here – Ferrari have looked very strong going through the corners..."&nbsp;

Charles Leclerc topped the times ahead of Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel in Friday afternoon's sweltering and crash-hit second free practice for the German Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc topped the times ahead of Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel in Friday afternoon's sweltering and crash-hit second free practice for the German Grand Prix. In a session that suggested the Italian team's determination to recover competitive form was paying off, Leclerc was quickest in one minute and 13.449 seconds, outpacing the four-time champion by 0.124 seconds. Vettel enjoyed his return to home soil and topped the morning session to the delight of German fans and his father Norbert who was supporting from the Ferrari pits. Series leader and defending five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was third, 0.146 off the pace set by the Monegasque driver, but half a second ahead of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in fourth. Max Verstappen was fifth for Red Bull ahead of Romain Grosjean of Haas, Lance Stroll of Force India and Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo with Nico Hulkenberg ninth for Renault and Sergio Perez 10th in the second Force India. Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Pierre Gasly was unable to clock a soft-compound time at the end of the session after crashing. On a very hot afternoon, with an air temperature of 37 degrees Celsius and a track temperature of 50, Ferrari found the conditions to their liking again. Vettel topped the times in the morning and Leclerc in the afternoon, while Mercedes appeared to be keeping some performance in reserve. But it was a disappointing day for Frenchman Gasly who, after an encouraging run in opening practice, lost control of his Red Bull in the final minutes of the afternoon session at the final corner and hit the barriers on the outside. The impact damaged the left side of his car, but he was unhurt. "I lost it," he told the team, a blow to his fragile confidence only two weeks after his best result, fourth, at the British Grand Prix. Replays showed that the rear of his vehicle lurched away from him as he accelerated on exit from the corner. The session was red-flagged for seven minutes and resumed with nine remaining. Hulkenberg, hoping to retain his seat at Renault in 2020, lost power and pitted immediately while Leclerc requested a check on his Ferrari's brakes as the action continued. The team confirmed all was well. "It is difficult to judge anything," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "It is so hot it affects everyone. As far as engine cooling goes, we are OK here – Ferrari have looked very strong going through the corners..."

German Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc on top with Sebastian Vettel as Ferrari shine during practice

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who is bidding to win at home British Grand Prix for a record sixth time, reacted on this growing fan following on the social media.&nbsp;

The Briton has around&nbsp;5.54 million followers on Twitter and has over 11 million followers on Instagram, currently.&nbsp;

"I am grateful for the ones the people that do support me and it's really heartwarming to see the support that I have every year and to see that grow," said Hamilton.&nbsp;

Hamilton is aiming to bounce back from a rare weekend of disappointment by winning his home British GP&nbsp;for a record sixth time this weekend.&nbsp;At Austrian GP, he had finished&nbsp;fifth two weeks ago.&nbsp;

"You know, I look at my social media every week and I don't understand why it's grown the way it is," said Hamilton.&nbsp;

"Why in one day….I woke up this morning and overnight 5,000 people followed me. I'm like why did they follow me, 5,000 people decided to follow me last night," he added.&nbsp;

If he wins the British GP,&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;will move clear of fellow Briton Jim Clark and Frenchman Alain Prost, with whom he shares the current record of five wins.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who is bidding to win at home British Grand Prix for a record sixth time, reacted on this growing fan following on the social media.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who is bidding to win at home British Grand Prix for a record sixth time, reacted on this growing fan following on the social media. The Briton has around 5.54 million followers on Twitter and has over 11 million followers on Instagram, currently. "I am grateful for the ones the people that do support me and it's really heartwarming to see the support that I have every year and to see that grow," said Hamilton. Hamilton is aiming to bounce back from a rare weekend of disappointment by winning his home British GP for a record sixth time this weekend. At Austrian GP, he had finished fifth two weeks ago. "You know, I look at my social media every week and I don't understand why it's grown the way it is," said Hamilton. "Why in one day….I woke up this morning and overnight 5,000 people followed me. I'm like why did they follow me, 5,000 people decided to follow me last night," he added. If he wins the British GP, Hamilton will move clear of fellow Briton Jim Clark and Frenchman Alain Prost, with whom he shares the current record of five wins.

Lewis Hamilton reacts on his mass social media following

Lewis Hamilton seized pole position for the French Grand Prix in track record time as Mercedes, chasing their 10th successive win, swept the front row of the grid in dominant fashion on Saturday.

The Formula One world championship leader was 0.286 seconds quicker than team mate Valtteri Bottas.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc qualified third with team mate Sebastian Vettel a distant seventh on a distinctly off day for the German.

The pole, in a time of one minute 28.319 seconds, was a record-extending 86th of Hamilton's career and his third of the season.

"I'm happy that I got the potential out of the car, the team did a fantastic job," said five-times world champion Hamilton, last year's winner from pole at Le Castellet's Paul Ricard circuit.

"We've just been chipping away at improving the set-up of the car," added the Briton, who is 29 points clear of Bottas after seven races -- all won by the pair. Hamilton also triumphed in the last two of 2018.

Bottas was fastest in the second phase of qualifying but could not match Hamilton's sizzling pace when it mattered in the final shoot-out.

"The wind changed direction and there was a couple of corners my line didn't work and I had to work it out but Lewis had a better lap," said the Finn.

Mercedes have looked to be in a class of their own all weekend, with Hamilton or Bottas fastest in every practice session with Leclerc, rather than Vettel, consistently the best of the rest.

Vettel struggled, backing out of his first hot lap and then failing to string together all the sectors smoothly on his second attempt.

"I don't know what happened, I lost so much momentum there was no point to finish that lap," said the German, who starts behind the Renault-powered McLarens of British rookie Lando Norris (fifth) and Spaniard Carlos Sainz (sixth).

"Some laps it felt good and others it didn't. I didn't get the best out of the car but it was difficult for me, but some laps I didn't have he grip I had before."

Vettel's time of 1:29.799 was eighth tenths of a second slower than Leclerc's best.

Leclerc, who starts with Red Bull's Max Verstappen alongside, asked the team over the radio to get Vettel to speed up but the Monegasque said his lap had not been compromised.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo starts eighth for Renault and Red Bull's Pierre Gasly lines up ninth for his home race with Italian Antonio Giovinazzi 10th for Alfa Romeo.

Lewis Hamilton seized pole position for the French Grand Prix in track record time as Mercedes, chasing their 10th successive win, swept the front row of the grid in dominant fashion on Saturday.

Lewis Hamilton seized pole position for the French Grand Prix in track record time as Mercedes, chasing their 10th successive win, swept the front row of the grid in dominant fashion on Saturday. The Formula One world championship leader was 0.286 seconds quicker than team mate Valtteri Bottas. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc qualified third with team mate Sebastian Vettel a distant seventh on a distinctly off day for the German. The pole, in a time of one minute 28.319 seconds, was a record-extending 86th of Hamilton's career and his third of the season. "I'm happy that I got the potential out of the car, the team did a fantastic job," said five-times world champion Hamilton, last year's winner from pole at Le Castellet's Paul Ricard circuit. "We've just been chipping away at improving the set-up of the car," added the Briton, who is 29 points clear of Bottas after seven races -- all won by the pair. Hamilton also triumphed in the last two of 2018. Bottas was fastest in the second phase of qualifying but could not match Hamilton's sizzling pace when it mattered in the final shoot-out. "The wind changed direction and there was a couple of corners my line didn't work and I had to work it out but Lewis had a better lap," said the Finn. Mercedes have looked to be in a class of their own all weekend, with Hamilton or Bottas fastest in every practice session with Leclerc, rather than Vettel, consistently the best of the rest. Vettel struggled, backing out of his first hot lap and then failing to string together all the sectors smoothly on his second attempt. "I don't know what happened, I lost so much momentum there was no point to finish that lap," said the German, who starts behind the Renault-powered McLarens of British rookie Lando Norris (fifth) and Spaniard Carlos Sainz (sixth). "Some laps it felt good and others it didn't. I didn't get the best out of the car but it was difficult for me, but some laps I didn't have he grip I had before." Vettel's time of 1:29.799 was eighth tenths of a second slower than Leclerc's best. Leclerc, who starts with Red Bull's Max Verstappen alongside, asked the team over the radio to get Vettel to speed up but the Monegasque said his lap had not been compromised. Australian Daniel Ricciardo starts eighth for Renault and Red Bull's Pierre Gasly lines up ninth for his home race with Italian Antonio Giovinazzi 10th for Alfa Romeo.

French Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton on pole, Sebastian Vettel only seventh

Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix for Mercedes in controversial fashion on Sunday after Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crossed the finish line first but was given a five-second penalty.

Vettel, who started from pole, took the chequered flag ahead of Hamilton but there was no celebration in the Ferrari garage as the furious German was demoted to second after being slapped with the penalty for a dangerous re-entry after running off the track.

Under pressure from Hamilton, Vettel threw away the race on lap 48 when he went too hard into the turn-three chicane and ran on to the grass, returning to the circuit just ahead of the Briton who was forced to brake sharply or face being pushed into the wall.

The race continued with the incident under investigation and a few laps later when Vettel was told of the decision the four-time world champion exploded, venting his anger over the team radio.

"I had nowhere to go. Seriously, I had nowhere to go," fumed Vettel. "They are stealing the race from us.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," continued Vettel. "Seriously, you need to be an absolute blind man to let him pass and not control your car -- where am I supposed to go?

"This is a wrong world, this is not fair."

At the same time, Mercedes were telling Hamilton to just "stay in Vettel's gearbox" and take a gifted victory.

"Not the way I wanted to win," said Hamilton, after collecting his fifth win of the season and equalling Michael Schumacher's Canadian record of seven victories on the island circuit.

The victory, sweet or not, boosted Hamilton's lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 162 points, 29 clear of teammate Valtteri Bottas and 62 ahead of Vettel.

Mercedes also padded out their advantage in the constructors' standings to 295 with Ferrari on 172.

Mercedes extend dominant streak

With the exception of Mercedes, few in the huge crowd seemed happy with the outcome, loudly booing Hamilton during the winners' ceremony which seemed to catch the Briton off-guard.

"All I can say is I didn't make the decision firstly so I don't know who they are booing at, maybe the decision," said Hamilton, who tried to have Vettel join him on the top step of the podium.

The decision to penalise Vettel allowed Mercedes to extend their season-long domination, making it seven wins in seven races, including five in one-two formation.

Bottas finished fourth and unhappy Ferrari took the other two places on the podium, Vettel in second and Charles Leclerc third.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who had a disappointing qualifying and started 11th, worked his way up to a fifth-place result while Renault enjoy their best race of the season with Daniel Ricciardo taking sixth and Nico Hulkenberg seventh.

Lance Stroll also put on a bit of show for the home fans, the Canadian coming home ninth to match his best result of the season for Racing Point.

Vettel made it clear later that he was not directing his anger at Hamilton but reserved all his venom for the stewards.

"People shouldn't boo at Lewis because you saw what was going on; I don't think there was any intention to be in harm's way," said Vettel. "I had trouble to stay on track but the people shouldn't boo at Lewis; if anything they should boo these funny decisions."

More trouble could be heading the German's way with fines and penalties for missing the post-race weigh-in and parc ferme.

While the race ended with the result Mercedes wanted it was nonetheless a fraught weekend for the Silver Arrows with Hamilton crashing in second practice on Friday and emergency repairs on Sunday hours and even minutes before the race.

In a late scramble the team were forced to take apart the car and rebuild it after discovering a hydraulic leak, finishing repairs about eight minutes before the pit lane opened.

If that was not enough, there was an issue just before Hamilton was about to step into the cockpit with the team quickly bleeding the brakes on his Mercedes because they were too soft.

Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix for Mercedes in controversial fashion on Sunday after Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crossed the finish line first but was given a five-second penalty.

Lewis Hamilton won the Canadian Grand Prix for Mercedes in controversial fashion on Sunday after Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crossed the finish line first but was given a five-second penalty. Vettel, who started from pole, took the chequered flag ahead of Hamilton but there was no celebration in the Ferrari garage as the furious German was demoted to second after being slapped with the penalty for a dangerous re-entry after running off the track. Under pressure from Hamilton, Vettel threw away the race on lap 48 when he went too hard into the turn-three chicane and ran on to the grass, returning to the circuit just ahead of the Briton who was forced to brake sharply or face being pushed into the wall. The race continued with the incident under investigation and a few laps later when Vettel was told of the decision the four-time world champion exploded, venting his anger over the team radio. "I had nowhere to go. Seriously, I had nowhere to go," fumed Vettel. "They are stealing the race from us. "No, no, no, no, no, no," continued Vettel. "Seriously, you need to be an absolute blind man to let him pass and not control your car -- where am I supposed to go? "This is a wrong world, this is not fair." At the same time, Mercedes were telling Hamilton to just "stay in Vettel's gearbox" and take a gifted victory. "Not the way I wanted to win," said Hamilton, after collecting his fifth win of the season and equalling Michael Schumacher's Canadian record of seven victories on the island circuit. The victory, sweet or not, boosted Hamilton's lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 162 points, 29 clear of teammate Valtteri Bottas and 62 ahead of Vettel. Mercedes also padded out their advantage in the constructors' standings to 295 with Ferrari on 172. Mercedes extend dominant streak With the exception of Mercedes, few in the huge crowd seemed happy with the outcome, loudly booing Hamilton during the winners' ceremony which seemed to catch the Briton off-guard. "All I can say is I didn't make the decision firstly so I don't know who they are booing at, maybe the decision," said Hamilton, who tried to have Vettel join him on the top step of the podium. The decision to penalise Vettel allowed Mercedes to extend their season-long domination, making it seven wins in seven races, including five in one-two formation. Bottas finished fourth and unhappy Ferrari took the other two places on the podium, Vettel in second and Charles Leclerc third. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who had a disappointing qualifying and started 11th, worked his way up to a fifth-place result while Renault enjoy their best race of the season with Daniel Ricciardo taking sixth and Nico Hulkenberg seventh. Lance Stroll also put on a bit of show for the home fans, the Canadian coming home ninth to match his best result of the season for Racing Point. Vettel made it clear later that he was not directing his anger at Hamilton but reserved all his venom for the stewards. "People shouldn't boo at Lewis because you saw what was going on; I don't think there was any intention to be in harm's way," said Vettel. "I had trouble to stay on track but the people shouldn't boo at Lewis; if anything they should boo these funny decisions." More trouble could be heading the German's way with fines and penalties for missing the post-race weigh-in and parc ferme. While the race ended with the result Mercedes wanted it was nonetheless a fraught weekend for the Silver Arrows with Hamilton crashing in second practice on Friday and emergency repairs on Sunday hours and even minutes before the race. In a late scramble the team were forced to take apart the car and rebuild it after discovering a hydraulic leak, finishing repairs about eight minutes before the pit lane opened. If that was not enough, there was an issue just before Hamilton was about to step into the cockpit with the team quickly bleeding the brakes on his Mercedes because they were too soft.

Lewis Hamilton takes controversial win in Canada after Sebastian Vettel penalty

Ferrari announced on Monday their intention to appeal <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-takes-controversial-win-in-canada-after-sebastian-vettel-penalty-225869">the controversial five-second time penalty</a> that cost Sebastian Vettel his first victory of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix.

In a move that requires the Italian team formally to support their decision with new evidence within 96 hours, Ferrari kept alive the controversy that followed the stewards' mid-race penalty and resulted in a petulant demonstration of his fury afterwards by the German driver.

Vettel was punished for making an unsafe re-entry to the action after 48 laps after running off track and across a strip of grass, his move squeezing Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes towards a wall and blocking him from trying to take the lead.

Vettel went on to win the race 'on the road', but after his time penalty was applied he dropped to second and Hamilton claimed a record-equalling seventh victory in Canada.

In his annoyance, Vettel launched a tirade against the race stewards, stormed away from the immediate post-race interviews, moved a number two sign from his car to Hamilton's vehicle and declared the race had been stolen from him and Ferrari.

His team chief Mattia Binotto remained calm, but defiant, saying "we won the race."

Ferrari later notified the sport’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) of their intentions and now have until Thursday to supply fresh evidence.

'I would do the same'

Hamilton, who made clear Vettel's re-entry was dangerous, later admitted if their positions had been reversed, he would have done the same.

"I watched the replay," he said.&nbsp;

"It was obviously very close. If I was in the lead and I made a mistake and went wide, I probably would have done the same thing because it happened so quick and you're just trying to hold your position," he added.

"When I say I would do the same, I would try to squeeze him too. That's ultimately what happened."

Hamilton, however, defended the existence of the rule which led to the penalty.

"Say you didn't have that rule. I would have kept it lit and we would have crashed. So, one way or not, it was going to go badly," he said.

He said Vettel's move to squeeze his attack was understandable.

"It's a natural instinct that you have. You're not going to go 'actually, I better pull to the left and let everybody go by'. He did block me, but, unfortunately, he went off-track," he said.

"Ferrari were so strong this weekend – a really formidable force.

"We were lucky to be in the battle with them because they could have had a one-two if they had a front row, for example, but, luckily, I was able to stop that."

Hamilton also rejected suggestions comparing Vettel's mishap to the 2008 Belgian Grand Prix, where he was handed a post-race time penalty that gave a race win to Ferrari's Felipe Massa, the last incident of this type to decide a race.

"It was a lot different, but I do understand what it's like to lose a race and it's definitely not the way you want to win," he said.

It was the 12th time a driver who ‘won’ a Grand Prix race was stripped of victory.

Hamilton’s fifth win of the season and third in succession was also the 78th of his career and lifted him 29 points clear of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the title race.

Bottas finished fourth behind Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari, the first time this season Mercedes had failed to finish with both drivers on the podium. Bottas, however, did clock the fastest lap of the race to gain a bonus point.

Ferrari announced on Monday their intention to appeal the controversial five-second time penalty that cost Sebastian Vettel his first victory of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Ferrari announced on Monday their intention to appeal the controversial five-second time penalty that cost Sebastian Vettel his first victory of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix. In a move that requires the Italian team formally to support their decision with new evidence within 96 hours, Ferrari kept alive the controversy that followed the stewards' mid-race penalty and resulted in a petulant demonstration of his fury afterwards by the German driver. Vettel was punished for making an unsafe re-entry to the action after 48 laps after running off track and across a strip of grass, his move squeezing Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes towards a wall and blocking him from trying to take the lead. Vettel went on to win the race 'on the road', but after his time penalty was applied he dropped to second and Hamilton claimed a record-equalling seventh victory in Canada. In his annoyance, Vettel launched a tirade against the race stewards, stormed away from the immediate post-race interviews, moved a number two sign from his car to Hamilton's vehicle and declared the race had been stolen from him and Ferrari. His team chief Mattia Binotto remained calm, but defiant, saying "we won the race." Ferrari later notified the sport’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) of their intentions and now have until Thursday to supply fresh evidence. 'I would do the same' Hamilton, who made clear Vettel's re-entry was dangerous, later admitted if their positions had been reversed, he would have done the same. "I watched the replay," he said. "It was obviously very close. If I was in the lead and I made a mistake and went wide, I probably would have done the same thing because it happened so quick and you're just trying to hold your position," he added. "When I say I would do the same, I would try to squeeze him too. That's ultimately what happened." Hamilton, however, defended the existence of the rule which led to the penalty. "Say you didn't have that rule. I would have kept it lit and we would have crashed. So, one way or not, it was going to go badly," he said. He said Vettel's move to squeeze his attack was understandable. "It's a natural instinct that you have. You're not going to go 'actually, I better pull to the left and let everybody go by'. He did block me, but, unfortunately, he went off-track," he said. "Ferrari were so strong this weekend – a really formidable force. "We were lucky to be in the battle with them because they could have had a one-two if they had a front row, for example, but, luckily, I was able to stop that." Hamilton also rejected suggestions comparing Vettel's mishap to the 2008 Belgian Grand Prix, where he was handed a post-race time penalty that gave a race win to Ferrari's Felipe Massa, the last incident of this type to decide a race. "It was a lot different, but I do understand what it's like to lose a race and it's definitely not the way you want to win," he said. It was the 12th time a driver who ‘won’ a Grand Prix race was stripped of victory. Hamilton’s fifth win of the season and third in succession was also the 78th of his career and lifted him 29 points clear of Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the title race. Bottas finished fourth behind Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari, the first time this season Mercedes had failed to finish with both drivers on the podium. Bottas, however, did clock the fastest lap of the race to gain a bonus point.

Ferrari plan appeal after Sebastian Vettel second-place Canada furore

Sebastian Vettel put Ferrari on pole at the Canadian Grand Prix for the second consecutive year on Saturday, snatching top spot from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the death with a breath-taking lap.

Vettel, who won from pole position last year in Canada to revive Ferrari's title hopes, will be hoping for the same on Sunday with world championship leader Hamilton, chasing a record equalling seventh win in Montreal, starting alongside him.

It was the German's first pole in 17 races and 56th of his career.

Vettel's teammate Charles LeClerc will start third and Renault's Daniel Ricciardo a surprise fourth for his best qualifying effort of the season.

Red Bull's Pierre Gasly grabbed fifth on the grid and will start alongside the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, who could do no better than sixth after an early spin in the final session sent the Finn to the pits.

The importance of the pole was not lost on an emotional Vettel, who could not contain his jubilation, screaming his delight over the radio when his pit informed him "pole".

It was an eventful and dramatic qualifying session as Hamilton went first with the clock counting down, only to have Vettel bump him from top spot a tick later setting up what should be a fascinating duel on Sunday.

"I am full of adrenaline, you know what the feeling is when the car just keeps coming, you feel the grip and you go for it, that was one of those laps," smiled Vettel, who starts from pole for the first time since Hockenheim last year.

"I am very happy the last 17 races, the last weeks have been quite tough ones.

"I really enjoyed it, I wish I could do it again just for the fun of it.

"I had to pace to pace myself a bit in the first two corners because getting the tyres to grip up wasn't straight forward but after that it was just a joy the car was shouting, 'keep going, keep going'."

After taking pole and topping two of the three practice sessions, Ferrari will hope that translates into similar performance on Sunday as they look to end Mercedes' season-long domination on the island circuit named after Ferrari great Gilles Villeneuve.

Mercedes have swept all six races this season, five in a one-two formation, putting pressure on rivals Ferrari to get their challenge back on track.

"I think we gave it everything today, so I'm not disappointed," said Hamilton. The timing was right, our procedures were good and I did everything I could.

"Overall, I'm happy with the job we've done and it leaves us in a good position for the race.

"I'm glad I've been able to split the Ferraris today and tomorrow is going to be an interesting race.

"Hopefully we can put on a good show tomorrow."

If Ferrari was going to make a fight back it was expected to come in Montreal on a power sensitive track that plays to the Italian outfit's straight line speed which has been evident all week.

A win would certainly help Vettel's cause as he attempts to get back into the driver's championship fight.

Hamilton leads the standings 17 points clear of Bottas with Vettel 55 adrift of the Briton.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen spent much of qualifying complaining to his pit about traffic and a lack of grip but was ultimately undone when Haas's Kevin Magnussen crashed in front of him and he did not make the final round of qualifying.

He will start Sunday's race in 11th position.

Sebastian Vettel put Ferrari on pole at the Canadian Grand Prix for the second consecutive year on Saturday, snatching top spot from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the death with a breath-taking lap.

Sebastian Vettel put Ferrari on pole at the Canadian Grand Prix for the second consecutive year on Saturday, snatching top spot from Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton at the death with a breath-taking lap. Vettel, who won from pole position last year in Canada to revive Ferrari's title hopes, will be hoping for the same on Sunday with world championship leader Hamilton, chasing a record equalling seventh win in Montreal, starting alongside him. It was the German's first pole in 17 races and 56th of his career. Vettel's teammate Charles LeClerc will start third and Renault's Daniel Ricciardo a surprise fourth for his best qualifying effort of the season. Red Bull's Pierre Gasly grabbed fifth on the grid and will start alongside the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, who could do no better than sixth after an early spin in the final session sent the Finn to the pits. The importance of the pole was not lost on an emotional Vettel, who could not contain his jubilation, screaming his delight over the radio when his pit informed him "pole". It was an eventful and dramatic qualifying session as Hamilton went first with the clock counting down, only to have Vettel bump him from top spot a tick later setting up what should be a fascinating duel on Sunday. "I am full of adrenaline, you know what the feeling is when the car just keeps coming, you feel the grip and you go for it, that was one of those laps," smiled Vettel, who starts from pole for the first time since Hockenheim last year. "I am very happy the last 17 races, the last weeks have been quite tough ones. "I really enjoyed it, I wish I could do it again just for the fun of it. "I had to pace to pace myself a bit in the first two corners because getting the tyres to grip up wasn't straight forward but after that it was just a joy the car was shouting, 'keep going, keep going'." After taking pole and topping two of the three practice sessions, Ferrari will hope that translates into similar performance on Sunday as they look to end Mercedes' season-long domination on the island circuit named after Ferrari great Gilles Villeneuve. Mercedes have swept all six races this season, five in a one-two formation, putting pressure on rivals Ferrari to get their challenge back on track. "I think we gave it everything today, so I'm not disappointed," said Hamilton. The timing was right, our procedures were good and I did everything I could. "Overall, I'm happy with the job we've done and it leaves us in a good position for the race. "I'm glad I've been able to split the Ferraris today and tomorrow is going to be an interesting race. "Hopefully we can put on a good show tomorrow." If Ferrari was going to make a fight back it was expected to come in Montreal on a power sensitive track that plays to the Italian outfit's straight line speed which has been evident all week. A win would certainly help Vettel's cause as he attempts to get back into the driver's championship fight. Hamilton leads the standings 17 points clear of Bottas with Vettel 55 adrift of the Briton. Red Bull's Max Verstappen spent much of qualifying complaining to his pit about traffic and a lack of grip but was ultimately undone when Haas's Kevin Magnussen crashed in front of him and he did not make the final round of qualifying. He will start Sunday's race in 11th position.

Sebastian Vettel puts Ferrari on pole at Canadian Grand Prix

'Bye Niki': World bids farewell to Formula One legend Niki Lauda

Hundreds of fans queued in the rain to pay their last respects to <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/andreas-nikolaus-niki-lauda-three-time-formula-one-champion-dies-at-70-220260&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiNrbqds8DiAhV3_XMBHaSuCHoQFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3VjlEF4UIM9dRHM8t_JAft">motor racing great Niki Lauda</a> as he lay in state in St. Stephen's Cathedral in his home city of Vienna on Wednesday.

The triple world champion, best remembered for his comeback from a fiery crash in 1976 that left him badly burned and scarred him for life, died last week at the age of 70.

Members of Lauda's family accompanied pallbearers carrying his remains into the gothic cathedral in the morning.

His wife Birgit and two of his sons placed Lauda's red-and-white driver's helmet on the casket.

Fans then came in and filed past the coffin that was placed on a platform in the centre of the cathedral.

Stars of Formula One past and present were due to attend a private Requiem Mass at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT).

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-1976-tragic-accident-to-courting-controversies-niki-lauda-will-be-remembered-for-his-fighting-spirit-220358&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiNrbqds8DiAhV3_XMBHaSuCHoQFjACegQIDhAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw1tswRmx9VcdJ33BdJIuTL6">Lauda's</a> former McLaren teammate Alain Prost will give a reading from the Old Testament at the private ceremony, the Vienna archdiocese said.

Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton - who raced to victory in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday in a helmet bearing Lauda's colours and name - is also due to join the congregation.

Fellow Austrian racing driver Gerhard Berger, Austrian-born star Arnold Schwarzenegger and two Austrian dignitaries -President Alexander Van der Bellen and recently ousted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz - will give short speeches at the end of the service.

Lauda will be buried at a smaller ceremony later in the day.

Hundreds of fans queued in the rain to pay their last respects to motor racing great Niki Lauda as he lay in state in St. Stephen's Cathedral in his home city of Vienna on Wednesday.

Hundreds of fans queued in the rain to pay their last respects to motor racing great Niki Lauda as he lay in state in St. Stephen's Cathedral in his home city of Vienna on Wednesday. The triple world champion, best remembered for his comeback from a fiery crash in 1976 that left him badly burned and scarred him for life, died last week at the age of 70. Members of Lauda's family accompanied pallbearers carrying his remains into the gothic cathedral in the morning. His wife Birgit and two of his sons placed Lauda's red-and-white driver's helmet on the casket. Fans then came in and filed past the coffin that was placed on a platform in the centre of the cathedral. Stars of Formula One past and present were due to attend a private Requiem Mass at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT). Lauda's former McLaren teammate Alain Prost will give a reading from the Old Testament at the private ceremony, the Vienna archdiocese said. Five-time world champion Lewis Hamilton - who raced to victory in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday in a helmet bearing Lauda's colours and name - is also due to join the congregation. Fellow Austrian racing driver Gerhard Berger, Austrian-born star Arnold Schwarzenegger and two Austrian dignitaries -President Alexander Van der Bellen and recently ousted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz - will give short speeches at the end of the service. Lauda will be buried at a smaller ceremony later in the day.

Fans queue to say last goodbye to racing legend Niki Lauda in Vienna

Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, nursing his car's worn tyres to the finish in a nail-biting victory worthy of the team's late great Niki Lauda.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was runner-up, ending Mercedes's run of five successive one-two finishes, with Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas third.

Max Verstappen crossed the finish line second for Red Bull but dropped to fourth due to a five-second penalty imposed for an earlier unsafe release and collision with Bottas in the pitlane.

"That was definitely the hardest race I've had but nonetheless I really was fighting with the spirit of Niki," said Hamilton, who dived into the trackside swimming pool after the podium formalities.

"I know he will be looking down and taking his hat off. I was trying to stay focused and make him proud," he added of the Austrian, the triple world champion and Mercedes team's non-executive chairman, who died on Monday aged 70.

The five-times world champion, now leading Bottas by 17 points, and Verstappen finished under investigation after they banged wheels into the chicane following the tunnel exit two laps from the end.

The Briton, whose medium tyres were so worn by that point that he questioned the team's strategy, was forced to cut the corner.

"I don't know what you're thinking by keeping these tyres on man. You need to hope for a miracle," he had said earlier, keeping Verstappen -- on longer-lasting harder tyres -- behind him for lap after lap.

The miracle, with Hamilton wearing a red helmet with Lauda's name and colours while the car carried a variety of tributes, duly happened as if by the late champion's celestial command.

"That was an incredible drive. There was no one else who could have done that," Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles told him over the radio after he crossed the line.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc had created much of the early excitement of an entertaining race but was also the sole retirement, stepping out of the car in the pits with just 19 laps gone.

The Monegasque, starting 16th, was up to 12th by the end of lap seven after overtaking McLaren's Lando Norris and Haas's Romain Grosjean at the hairpin and Rascasse.

The youngster, who had vowed to be aggressive after a Ferrari's strategy blunder messed up his qualifying, then paid the price when he tried the same move on Renault's Nico Hulkenberg at Rascasse.

Leclerc spun and picked up a right rear puncture, limping home to the pits on a rim and flailing rubber, losing a lap to the leaders and flinging out debris that led to a safety car period for marshals to sweep the track.

Red Bull's Pierre Gasly finished fifth, with Carlos Saiunz sixth for McLaren followed by Toro Rosso pairing Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon.

Renault's Daniel Ricciardo, last year's winner for Red Bull, was ninth and Romain Grosjean collected the final point for Haas.

Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, nursing his car's worn tyres to the finish in a nail-biting victory worthy of the team's late great Niki Lauda.

Lewis Hamilton won the Monaco Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday, nursing his car's worn tyres to the finish in a nail-biting victory worthy of the team's late great Niki Lauda. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was runner-up, ending Mercedes's run of five successive one-two finishes, with Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas third. Max Verstappen crossed the finish line second for Red Bull but dropped to fourth due to a five-second penalty imposed for an earlier unsafe release and collision with Bottas in the pitlane. "That was definitely the hardest race I've had but nonetheless I really was fighting with the spirit of Niki," said Hamilton, who dived into the trackside swimming pool after the podium formalities. "I know he will be looking down and taking his hat off. I was trying to stay focused and make him proud," he added of the Austrian, the triple world champion and Mercedes team's non-executive chairman, who died on Monday aged 70. The five-times world champion, now leading Bottas by 17 points, and Verstappen finished under investigation after they banged wheels into the chicane following the tunnel exit two laps from the end. The Briton, whose medium tyres were so worn by that point that he questioned the team's strategy, was forced to cut the corner. "I don't know what you're thinking by keeping these tyres on man. You need to hope for a miracle," he had said earlier, keeping Verstappen -- on longer-lasting harder tyres -- behind him for lap after lap. The miracle, with Hamilton wearing a red helmet with Lauda's name and colours while the car carried a variety of tributes, duly happened as if by the late champion's celestial command. "That was an incredible drive. There was no one else who could have done that," Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles told him over the radio after he crossed the line. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc had created much of the early excitement of an entertaining race but was also the sole retirement, stepping out of the car in the pits with just 19 laps gone. The Monegasque, starting 16th, was up to 12th by the end of lap seven after overtaking McLaren's Lando Norris and Haas's Romain Grosjean at the hairpin and Rascasse. The youngster, who had vowed to be aggressive after a Ferrari's strategy blunder messed up his qualifying, then paid the price when he tried the same move on Renault's Nico Hulkenberg at Rascasse. Leclerc spun and picked up a right rear puncture, limping home to the pits on a rim and flailing rubber, losing a lap to the leaders and flinging out debris that led to a safety car period for marshals to sweep the track. Red Bull's Pierre Gasly finished fifth, with Carlos Saiunz sixth for McLaren followed by Toro Rosso pairing Daniil Kvyat and Alexander Albon. Renault's Daniel Ricciardo, last year's winner for Red Bull, was ninth and Romain Grosjean collected the final point for Haas.

Lewis Hamilton wins Monaco Grand Prix in the spirit of Lauda

Lewis Hamilton snatched a dramatic pole position for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix with an all-time circuit record lap in the final seconds to outpace Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.086 seconds.

The defending five-time champion and series leader clocked an unprecedented lap in 1min 10.166sec to end Bottas' run of three successive poles as Mercedes, mourning the death this week of non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, produced a record-equalling 62nd front-row lockout.

It was an emotional Hamilton's second pole in Monaco and the 84th of his career as he dug deep in the final seconds to find the speed required to grab the prime grid position from his team-mate.

"Whoooah!" shouted Hamilton on team radio. "That's what I am talking about…."

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, Pierre Gasly in the second Red Bull and Kevin Magnussen for Haas.

Last year's race winner Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for Renault ahead of Daniel Kvyat of Toro Rosso, Carlos Sainz of McLaren and Alex Albon in the second Toro Rosso.

"This is the race that every driver dreams of, even as a kid," said Hamilton.

"We've arrived with a great car, a great battle with Valtteri and I think the desire and the will to get this pole. I've had to dig deeper than ever before.

"We all take our cars, fast or slow, to the limit and here, at the limit, it's like wrestling a bull. I had an oversteer moment in the Rascasse and I just held on."

Bottas said: "I'm disappointed. I felt after the first lap there were plenty of places to improve, but I had traffic and couldn't get the tyres up to temperature."

Luckless local hero Charles Leclerc qualified 16th after a strategic muddle by Ferrari in the opening part of qualifying.

After Vettel’s crash in the morning’s final free practice session, Q1 began cautiously in the warmest conditions of the weekend, the track registering 44 degrees Celsius under a hazy sun.

Mercedes, as they feared, found the conditions testing and required longer to bring their tyres alive, but were soon first and third with Bottas and Hamilton sandwiching Verstappen.

Vettel then bounced his left rear wheel off the barriers in the swimming pool complex, requiring a rapid pit-stop.

He emerged with seconds remaining on shiny new 'softs' as Hamilton topped Bottas, but faced a desperate rush to re-climb from 17th – and exceeded expectations by going fastest in a frantic finale.&nbsp;

Leclerc was left standing in the Ferrari garage as he tumbled down the timesheets to finish 16th, the team not keeping him out after he missed a signal to the weighbridge.

He was pushed back to the scales, to avoid any penalty, but it was another example of Ferrari’s operational and decision-making failings.

"I need explanations," said Leclerc. "The problem was not the weighbridge and I have had no real answers. It is very difficult to take as we had plenty of time and enough fuel… Now, I must take risks in the race."

Out with an upset Leclerc, who was fastest in the morning, went Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, George Russell and Robert Kubica.

Q2 then began with a blistering record lap from Bottas in 1:10.701. Hamilton was one-tenth down for second with Verstappen third ahead of Kvyat.

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An incredible end to qualifying as <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> pips team mate Valtteri Bottas to pole in Monte Carlo<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MonacoGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MonacoGP</a> 🇲🇨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/uzhGYvlvft">pic.twitter.com/uzhGYvlvft</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1132295495307661313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2019</a></blockquote>
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With four minutes remaining, all 15 returned for a final flurry in which Verstappen topped Bottas in 1:10.618 – a record that suggested he might repeat Red Bull’s success, with Ricciardo, last year.

Out went Nico Hulkenberg, Lando Norris, Romain Grosjean, Kimi Raikkonen and his Alfa team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi, all bickering about the traffic and blocking before the top ten shootout.

On his first run, Bottas laid down a marker in a record 1:10.252 to lead the way ahead of Verstappen as Hamilton struggled for a clean lap, but all that changed on his final run.

Lewis Hamilton snatched a dramatic pole position for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix with an all-time circuit record lap in the final seconds to outpace Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.

Lewis Hamilton snatched a dramatic pole position for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix with an all-time circuit record lap in the final seconds to outpace Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas by 0.086 seconds. The defending five-time champion and series leader clocked an unprecedented lap in 1min 10.166sec to end Bottas' run of three successive poles as Mercedes, mourning the death this week of non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, produced a record-equalling 62nd front-row lockout. It was an emotional Hamilton's second pole in Monaco and the 84th of his career as he dug deep in the final seconds to find the speed required to grab the prime grid position from his team-mate. "Whoooah!" shouted Hamilton on team radio. "That's what I am talking about…." Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, Pierre Gasly in the second Red Bull and Kevin Magnussen for Haas. Last year's race winner Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for Renault ahead of Daniel Kvyat of Toro Rosso, Carlos Sainz of McLaren and Alex Albon in the second Toro Rosso. "This is the race that every driver dreams of, even as a kid," said Hamilton. "We've arrived with a great car, a great battle with Valtteri and I think the desire and the will to get this pole. I've had to dig deeper than ever before. "We all take our cars, fast or slow, to the limit and here, at the limit, it's like wrestling a bull. I had an oversteer moment in the Rascasse and I just held on." Bottas said: "I'm disappointed. I felt after the first lap there were plenty of places to improve, but I had traffic and couldn't get the tyres up to temperature." Luckless local hero Charles Leclerc qualified 16th after a strategic muddle by Ferrari in the opening part of qualifying. After Vettel’s crash in the morning’s final free practice session, Q1 began cautiously in the warmest conditions of the weekend, the track registering 44 degrees Celsius under a hazy sun. Mercedes, as they feared, found the conditions testing and required longer to bring their tyres alive, but were soon first and third with Bottas and Hamilton sandwiching Verstappen. Vettel then bounced his left rear wheel off the barriers in the swimming pool complex, requiring a rapid pit-stop. He emerged with seconds remaining on shiny new 'softs' as Hamilton topped Bottas, but faced a desperate rush to re-climb from 17th – and exceeded expectations by going fastest in a frantic finale. Leclerc was left standing in the Ferrari garage as he tumbled down the timesheets to finish 16th, the team not keeping him out after he missed a signal to the weighbridge. He was pushed back to the scales, to avoid any penalty, but it was another example of Ferrari’s operational and decision-making failings. "I need explanations," said Leclerc. "The problem was not the weighbridge and I have had no real answers. It is very difficult to take as we had plenty of time and enough fuel… Now, I must take risks in the race." Out with an upset Leclerc, who was fastest in the morning, went Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, George Russell and Robert Kubica. Q2 then began with a blistering record lap from Bottas in 1:10.701. Hamilton was one-tenth down for second with Verstappen third ahead of Kvyat. 👀 An incredible end to qualifying as @LewisHamilton pips team mate Valtteri Bottas to pole in Monte Carlo#MonacoGP 🇲🇨 #F1 pic.twitter.com/uzhGYvlvft — Formula 1 (@F1) May 25, 2019 × With four minutes remaining, all 15 returned for a final flurry in which Verstappen topped Bottas in 1:10.618 – a record that suggested he might repeat Red Bull’s success, with Ricciardo, last year. Out went Nico Hulkenberg, Lando Norris, Romain Grosjean, Kimi Raikkonen and his Alfa team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi, all bickering about the traffic and blocking before the top ten shootout. On his first run, Bottas laid down a marker in a record 1:10.252 to lead the way ahead of Verstappen as Hamilton struggled for a clean lap, but all that changed on his final run.

Lewis Hamilton snatches dramatic Monaco GP pole with record lap

Legendary Formula One driver Niki Lauda has died at the age of 70, his family said in a statement

Former F1 champion Niki Lauda dies at 70

From 1976 tragic accident to courting controversies, Niki Lauda will be remembered for his fighting spirit

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