Abu Dhabi hosts a spectacular Formula 1 season finale. Ghadi Francis tells us more. #TheWestAsiaPost

The West Asia Post: Abu Dhabi hosts F1 season finale

Ferrari dismissed as "totally without foundation" media reports in Italy on Tuesday that Formula One team boss Mattia Binotto was set to be replaced by Sauber's Frederic Vasseur after the end of the season.

The Corriere della Sera and Gazzetta dello Sport newspapers had suggested Frenchman Vasseur was being lined up to take over in January.

"In relation to speculation in certain media regarding Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto's position, Ferrari states that these rumours are totally without foundation," the team said.

Ferrari have won four races in 2022 but their early season promise fell away due to mechanical unreliability, strategy errors and driver mistakes.

Red Bull have won both titles, with now double world champion Max Verstappen taking a record 14 wins in a single season.

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Ferrari are now in danger of dropping to third overall in the constructors' standings after this weekend's season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, with resurgent Mercedes 19 points behind.

Vasseur is principal of the Alfa Romeo team, operated by Swiss-based Sauber and which will become the Audi factory team in 2026.

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Binotto has spent his whole career at Maranello and was appointed team boss in January 2019, replacing Maurizio Arrivabene.

That change was flagged up by the Gazzetta in advance of the official announcement.

Ferrari dismissed as "totally without foundation" media reports in Italy on Tuesday that Formula One team boss Mattia Binotto was set to be replaced by Sauber's Frederic Vasseur after the end of the season.

Ferrari dismissed as "totally without foundation" media reports in Italy on Tuesday that Formula One team boss Mattia Binotto was set to be replaced by Sauber's Frederic Vasseur after the end of the season. The Corriere della Sera and Gazzetta dello Sport newspapers had suggested Frenchman Vasseur was being lined up to take over in January. "In relation to speculation in certain media regarding Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto's position, Ferrari states that these rumours are totally without foundation," the team said. Ferrari have won four races in 2022 but their early season promise fell away due to mechanical unreliability, strategy errors and driver mistakes. Red Bull have won both titles, with now double world champion Max Verstappen taking a record 14 wins in a single season. Also Read: IN PICS | Preparations in Qatar for FIFA World Cup as final countdown begins Ferrari are now in danger of dropping to third overall in the constructors' standings after this weekend's season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, with resurgent Mercedes 19 points behind. Vasseur is principal of the Alfa Romeo team, operated by Swiss-based Sauber and which will become the Audi factory team in 2026. Also Read: Greg Norman must quit LIV role to end stalemate, says No. 1 ranked Rory McIlroy Binotto has spent his whole career at Maranello and was appointed team boss in January 2019, replacing Maurizio Arrivabene. That change was flagged up by the Gazzetta in advance of the official announcement.

Ferrari denies reports of F1 team boss Mattia Binotto facing the sack

Double Formula One world champion&nbsp;Max&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;said he was not a big fan of sprint races, despite winning both of the ones held this season, as the sport discusses future format changes. Sprint qualifying is held on Friday to determine the starting grid for a race on Saturday in which the top eight score points and that decides where drivers line up for Sunday's main event.

This weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil will be the third sprint event of the year with six scheduled for next season. "Honestly, I'm just not a big fan of it,"&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;told reporters at Interlagos. "I feel like we don't really race (on Saturday). There are a few points that you get, right, but you also know that you can't really risk it because the main race is where you really get the points. "You don't do a pitstop so you just put on the tyre which will last the distance....You don't really see a lot of overtaking unless there is a car out of position. "So then it's not really that fun for me," added the Red Bull driver, who is going for his 15th win of the season on Sunday after clinching the title with four races to spare.

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Verstappen&nbsp;said he liked going straight into qualifying after one practice session on Friday rather than three at a regular grand prix. Formula One is considering making the sprint, which was introduced last year, a stand-alone event not linked to Sunday's starting grid in future to make it more exciting for fans.

The subject has been discussed by teams but no decision has been taken. Although Formula One has published a 2023 calendar with a record 24 races, it has yet to say where the sprints will be held.

Double Formula One world champion Max Verstappen said he was not a big fan of sprint races, despite winning both of the ones held this season, as the sport discusses future format changes.

Double Formula One world champion Max Verstappen said he was not a big fan of sprint races, despite winning both of the ones held this season, as the sport discusses future format changes. Sprint qualifying is held on Friday to determine the starting grid for a race on Saturday in which the top eight score points and that decides where drivers line up for Sunday's main event. This weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil will be the third sprint event of the year with six scheduled for next season. "Honestly, I'm just not a big fan of it," Verstappen told reporters at Interlagos. "I feel like we don't really race (on Saturday). There are a few points that you get, right, but you also know that you can't really risk it because the main race is where you really get the points. "You don't do a pitstop so you just put on the tyre which will last the distance....You don't really see a lot of overtaking unless there is a car out of position. "So then it's not really that fun for me," added the Red Bull driver, who is going for his 15th win of the season on Sunday after clinching the title with four races to spare. ALSO READ | Honorary Brazilian Lewis Hamilton would love a 'home' win Verstappen said he liked going straight into qualifying after one practice session on Friday rather than three at a regular grand prix. Formula One is considering making the sprint, which was introduced last year, a stand-alone event not linked to Sunday's starting grid in future to make it more exciting for fans. The subject has been discussed by teams but no decision has been taken. Although Formula One has published a 2023 calendar with a record 24 races, it has yet to say where the sprints will be held.

Double F1 world champion Max Verstappen no fan of F1 sprint races as format change mooted

Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to set a Formula One record of 14 victories from a single season, as well as the most points scored.

The Dutch driver led from pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, stopping on lap 26 of 71 to switch from soft to medium tyres and taking the chequered flag 15.186 seconds clear of Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton.

"It's been an incredible year so far, we are definitely enjoying it and we'll try to go for more," said Verstappen, who clinched his second title in Japan on Oct. 9 and had an untroubled afternoon.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished third in front of his cheering home crowd after a race that was low on thrills and all about tyre strategy.

Verstappen's win was the 25-year-old's fourth in Mexico and the podium was the same as last year.

In Austin, Texas, last weekend he had pulled level with German champions Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) on 13 wins in a season.

There are more races now than then, however, with the 2022 season featuring 22 compared to 19 in 2013 and 18 in 2004.

Verstappen also took his points tally to 416 -- 136 more than Perez who moved up to second overall and three more than the previous record set by Hamilton in 2019.

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It was also a ninth win in a row and 16th from 20 races for Red Bull, who wrapped up the constructors' title in Texas with three rounds to spare, but Mercedes showed they were getting closer.

"I was so close in that first stint but I think the Red Bull was clearly too fast today and ultimately, maybe they had the better tyre strategy," said Hamilton, who felt he should have started on softs instead of mediums before switching to hards.

"I'm not sure (hard) was the right tyre at the end."

George Russell lost out at the start, lining up on the front row for Mercedes but dropping two places to fourth as Hamilton muscled past his team mate with Perez also seizing the opportunity to go third.

Russell finished fourth, pitting on the penultimate lap to deny Perez the bonus point for fastest lap.

Both Mercedes drivers complained about the strategy but were assured from the pit wall that Red Bull's medium tyres would lose performance -- a hope that proved to be optimistic.

"That medium looks quick mate, they're going to go to the end," said Hamilton over the radio 10 laps from the end, accepting it was game over.

The race was already a four-driver battle after 20 of the 71 laps, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing fifth and sixth but far off the pace and the latter close to being lapped.

"This weekend we were just slow," said Sainz, who finished 58 seconds behind Verstappen.

Daniel Ricciardo put on the show of the day, reeling off overtakes on the soft tyres and finishing seventh for McLaren despite a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda.

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His performance won the Australian, who is leaving McLaren at the end of the season with no other drive lined up, the vote for driver of the day by fans and that familiar smile was broader than ever.

Esteban Ocon was eighth for Renault-owned Alpine, after team mate Fernando Alonso retired with an engine failure, with McLaren's Lando Norris ninth and Valtteri Bottas back in the points for Alfa Romeo in 10th.

"Unbelievable. What a season, what a season," complained Alonso before he pulled off and parked up on lap 65, triggering a brief virtual safety car while the Alpine was pushed away by marshals.

Formula One said 395,902 spectators attended over the three days, compared to 371,779 last year.

Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to set a Formula One record of 14 victories from a single season, as well as the most points scored.

Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to set a Formula One record of 14 victories from a single season, as well as the most points scored. The Dutch driver led from pole position at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, stopping on lap 26 of 71 to switch from soft to medium tyres and taking the chequered flag 15.186 seconds clear of Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton. "It's been an incredible year so far, we are definitely enjoying it and we'll try to go for more," said Verstappen, who clinched his second title in Japan on Oct. 9 and had an untroubled afternoon. Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished third in front of his cheering home crowd after a race that was low on thrills and all about tyre strategy. Verstappen's win was the 25-year-old's fourth in Mexico and the podium was the same as last year. In Austin, Texas, last weekend he had pulled level with German champions Michael Schumacher (2004) and Sebastian Vettel (2013) on 13 wins in a season. There are more races now than then, however, with the 2022 season featuring 22 compared to 19 in 2013 and 18 in 2004. Verstappen also took his points tally to 416 -- 136 more than Perez who moved up to second overall and three more than the previous record set by Hamilton in 2019. Also Read: Arsenal's Pablo Mari discharged from hospital after stabbing incident in Italian supermarket It was also a ninth win in a row and 16th from 20 races for Red Bull, who wrapped up the constructors' title in Texas with three rounds to spare, but Mercedes showed they were getting closer. "I was so close in that first stint but I think the Red Bull was clearly too fast today and ultimately, maybe they had the better tyre strategy," said Hamilton, who felt he should have started on softs instead of mediums before switching to hards. "I'm not sure (hard) was the right tyre at the end." George Russell lost out at the start, lining up on the front row for Mercedes but dropping two places to fourth as Hamilton muscled past his team mate with Perez also seizing the opportunity to go third. Russell finished fourth, pitting on the penultimate lap to deny Perez the bonus point for fastest lap. Both Mercedes drivers complained about the strategy but were assured from the pit wall that Red Bull's medium tyres would lose performance -- a hope that proved to be optimistic. "That medium looks quick mate, they're going to go to the end," said Hamilton over the radio 10 laps from the end, accepting it was game over. The race was already a four-driver battle after 20 of the 71 laps, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing fifth and sixth but far off the pace and the latter close to being lapped. "This weekend we were just slow," said Sainz, who finished 58 seconds behind Verstappen. Daniel Ricciardo put on the show of the day, reeling off overtakes on the soft tyres and finishing seventh for McLaren despite a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda. Also Read: T20 World Cup: Miller, Ngidi help South Africa beat India by 5 wickets to claim top spot in Group 2 His performance won the Australian, who is leaving McLaren at the end of the season with no other drive lined up, the vote for driver of the day by fans and that familiar smile was broader than ever. Esteban Ocon was eighth for Renault-owned Alpine, after team mate Fernando Alonso retired with an engine failure, with McLaren's Lando Norris ninth and Valtteri Bottas back in the points for Alfa Romeo in 10th. "Unbelievable. What a season, what a season," complained Alonso before he pulled off and parked up on lap 65, triggering a brief virtual safety car while the Alpine was pushed away by marshals. Formula One said 395,902 spectators attended over the three days, compared to 371,779 last year.

Max Verstappen sets Formula One record for most wins in a season after clinching Mexico City GP

Red Bull's breach of Formula One's budget cap leaves some big questions to be answered by a governing body whose handling of the sport is coming in for more criticism after the controversial end to last season.

The FIA revealed on Monday that Red Bull, the team of now-double world champion Max Verstappen, had spent more than allowed in 2021. The breach was declared a 'minor overspend', less than 5% of the overall cap of $145 million, but no financial details were given.

How much they overspent is the key question. It could be tens of thousands or as much as $7.25 million, which would be a significant amount in terms of track performance.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, whose team's record run of eight constructors' titles in a row is set to be ended by Red Bull, told reporters this month that a 5% overspend was worth many tenths of a second.

"You’re fighting (in) a totally different league if you have been pushing the limit upwards," he said.

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The budget cap was introduced last year and the implications are huge if any breaches are not seen to be dealt with transparently and firmly.

Wolff has already warned of a risk other teams will also overspend by millions in future because the advantage of doing so -- with knock-on benefits for following seasons -- outweighs any penalty.

What punishment, if any, the FIA imposes is another question and the process could take time if Red Bull, who reckoned they were within the cost cap limit, contest the findings.

The FIA's rules state that "the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel may impose a financial penalty and/or any minor sporting penalties" for a minor overspend.

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They include a public reprimand, deduction of points from both world championships -- considered unlikely -- a reduction of the cost cap and limitations on aerodynamic and other testing.

The FIA is also under fire on other fronts, with confusion about the scoring at last Sunday's shortened Japanese Grand Prix and widespread driver anger about the deployment of a recovery tractor on track while cars were lapping in heavy spray.

The previous weekend in Singapore it took hours before the race winner, Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez, was made official.

There has also been some friction between the FIA and commercial rights holders Liberty Media on a number of issues, including the 2023 calendar announcement and the number of sprint races to be held.

Red Bull's breach of Formula One's budget cap leaves some big questions to be answered by a governing body whose handling of the sport is coming in for more criticism after the controversial end to last season.

Red Bull's breach of Formula One's budget cap leaves some big questions to be answered by a governing body whose handling of the sport is coming in for more criticism after the controversial end to last season. The FIA revealed on Monday that Red Bull, the team of now-double world champion Max Verstappen, had spent more than allowed in 2021. The breach was declared a 'minor overspend', less than 5% of the overall cap of $145 million, but no financial details were given. How much they overspent is the key question. It could be tens of thousands or as much as $7.25 million, which would be a significant amount in terms of track performance. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, whose team's record run of eight constructors' titles in a row is set to be ended by Red Bull, told reporters this month that a 5% overspend was worth many tenths of a second. "You’re fighting (in) a totally different league if you have been pushing the limit upwards," he said. Also Read: Red Bull found guilty of breaching F1 cost cap, says FIA The budget cap was introduced last year and the implications are huge if any breaches are not seen to be dealt with transparently and firmly. Wolff has already warned of a risk other teams will also overspend by millions in future because the advantage of doing so -- with knock-on benefits for following seasons -- outweighs any penalty. What punishment, if any, the FIA imposes is another question and the process could take time if Red Bull, who reckoned they were within the cost cap limit, contest the findings. The FIA's rules state that "the Cost Cap Adjudication Panel may impose a financial penalty and/or any minor sporting penalties" for a minor overspend. Also Read: Kylian Mbappe open to shock PSG exit in January despite signing new contract in summer - Report They include a public reprimand, deduction of points from both world championships -- considered unlikely -- a reduction of the cost cap and limitations on aerodynamic and other testing. The FIA is also under fire on other fronts, with confusion about the scoring at last Sunday's shortened Japanese Grand Prix and widespread driver anger about the deployment of a recovery tractor on track while cars were lapping in heavy spray. The previous weekend in Singapore it took hours before the race winner, Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez, was made official. There has also been some friction between the FIA and commercial rights holders Liberty Media on a number of issues, including the 2023 calendar announcement and the number of sprint races to be held.

FIA's governance under the spotlight after Red Bull's Formula 1 cost cap breach

Two-time world champion Max Verstappen's Red Bull Formula One team exceeded the budget cap for the 2021 season, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Monday, adding that the offence was a "minor violation".

Aston Martin was also found in breach of Formula 1 financial rules, the FIA announced, adding that any punishment would be decided at a later date.

"We note the findings by the FIA of&nbsp;'minor overspend breaches'... with surprise and disappointment," tweeted Red Bull.

The cap came into effect last season and was set at 145 million dollars (currently 149.6 million euros). It is intended to limit spending to make the sport viable and also to close the competitive gap between big and small teams. Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull were particularly affected.&nbsp;

Even so, Verstappen ended the season by edging Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to win a first world title.&nbsp;&nbsp;The FIA said it was "currently determining the appropriate course of action to be taken".

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A "minor overspend breach", the statement said, is less than five percent of a team's total cap and can "result in financial penalties and/or minor sporting penalties."

Red Bull insisted on Twitter that they had not broken the rules.

"We need to carefully review the FIA's findings as our belief remains that the relevant costs are under the 2021 cost cap amount."&nbsp;

The FIA said its 'Cost Cap Administration' had finished a review of the financial documentation submitted by each team for 2021 and "issued certificates of compliance to seven of the 10".&nbsp;

The third exception was Williams, where there had been a problem with "a previous procedural breach" which the team had "remediated" in a "timely, cooperative and transparent manner".

The statement stressed that because the season under review was the first with a cost cap, the FIA had limited itself "to reviewing the submissions made by the competitors and that no full formal investigations were launched."

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The statement said that the first option for the Cost Cap Administration was to agree a settlement with the team involved.

If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, or if the team is not in favour of seeking an agreement, it can refer the dispute to a panel of six to 12 judges elected by the FIA general assembly.

"Despite all the conjecture and positioning of others, there is of course a process under the regulations with the FIA which we will respectfully follow while we consider all the options available to us," said Red Bull.&nbsp;

The statement added that "the regulations are highly complex, reflecting the complexity of the sport as a whole". It also said that all the teams "acted at all times in a spirit of good faith and cooperation throughout the process".&nbsp;

Two-time world champion Max Verstappen's Red Bull Formula One team exceeded the budget cap for the 2021 season, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Monday, adding that the offence was a "minor violation".

Two-time world champion Max Verstappen's Red Bull Formula One team exceeded the budget cap for the 2021 season, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Monday, adding that the offence was a "minor violation". Aston Martin was also found in breach of Formula 1 financial rules, the FIA announced, adding that any punishment would be decided at a later date. "We note the findings by the FIA of 'minor overspend breaches'... with surprise and disappointment," tweeted Red Bull. The cap came into effect last season and was set at 145 million dollars (currently 149.6 million euros). It is intended to limit spending to make the sport viable and also to close the competitive gap between big and small teams. Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull were particularly affected. Even so, Verstappen ended the season by edging Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to win a first world title. The FIA said it was "currently determining the appropriate course of action to be taken". Also Read: Red Bull's Max Verstappen retains Formula One world title after dramatic win at Japan Grand Prix A "minor overspend breach", the statement said, is less than five percent of a team's total cap and can "result in financial penalties and/or minor sporting penalties." Red Bull insisted on Twitter that they had not broken the rules. "We need to carefully review the FIA's findings as our belief remains that the relevant costs are under the 2021 cost cap amount." The FIA said its 'Cost Cap Administration' had finished a review of the financial documentation submitted by each team for 2021 and "issued certificates of compliance to seven of the 10". The third exception was Williams, where there had been a problem with "a previous procedural breach" which the team had "remediated" in a "timely, cooperative and transparent manner". The statement stressed that because the season under review was the first with a cost cap, the FIA had limited itself "to reviewing the submissions made by the competitors and that no full formal investigations were launched." Also Read: 'The GOAT': Virat Kohli hails Cristiano Ronaldo as Manchester United star completes 700 club goals The statement said that the first option for the Cost Cap Administration was to agree a settlement with the team involved. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, or if the team is not in favour of seeking an agreement, it can refer the dispute to a panel of six to 12 judges elected by the FIA general assembly. "Despite all the conjecture and positioning of others, there is of course a process under the regulations with the FIA which we will respectfully follow while we consider all the options available to us," said Red Bull. The statement added that "the regulations are highly complex, reflecting the complexity of the sport as a whole". It also said that all the teams "acted at all times in a spirit of good faith and cooperation throughout the process".

Red Bull found guilty of breaching F1 cost cap, says FIA

Max Verstappen was declared Formula One world champion Sunday after winning a dramatic rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Verstappen crossed the line first and he was then awarded the title when second-place finisher Charles Leclerc was given a five-second penalty, dropping him to third.

The result gave Verstappen an unassailable 113-point lead in the championship, making him only the third driver after Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel to clinch the title with four races to spare.

Ferrari's Leclerc finished the race second in front of Red Bull's Sergio Perez, but he was hit with a penalty after squeezing Perez wide and leaving the track in a late surge for the line.

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Verstappen was informed he had retained his title midway through the post-race TV interview, and even the driver himself was not sure if he had sealed the deal.

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MAX VERSTAPPEN 
 
TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2TheMax?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2TheMax</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/eOlI6B6un1">pic.twitter.com/eOlI6B6un1</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1579026174881067008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"It's a crazy feeling of course as I didn't expect it when I crossed the line," said a shell-shocked Verstappen.

"Was it going to be half points? I didn't know how many points I was going to get. I was happy with the race we had."

The race got off to a chaotic start in heavy rain, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Williams' Alex Albon exiting on the first lap prompting a safety care. A red flag soon followed and forced the drivers to wait for more than an hour before the action restarted, again under a safety car.

Verstappen resumed with a lead over Leclerc and Perez, and extended it as conditions gradually improved. Verstappen has won 12 of 18 races in 2022 and thanked his team for an "incredible" year.

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"The first (championship) is a little more emotional, the second one is beautiful," he said.

"It's been a special year, and you need to remind yourself as these kind of years you don't have very often."

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Verstappen had "grown" as a driver.

"Carrying that number one this year, he's done it with a lot of pride," he said. 
&nbsp;

Max Verstappen was declared Formula One world champion Sunday after winning a dramatic rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull's Verstappen crossed the line first and he was then awarded the title when second-place finisher Charles Leclerc was given a five-second penalty, dropping him to third.

Max Verstappen was declared Formula One world champion Sunday after winning a dramatic rain-shortened Japanese Grand Prix. Red Bull's Verstappen crossed the line first and he was then awarded the title when second-place finisher Charles Leclerc was given a five-second penalty, dropping him to third. The result gave Verstappen an unassailable 113-point lead in the championship, making him only the third driver after Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel to clinch the title with four races to spare. Ferrari's Leclerc finished the race second in front of Red Bull's Sergio Perez, but he was hit with a penalty after squeezing Perez wide and leaving the track in a late surge for the line. Also Read: American grandmaster Hans Niemann thoroughly scanned before match amid sex toy cheating allegations Verstappen was informed he had retained his title midway through the post-race TV interview, and even the driver himself was not sure if he had sealed the deal. MAX VERSTAPPEN TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION!!!#2TheMax #F1 pic.twitter.com/eOlI6B6un1 — Formula 1 (@F1) October 9, 2022 × "It's a crazy feeling of course as I didn't expect it when I crossed the line," said a shell-shocked Verstappen. "Was it going to be half points? I didn't know how many points I was going to get. I was happy with the race we had." The race got off to a chaotic start in heavy rain, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Williams' Alex Albon exiting on the first lap prompting a safety care. A red flag soon followed and forced the drivers to wait for more than an hour before the action restarted, again under a safety car. Verstappen resumed with a lead over Leclerc and Perez, and extended it as conditions gradually improved. Verstappen has won 12 of 18 races in 2022 and thanked his team for an "incredible" year. Also Read: Kylian Mbappe to Lionel Messi: A look at highest-earning footballers in the world "The first (championship) is a little more emotional, the second one is beautiful," he said. "It's been a special year, and you need to remind yourself as these kind of years you don't have very often." Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said Verstappen had "grown" as a driver. "Carrying that number one this year, he's done it with a lot of pride," he said.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen retains Formula One world title after dramatic win at Japan Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton will be allowed to keep wearing his nose stud at the Singapore Grand Prix for medical reasons, but his team has been fined 25,000 euros ($24,500) on Sunday for failing to notify stewards.

Mercedes were slapped with the penalty by Formula One's governing body, the FIA, for submitting a self-scrutineering form that said the British driver had removed all jewellery and piercings in line with regulations.&nbsp;

"In recent events, Hamilton had removed the piercing prior to the competition. The team assumed, without enquiring of Hamilton, that he had followed or would follow the same procedure for this event," said the FIA stewards in their ruling.&nbsp;

"The stewards accept that the error in the declaration in this case was not intentional or deliberate. Given these circumstances, we fine the team 25,000 euros."

Seven-time world champion Hamilton told reporters that he was wearing the stud again on the advice of doctors after suffering from an infection when he removed it.

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"I've had my jewellery and my nose stud for years and obviously we had that whole commotion at the beginning of the year," Hamilton said.

"At the time it was soldered in, so it didn't come loose. They gave me for many races an exemption so I could find a solution," Hamilton explained.

"I tried... putting it in and out. It got infected because of that. I got a blood blister and had quite a sore on my nose. This is all stuff I told them before qualifying."&nbsp;

"I put it back in and in the last two weeks it's started to heal and (doctors) asked that I keep it in."

Hamilton was summoned to the stewards' room after qualifying third-fastest for Sunday's race at the Marina Bay circuit.

"Broadcast footage showed Hamilton wearing an item of jewellery in the form of a body piercing (nose stud) during the session," said a statement from the stewards.

Hamilton "explained that he had been advised by his doctors not to remove it for the time being... the team produced reports from a medical practitioner that confirmed Hamilton's explanation.

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"In light of the extenuating circumstances, we have determined to take no further action."

Hamilton said it was "all a bit silly" for his jewellery to become such an issue this season, despite the rule banning drivers wearing it being around for decades.

"One of the best excuses I was given a long time ago was about heat and if you are in a fire metal conducts heat," he said.

"But our zip is metal, our buckle around our helmet is metal, we've got the wires with aluminium metal in them," Hamilton continued.

"It's crazy that we're having to talk about something so small. It's all a bit silly. Hopefully they'll be sensible.&nbsp;

"The stewards should be there to keep us safe most importantly. But this is not a safety issue."

Lewis Hamilton will be allowed to keep wearing his nose stud at the Singapore Grand Prix for medical reasons, but his team has been fined 25,000 euros ($24,500) on Sunday for failing to notify stewards.

Lewis Hamilton will be allowed to keep wearing his nose stud at the Singapore Grand Prix for medical reasons, but his team has been fined 25,000 euros ($24,500) on Sunday for failing to notify stewards. Mercedes were slapped with the penalty by Formula One's governing body, the FIA, for submitting a self-scrutineering form that said the British driver had removed all jewellery and piercings in line with regulations. "In recent events, Hamilton had removed the piercing prior to the competition. The team assumed, without enquiring of Hamilton, that he had followed or would follow the same procedure for this event," said the FIA stewards in their ruling. "The stewards accept that the error in the declaration in this case was not intentional or deliberate. Given these circumstances, we fine the team 25,000 euros." Seven-time world champion Hamilton told reporters that he was wearing the stud again on the advice of doctors after suffering from an infection when he removed it. Also Read: Indonesia stadium stampede: What led to one of world's worst football tragedies "I've had my jewellery and my nose stud for years and obviously we had that whole commotion at the beginning of the year," Hamilton said. "At the time it was soldered in, so it didn't come loose. They gave me for many races an exemption so I could find a solution," Hamilton explained. "I tried... putting it in and out. It got infected because of that. I got a blood blister and had quite a sore on my nose. This is all stuff I told them before qualifying." "I put it back in and in the last two weeks it's started to heal and (doctors) asked that I keep it in." Hamilton was summoned to the stewards' room after qualifying third-fastest for Sunday's race at the Marina Bay circuit. "Broadcast footage showed Hamilton wearing an item of jewellery in the form of a body piercing (nose stud) during the session," said a statement from the stewards. Hamilton "explained that he had been advised by his doctors not to remove it for the time being... the team produced reports from a medical practitioner that confirmed Hamilton's explanation. Also Read: WATCH: Shocking video shows lifeless bodies of football fans lying on floor after deadly stampede in Indonesia "In light of the extenuating circumstances, we have determined to take no further action." Hamilton said it was "all a bit silly" for his jewellery to become such an issue this season, despite the rule banning drivers wearing it being around for decades. "One of the best excuses I was given a long time ago was about heat and if you are in a fire metal conducts heat," he said. "But our zip is metal, our buckle around our helmet is metal, we've got the wires with aluminium metal in them," Hamilton continued. "It's crazy that we're having to talk about something so small. It's all a bit silly. Hopefully they'll be sensible. "The stewards should be there to keep us safe most importantly. But this is not a safety issue."

Lewis Hamilton allowed to wear piercing, but Mercedes slapped with $24,500 fine

In a bid to make racing much more exciting,&nbsp;F1 went ahead with&nbsp;a complete revamp of the technical regulations for the 2022 season. It comprised resorting&nbsp;to ground effect machinery along with&nbsp;a change to 18-inch wheels running less thermally-sensitive tyres.

'I don't think there's a big difference'

After the changes made, the question remains whether the efforts made by F1 have been fruitful or not. In this regard, Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel -- who is set to retire following the 2022 season -- shared his take.&nbsp;Asked by Motorsport.com about the new rules and&nbsp;tyres, Vettel said,&nbsp;'They've always been tricky, but let's say it like this: the big push this year was to make the cars able to overtake and follow a lot closer. But I don't think there's a big difference."

“We follow closer, but we've got less drag, so you need to be closer to also overtake. And on tyres, the big target was to allow racing more, but I don't think it is a big difference either. So I don't want to say it has failed. But certainly a lot of effort had gone in and not all the effort came out, let's put it this way," said the four-time world champion.

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On&nbsp;the tyres?

“I think everybody is exploring or finding the same thing. So as long as you're on the good side of things, then [it’s okay]. But usually, the faster you are in terms of the car package, the less problems you have. So now being at the back of the grid, we do have some surprises and some weekends where it doesn't go right.

“Then, you only get one or two runs maximum in qualifying, which you know, makes it a lot harder. But I would say it's pretty much as it was," the German pointed out.

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What about sprint races?

Along with the&nbsp;changes, it has also brought a bold change to the sport, courtesy of the&nbsp;sprint races. However, Vettel isn't a big fan of sprint race cash.

“I think that from a driving point of view, it's not very exciting to have a sprint,” he said. “I think you are still looking at the main race. You're looking at maybe improving your position, obviously, but mostly not losing. You get some points now, and you get a little bit more [than last year], but I think the main focus is still on the race. I don't want to be the bad guy for just being the bad guy, but I think it is a way to make more money.

“If there is a race, obviously it's more exciting than maybe a practice session. You have more people watching. So I guess it's a question of approach, but then I don't have full access to the numbers. That's what we were told some while ago," he concluded.

In a bid to make racing much more exciting, F1 went ahead with a complete revamp of the technical regulations for the 2022 season. It comprised resorting to ground effect machinery along with a change to 18-inch wheels running less thermally-sensitive tyres.

In a bid to make racing much more exciting, F1 went ahead with a complete revamp of the technical regulations for the 2022 season. It comprised resorting to ground effect machinery along with a change to 18-inch wheels running less thermally-sensitive tyres. 'I don't think there's a big difference' After the changes made, the question remains whether the efforts made by F1 have been fruitful or not. In this regard, Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel -- who is set to retire following the 2022 season -- shared his take. Asked by Motorsport.com about the new rules and tyres, Vettel said, 'They've always been tricky, but let's say it like this: the big push this year was to make the cars able to overtake and follow a lot closer. But I don't think there's a big difference." “We follow closer, but we've got less drag, so you need to be closer to also overtake. And on tyres, the big target was to allow racing more, but I don't think it is a big difference either. So I don't want to say it has failed. But certainly a lot of effort had gone in and not all the effort came out, let's put it this way," said the four-time world champion. ALSO READ | Sergio Perez feels Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen deserves to win F1 championship On the tyres? “I think everybody is exploring or finding the same thing. So as long as you're on the good side of things, then [it’s okay]. But usually, the faster you are in terms of the car package, the less problems you have. So now being at the back of the grid, we do have some surprises and some weekends where it doesn't go right. “Then, you only get one or two runs maximum in qualifying, which you know, makes it a lot harder. But I would say it's pretty much as it was," the German pointed out. ALSO READ | FIA gives nod to three more sprint sessions in Formula One from 2023 What about sprint races? Along with the changes, it has also brought a bold change to the sport, courtesy of the sprint races. However, Vettel isn't a big fan of sprint race cash. “I think that from a driving point of view, it's not very exciting to have a sprint,” he said. “I think you are still looking at the main race. You're looking at maybe improving your position, obviously, but mostly not losing. You get some points now, and you get a little bit more [than last year], but I think the main focus is still on the race. I don't want to be the bad guy for just being the bad guy, but I think it is a way to make more money. “If there is a race, obviously it's more exciting than maybe a practice session. You have more people watching. So I guess it's a question of approach, but then I don't have full access to the numbers. That's what we were told some while ago," he concluded.

I don't think there's a big difference: Sebastian Vettel's take on F1 2022 new rules

Red Bull's&nbsp;Max&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;dashed Ferrari's home hopes and won the Italian Grand Prix behind the safety car on Sunday to move potentially a race away from his second Formula One world championship.

The Dutch 24-year-old's victory at the "Temple of Speed", in a race that ended disappointingly and to jeers from the crowd, was&nbsp;Verstappen's fifth in a row and 11th from 16 races this season.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc,&nbsp;Verstappen's closest rival and now 116 points adrift with six races remaining, took second after starting on pole position.

George Russell finished third for Mercedes.

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If&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;scores 22 points more than Leclerc in the next race under floodlights in Singapore on Oct. 2, the title battle will be over. Otherwise, it goes on to Japan a week later.

"You deserve that victory. It's a shame it didn't get going at the end there but you were the fastest car all weekend," Red Bull boss Christian Horner told&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;over the radio after the chequered flag.

"Great job guys, we had a great race car," he replied.

The win was the 31st of&nbsp;Verstappen's career, lifting him level with Britain's 1992 champion Nigel Mansell in the all-time lists.

Verstappen&nbsp;started seventh on the grid but was third by the end of the opening lap and 19.5 seconds clear of Leclerc with 20 laps remaining after the Monegasque had pitted for a second time to switch from medium tyres to softs.

The safety car, deployed six laps from the end when last year's winner Daniel Ricciardo stopped his McLaren on track with an engine failure, raised the home fans' hopes but time ran out.

The race, at a super-fast circuit celebrating its 100th anniversary, finished with the safety car peeling off into the pits at the finish and no opportunity for the order to change in the short run to the flag.

"The end was frustrating, I wish we could have had a bit of a race," said Leclerc.

"It's a shame, but I gave it all today. I wish I could have won in front of the amazing Tifosi (fans) but I just couldn't today."

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was fourth, after starting 18th and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton went from the back row of the grid to fifth for Mercedes.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez was sixth, and took a bonus point for fastest lap, ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris and AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly.

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Dutch debutant Nyck de Vries took ninth place for Williams, a stellar achievement that earned him the Driver of the Day accolade, and China's Guanyu Zhou was 10th for Alfa Romeo in their home race.

"My shoulders are dead," said De Vries, who was standing in for regular driver Alex Albon after the Thai suffered appendicitis on Saturday morning.

A minute's silence was observed before the start for Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest reigning monarch who died aged 96 on Thursday.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen dashed Ferrari's home hopes and won the Italian Grand Prix behind the safety car on Sunday to move potentially a race away from his second Formula One world championship.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen dashed Ferrari's home hopes and won the Italian Grand Prix behind the safety car on Sunday to move potentially a race away from his second Formula One world championship. The Dutch 24-year-old's victory at the "Temple of Speed", in a race that ended disappointingly and to jeers from the crowd, was Verstappen's fifth in a row and 11th from 16 races this season. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Verstappen's closest rival and now 116 points adrift with six races remaining, took second after starting on pole position. George Russell finished third for Mercedes. ALSO READ: Graham Potter pens open letter to Brighton & Hove Albion fans after leaving for Chelsea If Verstappen scores 22 points more than Leclerc in the next race under floodlights in Singapore on Oct. 2, the title battle will be over. Otherwise, it goes on to Japan a week later. "You deserve that victory. It's a shame it didn't get going at the end there but you were the fastest car all weekend," Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Verstappen over the radio after the chequered flag. "Great job guys, we had a great race car," he replied. The win was the 31st of Verstappen's career, lifting him level with Britain's 1992 champion Nigel Mansell in the all-time lists. Verstappen started seventh on the grid but was third by the end of the opening lap and 19.5 seconds clear of Leclerc with 20 laps remaining after the Monegasque had pitted for a second time to switch from medium tyres to softs. The safety car, deployed six laps from the end when last year's winner Daniel Ricciardo stopped his McLaren on track with an engine failure, raised the home fans' hopes but time ran out. The race, at a super-fast circuit celebrating its 100th anniversary, finished with the safety car peeling off into the pits at the finish and no opportunity for the order to change in the short run to the flag. "The end was frustrating, I wish we could have had a bit of a race," said Leclerc. "It's a shame, but I gave it all today. I wish I could have won in front of the amazing Tifosi (fans) but I just couldn't today." Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was fourth, after starting 18th and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton went from the back row of the grid to fifth for Mercedes. Red Bull's Sergio Perez was sixth, and took a bonus point for fastest lap, ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris and AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly. ALSO READ: UFC 279: Who won the fight between Nate Diaz and Tony Ferguson? Dutch debutant Nyck de Vries took ninth place for Williams, a stellar achievement that earned him the Driver of the Day accolade, and China's Guanyu Zhou was 10th for Alfa Romeo in their home race. "My shoulders are dead," said De Vries, who was standing in for regular driver Alex Albon after the Thai suffered appendicitis on Saturday morning. A minute's silence was observed before the start for Queen Elizabeth, Britain's longest reigning monarch who died aged 96 on Thursday.

Italian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen inches closer to F1 title following a dominant race-win at Monza

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner recently offered fans some insight into why their deal with German auto giants Porsche fell through after a brief period of negotiations and deliberations.

Two&nbsp;Volkswagon entities Porsche and Audi were gunning for a way to make their way into Formula 1. However, it seems like the Stuttgart-founded outfit failed to successfully enter the premiere racing format in the world.

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While discussing Porsche's plans and the offers that they made to Red Bull, Horner asserted that the German luxury brand lacked solid plans. Horner also admitted that what Porsche had to offer did not seem like something worth losing their independence over.

“I think big organisations need significant planning, and I think were slightly getting a bit ahead of themselves, but there was never a binding commitment signed between the parties. That must have been subjective on their part,” Horner said.

“So I’m not going to go into the detail of what those details were or entail, but one the strengths this team has has been its independence, at times it instils all of the virtues and values of Red Bull - as a challenger, as a maverick - and it’s one of the core attributes that has enabled us to be as successful as we have in the sport to date," he further added on the matter.

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“One of our core strengths has been our independence and our quick decision-making and lack of bureaucracy. We’re a race team fundamentally and that enables us to make quick decisions, effective decisions and react very quickly as a race team," asserted Horner.&nbsp;

Red Bull are currently hurtling towards one of the grandest races in the Formula 1 calendar, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. They will look to bolster their championship aspirations with a major point haul once the lights go out in Milan.

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner recently offered fans some insight into why their deal with German auto giants Porsche fell through after a brief period of negotiations and deliberations.

Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner recently offered fans some insight into why their deal with German auto giants Porsche fell through after a brief period of negotiations and deliberations. Two Volkswagon entities Porsche and Audi were gunning for a way to make their way into Formula 1. However, it seems like the Stuttgart-founded outfit failed to successfully enter the premiere racing format in the world. ALSO READ: Williams F1 dealt blow as Alex Albon is ruled out of Italian GP due to appendicitis While discussing Porsche's plans and the offers that they made to Red Bull, Horner asserted that the German luxury brand lacked solid plans. Horner also admitted that what Porsche had to offer did not seem like something worth losing their independence over. “I think big organisations need significant planning, and I think were slightly getting a bit ahead of themselves, but there was never a binding commitment signed between the parties. That must have been subjective on their part,” Horner said. “So I’m not going to go into the detail of what those details were or entail, but one the strengths this team has has been its independence, at times it instils all of the virtues and values of Red Bull - as a challenger, as a maverick - and it’s one of the core attributes that has enabled us to be as successful as we have in the sport to date," he further added on the matter. ALSO READ: Porsche's future in F1 uncertain as partnership talks with Red Bull crash and burn “One of our core strengths has been our independence and our quick decision-making and lack of bureaucracy. We’re a race team fundamentally and that enables us to make quick decisions, effective decisions and react very quickly as a race team," asserted Horner. Red Bull are currently hurtling towards one of the grandest races in the Formula 1 calendar, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. They will look to bolster their championship aspirations with a major point haul once the lights go out in Milan.

Red Bull frontman Christian Horner offers insight into the failed deal with German auto giants Porsche

Porsche's Formula 1 aspirations were dealt a major blow after their negotiations with Red Bull seem to have hit a permanent roadblock. The two parties failed to reach an agreement as their ideas regarding the extent of their partnership failed to match.

The luxury car manufacturer offered fans some insight into the situation with a statement, revealing that the decision to discontinue talks was arrived at mutually. They also confirmed that they were still vying for a spot on the grid and would continue to work towards the goal despite the unforeseen delay.

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"In the course of the last few months, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and Red Bull GmbH have held talks on the possibility of Porsche's entry into Formula 1," the statement reads. "The two companies have now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued.

"The premise was always that a partnership would be based on an equal footing, which would include not only an engine partnership but also the team. This could not be achieved. With the finalised rule changes, the racing series nevertheless remains an attractive environment for Porsche, which will continue to be monitored."

While both parties have done a relatively good job at keeping the details regarding their deal under wraps, certain reports suggest that the German brand were looking to acquire a 50% stake in Red Bull's team in addition to becoming their primary engine supplier.

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This update came as a surprise as their fellow German automobile giants Audi revealed that they had finalised a deal to foray into the realm of Formula 1 as engine suppliers from the 2026 season.

It is interesting to note that Porsche, unlike Audi, have experience in working with Formula 1. They had a team on the grid between&nbsp;1957-62. However, their stint in the premiere racing format in the world was hardly something to write home about as they only managed to win once owing to&nbsp;Dan Gurney's efforts&nbsp;in the 1962 French Grand Prix.

Porsche's Formula 1 aspirations were dealt a major blow after their negotiations with Red Bull seem to have hit a permanent roadblock. The two parties failed to reach an agreement as their ideas regarding the extent of their partnership failed to match.

Porsche's Formula 1 aspirations were dealt a major blow after their negotiations with Red Bull seem to have hit a permanent roadblock. The two parties failed to reach an agreement as their ideas regarding the extent of their partnership failed to match. The luxury car manufacturer offered fans some insight into the situation with a statement, revealing that the decision to discontinue talks was arrived at mutually. They also confirmed that they were still vying for a spot on the grid and would continue to work towards the goal despite the unforeseen delay. ALSO READ: Premier League moves to postpone the upcoming match round to show respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II "In the course of the last few months, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG and Red Bull GmbH have held talks on the possibility of Porsche's entry into Formula 1," the statement reads. "The two companies have now jointly come to the conclusion that these talks will no longer be continued. "The premise was always that a partnership would be based on an equal footing, which would include not only an engine partnership but also the team. This could not be achieved. With the finalised rule changes, the racing series nevertheless remains an attractive environment for Porsche, which will continue to be monitored." While both parties have done a relatively good job at keeping the details regarding their deal under wraps, certain reports suggest that the German brand were looking to acquire a 50% stake in Red Bull's team in addition to becoming their primary engine supplier. ALSO READ: US Open men’s singles SF live streaming: When and where to watch Frances Tiafoe vs Carlos Alcaraz tie? This update came as a surprise as their fellow German automobile giants Audi revealed that they had finalised a deal to foray into the realm of Formula 1 as engine suppliers from the 2026 season. It is interesting to note that Porsche, unlike Audi, have experience in working with Formula 1. They had a team on the grid between 1957-62. However, their stint in the premiere racing format in the world was hardly something to write home about as they only managed to win once owing to Dan Gurney's efforts in the 1962 French Grand Prix.

Porsche's future in F1 uncertain as partnership talks with Red Bull crash and burn

Formula One on Saturday launched the 'Drive It Out' campaign against abusive behaviour online on social media and at Grands Prix. The campaign has been fronted by drivers calling for all racist, sexist and homophobic abuse to be eliminated not only from Formula One, but all sport worldwide.

The initiative follows outbursts of abusive behaviour at the Austrian Grand Prix earlier this month. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton raised the issue concerning the abuse at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring.

“Disgusted and disappointed to hear that some fans are facing racist, homophobic and generally abusive behaviour at the circuit this weekend,” he wrote at the time on his Instagram page.

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On Saturday, the campaign was launched with a video including linked messages from all of the current drivers, F1’s president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali and the ruling International Motoring Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

George Russell of Mercedes, who is also a director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), made clear the position taken by the drivers.

“Abuse of any kind has no place in F1,” he said. 
 
“If you see inappropriate behaviour, report it. If you’re being targeted, reach out. We all love this sport, so let’s look after each other.”

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In their video message, the drivers said: “Formula One is all about competition and rivalry, but also respect. Respect as competitors, respect for our fans, respect for the whole F1 family.”

“Abuse of any kind is unacceptable. If you cannot be respectful, then don’t be part of our sport. We cannot let those who think they can abuse others get away with it.”

“We have a duty to call this out and say ‘no more’. We are acting as a community to block those who abuse others online.&nbsp;We won’t allow abuse at our races, but we also need social media platforms to tackle abuse online head-on.”

“Those who hide behind social media with abusive and disrespectful views are not our fans. We are united and ask you to join us in driving this out of all sport and society. Drive it out together.”

Formula One on Saturday launched the 'Drive It Out' campaign against abusive behaviour online on social media and at Grands Prix. The campaign has been fronted by drivers calling for all racist, sexist and homophobic abuse to be eliminated not only from Formula One, but all sport worldwide.

Formula One on Saturday launched the 'Drive It Out' campaign against abusive behaviour online on social media and at Grands Prix. The campaign has been fronted by drivers calling for all racist, sexist and homophobic abuse to be eliminated not only from Formula One, but all sport worldwide. The initiative follows outbursts of abusive behaviour at the Austrian Grand Prix earlier this month. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton raised the issue concerning the abuse at Spielberg’s Red Bull Ring. “Disgusted and disappointed to hear that some fans are facing racist, homophobic and generally abusive behaviour at the circuit this weekend,” he wrote at the time on his Instagram page. Also Read: 'They should be ashamed': Vettel, Hamilton slam racist crowd after fans face abuse during Austrian GP On Saturday, the campaign was launched with a video including linked messages from all of the current drivers, F1’s president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali and the ruling International Motoring Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. George Russell of Mercedes, who is also a director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), made clear the position taken by the drivers. “Abuse of any kind has no place in F1,” he said. “If you see inappropriate behaviour, report it. If you’re being targeted, reach out. We all love this sport, so let’s look after each other.” Also Read: Throwback! When 4,000 used condoms clogged drains at sports village during Commonwealth Games 2010 In their video message, the drivers said: “Formula One is all about competition and rivalry, but also respect. Respect as competitors, respect for our fans, respect for the whole F1 family.” “Abuse of any kind is unacceptable. If you cannot be respectful, then don’t be part of our sport. We cannot let those who think they can abuse others get away with it.” “We have a duty to call this out and say ‘no more’. We are acting as a community to block those who abuse others online. We won’t allow abuse at our races, but we also need social media platforms to tackle abuse online head-on.” “Those who hide behind social media with abusive and disrespectful views are not our fans. We are united and ask you to join us in driving this out of all sport and society. Drive it out together.”

Formula One launches 'Drive It Out' campaign to stop abusive behaviour

Madrid has officially expressed an interest in hosting a Formula One race, the city`s regional government announced on Thursday. Although there are no Formula One-grade tracks in Madrid and Spain already hosts a race in Barcelona, which has a contract until 2026, the Spanish capital believes it can open talks with Formula One organisers, Liberty Media, about hosting a race.

"I would like to confirm our commitment to you and to this project, as well as our willingness to sign the appropriate agreements to promote the race and offer a great sporting and entertainment spectacle," local government cabinet minister Enrique Lopez wrote in a letter to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

Further details about the bid were not disclosed. Formula One organisers declined to comment. 
Madrid hosted F1 Grands Prix between 1968 and 1981 at the Jarama Circuit, which is outdated and would need a major upgrade to be able to host a race again.

Last year, the local government of Morata de Tajuna, 36km south of Madrid, confirmed that it was seeking to build an FIA Grade 1 circuit with the ambition of hosting F1 and MotoGP races in the future. There are a record 23 Formula One races scheduled this year and while organisers are keen to expand the sport`s geographical reach, they have looked primarily at adding venues in Africa and the United States.

Madrid has officially expressed an interest in hosting a Formula One race, the city`s regional government announced on Thursday. Although there are no Formula One-grade tracks in Madrid and Spain already hosts a race in Barcelona, which has a contract until 2026, the Spanish capital believes it can open talks with Formula One organisers, Liberty Media, about hosting a race.

Madrid has officially expressed an interest in hosting a Formula One race, the city`s regional government announced on Thursday. Although there are no Formula One-grade tracks in Madrid and Spain already hosts a race in Barcelona, which has a contract until 2026, the Spanish capital believes it can open talks with Formula One organisers, Liberty Media, about hosting a race. "I would like to confirm our commitment to you and to this project, as well as our willingness to sign the appropriate agreements to promote the race and offer a great sporting and entertainment spectacle," local government cabinet minister Enrique Lopez wrote in a letter to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. Further details about the bid were not disclosed. Formula One organisers declined to comment. Madrid hosted F1 Grands Prix between 1968 and 1981 at the Jarama Circuit, which is outdated and would need a major upgrade to be able to host a race again. Last year, the local government of Morata de Tajuna, 36km south of Madrid, confirmed that it was seeking to build an FIA Grade 1 circuit with the ambition of hosting F1 and MotoGP races in the future. There are a record 23 Formula One races scheduled this year and while organisers are keen to expand the sport`s geographical reach, they have looked primarily at adding venues in Africa and the United States.

Madrid officially expresses interest in hosting Formula One race

Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc came up with a dominant performance to take pole position for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, his sensational lap keeping teammate Carlos Sainz at bay by 0.225s on Saturday before a crash brought an early end to the proceedings.

With overtaking very difficult on the street circuit for the Monaco Grand Prix, starting from the front row is an advantage. Thus, the all-important qualifying session saw Leclerc top Q1, Q2 and Q3 on the way to take Ferrari`s 12th pole position in the Principality with a sensational time of 1m 11.376s.

The Monegasque was on course to improve -- but a red flag at the end of Q3 saw the field essentially set, Perez taking third with a gap of 0.253s to Leclerc and Verstappen fourth by 0.290s. Leclerc had started the season on a strong note but was overtake by defending champion Max Verstappen in the Drivers` Championships standings after the Spanish GP.

The Q3 red flag was caused by Perez`s spin just before the tunnel section, Sainz then running into Perez having seen the yellow flag too late.

Lando Norris rounded out the top five for McLaren, George Russell behind in P6 for Mercedes. Fernando Alonso (P7) and Lewis Hamilton (P8) share the fourth row, with Sebastian Vettel, ninth for Aston Martin, and Alpine`s Esteban Ocon rounding out the top 10.

Yuki Tsunoda caused a brief red flag in Q1 after clipping the barrier, but managed to emerge from the session. He ended up 11th on the provisional grid, ahead of Alfa Romeo`s Valtteri Bottas in P12. Neither Haas - Kevin Magnussen in P13 and Mick Schumacher P15 - could make it to Q3, with Daniel Ricciardo splitting them in 14th for McLaren, according to a report on the F1 website.

Tsunoda`s brush with the barriers at the chicane and resultant red flag saw Alfa Romeo`s Zhou Guanyu miss out on a final chance to set a flying lap and qualify 20th. Neither Williams - Alex Albon in P16 by just 0.07s in Q1 and Nicholas Latifi in P19 - made it to Q2.

Between those Williams were AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly in 17th - another who was caught out by the red flag - and a frustrated Lance Stroll in 18th for Aston Martin.

Rapid track evolution and drivers on different run plans saw the leaderboard shuffle dramatically, the likes of Perez and Alonso holding top spot early on - but Leclerc would soon set the pace with a lap of 1m 12.569s - Ferrari team mate Sainz 0.047s back in P2 with Russell another 0.15s off in P3.

With just over two minutes left, red flags paused the session, with Tsunoda having hit the barriers at the Nouvelle Chicane - but he managed to make it back to the pits. The pit lane queue confirmed that there would be a mad rush to set times when the session would resume, with Ricciardo, Ocon, Latifi, Tsunoda and Zhou in the provisional drop zone while Norris was on the edge in P15.

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Neither Ferrari, Mercedes` Russell, nor the Red Bulls (Verstappen eventually sixth and Perez seventh in Q1 -- joined the post-red flag traffic, with Williams leading the train for a dramatic end to the session. This thrilling conclusion saw Ocon jump to fourth, Norris to fifth, while Tsunoda recovered to go ninth for AlphaTauri behind Haas`s Magnussen in P8.

The first laps in Q2 saw Leclerc lead with a time of 1m 11.864s, Perez 0.090s back in P2, while Sainz was third by 0.210s to his team mate and Verstappen nearly half a second back in P4.

In the provisional drop zone were Magnussen, Bottas, Tsunoda, Ricciardo and Schumacher, who had his opening time deleted for missing the Turn 10 apex. Vettel was at risk of elimination, just 0.010s ahead of Magnussen.

Verstappen improved but could only manage P4, 0.253s off Leclerc, while Norris rounded out the top five for McLaren. Ocon jumped to sixth, and Hamilton managed seventh despite backing out of two previous efforts.

Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc came up with a dominant performance to take pole position for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, his sensational lap keeping teammate Carlos Sainz at bay by 0.

Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc came up with a dominant performance to take pole position for the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, his sensational lap keeping teammate Carlos Sainz at bay by 0.225s on Saturday before a crash brought an early end to the proceedings. With overtaking very difficult on the street circuit for the Monaco Grand Prix, starting from the front row is an advantage. Thus, the all-important qualifying session saw Leclerc top Q1, Q2 and Q3 on the way to take Ferrari`s 12th pole position in the Principality with a sensational time of 1m 11.376s. The Monegasque was on course to improve -- but a red flag at the end of Q3 saw the field essentially set, Perez taking third with a gap of 0.253s to Leclerc and Verstappen fourth by 0.290s. Leclerc had started the season on a strong note but was overtake by defending champion Max Verstappen in the Drivers` Championships standings after the Spanish GP. The Q3 red flag was caused by Perez`s spin just before the tunnel section, Sainz then running into Perez having seen the yellow flag too late. Lando Norris rounded out the top five for McLaren, George Russell behind in P6 for Mercedes. Fernando Alonso (P7) and Lewis Hamilton (P8) share the fourth row, with Sebastian Vettel, ninth for Aston Martin, and Alpine`s Esteban Ocon rounding out the top 10. Yuki Tsunoda caused a brief red flag in Q1 after clipping the barrier, but managed to emerge from the session. He ended up 11th on the provisional grid, ahead of Alfa Romeo`s Valtteri Bottas in P12. Neither Haas - Kevin Magnussen in P13 and Mick Schumacher P15 - could make it to Q3, with Daniel Ricciardo splitting them in 14th for McLaren, according to a report on the F1 website. Tsunoda`s brush with the barriers at the chicane and resultant red flag saw Alfa Romeo`s Zhou Guanyu miss out on a final chance to set a flying lap and qualify 20th. Neither Williams - Alex Albon in P16 by just 0.07s in Q1 and Nicholas Latifi in P19 - made it to Q2. Between those Williams were AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly in 17th - another who was caught out by the red flag - and a frustrated Lance Stroll in 18th for Aston Martin. Rapid track evolution and drivers on different run plans saw the leaderboard shuffle dramatically, the likes of Perez and Alonso holding top spot early on - but Leclerc would soon set the pace with a lap of 1m 12.569s - Ferrari team mate Sainz 0.047s back in P2 with Russell another 0.15s off in P3. With just over two minutes left, red flags paused the session, with Tsunoda having hit the barriers at the Nouvelle Chicane - but he managed to make it back to the pits. The pit lane queue confirmed that there would be a mad rush to set times when the session would resume, with Ricciardo, Ocon, Latifi, Tsunoda and Zhou in the provisional drop zone while Norris was on the edge in P15. Also read | French Open: Medvedev beats Kecmanovic in straight sets for fourth round spot Neither Ferrari, Mercedes` Russell, nor the Red Bulls (Verstappen eventually sixth and Perez seventh in Q1 -- joined the post-red flag traffic, with Williams leading the train for a dramatic end to the session. This thrilling conclusion saw Ocon jump to fourth, Norris to fifth, while Tsunoda recovered to go ninth for AlphaTauri behind Haas`s Magnussen in P8. The first laps in Q2 saw Leclerc lead with a time of 1m 11.864s, Perez 0.090s back in P2, while Sainz was third by 0.210s to his team mate and Verstappen nearly half a second back in P4. In the provisional drop zone were Magnussen, Bottas, Tsunoda, Ricciardo and Schumacher, who had his opening time deleted for missing the Turn 10 apex. Vettel was at risk of elimination, just 0.010s ahead of Magnussen. Verstappen improved but could only manage P4, 0.253s off Leclerc, while Norris rounded out the top five for McLaren. Ocon jumped to sixth, and Hamilton managed seventh despite backing out of two previous efforts.

Monaco GP: Charles Leclerc takes pole on home turf as crash brings early end to qualifying session

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday to take over at the top from Ferrari`s luckless Charles Leclerc, who retired with an engine failure while leading.

Mexican Sergio Perez finished a dutiful second, 13 seconds behind but with the consolation of a bonus point for fastest lap, after being told to let his teammate pass for a third victory in a row after Imola and Miami.

The 24-year-old Dutch driver is now six points clear of Leclerc after winning four of six races -- all those he has finished.

Britain`s George Russell came third for a revived Mercedes and after going wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen early on in a thrilling display of defensive driving as they battled for second place behind Leclerc.

Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was fourth, after fighting back from a slow start and a spin into the gravel, but it was scant reward for a team who had brought upgrades to try and turn the tables on Red Bull.

Leclerc was leading comfortably from pole position but a sudden loss of power before the halfway mark led to his retirement in the pits.

"No, no, no! Lost power," the Ferrari driver shouted over the radio as a seemingly sure victory was plucked from his hands by the engine failure.

The Monegasque waved to the capacity Circuit de Catalunya crowd but from then on could only watch his 19-point advantage evaporate in the searing heat.

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"I had no indications before then. It just broke and lost the power completely," he told Sky Sports television.

Verstappen also suffered intermittent problems with his car`s drag reduction system (DRS), leading to plenty of cursing over the radio, and he went off into the gravel at turn four on lap eight.

"I went off when I had a lot of tailwind and lost the rear. My DRS was not always working. That made it very tough but we managed use strategy to get ahead. It was a difficult beginning but a good end," he said.

"I tried to stay focused. It is not nice when stuff like that happens. I am very happy to win and happy for Checo (Perez). It is a great result for the team."

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes with a fine recovery drive after an opening lap collision with Kevin Magnussen`s Haas dropped him to 19th.

He was passed by Sainz on the closing laps after Mercedes warned of a potentially terminal cooling issue.

Alfa Romeo`s Valtteri Bottas was sixth, ahead of Alpine`s Esteban Ocon and McLaren`s Lando Norris in eighth.

Spain`s twice world champion Fernando Alonso finished ninth in front of his home fans, after starting at the back of the grid, and AlphaTauri`s Yuki Tsunoda collected the final point.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday to take over at the top from Ferrari`s luckless Charles Leclerc, who retired with an engine failure while leading.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday to take over at the top from Ferrari`s luckless Charles Leclerc, who retired with an engine failure while leading. Mexican Sergio Perez finished a dutiful second, 13 seconds behind but with the consolation of a bonus point for fastest lap, after being told to let his teammate pass for a third victory in a row after Imola and Miami. The 24-year-old Dutch driver is now six points clear of Leclerc after winning four of six races -- all those he has finished. Britain`s George Russell came third for a revived Mercedes and after going wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen early on in a thrilling display of defensive driving as they battled for second place behind Leclerc. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was fourth, after fighting back from a slow start and a spin into the gravel, but it was scant reward for a team who had brought upgrades to try and turn the tables on Red Bull. Leclerc was leading comfortably from pole position but a sudden loss of power before the halfway mark led to his retirement in the pits. "No, no, no! Lost power," the Ferrari driver shouted over the radio as a seemingly sure victory was plucked from his hands by the engine failure. The Monegasque waved to the capacity Circuit de Catalunya crowd but from then on could only watch his 19-point advantage evaporate in the searing heat. Also read | Twice runner-up Dominic Thiem crashes out at first hurdle in French Open "I had no indications before then. It just broke and lost the power completely," he told Sky Sports television. Verstappen also suffered intermittent problems with his car`s drag reduction system (DRS), leading to plenty of cursing over the radio, and he went off into the gravel at turn four on lap eight. "I went off when I had a lot of tailwind and lost the rear. My DRS was not always working. That made it very tough but we managed use strategy to get ahead. It was a difficult beginning but a good end," he said. "I tried to stay focused. It is not nice when stuff like that happens. I am very happy to win and happy for Checo (Perez). It is a great result for the team." Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes with a fine recovery drive after an opening lap collision with Kevin Magnussen`s Haas dropped him to 19th. He was passed by Sainz on the closing laps after Mercedes warned of a potentially terminal cooling issue. Alfa Romeo`s Valtteri Bottas was sixth, ahead of Alpine`s Esteban Ocon and McLaren`s Lando Norris in eighth. Spain`s twice world champion Fernando Alonso finished ninth in front of his home fans, after starting at the back of the grid, and AlphaTauri`s Yuki Tsunoda collected the final point.

Max Verstappen takes F1 lead with win in Spain, agony for Charles Leclerc

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed his second win of the Formula One season with a thumping, pole-to-flag victory at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull's world champion Max Verstappen suffered "deja vu" with another retirement.

Leclerc's car was dominant on the upgraded Albert Park circuit as the Monagesque sealed his fourth career win more than 20 seconds ahead of Red Bull's runnerup Sergio Perez.

Third-placed George Russell grabbed his second podium and first for Mercedes in an encouraging day for the struggling constructors'&nbsp;champions.

"What a race and what pace," said a thrilled Leclerc on the team radio, having finished more than 20 seconds ahead of Perez in the 58-lap race.

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"The car was incredible today, well done guys."

Winner of the season-opener in Bahrain, 24-year-old Leclerc has now built a 34-point lead over Russell to emerge as early favourite for the drivers'&nbsp;championship.

Ferrari's celebrations were tempered by Carlos Sainz crashing out shortly after the start, while four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin crashed his car on his return after missing the opening races due to COVID-19.

Verstappen was second behind Leclerc when his RB18 car suffered a reliability problem and rolled to a halt during his 39th lap with smoke billowing.

"I smell some weird fluid," said the Dutchman before coming to a stop at turn two.

Yet he would have had little hope of reeling in Leclerc.

&nbsp;

"I knew I could not fight Charles so there was no point to try and put pressure on him," Verstappen told Sky.

"But we didn`t even finish the race so it's pretty frustrating and unacceptable."

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It was a similar outcome to the season-opener in Bahrain, where Verstappen retired three laps from the end while on course for a second-place finish.

Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Mercedes after starting fifth on the grid, having been passed by Russell due to a safety car deployment.

McLaren's Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth respectively as the team showed improvement after a poor start to the season.

Sainz, who started ninth on the grid after set-up troubles in qualifying, had a dreadful start then skidded into grass before spinning across the track, somehow missing oncoming traffic before coming to a stop in gravel at turn 10.

Vettel later locked up on a kerb at turn four before shunting his Aston Martin into a wall and leaving a trail of debris across the track.

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Vettel's crash saw the safety car deployed again, and Russell capitalised by pitting before rejoining in third place ahead of Perez and Hamilton.

Leclerc's lead was wiped out by the safety car and nearly taken out as Verstappen swooped after the restart but the Monagesque saw off the Dutchman and built his lead to the finish.

Alex Albon started 19th on the grid but finished 10th, grabbing a first point for Williams after managing his hard tyres virtually to the finish.

Organisers said an estimated 420,000 people flocked to Albert Park over the race week, making it the biggest attendance for a weekend sporting event in Australia.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed his second win of the Formula One season with a thumping, pole-to-flag victory at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull's world champion Max Verstappen suffered "deja vu" with another retirement.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc claimed his second win of the Formula One season with a thumping, pole-to-flag victory at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull's world champion Max Verstappen suffered "deja vu" with another retirement. Leclerc's car was dominant on the upgraded Albert Park circuit as the Monagesque sealed his fourth career win more than 20 seconds ahead of Red Bull's runnerup Sergio Perez. Third-placed George Russell grabbed his second podium and first for Mercedes in an encouraging day for the struggling constructors' champions. "What a race and what pace," said a thrilled Leclerc on the team radio, having finished more than 20 seconds ahead of Perez in the 58-lap race. ALSO READ: Formula 1: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc beats Max Verstappen to claim pole position for Australian Grand Prix "The car was incredible today, well done guys." Winner of the season-opener in Bahrain, 24-year-old Leclerc has now built a 34-point lead over Russell to emerge as early favourite for the drivers' championship. Ferrari's celebrations were tempered by Carlos Sainz crashing out shortly after the start, while four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin crashed his car on his return after missing the opening races due to COVID-19. Verstappen was second behind Leclerc when his RB18 car suffered a reliability problem and rolled to a halt during his 39th lap with smoke billowing. "I smell some weird fluid," said the Dutchman before coming to a stop at turn two. Yet he would have had little hope of reeling in Leclerc. "I knew I could not fight Charles so there was no point to try and put pressure on him," Verstappen told Sky. "But we didn`t even finish the race so it's pretty frustrating and unacceptable." ALSO READ: Wimbledon organisers holding talks with British government on participation of players from Russia, Belarus It was a similar outcome to the season-opener in Bahrain, where Verstappen retired three laps from the end while on course for a second-place finish. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Mercedes after starting fifth on the grid, having been passed by Russell due to a safety car deployment. McLaren's Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth respectively as the team showed improvement after a poor start to the season. Sainz, who started ninth on the grid after set-up troubles in qualifying, had a dreadful start then skidded into grass before spinning across the track, somehow missing oncoming traffic before coming to a stop in gravel at turn 10. Vettel later locked up on a kerb at turn four before shunting his Aston Martin into a wall and leaving a trail of debris across the track. ALSO READ: Formula One: Sebastian Vettel fined 5,000 euros for riding scooter around Australian Grand Prix circuit Vettel's crash saw the safety car deployed again, and Russell capitalised by pitting before rejoining in third place ahead of Perez and Hamilton. Leclerc's lead was wiped out by the safety car and nearly taken out as Verstappen swooped after the restart but the Monagesque saw off the Dutchman and built his lead to the finish. Alex Albon started 19th on the grid but finished 10th, grabbing a first point for Williams after managing his hard tyres virtually to the finish. Organisers said an estimated 420,000 people flocked to Albert Park over the race week, making it the biggest attendance for a weekend sporting event in Australia.

Formula 1: Charles Leclerc wins Australian Grand Prix for Ferrari as Red Bull's Max Verstappen retires again

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen was buoyed by Red Bull's improvement during free practice at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday and gave a thumbs up to the changes at the upgraded Albert Park circuit.

The Dutchman, who won the last race in Saudi Arabia, posted the fourth quickest lap in the first free practice but was second only to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the second session.

He said tweaks to his car during the last session had ironed out some balancing issues, making him a lot happier behind the wheel.

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"We're a tiny bit off Ferrari but I do think that we can maybe make it a little bit closer," he told reporters in the paddock.

"But they are quick again. In the long run everything looked quite stable and quite nice so I'm happy about that. We definitely made some good improvements today."

Two years after the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled due to COVID-19, hours before the first practice, some of the drivers struggled on their return to a vastly different track.

The re-surfaced circuit's new lay-out, which features fewer corners and some wider turns, saw a number of cars skid off on Friday.

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Verstappen, however, was a fan of the upgrade, Albert Park's first since its F1 debut in 1996.

"It's good. I think the track grip is quite nice," he said.

"The bumps definitely improved, it's smoother.

"But I think it actually makes the track nicer as well because you can attack the corners a bit better now, being a bit more smooth.

"They did a good job with that. I enjoyed my laps today."

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen was buoyed by Red Bull's improvement during free practice at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday and gave a thumbs up to the changes at the upgraded Albert Park circuit.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen was buoyed by Red Bull's improvement during free practice at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday and gave a thumbs up to the changes at the upgraded Albert Park circuit. The Dutchman, who won the last race in Saudi Arabia, posted the fourth quickest lap in the first free practice but was second only to Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in the second session. He said tweaks to his car during the last session had ironed out some balancing issues, making him a lot happier behind the wheel. ALSO READ: Formula One: Sebastian Vettel fined 5,000 euros for riding scooter around Australian Grand Prix circuit "We're a tiny bit off Ferrari but I do think that we can maybe make it a little bit closer," he told reporters in the paddock. "But they are quick again. In the long run everything looked quite stable and quite nice so I'm happy about that. We definitely made some good improvements today." Two years after the Australian Grand Prix was cancelled due to COVID-19, hours before the first practice, some of the drivers struggled on their return to a vastly different track. The re-surfaced circuit's new lay-out, which features fewer corners and some wider turns, saw a number of cars skid off on Friday. ALSO READ: Tiger Woods begins highly-anticipated return with opening par at Masters Verstappen, however, was a fan of the upgrade, Albert Park's first since its F1 debut in 1996. "It's good. I think the track grip is quite nice," he said. "The bumps definitely improved, it's smoother. "But I think it actually makes the track nicer as well because you can attack the corners a bit better now, being a bit more smooth. "They did a good job with that. I enjoyed my laps today."

Red Bull are a 'tiny bit' off Ferrari, opines Formula One world champion Max Verstappen

Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken about his mental and emotional struggles, saying in a social media post on Thursday that it was "hard some days to stay positive".

The 37-year-old Briton assured fans on Instagram that they were not alone. 
"It's been such a tough year already with everything that is happening around us," Hamilton said.

"I have struggled mentally and emotionally for a long time, to keep going is a constant effort but we have to keep fighting, we have so much to do and to achieve.

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&nbsp;

"I'm writing to tell you it's OK to feel the way you do, just know that you are not alone and we are gonna get through this."

Hamilton missed out on a record eighth championship last year after a controversial final race of the season in Abu Dhabi that he had led until the last lap.

The sport's most successful driver of all time, with a record 103 wins and poles, shunned social media from the day of that December race until February.

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His silence fuelled speculation surrounding his future, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff describing Hamilton as "disillusioned".

The sport's only Black driver, an outspoken champion for equal opportunities and diversity, Hamilton has also experienced racism and online abuse.

The Briton has had a difficult start to his 16th season, finishing only 10th in Saudi Arabia last weekend after failing to get through the first phase of qualifying in a car that has been off the pace.

Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken about his mental and emotional struggles, saying in a social media post on Thursday that it was "hard some days to stay positive".

Seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has spoken about his mental and emotional struggles, saying in a social media post on Thursday that it was "hard some days to stay positive". The 37-year-old Briton assured fans on Instagram that they were not alone. "It's been such a tough year already with everything that is happening around us," Hamilton said. "I have struggled mentally and emotionally for a long time, to keep going is a constant effort but we have to keep fighting, we have so much to do and to achieve. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Naomi Osaka outclasses Danielle Collins to set up maiden semifinal date against Belinda Bencic "I'm writing to tell you it's OK to feel the way you do, just know that you are not alone and we are gonna get through this." Hamilton missed out on a record eighth championship last year after a controversial final race of the season in Abu Dhabi that he had led until the last lap. The sport's most successful driver of all time, with a record 103 wins and poles, shunned social media from the day of that December race until February. ALSO READ: UEFA Women's Champions League: Ramona Bachmann's late strike against Bayern helps PSG progress on aggregate His silence fuelled speculation surrounding his future, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff describing Hamilton as "disillusioned". The sport's only Black driver, an outspoken champion for equal opportunities and diversity, Hamilton has also experienced racism and online abuse. The Briton has had a difficult start to his 16th season, finishing only 10th in Saudi Arabia last weekend after failing to get through the first phase of qualifying in a car that has been off the pace.

'Hard some days to stay positive': Lewis Hamilton reveals he struggled mentally and emotionally

Former motor racing boss and privacy campaigner Max Mosley died of a gunshot wound in the bedroom of his London home last May after being told his cancer was terminal, an inquest heard on Tuesday.

His family had said at the time that the 81-year-old, youngest son of prominent 1930s British fascist Oswald Mosley, died after a long battle with cancer.

British media said the remote inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court revealed Mosley had been informed he had only weeks to live.

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A neighbour and his housekeeper summoned the emergency services after finding a note on his bedroom door saying 'do not enter, call the police'.

The inquest heard Mosley told his long-time personal assistant Henry Alexander a day earlier that he intended to take his own life.

The BBC quoted coroner Fiona Wilcox saying she was 'satisfied'&nbsp;Mosley had intended to kill himself.

Mosley became president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Formula One's governing body, in 1993. He stayed in office for 16 years.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/f1-set-for-talks-after-eventful-saudi-gp-weekend-that-raised-questions-about-races-continued-presence-466608">F1 set for talks after eventful Saudi GP weekend that raised questions about race's continued presence</a>

In 2008 he won a high-profile privacy case against the now-defunct News of the World newspaper after it published video footage of him taking part in what it called a "sick Nazi orgy".

The tabloid said it involved Nazi-style role-play, which Mosley denied and the newspaper failed to back up in court.

He later gave financial backing to the court costs of claimants in newspaper phone hacking cases.

Former motor racing boss and privacy campaigner Max Mosley died of a gunshot wound in the bedroom of his London home last May after being told his cancer was terminal, an inquest heard on Tuesday.

Former motor racing boss and privacy campaigner Max Mosley died of a gunshot wound in the bedroom of his London home last May after being told his cancer was terminal, an inquest heard on Tuesday. His family had said at the time that the 81-year-old, youngest son of prominent 1930s British fascist Oswald Mosley, died after a long battle with cancer. British media said the remote inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court revealed Mosley had been informed he had only weeks to live. ALSO READ: Elina Svitolina aggravates back injury after battling to represent Ukraine amid Russia's invasion A neighbour and his housekeeper summoned the emergency services after finding a note on his bedroom door saying 'do not enter, call the police'. The inquest heard Mosley told his long-time personal assistant Henry Alexander a day earlier that he intended to take his own life. The BBC quoted coroner Fiona Wilcox saying she was 'satisfied' Mosley had intended to kill himself. Mosley became president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Formula One's governing body, in 1993. He stayed in office for 16 years. ALSO READ: F1 set for talks after eventful Saudi GP weekend that raised questions about race's continued presence In 2008 he won a high-profile privacy case against the now-defunct News of the World newspaper after it published video footage of him taking part in what it called a "sick Nazi orgy". The tabloid said it involved Nazi-style role-play, which Mosley denied and the newspaper failed to back up in court. He later gave financial backing to the court costs of claimants in newspaper phone hacking cases.

Former F1 boss Max Mosley commits suicide after cancer diagnosis, inquest hears

Formula One has plenty to discuss after a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend that raised questions about the race's continued presence on the calendar.

An attack on an oil storage facility near the track by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group last Friday cast doubt on Sunday's race, with drivers meeting for more than four hours to consider their stance.

The sport eventually decided collectively to carry on after receiving security assurances from Saudi authorities.

While Sunday served up a riveting floodlit spectacle around the thrilling Jeddah Corniche track, there was acknowledgement that Formula One needed to assess its newest fixture.

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"I don't want to go too much into details on this subject now, but it's definitely a discussion that we should have after this race, once everything calms down," said Ferrari’s championship leader Charles Leclerc.

"I think after this weekend, all the drivers also together, we will speak with F1 and of course also the team bosses to see what`s happening for the future,"

Red Bull's world champion and race winner Max Verstappen added. 
Drivers also had reservations about the track, with its blind, high-speed sweeps and flat out straight stretches along the Red Sea.

Organisers made changes to, among other things, improve driver sight lines for this year’s race after the first last December.

But a heavy crash for Mick Schumacher’s Haas in qualifying underlined the perils.

"I think it's definitely the most dangerous place in the calendar," Red Bull’s Sergio Perez said shortly after taking his first career pole.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz added: "When you see an accident like Mick’s (it) gives us a bit the tranquillity that even at those speeds the car is protecting you because the (governing) FIA has done a great job in giving us very safe cockpits.&nbsp;

“But at the same time, is it really worth it?”

BOTTOM LINE

Saudi Arabia has signed a 15-year deal to host a race, with the fees contributing significantly to the bottom line for Formula One's owners Liberty Media.

The grand prix also reflects the Middle East’s growing profile and influence within the sport, with state-owned energy giant Aramco a major F1 sponsor and joint title partner of the Aston Martin team.

British supercar makers McLaren are majority-owned by Bahrain's sovereign investment fund Mumtalakat, with Saudi Arabia`s Public Investment Fund (PIF) also providing significant funding.

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Sunday’s event was the fifth in a row in the region which will again have four races on the calendar in 2023 when Qatar returns after hosting the soccer World Cup.

Neighbouring Bahrain played host to the official pre-season test and the season-opener on March 20.

Formula One argues, in the face of criticism from human rights groups, that it can act as a force for change in the region.

"Does Saudi Arabia and some of the other Middle Eastern countries share the same values and culture as we do in Europe? They don’t," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

"Can we by coming here put the spotlight into this place... therefore making it a better place? I still think so.”

Formula One has plenty to discuss after a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend that raised questions about the race's continued presence on the calendar. An attack on an oil storage facility near the track by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group last Friday cast doubt on Sunday's race, with drivers meeting for more than four hours to consider their stance.

Formula One has plenty to discuss after a Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend that raised questions about the race's continued presence on the calendar. An attack on an oil storage facility near the track by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group last Friday cast doubt on Sunday's race, with drivers meeting for more than four hours to consider their stance. The sport eventually decided collectively to carry on after receiving security assurances from Saudi authorities. While Sunday served up a riveting floodlit spectacle around the thrilling Jeddah Corniche track, there was acknowledgement that Formula One needed to assess its newest fixture. ALSO READ: Miami Open: Daniil Medvedev outclasses Pedro Martinez to reach last 16, Naomi Osaka storms into quarter-finals "I don't want to go too much into details on this subject now, but it's definitely a discussion that we should have after this race, once everything calms down," said Ferrari’s championship leader Charles Leclerc. "I think after this weekend, all the drivers also together, we will speak with F1 and of course also the team bosses to see what`s happening for the future," Red Bull's world champion and race winner Max Verstappen added. Drivers also had reservations about the track, with its blind, high-speed sweeps and flat out straight stretches along the Red Sea. Organisers made changes to, among other things, improve driver sight lines for this year’s race after the first last December. But a heavy crash for Mick Schumacher’s Haas in qualifying underlined the perils. "I think it's definitely the most dangerous place in the calendar," Red Bull’s Sergio Perez said shortly after taking his first career pole. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz added: "When you see an accident like Mick’s (it) gives us a bit the tranquillity that even at those speeds the car is protecting you because the (governing) FIA has done a great job in giving us very safe cockpits. “But at the same time, is it really worth it?” BOTTOM LINE Saudi Arabia has signed a 15-year deal to host a race, with the fees contributing significantly to the bottom line for Formula One's owners Liberty Media. The grand prix also reflects the Middle East’s growing profile and influence within the sport, with state-owned energy giant Aramco a major F1 sponsor and joint title partner of the Aston Martin team. British supercar makers McLaren are majority-owned by Bahrain's sovereign investment fund Mumtalakat, with Saudi Arabia`s Public Investment Fund (PIF) also providing significant funding. ALSO READ: Formula One: Red Bull's Max Verstappen pips Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc to win Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Sunday’s event was the fifth in a row in the region which will again have four races on the calendar in 2023 when Qatar returns after hosting the soccer World Cup. Neighbouring Bahrain played host to the official pre-season test and the season-opener on March 20. Formula One argues, in the face of criticism from human rights groups, that it can act as a force for change in the region. "Does Saudi Arabia and some of the other Middle Eastern countries share the same values and culture as we do in Europe? They don’t," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "Can we by coming here put the spotlight into this place... therefore making it a better place? I still think so.”

F1 set for talks after eventful Saudi GP weekend that raised questions about race's continued presence

Formula one champion Max Verstappen swept past Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc four laps from the finish to take his first win of the season at Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman, who had started fourth, crossed the line just half a second ahead of Leclerc, who keeps the championship lead, having led a Ferrari one-two in last week's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Spaniard Carlos Sainz was third for the Italian team.

"Wow, that was close, wow, unbelievable!" Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Verstappen over the radio.

"Well done, Max great, great job," he added.

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The win was the 21st of Verstappen's career and handed him his first points of the year after Red Bull's double retirement in Bahrain.&nbsp;

His team mate Sergio Perez, who finished fourth, was unable to convert his first career pole into victory after the Mexican's strategy was undone by the safety car.

George Russell took fifth for struggling Mercedes ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon, who edged McLaren's Lando Norris to sixth by just 0.1 seconds.&nbsp;

Lewis Hamilton, winner of last year's inaugural Saudi race, recovered to claim the final point in 10th after starting 15th.

Formula one champion Max Verstappen swept past Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc four laps from the finish to take his first win of the season at Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Formula one champion Max Verstappen swept past Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc four laps from the finish to take his first win of the season at Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Dutchman, who had started fourth, crossed the line just half a second ahead of Leclerc, who keeps the championship lead, having led a Ferrari one-two in last week's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was third for the Italian team. "Wow, that was close, wow, unbelievable!" Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Verstappen over the radio. "Well done, Max great, great job," he added. ALSO READ: Canada beat Jamaica 4-0 to bring an end to 36-year long wait for a spot in FIFA World Cup The win was the 21st of Verstappen's career and handed him his first points of the year after Red Bull's double retirement in Bahrain. His team mate Sergio Perez, who finished fourth, was unable to convert his first career pole into victory after the Mexican's strategy was undone by the safety car. George Russell took fifth for struggling Mercedes ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon, who edged McLaren's Lando Norris to sixth by just 0.1 seconds. Lewis Hamilton, winner of last year's inaugural Saudi race, recovered to claim the final point in 10th after starting 15th.

Formula One: Red Bull's Max Verstappen pips Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc to win Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

From Niki Lauda to Jules Bianchi: Horrific crashes in the history of Formula 1

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Friday that Yemen's Houthis attacked a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Jeddah as part of a wave of drone and missile assaults as a huge cloud of smoke was seen near the Formula One venue in the city.

"We did several attacks with drones and ballistic missiles," the Iran-backed Houthi rebels said in a statement, including an "Aramco installation in Jeddah (and) vital installations in Riyadh".

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-are-the-houthis-know-their-history-250523/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The attacks came as Saudi Arabia still leads a coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital of Sanaa in September 2014.&nbsp;

The kingdom, which entered the war in Yemen in 2015, has been internationally criticised for its airstrikes killing that have killed scores of civilians, something the Houthis point to as they launch drones, missiles and mortars into the kingdom.

The North Jiddah Bulk Plant sits just southeast of the city’s international airport, a crucial hub for Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca. Videos posted online of the blaze corresponded to known geographic features around the plant.

The second-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jiddah is taking place on Sunday, though concerns had been raised by some over the recent attacks targeting the kingdom.

The F1 said in a statement that: “The position at the moment is that we are waiting for further information from the authorities on what has happened.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/yemens-iran-aligned-houthi-group-claim-responsibility-for-drone-attack-on-saudi-arabia-464007">Also read |&nbsp;Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group claims responsibility for drone attack on Saudi Arabia</a>

Saudi state television acknowledged attacks in the town of Dhahran targeting water tanks that damaged vehicles and homes. Another attack targeted an electrical substation in an area of southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border, state TV said.

Saudi air defences also intercepted and destroyed a ballistic rocket launched towards the port city of Jazan, which caused a "limited" fire to break out at an electricity distribution plant, state media reported.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said earlier this week it would not bear responsibility for any oil supply disruptions to global markets as a result of Houthi attacks that have intensified in the past three weeks.

The North Jiddah Bulk Plant stores diesel, gasoline and jet fuel for use in Jiddah, the kingdom’s second-largest city. It accounts for over a quarter of all of Saudi Arabia’s supplies and also supplies fuel crucial to running a regional desalination plant.

The Houthis have twice targeted the North Jiddah plant with cruise missiles. One attack came in November 2020. The last came on Sunday as part of a wider barrage by the Houthis.

At the time of the 2020 attack, the targeted tank, which has a capacity of 500,000 barrels, held diesel fuel, according to a recent report by a U.N. panel of experts examining Yemen’s war. Repairing it after the last attack cost Aramco some $1.5 million.

The UN experts described the facility as a “civilian target,” which the Houthis should have avoided after the 2020 attack.

“While the facility also supplies the Saudi military with petroleum products, it is mostly supplying civilian customers,” the panel said. “If the plant had been out of service of a significant period, the impact on the kingdom’s economy as well as on the welfare of the residents of the Western region would likely have been significant.”

Cruise missiles and drones remain difficult to defend against, though the US&nbsp;recently sent a significant number of Patriot anti-missile interceptors to Saudi Arabia to resupply the kingdom amid the Houthi attacks. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Friday that Yemen's Houthis attacked a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Jeddah as part of a wave of drone and missile assaults as a huge cloud of smoke was seen near the Formula One venue in the city.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Friday that Yemen's Houthis attacked a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Jeddah as part of a wave of drone and missile assaults as a huge cloud of smoke was seen near the Formula One venue in the city. "We did several attacks with drones and ballistic missiles," the Iran-backed Houthi rebels said in a statement, including an "Aramco installation in Jeddah (and) vital installations in Riyadh". The attacks came as Saudi Arabia still leads a coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital of Sanaa in September 2014. The kingdom, which entered the war in Yemen in 2015, has been internationally criticised for its airstrikes killing that have killed scores of civilians, something the Houthis point to as they launch drones, missiles and mortars into the kingdom. The North Jiddah Bulk Plant sits just southeast of the city’s international airport, a crucial hub for Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca. Videos posted online of the blaze corresponded to known geographic features around the plant. The second-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jiddah is taking place on Sunday, though concerns had been raised by some over the recent attacks targeting the kingdom. The F1 said in a statement that: “The position at the moment is that we are waiting for further information from the authorities on what has happened.” Also read | Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group claims responsibility for drone attack on Saudi Arabia Saudi state television acknowledged attacks in the town of Dhahran targeting water tanks that damaged vehicles and homes. Another attack targeted an electrical substation in an area of southwestern Saudi Arabia near the Yemeni border, state TV said. Saudi air defences also intercepted and destroyed a ballistic rocket launched towards the port city of Jazan, which caused a "limited" fire to break out at an electricity distribution plant, state media reported. Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, said earlier this week it would not bear responsibility for any oil supply disruptions to global markets as a result of Houthi attacks that have intensified in the past three weeks. The North Jiddah Bulk Plant stores diesel, gasoline and jet fuel for use in Jiddah, the kingdom’s second-largest city. It accounts for over a quarter of all of Saudi Arabia’s supplies and also supplies fuel crucial to running a regional desalination plant. The Houthis have twice targeted the North Jiddah plant with cruise missiles. One attack came in November 2020. The last came on Sunday as part of a wider barrage by the Houthis. At the time of the 2020 attack, the targeted tank, which has a capacity of 500,000 barrels, held diesel fuel, according to a recent report by a U.N. panel of experts examining Yemen’s war. Repairing it after the last attack cost Aramco some $1.5 million. The UN experts described the facility as a “civilian target,” which the Houthis should have avoided after the 2020 attack. “While the facility also supplies the Saudi military with petroleum products, it is mostly supplying civilian customers,” the panel said. “If the plant had been out of service of a significant period, the impact on the kingdom’s economy as well as on the welfare of the residents of the Western region would likely have been significant.” Cruise missiles and drones remain difficult to defend against, though the US recently sent a significant number of Patriot anti-missile interceptors to Saudi Arabia to resupply the kingdom amid the Houthi attacks. (With inputs from agencies)

Yemen's Houthi rebels claim responsibility for oil plant attack as huge fire erupts in Jeddah

Charles Leclerc embarked on Formula One’s new era in triumphant style, leading teammate Carlos Sainz in a one-two for a resurgent Ferrari in Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Monegasque, who started from pole, crossed the line 5.5 seconds ahead of Spaniard Sainz.

World champion Max Verstappen, who several times went wheel-to-wheel with Leclerc in a battle for the lead, was on course for second but was forced to retire three laps from the end, with teammate Sergio Perez suffering the same fate shortly after, as Red Bull left Bahrain with nothing.

Red Bull's problems played into the hands of struggling Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton snatching third and new teammate George Russell finishing a career-best fourth.

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“Again, I keep repeating myself, but the past two years have been incredibly difficult for the team," said Leclerc, after ending a 45-race winless streak dating back to Singapore 2019 for the sport's most successful outfit.

"It was a huge opportunity for the team -- we couldn't hope for better." 
Sunday’s win was the third of the 24-year-old Leclerc’s career.

He earned it by fending off a charging Verstappen after the first stops, with the pair swapping places over several laps, and later timing his restart after a safety car period to perfection.

It was also the Italian team’s seventh triumph at the Sakhir desert track and their first season-opening one-two since 2010, when Fernando Alonso led Felipe Massa to victory in Bahrain.

The result put Leclerc, who also set the fastest lap and was voted driver of the day by fans, in the overall lead of the drivers'&nbsp;standings.

FERRARI LEAD STANDINGS

Ferrari, who opened the 2017 and 2018 seasons with a win but have not won a championship since 2008, lead the constructors'&nbsp;standings ahead of Mercedes.

"Firstly, a big congratulations to Ferrari, happy to see them doing well again," said seven-times world Hamilton, who for much of the race was running a distant fifth.

"I think it was such a difficult race, we struggled throughout practice but we did the best we could," the 37-year-old Briton added.

F1 returnee Kevin Magnussen put Haas back in the points with a solid fifth-place finish.

The result put the team, who in 2021 finished last and were the only outfit to not score a point, third in the overall standings.

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Valtteri Bottas was sixth in his first race for Alfa Romeo, ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon, who served a time penalty for pushing the Haas of Mick Schumacher into a spin.

Yuki Tsunoda was eighth for AlphaTauri ahead of Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso.

Guanyu Zhou, who became the first Chinese driver to race in Formula One, scored the final point in tenth on his debut for Alfa Romeo.

Schumacher missed out on scoring his first points but still took home his best result so far in 11th.

Pierre Gasly failed to finish after his AlphaTauri expired in a plume of smoke and flame.

Charles Leclerc embarked on Formula One’s new era in triumphant style, leading teammate Carlos Sainz in a one-two for a resurgent Ferrari in Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc embarked on Formula One’s new era in triumphant style, leading teammate Carlos Sainz in a one-two for a resurgent Ferrari in Sunday’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The Monegasque, who started from pole, crossed the line 5.5 seconds ahead of Spaniard Sainz. World champion Max Verstappen, who several times went wheel-to-wheel with Leclerc in a battle for the lead, was on course for second but was forced to retire three laps from the end, with teammate Sergio Perez suffering the same fate shortly after, as Red Bull left Bahrain with nothing. Red Bull's problems played into the hands of struggling Mercedes, with Lewis Hamilton snatching third and new teammate George Russell finishing a career-best fourth. ALSO READ: 'You've shown remarkable grit': PM Modi lauds Lakshya Sen for spirited fight in All England Open final “Again, I keep repeating myself, but the past two years have been incredibly difficult for the team," said Leclerc, after ending a 45-race winless streak dating back to Singapore 2019 for the sport's most successful outfit. "It was a huge opportunity for the team -- we couldn't hope for better." Sunday’s win was the third of the 24-year-old Leclerc’s career. He earned it by fending off a charging Verstappen after the first stops, with the pair swapping places over several laps, and later timing his restart after a safety car period to perfection. It was also the Italian team’s seventh triumph at the Sakhir desert track and their first season-opening one-two since 2010, when Fernando Alonso led Felipe Massa to victory in Bahrain. The result put Leclerc, who also set the fastest lap and was voted driver of the day by fans, in the overall lead of the drivers' standings. FERRARI LEAD STANDINGS Ferrari, who opened the 2017 and 2018 seasons with a win but have not won a championship since 2008, lead the constructors' standings ahead of Mercedes. "Firstly, a big congratulations to Ferrari, happy to see them doing well again," said seven-times world Hamilton, who for much of the race was running a distant fifth. "I think it was such a difficult race, we struggled throughout practice but we did the best we could," the 37-year-old Briton added. F1 returnee Kevin Magnussen put Haas back in the points with a solid fifth-place finish. The result put the team, who in 2021 finished last and were the only outfit to not score a point, third in the overall standings. ALSO READ: David Beckham hands over his Instagram account with 71.5 million followers to Ukrainian doctor, watch his plea Valtteri Bottas was sixth in his first race for Alfa Romeo, ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon, who served a time penalty for pushing the Haas of Mick Schumacher into a spin. Yuki Tsunoda was eighth for AlphaTauri ahead of Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso. Guanyu Zhou, who became the first Chinese driver to race in Formula One, scored the final point in tenth on his debut for Alfa Romeo. Schumacher missed out on scoring his first points but still took home his best result so far in 11th. Pierre Gasly failed to finish after his AlphaTauri expired in a plume of smoke and flame.

Formula One: Charles Leclerc wins season-opening Bahrain GP as Ferrari finishes 1-2

Seven-time&nbsp;Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said on Friday he expects a fine for missing last year`s FIA gala awards ceremony to be put towards helping improve diversity in motorsport. The Briton skipped the governing body`s presentation after a controversial final race of the season in Abu Dhabi that&nbsp; denied him a record eighth title and handed it instead to Red Bull rival Max Verstappen. Attendance is mandatory to the top three in the championship.

Hamilton told reporters ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix that he had met new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. "There will be some sort of fine regarding the gala but we`ve worked together to make sure the money will be put towards youth from under-privileged backgrounds getting into motorsport," said the Mercedes driver.

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Hamilton, the sport`s only Black driver, has pushed hard for diversity and wider access to motorsport after emerging from an under-privileged background to become one of the world`s highest-paid athletes. He set up a commission in 2020 and last year made a personal pledge of 20 million pounds ($26.25 million) towards a new Mission 44 foundation supporting under-represented young people in Britain.

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said on Friday he expects a fine for missing last year`s FIA gala awards ceremony to be put towards helping improve diversity in motorsport.

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said on Friday he expects a fine for missing last year`s FIA gala awards ceremony to be put towards helping improve diversity in motorsport. The Briton skipped the governing body`s presentation after a controversial final race of the season in Abu Dhabi that denied him a record eighth title and handed it instead to Red Bull rival Max Verstappen. Attendance is mandatory to the top three in the championship. Hamilton told reporters ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix that he had met new FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. "There will be some sort of fine regarding the gala but we`ve worked together to make sure the money will be put towards youth from under-privileged backgrounds getting into motorsport," said the Mercedes driver. ALSO READ | McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo fit to take part in Bahrain Grand Prix after negative COVID tests Hamilton, the sport`s only Black driver, has pushed hard for diversity and wider access to motorsport after emerging from an under-privileged background to become one of the world`s highest-paid athletes. He set up a commission in 2020 and last year made a personal pledge of 20 million pounds ($26.25 million) towards a new Mission 44 foundation supporting under-represented young people in Britain.

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton says gala fine will help under-privileged youth

Legendary F1 racer Michael Schumacher, former Tennis star Maria Sharapova and 11 others were booked for fraud and criminal conspiracy by the police in the northern city of Gurugram in India after a court order. The international sportspersons were named following an FIR registered in the local police station by a woman who accused them of fraud in relation to an apartment construction project.

The FIR was filed by Shafali Agarwal, a resident of Chattarpur Mini Farm in New Delhi. In the complaint, she said that she booked an apartment in a project named after Sharapova and in that project, a tower was named after Schumacher.

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According to the FIR, the project was supposed to be completed by 2016 but it never took off. As a result, Agarwal decided to lodge a complaint and she accused the celebrities of being privy to the fraud through the promotion of the project.

"We came to know about the project through advertisements and reached out to the company management after pictures of the project and a lot of false promises were made," she said in the complaint.

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It was further alleged that Sharapova had visited the site and promised the opening of a tennis academy and sports store. "It was mentioned in the brochure that she is promoting the project, and she also made false promises, had dinner parties with the buyers, and all this was done for the project, which never took off," read the complaint.

The FIR was registered under Sections 34 (common intention), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC at the Badshahpur police station.

(With inputs from agencies)

Legendary F1 racer Michael Schumacher, former Tennis star Maria Sharapova and 11 others were booked for fraud and criminal conspiracy by the police in the northern city of Gurugram in India after a court order.

Legendary F1 racer Michael Schumacher, former Tennis star Maria Sharapova and 11 others were booked for fraud and criminal conspiracy by the police in the northern city of Gurugram in India after a court order. The international sportspersons were named following an FIR registered in the local police station by a woman who accused them of fraud in relation to an apartment construction project. The FIR was filed by Shafali Agarwal, a resident of Chattarpur Mini Farm in New Delhi. In the complaint, she said that she booked an apartment in a project named after Sharapova and in that project, a tower was named after Schumacher. Also read | Everything we know about the new COVID-19 variant found in Israel According to the FIR, the project was supposed to be completed by 2016 but it never took off. As a result, Agarwal decided to lodge a complaint and she accused the celebrities of being privy to the fraud through the promotion of the project. "We came to know about the project through advertisements and reached out to the company management after pictures of the project and a lot of false promises were made," she said in the complaint. Also read | James Webb Space Telescope captures test image of star and ancient galaxies It was further alleged that Sharapova had visited the site and promised the opening of a tennis academy and sports store. "It was mentioned in the brochure that she is promoting the project, and she also made false promises, had dinner parties with the buyers, and all this was done for the project, which never took off," read the complaint. The FIR was registered under Sections 34 (common intention), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC at the Badshahpur police station. (With inputs from agencies)

Michael Schumacher and Maria Sharapova booked by Indian local police for fraud

Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix after recovering from COVID-19, his McLaren team said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Australian tested positive last week and was unable to participate in three days of pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom.

"Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend's Bahrain GP," McLaren said.

"Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain."

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Rivals Alpine had offered McLaren their Australian reserve driver Oscar Piastri as a stand-in should Ricciardo have been unable to race.

Practice for the opening race at Sakhir is on Friday and Ricciardo will go into it without having driven the car since Barcelona on Feb. 24.

Bahrain is something of a home race for McLaren, with the team majority owned by the Gulf kingdom's sovereign investment fund Mumtalakat.

Ricciardo finished seventh last year with teammate Lando Norris fourth.

Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix after recovering from COVID-19, his McLaren team said on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Australian tested positive last week and was unable to participate in three days of pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom.

Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix after recovering from COVID-19, his McLaren team said on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Australian tested positive last week and was unable to participate in three days of pre-season testing in the Gulf kingdom. "Daniel has now returned a number of negative tests and will therefore return to the paddock on Thursday ready to compete in this weekend's Bahrain GP," McLaren said. "Daniel has been feeling better each day as he continued to recover while in isolation following local regulations in Bahrain." ALSO READ: Indian Wells: Defending champion Paula Badosa beats Leylah Fernandez; Iga Swiatek, Simona Halep enter quarters Rivals Alpine had offered McLaren their Australian reserve driver Oscar Piastri as a stand-in should Ricciardo have been unable to race. Practice for the opening race at Sakhir is on Friday and Ricciardo will go into it without having driven the car since Barcelona on Feb. 24. Bahrain is something of a home race for McLaren, with the team majority owned by the Gulf kingdom's sovereign investment fund Mumtalakat. Ricciardo finished seventh last year with teammate Lando Norris fourth.

McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo fit to take part in Bahrain Grand Prix after negative COVID tests

Formula One starts a new season in Bahrain on Sunday with the biggest technical rule change in decades leaving plenty of questions to be answered.

The cars, heavier and with bigger wheels, look very different to last year's models thanks to an overhaul aimed at making overtaking easier and the racing more competitive and exciting.

There is plenty of debate already about the spirit of the rules, to what extent the changes will be successful, how teams have read them and whether some have pushed boundaries too far.

"This is by far the biggest change in regulation I think the sport has ever seen," commented Aston Martin technical head Andrew Green. "My career goes back to 1991 and it trumps anything from 1991.

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"I think it trumps everything as far as F1 is concerned," he added.

"It’s a completely new concept, a completely different way of approaching a regulation. It’s been a massive challenge. It’s been exciting for sure."

Formula One's managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn, another veteran whose career dates back to the 1970s and who has run teams and also served as a Ferrari technical director, hailed a real break with the past.

He said the aim was "to get a closer competition going on for the future while still leaving it a meritocracy."

"I think there’ll be a bit of disparity at the beginning but I’m confident these rules and this regime and this culture will lead to much better racing."

WHEEL SIZE

The most obvious changes are the increase in wheel size from 13 to 18 inches, with low profile Pirelli tyres, and new look front and rear wings designed to reduce the aerodynamic turbulence for cars following behind.

There are fairings on the front wheels and radically different interpretations of the sidepods, which are almost non-existent in the case of champions Mercedes, while the floors generate more ground-effect downforce.

"We may see that we don’t quite hit a bullseye in terms of following (cars) but we’ll still be so massively ahead of where we were, because the (old) cars were dreadful," said Brawn.

"We’ll still be a long way ahead of where the old cars are and then we’ll evolve it."

The race weekend has also been condensed, with media activities moved to Friday from Thursday and more points for the three Saturday sprints to be held in Imola, Austria and Brazil.

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Each team will also have to run young drivers in two Friday practice sessions over the course of the season.

The budget cap, now reduced to $140 million, has introduced another strategic element.

"You have to decide extremely carefully where you invest your dollar in R&amp;D. In the past it was a little bit easier because you could follow various avenues in chasing performance," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

"Today you have to decide which one has the highest potential and then embark on it. So it’s a totally different way of operating for the big teams."

Formula One starts a new season in Bahrain on Sunday with the biggest technical rule change in decades leaving plenty of questions to be answered. The cars, heavier and with bigger wheels, look very different to last year's models thanks to an overhaul aimed at making overtaking easier and the racing more competitive and exciting.

Formula One starts a new season in Bahrain on Sunday with the biggest technical rule change in decades leaving plenty of questions to be answered. The cars, heavier and with bigger wheels, look very different to last year's models thanks to an overhaul aimed at making overtaking easier and the racing more competitive and exciting. There is plenty of debate already about the spirit of the rules, to what extent the changes will be successful, how teams have read them and whether some have pushed boundaries too far. "This is by far the biggest change in regulation I think the sport has ever seen," commented Aston Martin technical head Andrew Green. "My career goes back to 1991 and it trumps anything from 1991. ALSO READ: Premier League: Title race heats up as Manchester City drop points against Newcastle United "I think it trumps everything as far as F1 is concerned," he added. "It’s a completely new concept, a completely different way of approaching a regulation. It’s been a massive challenge. It’s been exciting for sure." Formula One's managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn, another veteran whose career dates back to the 1970s and who has run teams and also served as a Ferrari technical director, hailed a real break with the past. He said the aim was "to get a closer competition going on for the future while still leaving it a meritocracy." "I think there’ll be a bit of disparity at the beginning but I’m confident these rules and this regime and this culture will lead to much better racing." WHEEL SIZE The most obvious changes are the increase in wheel size from 13 to 18 inches, with low profile Pirelli tyres, and new look front and rear wings designed to reduce the aerodynamic turbulence for cars following behind. There are fairings on the front wheels and radically different interpretations of the sidepods, which are almost non-existent in the case of champions Mercedes, while the floors generate more ground-effect downforce. "We may see that we don’t quite hit a bullseye in terms of following (cars) but we’ll still be so massively ahead of where we were, because the (old) cars were dreadful," said Brawn. "We’ll still be a long way ahead of where the old cars are and then we’ll evolve it." The race weekend has also been condensed, with media activities moved to Friday from Thursday and more points for the three Saturday sprints to be held in Imola, Austria and Brazil. ALSO READ: 'Cricket is not about politics': PCB chief Ramiz Raja to hold talks with Sourav Ganguly for 4-nation series Each team will also have to run young drivers in two Friday practice sessions over the course of the season. The budget cap, now reduced to $140 million, has introduced another strategic element. "You have to decide extremely carefully where you invest your dollar in R&D. In the past it was a little bit easier because you could follow various avenues in chasing performance," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. "Today you have to decide which one has the highest potential and then embark on it. So it’s a totally different way of operating for the big teams."

Formula One faces its biggest technical rule change in decades

Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for COVID-19, but is set to complete his isolation in time for Formula 1's 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain.

The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before running at the Bahrain International Circuit began, and initially returned negative tests.

However on Friday, after day two of the test was completed, McLaren revealed the Australian has now returned a positive PCR test.

The team say he is continuing to isolate in accordance with local regulations.

They added: "Under these regulations, Daniel will be released in time for next weekend's Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery."

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Ricciardo said on social media: "Better this week than next... Unfortunate to miss the test, but I'm starting to feel better. I'll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando &amp; McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone as well."

Norris will drive all day on Saturday - the final day of the test - having fulfilled driving duties on the opening two days, where McLaren struggled with brake issues and managed just over 100 laps in total.

Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for COVID-19, but is set to complete his isolation in time for Formula 1's 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain. The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before running at the Bahrain International Circuit began, and initially returned negative tests.

Daniel Ricciardo has tested positive for COVID-19, but is set to complete his isolation in time for Formula 1's 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain. The McLaren driver felt unwell on Wednesday, the day before running at the Bahrain International Circuit began, and initially returned negative tests. However on Friday, after day two of the test was completed, McLaren revealed the Australian has now returned a positive PCR test. The team say he is continuing to isolate in accordance with local regulations. They added: "Under these regulations, Daniel will be released in time for next weekend's Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Daniel is already beginning to feel better, and we wish him well for a quick recovery." ALSO READ: India's Jhulan Goswami creates history, becomes highest wicket-taker in Women's World Cup Ricciardo said on social media: "Better this week than next... Unfortunate to miss the test, but I'm starting to feel better. I'll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone as well." Norris will drive all day on Saturday - the final day of the test - having fulfilled driving duties on the opening two days, where McLaren struggled with brake issues and managed just over 100 laps in total.

Formula One: McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of race in Bahrain

The Russian driver Nikita Mazepin will be allowed to race in Formula 1 this season after motorsports governing body the FIA confirmed the Russian and Belarusian drivers will be able to compete under a neutral flag.

Russian F1 racer Nikita Mazepin to compete in F1 this season, FIA clarifies

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