The Azerbaijan Grand Prix concluded with a thrilling victory for Oscar Piastri, who managed to outperform Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' George Russell. The race was marked by unexpected turns, including a disappointing fifth-place finish for defending champion Max Verstappen and a dramatic crash between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz in the penultimate lap.

&nbsp;

The race initially saw Leclerc in the lead, maintaining a six-second advantage over Piastri before the first round of pit stops. Piastri's strategic pit stop on lap 16 allowed him to stay ahead of Perez, aided by his teammate Lando Norris who tactically held up the Red Bull driver. Leclerc pitted a lap later but struggled to warm up his hard tires quickly, giving Piastri the opportunity to overtake him on lap 20.

&nbsp;

From that point onwards, the race became an intense battle between Piastri and Leclerc, with the gap between them rarely exceeding one second. Piastri demonstrated exceptional skill in defending his position, consistently blocking Leclerc's attempts to overtake. The young McLaren driver's tactics proved crucial in maintaining his lead throughout the race.

&nbsp;

Piastri later commented on his aggressive overtaking maneuver, acknowledging the risk but emphasising its necessity. He recognised that failing to pass Leclerc early in the stint would have likely cost him the race. As the race progressed, Piastri managed to extend his lead in the final laps as Leclerc's tires began to degrade.

&nbsp;

The fight for third place took a dramatic turn when Perez and Sainz collided with just two laps remaining. This incident occurred as Sainz attempted to capitalize on Perez's mistake at the first corner. The resulting crash led to the race concluding under a Virtual Safety Car, securing Russell's third-place finish.

&nbsp;

The collision between Perez and Sainz sparked controversy, with Perez expressing frustration over the team radio and blaming team principal Christian Horner. Sainz, on the other hand, maintained that he had followed a normal racing line and didn't understand why the collision occurred.

&nbsp;

Further down the field, Fernando Alonso secured sixth place for Aston Martin, while Williams saw both Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto finish in the points. Lewis Hamilton, who started from the back due to engine issues, managed to climb to ninth position. The remaining points were claimed by Ollie Bearman for Haas.

&nbsp;

The race also saw several drivers recovering from penalties, including Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Zhou Guanyu, and Esteban Ocon. Unfortunately, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda were forced to retire due to crashes and damage.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix concluded with a thrilling victory for Oscar Piastri, who managed to outperform Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' George Russell.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix concluded with a thrilling victory for Oscar Piastri, who managed to outperform Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' George Russell. The race was marked by unexpected turns, including a disappointing fifth-place finish for defending champion Max Verstappen and a dramatic crash between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz in the penultimate lap. The race initially saw Leclerc in the lead, maintaining a six-second advantage over Piastri before the first round of pit stops. Piastri's strategic pit stop on lap 16 allowed him to stay ahead of Perez, aided by his teammate Lando Norris who tactically held up the Red Bull driver. Leclerc pitted a lap later but struggled to warm up his hard tires quickly, giving Piastri the opportunity to overtake him on lap 20. From that point onwards, the race became an intense battle between Piastri and Leclerc, with the gap between them rarely exceeding one second. Piastri demonstrated exceptional skill in defending his position, consistently blocking Leclerc's attempts to overtake. The young McLaren driver's tactics proved crucial in maintaining his lead throughout the race. Piastri later commented on his aggressive overtaking maneuver, acknowledging the risk but emphasising its necessity. He recognised that failing to pass Leclerc early in the stint would have likely cost him the race. As the race progressed, Piastri managed to extend his lead in the final laps as Leclerc's tires began to degrade. The fight for third place took a dramatic turn when Perez and Sainz collided with just two laps remaining. This incident occurred as Sainz attempted to capitalize on Perez's mistake at the first corner. The resulting crash led to the race concluding under a Virtual Safety Car, securing Russell's third-place finish. The collision between Perez and Sainz sparked controversy, with Perez expressing frustration over the team radio and blaming team principal Christian Horner. Sainz, on the other hand, maintained that he had followed a normal racing line and didn't understand why the collision occurred. Further down the field, Fernando Alonso secured sixth place for Aston Martin, while Williams saw both Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto finish in the points. Lewis Hamilton, who started from the back due to engine issues, managed to climb to ninth position. The remaining points were claimed by Ollie Bearman for Haas. The race also saw several drivers recovering from penalties, including Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Zhou Guanyu, and Esteban Ocon. Unfortunately, Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda were forced to retire due to crashes and damage.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri wins second time in one season

Max Verstappen declared "the fight is not over" as Red Bull head to Singapore this week having been knocked off the top of the constructors' world championship for the first time in two-and-a-half years. McLaren leapt into a 20-point lead after Oscar Piastri's masterful victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was compounded by Sergio Perez's late tangle with Carlos Sainz that ended with both in the wall.

McLaren's Lando Norris, who carved his way to fourth place after starting 15th on the grid, is hunting down the Dutchman Verstappen at the top of the drivers' standings. The triple world champion's lead has been reduced to 59 points with seven grands prix and three sprints to go, leaving a maximum of 207 points up for grabs.

Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races this season but he has not triumphed in the last seven as McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes have all taken race wins. Red Bull's influential adviser Helmut Marko said after Baku that they have no chance of retaining the constructors' championship, but Verstappen has not conceded yet.

"We are going to work together as a team and the fight is not over," declared Verstappen after coming fifth. "You win or lose as a team and we won't give up. It is as simple as that."

But history suggests that Verstappen's fortunes are unlikely to see an uptick around the unpredictable Marina Bay Circuit this weekend. Red Bull have consistently struggled under the lights in Singapore.&nbsp;

It was the only race Red Bull failed to win last year, Ferrari's Sainz taking the chequered flag to deny Verstappen a record-extending 11th consecutive GP victory. Norris was second. Verstappen has never won on the tight city-centre street circuit where tropical storms, intense humidity, concrete barriers, safety cars and red flags all add to the uncertainty.

Street circuit specialist Perez did win in Singapore in 2022, but that was Red Bull's only victory there since Sebastian Vettel in 2013.

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<h2>- McLaren milestone -</h2>

After a strong start to the campaign, Red Bull are on the back foot. "We have lost out on some significant points in the championship," team principal Christian Horner said after their messy Azerbaijan outing. "However, we will brush ourselves down and fight back hard."

McLaren, by contrast, are in buoyant mood as they target a first team world title since 1998. "First in the constructors' championship is an important milestone in our journey," said team principal Andrea Stella. "However, the team remain clearly focused on the task ahead. We quickly turn our attention to Singapore."

The high downforce track in Singapore has traditionally been of benefit to Mercedes.&nbsp; "We've also got lots of data to work through ahead of Singapore," said Lewis Hamilton, trying to take some positives from a ninth-place finish in Baku after an engine change forced him to start from the pit lane. "We've got some upgrades coming before the end of the year so hopefully we can make a step closer to those at the front soon."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc won at Monza but he could not make it two in a row after starting from pole position for the fourth year in a row at Baku and, as on the three previous occasions, failing to convert into a victory.&nbsp; "For sure we have a bit of frustration because we had the space and pace to win this weekend," lamented Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur.

In the end Leclerc did well to hang on to second after his hard tyres degraded badly behind Piastri in the second half of the race and then saw teammate Sainz's late crash in his mirrors. "It wasn't the best day for our team," said Leclerc, who is only 19 points behind Norris and still firmly in the hunt for the drivers' title. "But we now head to Singapore and will come back stronger."

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Max Verstappen declared "the fight is not over" as Red Bull head to Singapore this week having been knocked off the top of the constructors' world championship for the first time in two-and-a-half years.

Max Verstappen declared "the fight is not over" as Red Bull head to Singapore this week having been knocked off the top of the constructors' world championship for the first time in two-and-a-half years. McLaren leapt into a 20-point lead after Oscar Piastri's masterful victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was compounded by Sergio Perez's late tangle with Carlos Sainz that ended with both in the wall. McLaren's Lando Norris, who carved his way to fourth place after starting 15th on the grid, is hunting down the Dutchman Verstappen at the top of the drivers' standings. The triple world champion's lead has been reduced to 59 points with seven grands prix and three sprints to go, leaving a maximum of 207 points up for grabs. Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races this season but he has not triumphed in the last seven as McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes have all taken race wins. Red Bull's influential adviser Helmut Marko said after Baku that they have no chance of retaining the constructors' championship, but Verstappen has not conceded yet. "We are going to work together as a team and the fight is not over," declared Verstappen after coming fifth. "You win or lose as a team and we won't give up. It is as simple as that." But history suggests that Verstappen's fortunes are unlikely to see an uptick around the unpredictable Marina Bay Circuit this weekend. Red Bull have consistently struggled under the lights in Singapore. It was the only race Red Bull failed to win last year, Ferrari's Sainz taking the chequered flag to deny Verstappen a record-extending 11th consecutive GP victory. Norris was second. Verstappen has never won on the tight city-centre street circuit where tropical storms, intense humidity, concrete barriers, safety cars and red flags all add to the uncertainty. Street circuit specialist Perez did win in Singapore in 2022, but that was Red Bull's only victory there since Sebastian Vettel in 2013. Also read: Premier League 2024/25: Arsenal players not flustered by Erling Haaland's relentless form, says Jorginho - McLaren milestone - After a strong start to the campaign, Red Bull are on the back foot. "We have lost out on some significant points in the championship," team principal Christian Horner said after their messy Azerbaijan outing. "However, we will brush ourselves down and fight back hard." McLaren, by contrast, are in buoyant mood as they target a first team world title since 1998. "First in the constructors' championship is an important milestone in our journey," said team principal Andrea Stella. "However, the team remain clearly focused on the task ahead. We quickly turn our attention to Singapore." The high downforce track in Singapore has traditionally been of benefit to Mercedes. "We've also got lots of data to work through ahead of Singapore," said Lewis Hamilton, trying to take some positives from a ninth-place finish in Baku after an engine change forced him to start from the pit lane. "We've got some upgrades coming before the end of the year so hopefully we can make a step closer to those at the front soon." Ferrari's Charles Leclerc won at Monza but he could not make it two in a row after starting from pole position for the fourth year in a row at Baku and, as on the three previous occasions, failing to convert into a victory. "For sure we have a bit of frustration because we had the space and pace to win this weekend," lamented Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur. In the end Leclerc did well to hang on to second after his hard tyres degraded badly behind Piastri in the second half of the race and then saw teammate Sainz's late crash in his mirrors. "It wasn't the best day for our team," said Leclerc, who is only 19 points behind Norris and still firmly in the hunt for the drivers' title. "But we now head to Singapore and will come back stronger." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Singapore Grand Prix: Max Verstappen vows Red Bull 'fightback' as McLaren close in on points gap

Max Verstappen will look for an improved personal and team performance this weekend when Red Bull seek to stop the rot and stay on top in the Formula One title race at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After a run of six races without a win that has coincided with the revival of his rivals, the Dutchman arrives in&nbsp;Baku&nbsp;with a 62-point lead in the drivers' championship ahead of Lando Norris. His team's advantage ahead of McLaren has also been trimmed to only eight points.&nbsp;

Verstappen's and Red Bull's last victory, his 61st, came at the Spanish Grand Prix in June while team-mate Sergio Perez last won on the streets of&nbsp;Baku, claiming his sixth career triumph and second in Azerbaijan in last year's race.

Red Bull's supreme domination that has seen them leading the constructors' championship for more than two years, since the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, will end if McLaren outscore them by nine points on Sunday.

In the aftermath of Aston Martin's glossy unveiling of Red Bull's star designer Adrian Newey as future managing technical partner on Tuesday, another defeat to knock them off the top could be seen as significant.

Both Verstappen and Mexican Perez have been busy working on finding solutions to their slump in form since Charles Leclerc claimed victory for Ferrari at Monza on September 1.

"Monza was a tough race for us and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be," said Verstappen. "We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard on the issues we've had."

"We've had a good period of reflection and work since the last race," said Perez. "Both Max and I have been in the factory working to ensure we are finding a fix for the problems. "To get back to where we should be on the grid, it will take a team effort and you can see that every day in Milton Keynes. This has pulled us all together."

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<h2>- Perez leaning on&nbsp;Baku&nbsp;memories -</h2>

Perez finished eighth at Monza, two places behind three-time world champion Verstappen, while both Ferraris, both McLarens and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton filled the top five.

After a season of much speculation about his future at Red Bull following a string of poor results, he welcomes the return to a venue he likes. He is the only two-time winner in&nbsp;Baku&nbsp;and has scored more points there than any other driver.

"Personally, I love to race there," he said. "Street circuits suit my style and&nbsp;Baku&nbsp;is a fun track."

Ferrari will also be filled with hope in&nbsp;Baku&nbsp;after their success with an upgraded car at Monza where revisions to the floor and other areas proved successful.

But team chief Fred Vasseur stressed that the team will be focused on consistency and not checking the championship standings this weekend as they chase down Red Bull and McLaren.

"We have to focus on doing a good job every weekend and if something has to come to us, it will come. It's no good to focus on the championship and be conservative... everything can change so much from one week to the next."

With McLaren and Mercedes both claiming wins in recent races, a close scrap on the fast and challenging street track is in prospect, with Ferrari's reserve driver Oliver Bearman replacing Kevin Magnussen alongside Nico Hulkenberg at Haas.

Dane Magnussen has been banned after accumulating 12 penalty points.

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Max Verstappen will look for an improved personal and team performance this weekend when Red Bull seek to stop the rot and stay on top in the Formula One title race at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen will look for an improved personal and team performance this weekend when Red Bull seek to stop the rot and stay on top in the Formula One title race at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After a run of six races without a win that has coincided with the revival of his rivals, the Dutchman arrives in Baku with a 62-point lead in the drivers' championship ahead of Lando Norris. His team's advantage ahead of McLaren has also been trimmed to only eight points. Verstappen's and Red Bull's last victory, his 61st, came at the Spanish Grand Prix in June while team-mate Sergio Perez last won on the streets of Baku, claiming his sixth career triumph and second in Azerbaijan in last year's race. Red Bull's supreme domination that has seen them leading the constructors' championship for more than two years, since the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix, will end if McLaren outscore them by nine points on Sunday. In the aftermath of Aston Martin's glossy unveiling of Red Bull's star designer Adrian Newey as future managing technical partner on Tuesday, another defeat to knock them off the top could be seen as significant. Both Verstappen and Mexican Perez have been busy working on finding solutions to their slump in form since Charles Leclerc claimed victory for Ferrari at Monza on September 1. "Monza was a tough race for us and it is our priority to get our form back to where it needs to be," said Verstappen. "We always want to be more competitive and the team has been working hard on the issues we've had." "We've had a good period of reflection and work since the last race," said Perez. "Both Max and I have been in the factory working to ensure we are finding a fix for the problems. "To get back to where we should be on the grid, it will take a team effort and you can see that every day in Milton Keynes. This has pulled us all together." Also read: Formula 1 engine makers Honda and Alpine breach cost cap, announces FIA - Perez leaning on Baku memories - Perez finished eighth at Monza, two places behind three-time world champion Verstappen, while both Ferraris, both McLarens and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton filled the top five. After a season of much speculation about his future at Red Bull following a string of poor results, he welcomes the return to a venue he likes. He is the only two-time winner in Baku and has scored more points there than any other driver. "Personally, I love to race there," he said. "Street circuits suit my style and Baku is a fun track." Ferrari will also be filled with hope in Baku after their success with an upgraded car at Monza where revisions to the floor and other areas proved successful. But team chief Fred Vasseur stressed that the team will be focused on consistency and not checking the championship standings this weekend as they chase down Red Bull and McLaren. "We have to focus on doing a good job every weekend and if something has to come to us, it will come. It's no good to focus on the championship and be conservative... everything can change so much from one week to the next." With McLaren and Mercedes both claiming wins in recent races, a close scrap on the fast and challenging street track is in prospect, with Ferrari's reserve driver Oliver Bearman replacing Kevin Magnussen alongside Nico Hulkenberg at Haas. Dane Magnussen has been banned after accumulating 12 penalty points. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Max Verstappen, Red Bull seek to bounce back in Baku

Formula One design guru Adrian Newey said his aim is to turn Aston Martin into world champions after he was unveiled at the team's Silverstone headquarters on Tuesday. Newey, widely considered the greatest technical mastermind of his generation, has committed his long-term future to the British outfit after it was announced earlier this year that he would be leaving Red Bull.

Newey, who will start his new job in March 2025, joins as managing technical partner and will also become a shareholder. "I am thrilled to be joining Aston Martin," said the 65-year-old. "I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that (team owner) Lawrence (Stroll) brings to everything he is involved with. "Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport."

Newey will work with the team's drivers, Stroll's 25-year-old son, Lance, and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43. "This is huge news," said Lawrence Stroll. "Adrian is the best in the world at what he does -- he is at the top of his game -- and I am incredibly proud that he is joining Aston Martin. "It's the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships."

Red Bull announced in early May that Newey would be leaving the world champions and would step back from design duties to focus on final development and delivery of the RB17 hypercar.

Aston Martin are currently fifth in the constructors championship heading into the final stretch of the season. Newey, who will reportedly earn up to £30 million ($39 million) a year, has built a reputation as the greatest F1 designer in history after winning 12 drivers' championships and 13 constructors' titles in a career that spans the Williams, McLaren and Red Bull teams.

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He helped transform Red Bull from an energy drinks company into an F1 giant, with Sebastian Vettel landing four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013. Mercedes then emerged as the dominant force but Red Bull fought back to reclaim their spot at motor racing's summit, with Max Verstappen taking the 2021 title before storming to the next two championships.

The Dutch driver had looked on course to romp to a fourth consecutive title this season but his lead has been reduced to 62 points with eight races remaining.

Red Bull chief Christian Horner recently denied that Newey's departure has contributed to his team recent slump, which leaves Verstappen heading to this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku without a win in his past six races.

It was reported earlier this year that Newey became unsettled after Horner was accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by a female employee.

The team principal was cleared in February of wrongdoing by an internal investigation carried out by Red Bull's parent company before the employee was then suspended. An appeal was dismissed last month.

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Formula One design guru Adrian Newey said his aim is to turn Aston Martin into world champions after he was unveiled at the team's Silverstone headquarters on Tuesday.

Formula One design guru Adrian Newey said his aim is to turn Aston Martin into world champions after he was unveiled at the team's Silverstone headquarters on Tuesday. Newey, widely considered the greatest technical mastermind of his generation, has committed his long-term future to the British outfit after it was announced earlier this year that he would be leaving Red Bull. Newey, who will start his new job in March 2025, joins as managing technical partner and will also become a shareholder. "I am thrilled to be joining Aston Martin," said the 65-year-old. "I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that (team owner) Lawrence (Stroll) brings to everything he is involved with. "Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport." Newey will work with the team's drivers, Stroll's 25-year-old son, Lance, and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43. "This is huge news," said Lawrence Stroll. "Adrian is the best in the world at what he does -- he is at the top of his game -- and I am incredibly proud that he is joining Aston Martin. "It's the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships." Red Bull announced in early May that Newey would be leaving the world champions and would step back from design duties to focus on final development and delivery of the RB17 hypercar. Aston Martin are currently fifth in the constructors championship heading into the final stretch of the season. Newey, who will reportedly earn up to £30 million ($39 million) a year, has built a reputation as the greatest F1 designer in history after winning 12 drivers' championships and 13 constructors' titles in a career that spans the Williams, McLaren and Red Bull teams. Also read: France coach Didier Deschamps confident Kylian Mbappe will be among goals after regaining full fitness He helped transform Red Bull from an energy drinks company into an F1 giant, with Sebastian Vettel landing four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013. Mercedes then emerged as the dominant force but Red Bull fought back to reclaim their spot at motor racing's summit, with Max Verstappen taking the 2021 title before storming to the next two championships. The Dutch driver had looked on course to romp to a fourth consecutive title this season but his lead has been reduced to 62 points with eight races remaining. Red Bull chief Christian Horner recently denied that Newey's departure has contributed to his team recent slump, which leaves Verstappen heading to this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku without a win in his past six races. It was reported earlier this year that Newey became unsettled after Horner was accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by a female employee. The team principal was cleared in February of wrongdoing by an internal investigation carried out by Red Bull's parent company before the employee was then suspended. An appeal was dismissed last month. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula One design guru Adrian Newey joins Aston Martin, to commence in March 2025

British teenager Oliver Bearman will replace suspended Dane Kevin Magnussen in the Haas lineup for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next weekend, the US team announced on Friday.

Bearman will step in alongside Nico Hulkenberg after Magnussen was given a one-race suspension.

The 19-year-old previously stepped in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia this season, after the Spaniard was taken to hospital with appendicitis, and finished seventh.

“It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep time and so on, but I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Scuderia Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience," said Bearman.&nbsp;

"I’ve also had four FP1 sessions with... Haas F1 Team in the VF-24 already this season, so undoubtedly that will also prove to be valuable in tackling the full race weekend in Baku."

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Magnussen reached 12 penalty points in a 12-month period after a collision with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly during the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Magnussen is the first driver to receive this sanction since the penalty system was introduced ten years ago.

"I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku," said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu.&nbsp;

"This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend."

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British teenager Oliver Bearman will replace suspended Dane Kevin Magnussen in the Haas lineup for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next weekend, the US team announced on Friday.

British teenager Oliver Bearman will replace suspended Dane Kevin Magnussen in the Haas lineup for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next weekend, the US team announced on Friday. Bearman will step in alongside Nico Hulkenberg after Magnussen was given a one-race suspension. The 19-year-old previously stepped in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia this season, after the Spaniard was taken to hospital with appendicitis, and finished seventh. “It’s definitely more of a challenge stepping in to race as a reserve driver, with limited prep time and so on, but I’m in the fortunate position of having done it earlier in the year with Scuderia Ferrari, so I can at least call on that experience," said Bearman. "I’ve also had four FP1 sessions with... Haas F1 Team in the VF-24 already this season, so undoubtedly that will also prove to be valuable in tackling the full race weekend in Baku." ALSO READ | Paris Paralympics 2024: India's Praveen Kumar wins gold medal in Men's High Jump - T64 event Magnussen reached 12 penalty points in a 12-month period after a collision with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly during the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. Magnussen is the first driver to receive this sanction since the penalty system was introduced ten years ago. "I’m excited that Ollie will be driving the VF-24 alongside Nico in Baku," said Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. "This is another excellent opportunity for both Ollie and the team to work together, this time throughout an entire race weekend." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula One: Oliver Bearman to replace Kevin Magnussen for Haas at Azerbaijan GP

Formula&nbsp;One's governing body, the FIA, responded to concerns about flexing front wings on the McLaren and Mercedes cars by saying on Tuesday that all teams were compliant with the regulations. Ferrari and Red Bull bosses raised questions, without formally objecting, after Sunday's Italian Grand Prix which Ferrari won with a bold tyre strategy after McLaren locked out the front row in qualifying.

Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko said after his team's championship leader Max Verstappen trailed home sixth that "the front wing of McLaren and Mercedes must be analysed." Team boss Christian Horner said then that the wording of the regulations needed looking at, even if all front wings had passed inspection.

McLaren have made a remarkable turnaround this season, struggling initially but now reckoned to have the fastest car, with the team only eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings. Mercedes have also come back strongly, winning three races. The FIA's technical department said in a statement that it carried out front wing checks at every race.

"All front wings are currently compliant with the 2024 regulations," it said. The FIA added that it had gathered more data since the Belgian Grand Prix in July by using on-board video cameras in Friday practice to assess front wing movement by targeting areas not visible with official&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;cameras.

"This exercise will continue at least up until Singapore to ensure every team will have been running the mandated FIA camera on different types of tracks (low, medium, high and very high downforce)," it added. "This will ensure a large database allowing the FIA to draw the most objective picture of the situation and quantify differences between the various dynamic patterns observed on track."

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Singapore is the 18th of 24 races on Sep&nbsp;22, following on from Azerbaijan on Sept 15. The FIA said the front wing had been a "challenging area" for years because aerodynamic loading patterns varied between teams.

The governing body said it had the right to introduce new tests if irregularities were suspected but there were no plans for anything in the short-term. "We are evaluating the situation with the medium and long-term in mind," it added.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Formula One's governing body, the FIA, responded to concerns about flexing front wings on the McLaren and Mercedes cars by saying on Tuesday that all teams were compliant with the regulations.

Formula One's governing body, the FIA, responded to concerns about flexing front wings on the McLaren and Mercedes cars by saying on Tuesday that all teams were compliant with the regulations. Ferrari and Red Bull bosses raised questions, without formally objecting, after Sunday's Italian Grand Prix which Ferrari won with a bold tyre strategy after McLaren locked out the front row in qualifying. Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko said after his team's championship leader Max Verstappen trailed home sixth that "the front wing of McLaren and Mercedes must be analysed." Team boss Christian Horner said then that the wording of the regulations needed looking at, even if all front wings had passed inspection. McLaren have made a remarkable turnaround this season, struggling initially but now reckoned to have the fastest car, with the team only eight points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings. Mercedes have also come back strongly, winning three races. The FIA's technical department said in a statement that it carried out front wing checks at every race. "All front wings are currently compliant with the 2024 regulations," it said. The FIA added that it had gathered more data since the Belgian Grand Prix in July by using on-board video cameras in Friday practice to assess front wing movement by targeting areas not visible with official Formula One cameras. "This exercise will continue at least up until Singapore to ensure every team will have been running the mandated FIA camera on different types of tracks (low, medium, high and very high downforce)," it added. "This will ensure a large database allowing the FIA to draw the most objective picture of the situation and quantify differences between the various dynamic patterns observed on track." Also read: Frances Tiafoe sets up all-American US Open semifinal, sets up clash with Taylor Fritz Singapore is the 18th of 24 races on Sep 22, following on from Azerbaijan on Sept 15. The FIA said the front wing had been a "challenging area" for years because aerodynamic loading patterns varied between teams. The governing body said it had the right to introduce new tests if irregularities were suspected but there were no plans for anything in the short-term. "We are evaluating the situation with the medium and long-term in mind," it added. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

FIA responds to front wing issues, says all F1 teams comply

Red Bull's loss of form after dominating last season stems from car balance issues creating a vicious circle for the Formula One champions, according to team boss Christian Horner. The team won 21 of 22 races in 2023, the most one-sided campaign ever, with triple champion Max Verstappen taking 19 of those victories. Sunday's Italian Grand Prix stretched Red Bull and Verstappen's losing streak to six races and left the Dutch driver 62 points clear of McLaren's Lando Norris with eight rounds remaining.

Verstappen told reporters at Monza after finishing sixth that his car had become a monster, and felt both titles were now at risk. "I think this circuit has exposed the deficiencies that we have in the car versus last year," said Horner, speaking to media in the team hospitality. "You can see that we have a disconnection in balance that just isn't working. "As soon as you end up in that situation, you're harder on tyres. You end up compensating, you move the balance around, you secure one problem and you create another. So you just end up in a vicious circle.

"I think it's been there for some time. I think actually really going through the data, there were issues there at the beginning of the year in the characteristic. "I think others have obviously made a step and as we've pushed the package harder it's exposed the issue."

Some of that, he added, had been seen as far back as Austin last year when Red Bull were three races into a seven-race winning run. The Briton said Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez had tried to compensate by calming the rear of the car but that had consequences for the front, resulting in understeer and excessive tyre wear.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-italian-grand-prix-ferraris-charles-leclerc-wins-at-monza-as-red-bulls-max-verstappen-struggles-755094">Italian Grand Prix: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc wins at Monza as Red Bull's Max Verstappen struggles</a>

He said Ferrari winning rather than McLaren was a help but Red Bull needed to find a quick solution or suffer the consequences. "Based on today's performance, you'd say both (titles) are under absolute pressure," he added. "We were the fourth fastest car today and that's the reality. We've got to turn it around."

Horner recognised there was a discrepancy between the data emerging from the wind tunnel and that seen at the track but said the McLaren appeared to be simpler and more effective. "Perhaps we've gone a little too complex and perhaps we need to simplify a few things," he added. "When the car is in the (performance) window, it works as predicted or closer to prediction. But that window is so small, that's what we have to work on. We have to broaden its operating window."

Despite Verstappen's concern, Horner said the champion was showing no sign of panic. "He's working with the engineers, he's explaining very clearly where the issues are, he's putting the time and effort in," he said. "He was in early this morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he'll be on the simulator before the next race and he's really working hard at this."

Red Bull's loss of form after dominating last season stems from car balance issues creating a vicious circle for the Formula One champions, according to team boss Christian Horner.

Red Bull's loss of form after dominating last season stems from car balance issues creating a vicious circle for the Formula One champions, according to team boss Christian Horner. The team won 21 of 22 races in 2023, the most one-sided campaign ever, with triple champion Max Verstappen taking 19 of those victories. Sunday's Italian Grand Prix stretched Red Bull and Verstappen's losing streak to six races and left the Dutch driver 62 points clear of McLaren's Lando Norris with eight rounds remaining. Verstappen told reporters at Monza after finishing sixth that his car had become a monster, and felt both titles were now at risk. "I think this circuit has exposed the deficiencies that we have in the car versus last year," said Horner, speaking to media in the team hospitality. "You can see that we have a disconnection in balance that just isn't working. "As soon as you end up in that situation, you're harder on tyres. You end up compensating, you move the balance around, you secure one problem and you create another. So you just end up in a vicious circle. "I think it's been there for some time. I think actually really going through the data, there were issues there at the beginning of the year in the characteristic. "I think others have obviously made a step and as we've pushed the package harder it's exposed the issue." Some of that, he added, had been seen as far back as Austin last year when Red Bull were three races into a seven-race winning run. The Briton said Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez had tried to compensate by calming the rear of the car but that had consequences for the front, resulting in understeer and excessive tyre wear. Also read: Italian Grand Prix: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc wins at Monza as Red Bull's Max Verstappen struggles He said Ferrari winning rather than McLaren was a help but Red Bull needed to find a quick solution or suffer the consequences. "Based on today's performance, you'd say both (titles) are under absolute pressure," he added. "We were the fourth fastest car today and that's the reality. We've got to turn it around." Horner recognised there was a discrepancy between the data emerging from the wind tunnel and that seen at the track but said the McLaren appeared to be simpler and more effective. "Perhaps we've gone a little too complex and perhaps we need to simplify a few things," he added. "When the car is in the (performance) window, it works as predicted or closer to prediction. But that window is so small, that's what we have to work on. We have to broaden its operating window." Despite Verstappen's concern, Horner said the champion was showing no sign of panic. "He's working with the engineers, he's explaining very clearly where the issues are, he's putting the time and effort in," he said. "He was in early this morning, he was on Zoom calls last week, he'll be on the simulator before the next race and he's really working hard at this."

Italian Grand Prix: Christian Horner says Red Bull are caught in a vicious circle amid dip in form

An Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car, utilized in Formula 1, was involved in a crash during preparations for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, driven by the seasoned racer Bernd Maylander. Dramatic footage of the incident reveals that as the car approached the high-speed Parabolica corner at the end of the back straight, it began to lose stability. Shortly thereafter, Maylander executed a Scandinavian Flick maneuver, which sent the Aston Martin into a slide. The vehicle then spun through the gravel trap and collided with the crash barriers at a significant speed.

&nbsp;

Aston Martin has stated that it is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash but has not yet provided a detailed explanation of the events leading up to it. Speculation has arisen regarding a potential brake failure, as the car’s nose appeared to maintain a steady position rather than dipping down, indicating that Maylander may have been unable to decelerate adequately for the corner. Faced with the imminent crash, he might have opted to initiate the slide to reduce speed, fully aware that a collision with the barriers was unavoidable.

&nbsp;

Fortunately, both Maylander and his passenger emerged from the wreckage unscathed. In an official statement, Aston Martin confirmed, “There was an on-track incident with the FIA Safety Car today at Monza. Aston Martin is investigating the cause but can confirm that both the driver and passenger are fine. An additional Safety Car is present at the circuit, ensuring that the weekend’s events will proceed as planned”.

&nbsp;

The Aston Martin Vantage shares its role as a Safety Car with the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. For the 2024 season, the Vantage has been updated, featuring enhancements that boost its twin-turbocharged V8 engine to deliver an additional 153 horsepower and 85 lb-ft (115 Nm) of torque. This update comes in response to feedback from several F1 drivers who had previously criticized the pre-facelift Vantage for being underpowered, especially when compared to the more track-oriented Mercedes-AMG models.

An Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car, utilized in Formula 1, was involved in a crash during preparations for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, driven by the seasoned racer Bernd Maylander.

An Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car, utilized in Formula 1, was involved in a crash during preparations for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, driven by the seasoned racer Bernd Maylander. Dramatic footage of the incident reveals that as the car approached the high-speed Parabolica corner at the end of the back straight, it began to lose stability. Shortly thereafter, Maylander executed a Scandinavian Flick maneuver, which sent the Aston Martin into a slide. The vehicle then spun through the gravel trap and collided with the crash barriers at a significant speed. Aston Martin has stated that it is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash but has not yet provided a detailed explanation of the events leading up to it. Speculation has arisen regarding a potential brake failure, as the car’s nose appeared to maintain a steady position rather than dipping down, indicating that Maylander may have been unable to decelerate adequately for the corner. Faced with the imminent crash, he might have opted to initiate the slide to reduce speed, fully aware that a collision with the barriers was unavoidable. Fortunately, both Maylander and his passenger emerged from the wreckage unscathed. In an official statement, Aston Martin confirmed, “There was an on-track incident with the FIA Safety Car today at Monza. Aston Martin is investigating the cause but can confirm that both the driver and passenger are fine. An additional Safety Car is present at the circuit, ensuring that the weekend’s events will proceed as planned”. The Aston Martin Vantage shares its role as a Safety Car with the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. For the 2024 season, the Vantage has been updated, featuring enhancements that boost its twin-turbocharged V8 engine to deliver an additional 153 horsepower and 85 lb-ft (115 Nm) of torque. This update comes in response to feedback from several F1 drivers who had previously criticized the pre-facelift Vantage for being underpowered, especially when compared to the more track-oriented Mercedes-AMG models.

Aston Martin’s F1 safety car smashed in high-speed monza crash

Max Verstappen heads to the Italian Grand Prix with his unbeatable aura fading and a fourth straight world championship looking far less certain than before Formula One's summer break. Dutchman Verstappen hasn't won since claiming the honours at the Spanish GP back in June, a five-race drought which has put the brakes on his title charge and Red Bull's dominance of F1.

Failing to win at his home GP for the first time in four years last weekend was further sign of the 26-year-old's slipping grip on the driver's crown. And the manner in which he finished behind Lando Norris highlighted the problems with his car which led to an expletive-filled during qualifying.

Verstappen finished nearly 23 seconds behind Norris as McLaren showed that they had the best set-up on the grid and forced a previously unstoppable driver to accept a humbling defeat after being overtaken on lap 18.

"There was nothing that I could do, so once he passed, I just focused on doing my race, tried to bring it to the end in second," said Verstappen after the race. "The last few races already haven't really been fantastic. So that, I think in a sense, was already a bit alarming. But we know that we don't need to panic."

McLaren's improved car has every chance at Monza too, where Verstappen has bullied the opposition and in particular home team Ferrari the past two years.

However Verstappen still has a 70-point lead in the driver's championship and his closest challenger Norris called the idea of pipping him to the world title "stupid" as the reigning champion has finished on the podium in 10 of this season's 15 races, winning seven.

And even though he is no longer blowing away the opposition Verstappen at least didn't blow his top during the race at Zandvoort, instead using his considerable talent at the wheel to ensure second place. &nbsp;

"You've got to drive with the championship in mind," said team principle Christian Horner. "There have been seven different race winners this year. So, if you can't win, then you've got to be scoring the points."

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<h2>- Ferrari the team to beat? -</h2>

Horner was also referring to the constructors' championship which is even tighter due to the continued struggles of Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, who is 156 points back in seventh and whose position at Red Bull is subject to constant speculation.&nbsp;

McLaren are just 30 points behind Red Bull while Ferrari, 64 points back in third, will be hoping to put recent Monza disappointments behind them as the Scuderia have an outside chance of their first constructor's title since 2008.

Ferrari have had a driver on pole position at each of the last two Monza GPs only to lose out both times to Verstappen on home soil.

Charles Leclerc, whose second place behind Verstappen two years ago was particularly bitter as the Dutchman started the race seventh on the grid, won a brilliant battle with Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri for third at Zandvoort.

That finish, and Carlos Sainz battling back to fifth, gave some heart to downbeat Ferrari ahead of their home GP, where they will have similarly fanatical support to what Verstappen received in the Netherlands.

Former Ferrari man Fernando Alonso went as far as to say that the iconic Italian outfit will be the favourite at Monza and the following Azerbaijan GP.

"Ferrari will be the car to beat... I'd like to be in their condition," said Aston Martin driver Alonso to AS. "I think that Mercedes will be a bit more up and down but McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari will be fighting for the podium."

Franco Colapinto will become the first Argentine F1 driver since Gaston Mazzacane 23 years ago after replacing Logan Sargeant on Tuesday.

A Monza debut is fitting for the 23-year-old, who is of Italian heritage and will be aiming to increase Williams' paltry constructors points tally of four.

Max Verstappen heads to the Italian Grand Prix with his unbeatable aura fading and a fourth straight world championship looking far less certain than before Formula One's summer break.

Max Verstappen heads to the Italian Grand Prix with his unbeatable aura fading and a fourth straight world championship looking far less certain than before Formula One's summer break. Dutchman Verstappen hasn't won since claiming the honours at the Spanish GP back in June, a five-race drought which has put the brakes on his title charge and Red Bull's dominance of F1. Failing to win at his home GP for the first time in four years last weekend was further sign of the 26-year-old's slipping grip on the driver's crown. And the manner in which he finished behind Lando Norris highlighted the problems with his car which led to an expletive-filled during qualifying. Verstappen finished nearly 23 seconds behind Norris as McLaren showed that they had the best set-up on the grid and forced a previously unstoppable driver to accept a humbling defeat after being overtaken on lap 18. "There was nothing that I could do, so once he passed, I just focused on doing my race, tried to bring it to the end in second," said Verstappen after the race. "The last few races already haven't really been fantastic. So that, I think in a sense, was already a bit alarming. But we know that we don't need to panic." McLaren's improved car has every chance at Monza too, where Verstappen has bullied the opposition and in particular home team Ferrari the past two years. However Verstappen still has a 70-point lead in the driver's championship and his closest challenger Norris called the idea of pipping him to the world title "stupid" as the reigning champion has finished on the podium in 10 of this season's 15 races, winning seven. And even though he is no longer blowing away the opposition Verstappen at least didn't blow his top during the race at Zandvoort, instead using his considerable talent at the wheel to ensure second place. "You've got to drive with the championship in mind," said team principle Christian Horner. "There have been seven different race winners this year. So, if you can't win, then you've got to be scoring the points." Also read: Uganda footballer Juan Izquierdo, 27, dies days after collapsing on pitch during match - Ferrari the team to beat? - Horner was also referring to the constructors' championship which is even tighter due to the continued struggles of Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, who is 156 points back in seventh and whose position at Red Bull is subject to constant speculation. McLaren are just 30 points behind Red Bull while Ferrari, 64 points back in third, will be hoping to put recent Monza disappointments behind them as the Scuderia have an outside chance of their first constructor's title since 2008. Ferrari have had a driver on pole position at each of the last two Monza GPs only to lose out both times to Verstappen on home soil. Charles Leclerc, whose second place behind Verstappen two years ago was particularly bitter as the Dutchman started the race seventh on the grid, won a brilliant battle with Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri for third at Zandvoort. That finish, and Carlos Sainz battling back to fifth, gave some heart to downbeat Ferrari ahead of their home GP, where they will have similarly fanatical support to what Verstappen received in the Netherlands. Former Ferrari man Fernando Alonso went as far as to say that the iconic Italian outfit will be the favourite at Monza and the following Azerbaijan GP. "Ferrari will be the car to beat... I'd like to be in their condition," said Aston Martin driver Alonso to AS. "I think that Mercedes will be a bit more up and down but McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari will be fighting for the podium." Franco Colapinto will become the first Argentine F1 driver since Gaston Mazzacane 23 years ago after replacing Logan Sargeant on Tuesday. A Monza debut is fitting for the 23-year-old, who is of Italian heritage and will be aiming to increase Williams' paltry constructors points tally of four.

Italian GP: Embattled Max Verstappen heads to Monza with F1 dominance under dark clouds

Williams boss James Vowles said he was surprised top Formula One teams Red Bull and Mercedes had not signed Carlos Sainz before he sealed a deal that started with a discussion in Abu Dhabi last November. The former champions announced on Monday, a day after the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, that triple race winner Sainz had signed for Williams in 2025 and 2026 with options to extend.

"I rate him as one of the top four drivers if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid. Why wouldn’t you want that in your stable," Vowles told reporters on a video call on Tuesday. "Look at every team he has been in. They have improved significantly. And I get why, after spending the last nine months talking to him at least weekly if not daily.

"What I’ve realised with him is that he is a performance machine. He absolutely will do everything it takes within his power to not transform just himself, but the team around him as well at the same time."

Vowles said he would have Sainz alongside triple world champion Max Verstappen instead of Sergio Perez if he was in charge of Red Bull, whose advantage in the standings is being whittled away by McLaren.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-ferraris-outgoing-carlos-sainz-signs-two-year-deal-with-williams-amid-complex-driver-market-745610">Ferrari's outgoing Carlos Sainz signs two-year deal with Williams amid 'complex' driver market</a>

Verstappen has won seven times this season while Perez has struggled. Mercedes are expected to go for youth, with young Italian protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli set to replace seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Talks between Vowles and Sainz started long before Hamilton decided to leave Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Vowles said it had been a rollercoaster journey, with secret meetings in hotel rooms around the world.

"From the beginning I gave him, warts and all, here's what's going to happen," he said. "We are going to go backwards, here's why, here's what we are investing in, here's what's coming, here's why I'm excited by this project. And it's your choice."

Williams are ninth of 10 teams in the constructors' standings. Sainz was sought by Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026, and Renault-owned Alpine. But Sauber are last of all while Alpine are struggling in eighth. Vowles said beating two manufacturers to the Spaniard's signature was one of the proudest moments of his career but also a process that had kept him on tenterhooks.

"What he's buying into is what can we provide over the next two years, what's the direction of travel?" said the boss. He said only 10 people knew the details of the contract, so media reports of exit clauses were just speculation, and Sainz was committed to Williams.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience. 
&nbsp;

Williams boss James Vowles said he was surprised top Formula One teams Red Bull and Mercedes had not signed Carlos Sainz before he sealed a deal that started with a discussion in Abu Dhabi last November.

Williams boss James Vowles said he was surprised top Formula One teams Red Bull and Mercedes had not signed Carlos Sainz before he sealed a deal that started with a discussion in Abu Dhabi last November. The former champions announced on Monday, a day after the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, that triple race winner Sainz had signed for Williams in 2025 and 2026 with options to extend. "I rate him as one of the top four drivers if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid. Why wouldn’t you want that in your stable," Vowles told reporters on a video call on Tuesday. "Look at every team he has been in. They have improved significantly. And I get why, after spending the last nine months talking to him at least weekly if not daily. "What I’ve realised with him is that he is a performance machine. He absolutely will do everything it takes within his power to not transform just himself, but the team around him as well at the same time." Vowles said he would have Sainz alongside triple world champion Max Verstappen instead of Sergio Perez if he was in charge of Red Bull, whose advantage in the standings is being whittled away by McLaren. Also read: Ferrari's outgoing Carlos Sainz signs two-year deal with Williams amid 'complex' driver market Verstappen has won seven times this season while Perez has struggled. Mercedes are expected to go for youth, with young Italian protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli set to replace seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton. Talks between Vowles and Sainz started long before Hamilton decided to leave Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Vowles said it had been a rollercoaster journey, with secret meetings in hotel rooms around the world. "From the beginning I gave him, warts and all, here's what's going to happen," he said. "We are going to go backwards, here's why, here's what we are investing in, here's what's coming, here's why I'm excited by this project. And it's your choice." Williams are ninth of 10 teams in the constructors' standings. Sainz was sought by Sauber, who will become Audi in 2026, and Renault-owned Alpine. But Sauber are last of all while Alpine are struggling in eighth. Vowles said beating two manufacturers to the Spaniard's signature was one of the proudest moments of his career but also a process that had kept him on tenterhooks. "What he's buying into is what can we provide over the next two years, what's the direction of travel?" said the boss. He said only 10 people knew the details of the contract, so media reports of exit clauses were just speculation, and Sainz was committed to Williams. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Williams boss James Vowles surprised Red Bull and Mercedes did not chase Ferrari star Carlos Sainz

Carlos&nbsp;Sainz&nbsp;announced Monday that he had signed a two-year deal to race for Williams starting from the 2025 season amid what he said was an "exceptionally complex" market for Formula One drivers. The 29-year-old Spaniard will leave Ferrari at the end of the 2024 campaign after seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was announced as his replacement at the Italian giants earlier this year.

Sainz&nbsp;has won three F1 races so far in his career, the most recent at the Australian Grand Prix in March. Having previously driven for Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren,&nbsp;Sainz&nbsp;had been linked with several teams for the 2025 season including Alpine, Sauber and Mercedes.

But on Monday it was confirmed he had agreed an initial two-year deal at Williams, with an option to extend. "I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards,"&nbsp;Sainz&nbsp;said in a team statement. "It is no secret that this year's driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision."

He added: "However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport. "The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity."

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Sainz&nbsp;will replace Logan Sargeant at Williams, where he will partner Alex Albon. Founded in 1977 by the late Frank Williams, the team have won nine F1 Constructors' Championships and seven drivers' titles, with Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve all crowned world champion while at Williams.

But Williams have struggled in recent seasons and last took a podium finish in 2021, while their last race victory came via Pastor Maldonado's shock win back at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.

"Carlos joining Williams is a strong statement of intent from both parties," said Williams team principal James Vowles. "Carlos has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we are on."

Carlos Sainz announced Monday that he had signed a two-year deal to race for Williams starting from the 2025 season amid what he said was an "exceptionally complex" market for Formula One drivers.

Carlos Sainz announced Monday that he had signed a two-year deal to race for Williams starting from the 2025 season amid what he said was an "exceptionally complex" market for Formula One drivers. The 29-year-old Spaniard will leave Ferrari at the end of the 2024 campaign after seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was announced as his replacement at the Italian giants earlier this year. Sainz has won three F1 races so far in his career, the most recent at the Australian Grand Prix in March. Having previously driven for Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, Sainz had been linked with several teams for the 2025 season including Alpine, Sauber and Mercedes. But on Monday it was confirmed he had agreed an initial two-year deal at Williams, with an option to extend. "I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards," Sainz said in a team statement. "It is no secret that this year's driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision." He added: "However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport. "The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity." Also read: Paris Games: Netizens HAIL Manu Bhaker for HISTORIC FEAT after bronze in mixed 10m air pistol event Sainz will replace Logan Sargeant at Williams, where he will partner Alex Albon. Founded in 1977 by the late Frank Williams, the team have won nine F1 Constructors' Championships and seven drivers' titles, with Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve all crowned world champion while at Williams. But Williams have struggled in recent seasons and last took a podium finish in 2021, while their last race victory came via Pastor Maldonado's shock win back at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix. "Carlos joining Williams is a strong statement of intent from both parties," said Williams team principal James Vowles. "Carlos has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we are on."

Ferrari's outgoing Carlos Sainz signs two-year deal with Williams amid 'complex' driver market

French driver Esteban Ocon has signed a multi-year deal to drive for Haas, the American Formula One team announced on Thursday ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix.&nbsp;

The 27-year-old makes the move from Alpine as a replacement for Kevin Magnussen, whose departure was confirmed earlier this month.

"I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my Formula 1 career," said Ocon.&nbsp;

"I'll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me."

Ocon, who has raced in 146 grands prix, will be joining his fourth F1 team after Manor, Force India and Renault, now known as Alpine.

He claimed both his and Alpine's sole win so far at the rain-hit Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021.

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"It was important to me that we have a driver with a known pedigree in Formula 1, and as a grand prix winner, Esteban undoubtedly fits that brief," said team owner Gene Haas.

"Esteban's proved himself in the teams he's raced for as someone who's continually in the mix and scoring points. It's that continuity we're keen to capitalise on as we look for increased performance gains on-track."&nbsp;

Ocon, who made his F1 debut in 2016, announced he was splitting with Alpine in June, a week after he collided with his team-mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco.

Next season he will team up with 19-year-old British driver Oliver Bearman, who finished seventh in Jeddah after stepping in at late notice for Carlos Sainz in his only F1 start.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

French driver Esteban Ocon has signed a multi-year deal to drive for Haas, the American Formula One team announced on Thursday ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. The 27-year-old makes the move from Alpine as a replacement for Kevin Magnussen, whose departure was confirmed earlier this month.

French driver Esteban Ocon has signed a multi-year deal to drive for Haas, the American Formula One team announced on Thursday ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix. The 27-year-old makes the move from Alpine as a replacement for Kevin Magnussen, whose departure was confirmed earlier this month. "I am thrilled to embark on this new chapter in my Formula 1 career," said Ocon. "I'll be joining a very ambitious racing team, whose spirit, work ethic, and undeniable upward trajectory has really impressed me." Ocon, who has raced in 146 grands prix, will be joining his fourth F1 team after Manor, Force India and Renault, now known as Alpine. He claimed both his and Alpine's sole win so far at the rain-hit Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021. ALSO READ | SL v IND 2024: SL seamer Nuwan Thushara to miss India T20Is with broken finger, Chameera also ruled out "It was important to me that we have a driver with a known pedigree in Formula 1, and as a grand prix winner, Esteban undoubtedly fits that brief," said team owner Gene Haas. "Esteban's proved himself in the teams he's raced for as someone who's continually in the mix and scoring points. It's that continuity we're keen to capitalise on as we look for increased performance gains on-track." Ocon, who made his F1 debut in 2016, announced he was splitting with Alpine in June, a week after he collided with his team-mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco. Next season he will team up with 19-year-old British driver Oliver Bearman, who finished seventh in Jeddah after stepping in at late notice for Carlos Sainz in his only F1 start. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Formula One: French driver Esteban Ocon signs for 'ambitious' F1 team Haas

Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will lead Audi's Formula One project from August&nbsp;1 with bosses Oliver Hoffmann and Andreas Seidl leaving in a major management shake-up announced on Tuesday. The German manufacturer said Binotto had been appointed Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer at Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport, whose entry will become the factory Audi team in 2026 when the sport enters a new engine era.

Binotto will have "responsibility and accountability for the operative management and sporting success of the racing team," Audi added. Hoffmann previously had overall responsibility for the project as chairman of the Boards of Directors of all Sauber companies while former McLaren principal Seidl was CEO of Sauber Motorsport and effectively ran the team.

"I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Mattia Binotto for our ambitious Formula One project," said Audi CEO Gernot Doellner in a statement. "With his extensive experience of more than 25 years in Formula One, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution for Audi."

Swiss-educated Binotto joined Ferrari in 1995 and was appointed principal of the Italian team in 2019. He resigned in November 2022, after another disappointing season for the sport's oldest and most successful team, and was replaced at Maranello by Fred Vasseur, who was previously at Sauber.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-excluding-boxing-from-la-games-would-be-a-crime---australian-boxers-743762">Paris Olympics: Excluding boxing from LA Games 'would be a crime' - Australian boxers</a>

Seidl was appointed in December 2022 as Vasseur's replacement but the Swiss team have endured speculation about Audi's intentions and the possibility of terminating the project. Audi, which is making its own F1 power unit in Neuburg in Bavaria and said last March it would take 100% ownership of Sauber, declared in Tuesday's statement that preparations were "going full speed ahead".

The carmaker said the decision to bring in Binotto was part of a realignment to ensure the autonomy and independence of the project.

"Our aim is to bring the entire Formula One project up to F1 speed by means of clear management structures, defined responsibilities, reduced interfaces, and efficient decision-making processes," said Doellner. "For this purpose, the team must be able to act independently and quickly."

Sauber are the only team yet to score a point in 13 races this season, with China's Guanyu Zhou and Finland's Valtteri Bottas facing an uncertain future beyond 2024. The Swiss team have already announced the signing of German driver Nico Hulkenberg from Haas and have been chasing Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who is being replaced by seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton next year.

The likelihood of Sainz joining Audi appeared to have waned recently, given uncertainty about the 2026 engine and Sauber's lack of form, with Renault-owned Alpine also increasingly interested. Alpine have also under-performed this season, however, and recently brought in former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore as a consultant.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will lead Audi's Formula One project from August 1 with bosses Oliver Hoffmann and Andreas Seidl leaving in a major management shake-up announced on Tuesday.

Former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto will lead Audi's Formula One project from August 1 with bosses Oliver Hoffmann and Andreas Seidl leaving in a major management shake-up announced on Tuesday. The German manufacturer said Binotto had been appointed Chief Operating and Chief Technical Officer at Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport, whose entry will become the factory Audi team in 2026 when the sport enters a new engine era. Binotto will have "responsibility and accountability for the operative management and sporting success of the racing team," Audi added. Hoffmann previously had overall responsibility for the project as chairman of the Boards of Directors of all Sauber companies while former McLaren principal Seidl was CEO of Sauber Motorsport and effectively ran the team. "I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Mattia Binotto for our ambitious Formula One project," said Audi CEO Gernot Doellner in a statement. "With his extensive experience of more than 25 years in Formula One, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution for Audi." Swiss-educated Binotto joined Ferrari in 1995 and was appointed principal of the Italian team in 2019. He resigned in November 2022, after another disappointing season for the sport's oldest and most successful team, and was replaced at Maranello by Fred Vasseur, who was previously at Sauber. Also Read: Paris Olympics: Excluding boxing from LA Games 'would be a crime' - Australian boxers Seidl was appointed in December 2022 as Vasseur's replacement but the Swiss team have endured speculation about Audi's intentions and the possibility of terminating the project. Audi, which is making its own F1 power unit in Neuburg in Bavaria and said last March it would take 100% ownership of Sauber, declared in Tuesday's statement that preparations were "going full speed ahead". The carmaker said the decision to bring in Binotto was part of a realignment to ensure the autonomy and independence of the project. "Our aim is to bring the entire Formula One project up to F1 speed by means of clear management structures, defined responsibilities, reduced interfaces, and efficient decision-making processes," said Doellner. "For this purpose, the team must be able to act independently and quickly." Sauber are the only team yet to score a point in 13 races this season, with China's Guanyu Zhou and Finland's Valtteri Bottas facing an uncertain future beyond 2024. The Swiss team have already announced the signing of German driver Nico Hulkenberg from Haas and have been chasing Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who is being replaced by seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton next year. The likelihood of Sainz joining Audi appeared to have waned recently, given uncertainty about the 2026 engine and Sauber's lack of form, with Renault-owned Alpine also increasingly interested. Alpine have also under-performed this season, however, and recently brought in former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore as a consultant. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Mattia Binotto to lead Audi F1 team after Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann's exit in major overhaul

Formula One still has a way to go on inclusivity despite the sport's positive reaction to Ralf Schumacher's announcement that he is in a single-sex relationship, Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday. Retired racer Schumacher, the younger brother of Ferrari great Michael and winner of six grands prix in a 180-race career between 1997 and 2007, revealed his status on social media at the weekend.

The number of openly non-heterosexual drivers in the 74-year history of male-dominated Formula One can be counted on the fingers of one hand and Ralf, 49, is by far the most prominent and successful. A pundit for Sky television in Germany, the former Jordan, Williams and Toyota driver is a familiar face in the paddock. Divorced, he has a 22-year-old son David who competes in sportscar racing.

"Clearly he has not felt comfortable being able to say it in the past. It is definitely not a new thing," Mercedes' seven times world champion Hamilton told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix. "I think it just shows that we are in a time where finally you can take that step and don’t have to fear. "So far I’ve heard only positive feedback from people (in F1) and I think that’s because of the times we live in and the changes."

Ralf's sexuality was sometimes alluded to by paddock insiders during his time as a grand prix racer but more often ignored and his privacy respected.

McLaren's Lando Norris said it was good to be open. "Whether it's this or talking about mental health, you just want people to live their life and be happy and not feel like they are going to get judged, so I'm very happy for him," said the Briton.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/manchester-united-sign-french-teen-leny-yoro-on-a-five-year-contract-ahead-of-premier-league-2024-25-742222">Manchester United sign French teen Leny Yoro on a five-year contract ahead of Premier League 2024-25</a>

<h2>STRONG STANCE</h2>

Hamilton has taken a strong stance on LGBTQ+ issues over the years and has worn a Progress Pride helmet in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In 2021 he spoke out in Hungary against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation while four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel showed support by wearing trainers with a rainbow design.

"I think it all started from Seb and I standing on the grid here (in Hungary), fighting against what the government is doing here, and when I was wearing a helmet in Saudi and Qatar," Hamilton said on Thursday of the changing attitudes.

"Ralf said (then that) it wasn’t a good idea to do those things and perhaps today he dared shift his mind and even him taking that step sends such a positive message," added the Briton.

Hamilton said the sport, which has not had a female race driver since 1976, should do more to be truly welcoming. He suggested an anonymous questionnaire for all involved.

"It is one thing saying that it’s inclusive and it’s another thing actually making sure people feel comfortable in the environment," he said.

"We are very inclusive within our team but I think the sport does need to continue to do more to make people feel more comfortable and make women feel more welcome in this space because I know they have not always been treated well."

A Formula One spokesman said Ralf's announcement was "a very positive thing" and showed F1 had taken big steps forward in inclusivity and diversity.

"We want to keep pushing to ensure everyone feels accepted and welcomed for who they are but we should all be proud of the progress we are making," he added.

Formula One still has a way to go on inclusivity despite the sport's positive reaction to Ralf Schumacher's announcement that he is in a single-sex relationship, Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday.

Formula One still has a way to go on inclusivity despite the sport's positive reaction to Ralf Schumacher's announcement that he is in a single-sex relationship, Lewis Hamilton said on Thursday. Retired racer Schumacher, the younger brother of Ferrari great Michael and winner of six grands prix in a 180-race career between 1997 and 2007, revealed his status on social media at the weekend. The number of openly non-heterosexual drivers in the 74-year history of male-dominated Formula One can be counted on the fingers of one hand and Ralf, 49, is by far the most prominent and successful. A pundit for Sky television in Germany, the former Jordan, Williams and Toyota driver is a familiar face in the paddock. Divorced, he has a 22-year-old son David who competes in sportscar racing. "Clearly he has not felt comfortable being able to say it in the past. It is definitely not a new thing," Mercedes' seven times world champion Hamilton told reporters at the Hungarian Grand Prix. "I think it just shows that we are in a time where finally you can take that step and don’t have to fear. "So far I’ve heard only positive feedback from people (in F1) and I think that’s because of the times we live in and the changes." Ralf's sexuality was sometimes alluded to by paddock insiders during his time as a grand prix racer but more often ignored and his privacy respected. McLaren's Lando Norris said it was good to be open. "Whether it's this or talking about mental health, you just want people to live their life and be happy and not feel like they are going to get judged, so I'm very happy for him," said the Briton. Also read: Manchester United sign French teen Leny Yoro on a five-year contract ahead of Premier League 2024-25 STRONG STANCE Hamilton has taken a strong stance on LGBTQ+ issues over the years and has worn a Progress Pride helmet in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In 2021 he spoke out in Hungary against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation while four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel showed support by wearing trainers with a rainbow design. "I think it all started from Seb and I standing on the grid here (in Hungary), fighting against what the government is doing here, and when I was wearing a helmet in Saudi and Qatar," Hamilton said on Thursday of the changing attitudes. "Ralf said (then that) it wasn’t a good idea to do those things and perhaps today he dared shift his mind and even him taking that step sends such a positive message," added the Briton. Hamilton said the sport, which has not had a female race driver since 1976, should do more to be truly welcoming. He suggested an anonymous questionnaire for all involved. "It is one thing saying that it’s inclusive and it’s another thing actually making sure people feel comfortable in the environment," he said. "We are very inclusive within our team but I think the sport does need to continue to do more to make people feel more comfortable and make women feel more welcome in this space because I know they have not always been treated well." A Formula One spokesman said Ralf's announcement was "a very positive thing" and showed F1 had taken big steps forward in inclusivity and diversity. "We want to keep pushing to ensure everyone feels accepted and welcomed for who they are but we should all be proud of the progress we are making," he added.

Ralf Schumacher coming out is good for F1 but more to do, opines Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile will join Aston Martin next year as chief technical officer, the Silverstone-based&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;team said on Tuesday, without giving a precise starting date. Ferrari had announced his departure on Monday, with Cardile likely to have an extended period of gardening leave. "Enrico shares my motivation to be successful in F1 and will have all the resources available to him to realise that ambition," team owner and CEO Lawrence Stroll said in a statement.

"Together with Andy Cowell joining as Group CEO in October and our existing leaders we are creating a formidable team."

Former Mercedes engine boss Cowell was announced last week to take the place of Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren principal. Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;faces major change in 2026 with a new engine and technical regulations.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ryder-cup-2025-keegan-bradley-named-captain-after-tiger-woods-snub-739102">Ryder Cup 2025: Keegan Bradley named captain after Tiger Woods snub</a>

Aston Martin will be switching from their current Mercedes power units to become the only team supplied by Honda.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile will join Aston Martin next year as chief technical officer, the Silverstone-based Formula One team said on Tuesday, without giving a precise starting date.

Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile will join Aston Martin next year as chief technical officer, the Silverstone-based Formula One team said on Tuesday, without giving a precise starting date. Ferrari had announced his departure on Monday, with Cardile likely to have an extended period of gardening leave. "Enrico shares my motivation to be successful in F1 and will have all the resources available to him to realise that ambition," team owner and CEO Lawrence Stroll said in a statement. "Together with Andy Cowell joining as Group CEO in October and our existing leaders we are creating a formidable team." Former Mercedes engine boss Cowell was announced last week to take the place of Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren principal. Formula One faces major change in 2026 with a new engine and technical regulations. Also read: Ryder Cup 2025: Keegan Bradley named captain after Tiger Woods snub Aston Martin will be switching from their current Mercedes power units to become the only team supplied by Honda. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Enrico Cardile joins Aston Martin F1 team from Ferrari

On Friday, the suspense surrounding the title of Brad Pitt's upcoming film, shot at several Formula 1 racetracks around the world, ended as the makers announced that the movie will be titled (drum rolls...) F1. The film will hit theatres in June next year.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, whose Top Gun: Maverick grossed $1.49 billion worldwide, F1 is being filmed in cooperation with F1 teams and drivers. Warner Bros. Pictures will be distributing the film in cinemas.&nbsp;

The makers also shared that a teaser of the film will be shared on Sunday, right before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone where filming has been taking place.

While sharing the first look poster of the film on Instagram, the makers wrote in the caption, "Finally, official. Brad Pitt stars in F1, coming to cinemas Summer 2025. Sneak Peek this Sunday at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. The plot sees Pitt, who is 60 years old in real life, star as a former driver making a Formula One comeback alongside Damson Idris, who plays his rookie teammate, at the fictional APXGP team." Check it out below!

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Reacting to the poster, a fan wrote, "Brad Pitt looks so handsome in this. Waiting eagerly." Another commented, "Wow, so excited for this one." A third user wrote, "Damn, I kinda dig calling it just ‘F1’ actually."&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/comedian-tony-knight-dies-following-terrible-accident-738315">Comedian Tony Knight dies following terrible accident</a>

The film has been written by Ehren Kruger and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Pitt's own production company, Plan B Entertainment. Other than Brad Pitt, the film also stars Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia and Samson Kayo among others.

F1 will release internationally on June 25, 2025, and in North America on June 27, 2025.

On Friday, the suspense surrounding the title of Brad Pitt's upcoming film, shot at several Formula 1 racetracks around the world, ended as the makers announced that the movie will be titled (drum rolls.

On Friday, the suspense surrounding the title of Brad Pitt's upcoming film, shot at several Formula 1 racetracks around the world, ended as the makers announced that the movie will be titled (drum rolls...) F1. The film will hit theatres in June next year. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, whose Top Gun: Maverick grossed $1.49 billion worldwide, F1 is being filmed in cooperation with F1 teams and drivers. Warner Bros. Pictures will be distributing the film in cinemas. The makers also shared that a teaser of the film will be shared on Sunday, right before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone where filming has been taking place. While sharing the first look poster of the film on Instagram, the makers wrote in the caption, "Finally, official. Brad Pitt stars in F1, coming to cinemas Summer 2025. Sneak Peek this Sunday at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. The plot sees Pitt, who is 60 years old in real life, star as a former driver making a Formula One comeback alongside Damson Idris, who plays his rookie teammate, at the fictional APXGP team." Check it out below! View this post on Instagram A post shared by FORMULA 1® (@f1) Reacting to the poster, a fan wrote, "Brad Pitt looks so handsome in this. Waiting eagerly." Another commented, "Wow, so excited for this one." A third user wrote, "Damn, I kinda dig calling it just ‘F1’ actually." Also read: Comedian Tony Knight dies following terrible accident The film has been written by Ehren Kruger and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Pitt's own production company, Plan B Entertainment. Other than Brad Pitt, the film also stars Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, Sarah Niles, Kim Bodnia and Samson Kayo among others. F1 will release internationally on June 25, 2025, and in North America on June 27, 2025.

Brad Pitt's Formula 1 film to be titled F1; check out first look poster from Joseph Kosinski directorial

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. The pair are friends off-track but fierce rivals on&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;race weekends and that boiled over at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring as they fought for the lead.

Stewards ruled triple world champion Verstappen was predominantly at fault for causing the collision and handed him a 10 second penalty, which had no impact on his result, as well as two penalty points. Verstappen, who dropped from first to fifth but now leads Norris by 81 points after 11 races, declared the penalty ridiculous and was backed up by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

"He (Norris) didn’t behave correctly there Max. Desperately unlucky, especially here, but you did your very best," he said over the team radio.

A disappointed Norris, who retired with a puncture and car damage, said it was a tough&nbsp;one&nbsp; to take and accused Verstappen of being reckless and desperate in his driving. "It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I lose a lot of respect for that," he told Sky Sports television when asked if their relationship would change.

McLaren boss Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen's behaviour, and moving while braking, was the result of the sport's rules being inadequately enforced years ago. "The problem behind it is that if you don’t address these things honestly, they will come back," the Italian said.

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"They have come back today because they were not addressed properly in the past when there was some fights with Lewis (Hamilton in 2021) that needed to be punished in a harsher way. "We have so much respect for Red Bull, so much respect for Max, they don't need to do this. It's a way to almost compromise your reputation. Why would you do that?," added Stella.

"The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective, because when a car is out of the race as a consequence of this accident the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome."

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.

McLaren's Lando Norris said he would lose respect for Max Verstappen if the Red Bull driver did not apologise for a collision that wrecked their Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. The pair are friends off-track but fierce rivals on Formula One race weekends and that boiled over at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring as they fought for the lead. Stewards ruled triple world champion Verstappen was predominantly at fault for causing the collision and handed him a 10 second penalty, which had no impact on his result, as well as two penalty points. Verstappen, who dropped from first to fifth but now leads Norris by 81 points after 11 races, declared the penalty ridiculous and was backed up by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. "He (Norris) didn’t behave correctly there Max. Desperately unlucky, especially here, but you did your very best," he said over the team radio. A disappointed Norris, who retired with a puncture and car damage, said it was a tough one to take and accused Verstappen of being reckless and desperate in his driving. "It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I lose a lot of respect for that," he told Sky Sports television when asked if their relationship would change. McLaren boss Andrea Stella suggested Verstappen's behaviour, and moving while braking, was the result of the sport's rules being inadequately enforced years ago. "The problem behind it is that if you don’t address these things honestly, they will come back," the Italian said. Also read: Austrian GP: George Russell secures surprise win after Norris, Verstappen collide "They have come back today because they were not addressed properly in the past when there was some fights with Lewis (Hamilton in 2021) that needed to be punished in a harsher way. "We have so much respect for Red Bull, so much respect for Max, they don't need to do this. It's a way to almost compromise your reputation. Why would you do that?," added Stella. "The regulations must be enforced in a way that is effective, because when a car is out of the race as a consequence of this accident the punishment needs to be proportionate to the outcome."

Austrian GP: Lando Norris says he will lose respect for Max Verstappen without apology

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren's Lando&nbsp;Norris&nbsp;at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past but this time looks a tight battle between the two. The 11th round of the Formula One season is a sprint weekend, for the third time this year, with a 100km race at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring on Saturday before the main event on Sunday.

Red Bull's triple world champion, cheered on by his orange army of travelling fans, will hope to stretch the 69-point lead he enjoys over closest challenger&nbsp;Norris&nbsp;in the papaya-liveried McLaren. Norris&nbsp;has a point to make after taking pole in Spain last Sunday and finishing second. He was also runner-up in Canada -- both races the 24-year-old felt he should have won.

Spielberg is the shortest lap, in terms of time, on the calendar with Verstappen taking pole last year in just over 64 seconds. "On such a short lap it's going to be so tight," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. "We expect Mclaren and Lando to be fast again. Ferrari, Mercedes, who knows? If you look at the gap to those guys after the (Spanish) race it was pretty similar to last year. The one who's stepped up is Lando. "We're having to fight really hard for the wins at the moment and we're having to be on the top of our game as a team ..., that's Formula One, that's as it should be."

Winner in Miami in May,&nbsp;Norris&nbsp;was also runner-up in Imola and China while last year's Austrian race won by Verstappen, for the fourth time in six years, was where McLaren brought breakthrough upgrades. The Briton has now finished second 10 times in 23 races. He was 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen in Barcelona and 3.8 adrift in Canada. The gap at Imola was 0.7 and he beat the Dutch driver by 7.6 in Miami.

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Austria, and then Silverstone, are favourite circuits where he has gone well in the past. "We're on a good roll. We're doing well ... I need to just tidy up a few little bits and we'll be on top," he said in Spain. "I'm confident. Every weekend we go into now, the car's performing extremely well. We're always there or thereabouts within a couple of tenths of pole."

Verstappen and&nbsp;Norris's team mates, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri, will be hoping to get in on the act after disappointing results in Spain -- the Mexican only eighth and Australian seventh.

Mercedes and Ferrari should be in the mix, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton taking his first podium of the season with Mercedes in Spain and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz holding the race lap record at the Red Bull Ring, albeit from 2020.

"It is a very different circuit to last weekend," cautioned Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. "There is plenty of low to mid-speed content, punctuated by some longer straights. That will provide another challenge and reference point for our car."

The chaos of last year, with the results revised five hours after the finish following a flurry of penalties to nearly half the field for exceeding track limits, should no longer be a concern with a strip of gravel added to turns nine and 10.

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren's Lando Norris at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past but this time looks a tight battle between the two.

Red Bull will be wary of McLaren's Lando Norris at a home Austrian Grand Prix that Max Verstappen has dominated in the past but this time looks a tight battle between the two. The 11th round of the Formula One season is a sprint weekend, for the third time this year, with a 100km race at Spielberg's Red Bull Ring on Saturday before the main event on Sunday. Red Bull's triple world champion, cheered on by his orange army of travelling fans, will hope to stretch the 69-point lead he enjoys over closest challenger Norris in the papaya-liveried McLaren. Norris has a point to make after taking pole in Spain last Sunday and finishing second. He was also runner-up in Canada -- both races the 24-year-old felt he should have won. Spielberg is the shortest lap, in terms of time, on the calendar with Verstappen taking pole last year in just over 64 seconds. "On such a short lap it's going to be so tight," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. "We expect Mclaren and Lando to be fast again. Ferrari, Mercedes, who knows? If you look at the gap to those guys after the (Spanish) race it was pretty similar to last year. The one who's stepped up is Lando. "We're having to fight really hard for the wins at the moment and we're having to be on the top of our game as a team ..., that's Formula One, that's as it should be." Winner in Miami in May, Norris was also runner-up in Imola and China while last year's Austrian race won by Verstappen, for the fourth time in six years, was where McLaren brought breakthrough upgrades. The Briton has now finished second 10 times in 23 races. He was 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen in Barcelona and 3.8 adrift in Canada. The gap at Imola was 0.7 and he beat the Dutch driver by 7.6 in Miami. Also read: Copa America 2024: Lautaro Martinez's late strike sends Argentina into quarterfinal Austria, and then Silverstone, are favourite circuits where he has gone well in the past. "We're on a good roll. We're doing well ... I need to just tidy up a few little bits and we'll be on top," he said in Spain. "I'm confident. Every weekend we go into now, the car's performing extremely well. We're always there or thereabouts within a couple of tenths of pole." Verstappen and Norris's team mates, Sergio Perez and Oscar Piastri, will be hoping to get in on the act after disappointing results in Spain -- the Mexican only eighth and Australian seventh. Mercedes and Ferrari should be in the mix, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton taking his first podium of the season with Mercedes in Spain and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz holding the race lap record at the Red Bull Ring, albeit from 2020. "It is a very different circuit to last weekend," cautioned Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. "There is plenty of low to mid-speed content, punctuated by some longer straights. That will provide another challenge and reference point for our car." The chaos of last year, with the results revised five hours after the finish following a flurry of penalties to nearly half the field for exceeding track limits, should no longer be a concern with a strip of gravel added to turns nine and 10.

Red Bull wary of McLaren's Lando Norris ahead of home Austrian race

Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz is of the view that McLaren has the best package in Formula 1 after Lando Norris finished just behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen to secure second spot on the podium at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz is of the view that McLaren has the best package in Formula 1 after Lando Norris finished just behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen to secure second spot on the podium at the Spanish Grand Prix. While Red Bull and Ferrari struggled in certain sections of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, McLaren dominated the race and did not face any significant problems. “I think honestly, the most consistent car right now is a McLaren," said Sainz, who finished sixth, behind teammate Charles Leclerc. “I think Red Bull are struggling in certain tracks. Same as us. McLaren is quick everywhere. They're quick in low-speed. They're flat in turn three and nine. They were fastest in turn five," he said. Ice cold under the pressure 🥶#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/3EaLi1hLIx — Formula 1 (@F1) June 23, 2024 × The Spaniard added that Red Bull still remained top of the pile for him but the improvements made by McLaren had certainly put them in the championship conversation. "So I just don't see McLaren having any weakness right now. For me, Red Bull is still up there. But McLaren is quick everywhere, which is quite impressive," he said. Also read | Mercedes calls police to investigate 'email' accusing team of DELIBERATELY HARMING Lewis Hamilton Norris' slow start Norris started the race at the front of the grid but could not get out of the blocks quickly as Mercedes' George Russell took the lead at Turn 1. Verstappen, however, kept up with the pace and managed to take the inside line to go past the British driver a few minutes later on lap 3. Norris lost the opportunity to win the race after the team took the gamble of staying out, behind Russell while the likes of Verstappen, and Hamilton preferred to pit early. Norris lost nearly four seconds sitting behind Russell and later had to endure a slow pit exit, which contributed to a second-place finish. "I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight, I had to take to the grass a little bit, which lost me a bit of momentum, and then of course, we're braking quite late into Turn 1," said Norris in the post-match interview. If Norris had pitted early, the fans could have witnessed a dogfight till the finishing line between him and Verstappen. The Red Bull driver admitted that McLaren were "very quick" but his team came up with the aggressive strategy that "played out in the end". (With inputs from agencies)

Not Red Bull or Ferrari: Carlos Sainz reveals the fastest car in Formula 1 currently

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is all geared up for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, to take place on June 23. After his sixth victory of the season from the action-packed Canadian GP, Verstappen is now focused on the Spanish challenge and reckoned that Red Bull is 'aiming to keep the momentum from Canada'. In his preparations, the Red Bull driver is working with the Milton Keynes-based squad to maximise the car's performance for the forthcoming event at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Ahead of the Spanish GP, Verstappen said in Red Bull preview, "We are back to the European races for a while now and I have been with the Team at the factory this week preparing for the Spanish Grand Prix, being the first race of a busy triple header. It has a good mix of high and low-speed corners and we have historically driven well there so hopefully we can maximize the performance of the car this weekend."

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The Dutchman, who won his maiden race in Spanish GP, hopes to continue the momentum from the recent win in Canada. Further, he also hopes for clear skies for the race weekend in Barcelona later this week.&nbsp;

In this regard, he added, "We are aiming to keep the momentum going from Canada, so we are looking forward to racing this weekend and hopefully have some good weather!"

Verstappen is heading into the forthcoming race as an overwhelming favourite, winning the last two editions in Barcelona. However, he is expected to face a stiff challenge for his third successive victory at the track.

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is all geared up for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, to take place on June 23. After his sixth victory of the season from the action-packed Canadian GP, Verstappen is now focused on the Spanish challenge and reckoned that Red Bull is 'aiming to keep the momentum from Canada'.

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is all geared up for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, to take place on June 23. After his sixth victory of the season from the action-packed Canadian GP, Verstappen is now focused on the Spanish challenge and reckoned that Red Bull is 'aiming to keep the momentum from Canada'. In his preparations, the Red Bull driver is working with the Milton Keynes-based squad to maximise the car's performance for the forthcoming event at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Ahead of the Spanish GP, Verstappen said in Red Bull preview, "We are back to the European races for a while now and I have been with the Team at the factory this week preparing for the Spanish Grand Prix, being the first race of a busy triple header. It has a good mix of high and low-speed corners and we have historically driven well there so hopefully we can maximize the performance of the car this weekend." Also read: Rory McIlroy to 'take time off' from golf after heartbreaking one-stroke loss at US Open The Dutchman, who won his maiden race in Spanish GP, hopes to continue the momentum from the recent win in Canada. Further, he also hopes for clear skies for the race weekend in Barcelona later this week. In this regard, he added, "We are aiming to keep the momentum going from Canada, so we are looking forward to racing this weekend and hopefully have some good weather!" Verstappen is heading into the forthcoming race as an overwhelming favourite, winning the last two editions in Barcelona. However, he is expected to face a stiff challenge for his third successive victory at the track.

'Aiming to keep the momentum from Canada': Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of Spanish Grand Prix

Red Bull's Sergio Perez has apologised after a second successive retirement in Canada on Sunday left the Mexican 87 points behind triple&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;champion, team mate and race winner Max Verstappen. Perez remained fifth overall in the world championship and a point behind Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who also failed to finish as did his team mate and Verstappen's closest rival Charles Leclerc in a big blow for the Italian outfit.

"I'm very sorry for my team, I let them down today. But we will come back no doubt. There’s a very long way to go," Perez, who has scored only four points from the last three races, said on social media.

The Mexican had started 16th in the Canadian Grand Prix and damaged his car's front wing on the opening lap when he made contact with Alpine's Pierre Gasly. He then crashed into the barriers late in the race after losing control on a damp kerb at turn six, limping back to the pits with a broken rear wing.

That cost him a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Spain, with stewards punishing him for a breach of the safety rules that require a driver to stop if the car is unsafe.

"The incident was on me, I touched the wet part into turn six and I couldn’t stop the car, I couldn’t touch the brakes," Perez said on Sunday. "It has been a very tough couple of weekends, we will regroup, keep our heads down and learn from the weekend. We identified a couple of issues after qualifying and they meant we would have qualified a lot higher.

"Hopefully we can be back to our form in Spain and get back to the level we were at earlier in the season. I am confident in that, there are good tracks coming for us."

Team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports television that Perez, whose contract was recently extended, had a "horrible weekend" and would need to raise his game. "He'll need to come back strong in Barcelona. Thankfully Ferrari had a shocker today so didn't get any points, that let us off the hook somewhat," he added.

"But we need both cars scoring. We got away with it today but we need Checo (Perez) back up there where he was at the beginning of the year from Barcelona onwards."

Barcelona hosts the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez has apologised after a second successive retirement in Canada on Sunday left the Mexican 87 points behind triple Formula One champion, team mate and race winner Max Verstappen.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez has apologised after a second successive retirement in Canada on Sunday left the Mexican 87 points behind triple Formula One champion, team mate and race winner Max Verstappen. Perez remained fifth overall in the world championship and a point behind Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who also failed to finish as did his team mate and Verstappen's closest rival Charles Leclerc in a big blow for the Italian outfit. "I'm very sorry for my team, I let them down today. But we will come back no doubt. There’s a very long way to go," Perez, who has scored only four points from the last three races, said on social media. The Mexican had started 16th in the Canadian Grand Prix and damaged his car's front wing on the opening lap when he made contact with Alpine's Pierre Gasly. He then crashed into the barriers late in the race after losing control on a damp kerb at turn six, limping back to the pits with a broken rear wing. That cost him a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Spain, with stewards punishing him for a breach of the safety rules that require a driver to stop if the car is unsafe. "The incident was on me, I touched the wet part into turn six and I couldn’t stop the car, I couldn’t touch the brakes," Perez said on Sunday. "It has been a very tough couple of weekends, we will regroup, keep our heads down and learn from the weekend. We identified a couple of issues after qualifying and they meant we would have qualified a lot higher. "Hopefully we can be back to our form in Spain and get back to the level we were at earlier in the season. I am confident in that, there are good tracks coming for us." Team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports television that Perez, whose contract was recently extended, had a "horrible weekend" and would need to raise his game. "He'll need to come back strong in Barcelona. Thankfully Ferrari had a shocker today so didn't get any points, that let us off the hook somewhat," he added. "But we need both cars scoring. We got away with it today but we need Checo (Perez) back up there where he was at the beginning of the year from Barcelona onwards." Barcelona hosts the Spanish Grand Prix on June 23.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez apologises after Canadian weekend to forget

With Sergio Perez signing a two-year extension this week to remain with Red Bull as wing man for three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who gave the decision two thumbs up, the Formula One leaders were all smiles on Thursday.

The future of the Red Bull driver lineup had been rich with speculation through the early part of the season with a number of names, including Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and RB's Daniel Ricciardo, rumoured to take over the coveted seat.

Red Bull put an end to that growing distraction on Tuesday with both Perez and Verstappen expressing their happiness in the outcome ahead of the weekend's Canada Grand Prix.

"Like every situation, you always have a process to go through which is not always really nice," said the 34-year-old Mexican. "So it's really nice to get this distraction for the team and for myself out of the way so that we can focus on performance. "I think, and that's the best thing for our team."

With challenges to their dominance coming from all directions Red Bull will try for a reset in Montreal as Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes look to make life miserable for them at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Verstappen was dominant in Montreal a year ago, leading every lap from pole, but he faces a fight for a third successive victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

There have been three different winners in the last three races and, after winning 19 of 22 in the most one-sided Formula One season last year, Verstappen has now failed to win three of the last six.

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Perez has proven to be the consummate domestic helping Verstappen to three drivers titles, sometimes grudgingly but always doing his duty and the team will be looking for that support on Sunday.

"Finally," said Verstappen. "It is great news that Checo has signed. "I'm happy that he's staying, we always worked well and it brings stability to the team."

Talk around the paddock was that Perez has Verstappen to thank for his extension with the Dutchman not wanting to break in a new team mate, who might not be as willing to defer to him.

"I think the best thing to do is just to close the visor and focus on my job, do the best for myself, for my career, said Perez. "At the end of the day, when my career is finished, it's the only thing that will matter to me. "What people have to say I appreciate that everyone has their opinion, but at the end of the day, I'm here to do the best for my career and I'm happy with what I have achieved."

With Sergio Perez signing a two-year extension this week to remain with Red Bull as wing man for three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who gave the decision two thumbs up, the Formula One leaders were all smiles on Thursday.

With Sergio Perez signing a two-year extension this week to remain with Red Bull as wing man for three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who gave the decision two thumbs up, the Formula One leaders were all smiles on Thursday. The future of the Red Bull driver lineup had been rich with speculation through the early part of the season with a number of names, including Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and RB's Daniel Ricciardo, rumoured to take over the coveted seat. Red Bull put an end to that growing distraction on Tuesday with both Perez and Verstappen expressing their happiness in the outcome ahead of the weekend's Canada Grand Prix. "Like every situation, you always have a process to go through which is not always really nice," said the 34-year-old Mexican. "So it's really nice to get this distraction for the team and for myself out of the way so that we can focus on performance. "I think, and that's the best thing for our team." With challenges to their dominance coming from all directions Red Bull will try for a reset in Montreal as Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes look to make life miserable for them at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Verstappen was dominant in Montreal a year ago, leading every lap from pole, but he faces a fight for a third successive victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. There have been three different winners in the last three races and, after winning 19 of 22 in the most one-sided Formula One season last year, Verstappen has now failed to win three of the last six. Also read: Sergio Perez leaving Red Bull 'one-legged' in battle with McLaren and Ferrari: Former F1 world champion Perez has proven to be the consummate domestic helping Verstappen to three drivers titles, sometimes grudgingly but always doing his duty and the team will be looking for that support on Sunday. "Finally," said Verstappen. "It is great news that Checo has signed. "I'm happy that he's staying, we always worked well and it brings stability to the team." Talk around the paddock was that Perez has Verstappen to thank for his extension with the Dutchman not wanting to break in a new team mate, who might not be as willing to defer to him. "I think the best thing to do is just to close the visor and focus on my job, do the best for myself, for my career, said Perez. "At the end of the day, when my career is finished, it's the only thing that will matter to me. "What people have to say I appreciate that everyone has their opinion, but at the end of the day, I'm here to do the best for my career and I'm happy with what I have achieved."

Canadian Grand Prix: With Sergio Perez signed, Max Verstappen and Red Bull look for Canada reset

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill feels Sergio Perez is leaving Max Verstappen-starrer Red Bull 'one-legged' in their battle with McLaren and Ferrari. In the 2024 season, three different constructors have won the last three races. In all these races, it has been found&nbsp;that McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull are neck and neck with&nbsp;each other. Thus, the onus to make a difference is on the drivers. While Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, etc. have stepped up at one point or the other, Perez has seen a dip in form of late.

With four podium finishes so far, Perez hasn't topped any race in 2024 and thus finds&nbsp;himself at the fifth spot. Moreover, he has been out of the top-three in the last three races. This has led to Red Bull's championship lead decreasing significantly. Hence, Hill claimed that the battle for the title is well on the cards. In addition, he opined that Perez has left his team in a fix.

On F1 nation podcast, Hill stated, "I definitely think it’s game on. There are two teams that are showing pace and closing the gap on certain circuits to Red Bull. Don’t forget they [Ferrari and McLaren] have both got two drivers who can attack. I’m not sure you can say that of Checo (Perez).

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He added, "[They’re] a little bit one-legged at the moment, Red Bull, if they want to defend. It’s no good being three-tenths away from Verstappen anymore, because so many cars can jump in that gap. The gaps have become smaller and smaller."

Recently, Perez signed a new contract with Red Bull, extending his stay until 2026. The driver, who has not been able to advance to Q3 and logged only a pitiful four points in the last two rounds, has been with the team since 2021 and seen them win three drivers and two constructors' titles.

After his contract extension, Perez said in a press release, "I am really happy to commit my future to this great Team, it is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track. I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this Team’s great history for two more years. Being part of the Team is an immense challenge, and one I love."

All eyes will now be on how Perez fares in the next race, i.e. the Canadian Grand Prix on June 9.

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill feels Sergio Perez is leaving Max Verstappen-starrer Red Bull 'one-legged' in their battle with McLaren and Ferrari. In the 2024 season, three different constructors have won the last three races.

Former F1 world champion Damon Hill feels Sergio Perez is leaving Max Verstappen-starrer Red Bull 'one-legged' in their battle with McLaren and Ferrari. In the 2024 season, three different constructors have won the last three races. In all these races, it has been found that McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull are neck and neck with each other. Thus, the onus to make a difference is on the drivers. While Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, etc. have stepped up at one point or the other, Perez has seen a dip in form of late. With four podium finishes so far, Perez hasn't topped any race in 2024 and thus finds himself at the fifth spot. Moreover, he has been out of the top-three in the last three races. This has led to Red Bull's championship lead decreasing significantly. Hence, Hill claimed that the battle for the title is well on the cards. In addition, he opined that Perez has left his team in a fix. On F1 nation podcast, Hill stated, "I definitely think it’s game on. There are two teams that are showing pace and closing the gap on certain circuits to Red Bull. Don’t forget they [Ferrari and McLaren] have both got two drivers who can attack. I’m not sure you can say that of Checo (Perez). Also read: Formula 1: Sergio Perez agrees to two-year contract extension with Red Bull He added, "[They’re] a little bit one-legged at the moment, Red Bull, if they want to defend. It’s no good being three-tenths away from Verstappen anymore, because so many cars can jump in that gap. The gaps have become smaller and smaller." Recently, Perez signed a new contract with Red Bull, extending his stay until 2026. The driver, who has not been able to advance to Q3 and logged only a pitiful four points in the last two rounds, has been with the team since 2021 and seen them win three drivers and two constructors' titles. After his contract extension, Perez said in a press release, "I am really happy to commit my future to this great Team, it is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track. I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this Team’s great history for two more years. Being part of the Team is an immense challenge, and one I love." All eyes will now be on how Perez fares in the next race, i.e. the Canadian Grand Prix on June 9.

Sergio Perez leaving Red Bull 'one-legged' in battle with McLaren and Ferrari: Former F1 world champion

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur recently opened up on how the dynamic between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc would be from 2025 season. With Hamilton set to leave Mercedes and become a part of Ferrari from next season, he will be partnering with Leclerc, who recently won the Monaco Grand Prix. Thus, Vasseur opined on this and stated that he prefers having two strong drivers rathan than just one.&nbsp;

While Hamilton has been struggling of late, he remains the most successful F1 driver on the grid in terms of race and championship wins. Leclerc, on the other hand, has been performing well in 2024 with a win in Monaco. He occupies the second spot in the drivers' championship table this season, with Hamilton at eighth, after the first eight races. Thus, many have their eyes on how Leclerc and Hamilton would fair against each other on and off the track from the next season.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Vasseur stated that having&nbsp;Leclerc and Hamilton on their side will only help Ferrari in collecting championship points. The team principal said, "I don't think so, because I think you have a kind of mutual benefit into the team, and we are getting probably more points with two drivers than with one and a half."

He further added, "I am really convinced that I prefer having two strong ones than not. For sure, you can imagine the fact that you have two drivers and a potential of points for the team you are speaking about two. But I am sure that the potential of points for the team with two good drivers is much higher than with one and a half. That's my view."

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When Hamilton's move to Ferrari was confirmed early this year, with him replacing Carlos Sainz, Leclerc revealed that he had contacted the Briton driver and is looking forward to working with him.

Speaking to F1.com, the 26-year-old had said, "Well, obviously these kind of deals are not finalised overnight, so it takes of course time. I was aware of those discussions before signing my [new] deal. It didn’t come out as a surprise after signing."

He added, "We’ve had discussions with Lewis, especially when everything was announced and official. We texted each other of course. As I said, Lewis is a great champion with a lot of experience and so much success. It’s always interesting to have a new team mate as you learn different ways of working and of driving. Even more so when my new team mate is a seven-time world champion."

At present, both the drivers are gearing up for the upcoming Canadian GP on June 9.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur recently opened up on how the dynamic between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc would be from 2025 season. With Hamilton set to leave Mercedes and become a part of Ferrari from next season, he will be partnering with Leclerc, who recently won the Monaco Grand Prix.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur recently opened up on how the dynamic between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc would be from 2025 season. With Hamilton set to leave Mercedes and become a part of Ferrari from next season, he will be partnering with Leclerc, who recently won the Monaco Grand Prix. Thus, Vasseur opined on this and stated that he prefers having two strong drivers rathan than just one. While Hamilton has been struggling of late, he remains the most successful F1 driver on the grid in terms of race and championship wins. Leclerc, on the other hand, has been performing well in 2024 with a win in Monaco. He occupies the second spot in the drivers' championship table this season, with Hamilton at eighth, after the first eight races. Thus, many have their eyes on how Leclerc and Hamilton would fair against each other on and off the track from the next season. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Vasseur stated that having Leclerc and Hamilton on their side will only help Ferrari in collecting championship points. The team principal said, "I don't think so, because I think you have a kind of mutual benefit into the team, and we are getting probably more points with two drivers than with one and a half." He further added, "I am really convinced that I prefer having two strong ones than not. For sure, you can imagine the fact that you have two drivers and a potential of points for the team you are speaking about two. But I am sure that the potential of points for the team with two good drivers is much higher than with one and a half. That's my view." Also read: Formula 1: Sergio Perez agrees to two-year contract extension with Red Bull When Hamilton's move to Ferrari was confirmed early this year, with him replacing Carlos Sainz, Leclerc revealed that he had contacted the Briton driver and is looking forward to working with him. Speaking to F1.com, the 26-year-old had said, "Well, obviously these kind of deals are not finalised overnight, so it takes of course time. I was aware of those discussions before signing my [new] deal. It didn’t come out as a surprise after signing." He added, "We’ve had discussions with Lewis, especially when everything was announced and official. We texted each other of course. As I said, Lewis is a great champion with a lot of experience and so much success. It’s always interesting to have a new team mate as you learn different ways of working and of driving. Even more so when my new team mate is a seven-time world champion." At present, both the drivers are gearing up for the upcoming Canadian GP on June 9.

'I prefer...': Ferrari's Frederic Vasseur reflects on Hamilton and Leclerc's F1 partnership from 2025

Esteban Ocon confirmed he would race in next week's Canadian Grand Prix and said he was "deeply saddened" by online abuse directed at him since a collision with Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco last weekend. The first lap coming together ended Ocon's race on Sunday and the Frenchman was also handed a five place grid penalty for Montreal.

Alpine team principal Bruno Famin told reporters in Monaco that Ocon would face "appropriate consequences", which some interpreted as the&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;driver being dropped for the ninth race of the season. "While I have received many messages of support, I have been deeply saddened by the amount of abuse and negativity that I have received online regarding my character, my driving and my career," Ocon said in a statement on X on Friday.

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The 27-year-old, who has started 141 races but is out of contract at the end of the season, said he had raced alongside multiple race winners with some tough battles and occasional contact. "Of course I have made honest mistakes. We are not robots," he added. "F1 is a sport where emotions run high, and passions run deep. I see and feel this every weekend at the track and on social media ... the good and the bad. "But the misinformed statements and gross distortions that I have seen online in recent days about my ability to work with a team have been inaccurate, hurtful and damaging."

Ocon said he had always followed instructions and raced to achieve the best for his team. He took responsibility for Sunday's accident and respected compatriot Gasly as a competitor and team mate. "We have always worked collaboratively and professionally inside the team and this will continue to be the case," he added. "I'm looking forward to competing in Montreal, in front of the fantastic Canadian fans, and to the exciting opportunities the future holds."

Renault-owned Alpine have had a tough season, so far collecting only two points and languishing ninth of the 10 teams.

Esteban Ocon confirmed he would race in next week's Canadian Grand Prix and said he was "deeply saddened" by online abuse directed at him since a collision with Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco last weekend.

Esteban Ocon confirmed he would race in next week's Canadian Grand Prix and said he was "deeply saddened" by online abuse directed at him since a collision with Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly in Monaco last weekend. The first lap coming together ended Ocon's race on Sunday and the Frenchman was also handed a five place grid penalty for Montreal. Alpine team principal Bruno Famin told reporters in Monaco that Ocon would face "appropriate consequences", which some interpreted as the Formula One driver being dropped for the ninth race of the season. "While I have received many messages of support, I have been deeply saddened by the amount of abuse and negativity that I have received online regarding my character, my driving and my career," Ocon said in a statement on X on Friday. Also read: Formula 1: Esteban Ocon to depart Alpine after a string of poor performances The 27-year-old, who has started 141 races but is out of contract at the end of the season, said he had raced alongside multiple race winners with some tough battles and occasional contact. "Of course I have made honest mistakes. We are not robots," he added. "F1 is a sport where emotions run high, and passions run deep. I see and feel this every weekend at the track and on social media ... the good and the bad. "But the misinformed statements and gross distortions that I have seen online in recent days about my ability to work with a team have been inaccurate, hurtful and damaging." Ocon said he had always followed instructions and raced to achieve the best for his team. He took responsibility for Sunday's accident and respected compatriot Gasly as a competitor and team mate. "We have always worked collaboratively and professionally inside the team and this will continue to be the case," he added. "I'm looking forward to competing in Montreal, in front of the fantastic Canadian fans, and to the exciting opportunities the future holds." Renault-owned Alpine have had a tough season, so far collecting only two points and languishing ninth of the 10 teams.

F1: Esteban Ocon responds to online abuse, confirms participation in Canadian Grand Prix

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has taken a dig at rival teams such as Ferrari and McLaren while addressing the German team's dip in form and decline since the end of the 2021 season. The former world champions have won only a solitary race in the new regulations since the commencement of the 2022 season.&nbsp;

It is to be noted that Mercedes had previously dominated the Turbo-Hybrid era by winning every single Constructors' Championship from 2014-21 while also claiming seven Drivers' Championship during that period. Thus, Mercedes' fall is making all the noise at present.&nbsp;However, Wolff shifted focus to the rivals in defence of his team's struggles.

Speaking to PA, the Mercedes team boss said, "We have finished first 115 times and have been beaten in the last 50 races. This is not where we want to be and the feeling we are experiencing is horrible. But on Monday morning we regroup and set off again."

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Wolff further cited the example of Ferrari's 16-year drought and also pointed out McLaren's 26-year drought for a Constructors' title. In this regard, he opined, "Ferrari hasn't won a Constructors' Championship since 2008. Red Bull failed to do so for eight years in a row because we were the ones who won. We have to put things in perspective: it's the third year we haven't won, it's not eight and it's not 16."

"If we think about McLaren, they haven't won a Constructors' Championship since 1998 and a Drivers' World Championship since 2008. Last year we came second: it's not enough, but in 10 or 20 years you'll see that we won eight championships in a row and then we lost some three, or maybe four, not 16," Wolff further added.

Mercedes are now focussing on the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix&nbsp;which will take place&nbsp;on June 9. The German team will be desperate to ensure a podium finish, something they haven't managed so far in the 2024 season.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has taken a dig at rival teams such as Ferrari and McLaren while addressing the German team's dip in form and decline since the end of the 2021 season.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has taken a dig at rival teams such as Ferrari and McLaren while addressing the German team's dip in form and decline since the end of the 2021 season. The former world champions have won only a solitary race in the new regulations since the commencement of the 2022 season. It is to be noted that Mercedes had previously dominated the Turbo-Hybrid era by winning every single Constructors' Championship from 2014-21 while also claiming seven Drivers' Championship during that period. Thus, Mercedes' fall is making all the noise at present. However, Wolff shifted focus to the rivals in defence of his team's struggles. Speaking to PA, the Mercedes team boss said, "We have finished first 115 times and have been beaten in the last 50 races. This is not where we want to be and the feeling we are experiencing is horrible. But on Monday morning we regroup and set off again." Also read: French Open: Alexander Zverev moves past David Goffin, Aryna Sabalenka blows away Moyuka Uchijima Wolff further cited the example of Ferrari's 16-year drought and also pointed out McLaren's 26-year drought for a Constructors' title. In this regard, he opined, "Ferrari hasn't won a Constructors' Championship since 2008. Red Bull failed to do so for eight years in a row because we were the ones who won. We have to put things in perspective: it's the third year we haven't won, it's not eight and it's not 16." "If we think about McLaren, they haven't won a Constructors' Championship since 1998 and a Drivers' World Championship since 2008. Last year we came second: it's not enough, but in 10 or 20 years you'll see that we won eight championships in a row and then we lost some three, or maybe four, not 16," Wolff further added. Mercedes are now focussing on the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix which will take place on June 9. The German team will be desperate to ensure a podium finish, something they haven't managed so far in the 2024 season.

'Ferrari hasn't won...' - Toto Wolff takes a dig at rivals while addressing Mercedes' struggles since 2021

Following the Monaco Grand Prix, where Ferrari's Charles Leclerc emerged on top, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has demanded changes to Monaco after another uneventful race. In the recent past, there has been growing dissatisfaction over the track in Monaco primarily because it is very hard to bring any sort of action to it. Thus, Horner shared his opinion and called for changes to be made at the earliest.

It is to be noted that Monaco has always been a narrow track, however, with much bigger and wider cars coming into play, many have stated that if the driver ahead can place his car in the middle of the road, there won't be much space to overtake. Such an incident occurred on multiple occasions during the just-concluded Monaco GP, involving Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.&nbsp;When the 25-year-old Verstappen halted for fresh tyres and was lacking close to three seconds per lap quicker than George Russell, he got close but found no way to overtake the Mercedes driver.&nbsp;Eventually, the Red Bull driver just had to follow Russell till the end without even mounting an attack on him.

In this regard, Horner called for changes to be made to the track. Talking to the media, the Red Bull boss said, "I think it’s something that we should collectively have a look at. It’s not racing as such when you’re just driving around three or four seconds off the pace because the other car hasn’t got any chance of overtaking."

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He further added, "Monaco is such a great place to come racing, but the cars are so big now that we just need to look at can we do something that introduces an overtaking area, or at least a potential of an overtake, because the top 10 is exactly as it started on the grid and not a single overtake in the top 10. Thank God for Lance Stroll, the only guy that managed to overtake in the race."

Talking about the Monaco GP, Ferrari's Leclerc emerged on top whereas the big names such as Carlos Sainz, Verstappen and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton ended fourth, sixth and seventh respectively.

The next race is the Canadian GP, which will take place early next month on June 9.

Following the Monaco Grand Prix, where Ferrari's Charles Leclerc emerged on top, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has demanded changes to Monaco after another uneventful race.

Following the Monaco Grand Prix, where Ferrari's Charles Leclerc emerged on top, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has demanded changes to Monaco after another uneventful race. In the recent past, there has been growing dissatisfaction over the track in Monaco primarily because it is very hard to bring any sort of action to it. Thus, Horner shared his opinion and called for changes to be made at the earliest. It is to be noted that Monaco has always been a narrow track, however, with much bigger and wider cars coming into play, many have stated that if the driver ahead can place his car in the middle of the road, there won't be much space to overtake. Such an incident occurred on multiple occasions during the just-concluded Monaco GP, involving Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. When the 25-year-old Verstappen halted for fresh tyres and was lacking close to three seconds per lap quicker than George Russell, he got close but found no way to overtake the Mercedes driver. Eventually, the Red Bull driver just had to follow Russell till the end without even mounting an attack on him. In this regard, Horner called for changes to be made to the track. Talking to the media, the Red Bull boss said, "I think it’s something that we should collectively have a look at. It’s not racing as such when you’re just driving around three or four seconds off the pace because the other car hasn’t got any chance of overtaking." Also read: Erik ten Hag future hangs in balance as Manchester United board wait for season review He further added, "Monaco is such a great place to come racing, but the cars are so big now that we just need to look at can we do something that introduces an overtaking area, or at least a potential of an overtake, because the top 10 is exactly as it started on the grid and not a single overtake in the top 10. Thank God for Lance Stroll, the only guy that managed to overtake in the race." Talking about the Monaco GP, Ferrari's Leclerc emerged on top whereas the big names such as Carlos Sainz, Verstappen and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton ended fourth, sixth and seventh respectively. The next race is the Canadian GP, which will take place early next month on June 9.

‘It is not racing’ - Red Bull boss Christian Horner calls for changes to Monaco after another uneventful race

Charles Leclerc had tears in his eyes and thoughts of his late father surging through his mind as he sped to an emotional victory in his home Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday. The win was a lifelong dream come true for the 26-year-old and owed much to the dedication and love of his father Herve, who died in 2017 while Leclerc was on his way to the Formula Two title.

The first homegrown winner of Formula One's showcase race since Louis Chiron in 1931 recalled afterwards how he had watched it as a boy with his father, dreaming of future adventures. "I remember being so young and watching the race with my friends, obviously with my father, that has done absolutely everything for me to get to where I am today," he said. "I feel like I don't only accomplish a dream of mine today, but also one of his."

Leclerc recalled the 2017 Baku Formula Two races that came three days after his father died, and where he managed to overcome the emotional turmoil in his mind and also win from pole position. "It's probably the first time in my career that it happened again while driving, where you've got these flashbacks of all these moments that we have spent together, all the sacrifices that he has done for me to get to where I am," he said. "It was both of our dreams to get there... That was, again, as I said earlier, probably the moment that was the most difficult to manage today."

Leclerc said to win with all his friends and family watching, and Prince Albert of Monaco also cheering him on, was a very special moment. The watching television audience of millions would have known nothing of what was going on inside the helmet over the closing 10 laps.

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"I realised actually two laps to the end that I was struggling to see out of the tunnel just because I had tears in my eyes," said Leclerc. "I was like... 'Charles, you cannot do that now. You still have two laps to finish'. And especially on a track like Monaco, you have to be on it all the way to the end.

"It was very difficult to contain those emotions, those thoughts again, of the people that have helped me to get to where I am today."

Leclerc started from pole position, as he had twice before in Monaco without reward even though overtaking is almost impossible on the narrow and twisty track. There was talk of curses and jinxes, doubts about whether he could finally end a sequence that had seen him fail to even step on his home podium in five attempts.

"I never believed in the curse," he said. "However, it always felt very difficult in the two occasions I had to win here.

"The thing is that as a driver you never really know when will be the next opportunity to win and especially when it's your home race and even more so when your home race is Monaco, that is such a special track."

Charles Leclerc had tears in his eyes and thoughts of his late father surging through his mind as he sped to an emotional victory in his home Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday.

Charles Leclerc had tears in his eyes and thoughts of his late father surging through his mind as he sped to an emotional victory in his home Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday. The win was a lifelong dream come true for the 26-year-old and owed much to the dedication and love of his father Herve, who died in 2017 while Leclerc was on his way to the Formula Two title. The first homegrown winner of Formula One's showcase race since Louis Chiron in 1931 recalled afterwards how he had watched it as a boy with his father, dreaming of future adventures. "I remember being so young and watching the race with my friends, obviously with my father, that has done absolutely everything for me to get to where I am today," he said. "I feel like I don't only accomplish a dream of mine today, but also one of his." Leclerc recalled the 2017 Baku Formula Two races that came three days after his father died, and where he managed to overcome the emotional turmoil in his mind and also win from pole position. "It's probably the first time in my career that it happened again while driving, where you've got these flashbacks of all these moments that we have spent together, all the sacrifices that he has done for me to get to where I am," he said. "It was both of our dreams to get there... That was, again, as I said earlier, probably the moment that was the most difficult to manage today." Leclerc said to win with all his friends and family watching, and Prince Albert of Monaco also cheering him on, was a very special moment. The watching television audience of millions would have known nothing of what was going on inside the helmet over the closing 10 laps. Also read: F1: Charles Leclerc secures first home win at Monaco Grand Prix as Verstappen struggles "I realised actually two laps to the end that I was struggling to see out of the tunnel just because I had tears in my eyes," said Leclerc. "I was like... 'Charles, you cannot do that now. You still have two laps to finish'. And especially on a track like Monaco, you have to be on it all the way to the end. "It was very difficult to contain those emotions, those thoughts again, of the people that have helped me to get to where I am today." Leclerc started from pole position, as he had twice before in Monaco without reward even though overtaking is almost impossible on the narrow and twisty track. There was talk of curses and jinxes, doubts about whether he could finally end a sequence that had seen him fail to even step on his home podium in five attempts. "I never believed in the curse," he said. "However, it always felt very difficult in the two occasions I had to win here. "The thing is that as a driver you never really know when will be the next opportunity to win and especially when it's your home race and even more so when your home race is Monaco, that is such a special track."

Monaco Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc pays tribute to late father on emotional day

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has backed McLaren to give a tough fight to Red Bull in the current season as the Dutchman searches for his fourth consecutive title. Ahead of the upcoming Grand Prix in Monaco, Verstappen thinks McLaren and&nbsp;in&nbsp;particular&nbsp;Lando Norris have the ability to dethrone Red Bull from the top, having&nbsp;recently won the Miami Grand Prix. While Verstappen still leads the path in the driver’s&nbsp;championship, Norris will try to claim his second win of the season on Sunday.&nbsp;

<h2>Verstappen backs McLaren</h2>

"After their last few&nbsp;races&nbsp;they [McLaren] are really in the mix," he told reporters. "Of course they are quite a few points down at the moment&nbsp;but&nbsp;if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly.”

Despite Verstappen’s claim that McLaren is the closest rival to Red Bull, the current picture backs the defending champions to conquer another title.&nbsp;At the time of&nbsp;writing, Red Bull lead the Constructor’s Championship with 56 points over second-placed Ferrari&nbsp;while&nbsp;McLaren are third with 154 points.&nbsp;

In the Driver’s Championship, Verstappen&nbsp;is leading&nbsp;the chart with 161 points&nbsp;while&nbsp;Norris is fourth with 101 after seven races. However, he will be confident of his progress, having&nbsp;recently clinched his first win after finishing runner-up on 16 occasions. According to Norris, he and McLaren are not thinking about the&nbsp;Championship&nbsp;yet and will focus on giving the best shot for the team.&nbsp;

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"We have not thought about it [the&nbsp;championship]&nbsp;at all&nbsp;over the last four weeks. You concentrate on getting a good result&nbsp;and&nbsp;things&nbsp;just&nbsp;play out for themselves," said Norris separately.

"We have definitely put ourselves in there. We lost a lot [of points] over the first couple of weekends, so that's hurt us, but we are about a third of the way through, so there are plenty of opportunities for us."

While eyes will be on Verstappen in Sunday’s race, Norris will be eager to make his mark&nbsp;yet&nbsp;again in Monaco. The Briton has been on the podium in four of the last five races and has not finished lower than eighth.

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has backed McLaren to give a tough fight to Red Bull in the current season as the Dutchman searches for his fourth consecutive title.

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has backed McLaren to give a tough fight to Red Bull in the current season as the Dutchman searches for his fourth consecutive title. Ahead of the upcoming Grand Prix in Monaco, Verstappen thinks McLaren and in particular Lando Norris have the ability to dethrone Red Bull from the top, having recently won the Miami Grand Prix. While Verstappen still leads the path in the driver’s championship, Norris will try to claim his second win of the season on Sunday. Verstappen backs McLaren "After their last few races they [McLaren] are really in the mix," he told reporters. "Of course they are quite a few points down at the moment but if they suddenly start winning, that can turn around quite quickly.” Despite Verstappen’s claim that McLaren is the closest rival to Red Bull, the current picture backs the defending champions to conquer another title. At the time of writing, Red Bull lead the Constructor’s Championship with 56 points over second-placed Ferrari while McLaren are third with 154 points. In the Driver’s Championship, Verstappen is leading the chart with 161 points while Norris is fourth with 101 after seven races. However, he will be confident of his progress, having recently clinched his first win after finishing runner-up on 16 occasions. According to Norris, he and McLaren are not thinking about the Championship yet and will focus on giving the best shot for the team. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: MS Dhoni’s stardom blows away Langer, says ‘the hero worship in India is unbelievable’ "We have not thought about it [the championship] at all over the last four weeks. You concentrate on getting a good result and things just play out for themselves," said Norris separately. "We have definitely put ourselves in there. We lost a lot [of points] over the first couple of weekends, so that's hurt us, but we are about a third of the way through, so there are plenty of opportunities for us." While eyes will be on Verstappen in Sunday’s race, Norris will be eager to make his mark yet again in Monaco. The Briton has been on the podium in four of the last five races and has not finished lower than eighth.

Max Verstappen reckons McLaren will challenge Red Bull's supremacy, says 'they are really in the mix'

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After finishing sixth at the Italian Grand Prix, on Sunday (May 19), seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton opined that Mercedes are in 'no-man's land'. He ended at the sixth spot after being 35 seconds behind Red Bull's race winner Max Verstappen. Teammate George Russell came seventh as Mercedes have fallen behind in the Formula One constructors' standings -- being at the fourth spot with 79 points while third-placed McLaren have 154.

After the result on Sunday in Italy, Great Britan driver said, "We are in no-man’s land. There wasn’t much more for us to get today. He further stated, "It is where we are and we have to do the best we can and that is the best we could do today."

Meanwhile, Russell also referred to 'no-man's land' but reaffirmed that the once-dominant Mercedes remain "super-motivated". "We have got to just keep pushing. The car was capable of P6 and P7 and that is where we finished."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-italian-grand-prix-red-bulls-max-verstappen-holds-off-mclarens-lando-norris-for-thrilling-win-723188">Italian Grand Prix: Red Bull's Max Verstappen holds off McLaren's Lando Norris for thrilling win</a>

Despite an unfavourable result, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff felt they had taken a small step forward. "Our closest competitors have also done&nbsp;so recently, but we have closed the gap to the front a little. We still have a lot of work to do and, of course, we are all frustrated finishing P6 and P7," The Austrian added. "There is more to come though, and it is all about making incremental gains."

Verstappen, on the other hand, won his fifth race, in seven, this season. In addition, he continues to dominant at Italy, having won the past three races in the country since 2021. Notably, the Italian GP in 2020 was cancelled due to heavy flooding.

After the race, Verstappen said, "I had no grip anymore. I was sliding a lot. I saw Lando (Norris, who finished second) closing in. The last 10 laps were flat out.&nbsp;It's difficult when the tyres were not working anymore and you have to go flat out. I couldn't afford to make too many mistakes. Luckily we didn't."

After finishing sixth at the Italian Grand Prix, on Sunday (May 19), seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton opined that Mercedes are in 'no-man's land'. He ended at the sixth spot after being 35 seconds behind Red Bull's race winner Max Verstappen.

After finishing sixth at the Italian Grand Prix, on Sunday (May 19), seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton opined that Mercedes are in 'no-man's land'. He ended at the sixth spot after being 35 seconds behind Red Bull's race winner Max Verstappen. Teammate George Russell came seventh as Mercedes have fallen behind in the Formula One constructors' standings -- being at the fourth spot with 79 points while third-placed McLaren have 154. After the result on Sunday in Italy, Great Britan driver said, "We are in no-man’s land. There wasn’t much more for us to get today. He further stated, "It is where we are and we have to do the best we can and that is the best we could do today." Meanwhile, Russell also referred to 'no-man's land' but reaffirmed that the once-dominant Mercedes remain "super-motivated". "We have got to just keep pushing. The car was capable of P6 and P7 and that is where we finished." Also read: Italian Grand Prix: Red Bull's Max Verstappen holds off McLaren's Lando Norris for thrilling win Despite an unfavourable result, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff felt they had taken a small step forward. "Our closest competitors have also done so recently, but we have closed the gap to the front a little. We still have a lot of work to do and, of course, we are all frustrated finishing P6 and P7," The Austrian added. "There is more to come though, and it is all about making incremental gains." Verstappen, on the other hand, won his fifth race, in seven, this season. In addition, he continues to dominant at Italy, having won the past three races in the country since 2021. Notably, the Italian GP in 2020 was cancelled due to heavy flooding. After the race, Verstappen said, "I had no grip anymore. I was sliding a lot. I saw Lando (Norris, who finished second) closing in. The last 10 laps were flat out. It's difficult when the tyres were not working anymore and you have to go flat out. I couldn't afford to make too many mistakes. Luckily we didn't."

Mercedes are in 'no-man's land', says Lewis Hamilton after finishing sixth at Italian Grand Prix

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