Formula One on Friday said it will not race in Russia this season, saying it was "impossible" to do so after the country launched an invasion on neighbouring Ukraine.

The race was scheduled for Sept. 25 at Sochi`s Olympic park. "We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation," the sport said in a statement.

"On Thursday evening Formula One, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is ... that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances."&nbsp;

Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, sea and air on Thursday.

Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel told a news conference that he would not take part in the Russian Grand Prix if it went ahead.

World champion Max Verstappen also said racing in a country at war was "not correct". U.S.-owned Haas ran their car in Barcelona testing on Friday in an all-white livery, having taken off all branding representing title sponsor and Russian potash producer Uralkali.&nbsp;

Team principal Guenther Steiner also acknowledged that the outfit`s Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, whose father owns Uralkali, faces an uncertain future.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-moves-champions-league-final-from-st-petersburg-to-paris-amid-russia-ukraine-conflict-456427">UEFA moves Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris amid Russia-Ukraine conflict</a>

European soccer`s governing body UEFA, earlier on Friday, said it had moved the Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris. The cancellation of the Russian race brings Formula One`s calendar back down to 22 races from a planned record 23-round schedule.

But the sport, which pulled off 17 races in the pandemic-hit 2020 season and held 22 races last year, has options it can pick to fill the spot vacated by Russia, after a number of venues held races as COVID-19 stand-ins over the last two seasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Russian race debuted on the calendar in 2014 and was set to move to a new track outside St Petersburg from its current Sochi Olympic park venue next year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has attended the race in the past, even handing out the trophies on the podium. The title sponsor of the race is the VTB Group whose VTB Bank was hit with sanctions by the United States and Britain following the Russian invasion.

Formula One on Friday said it will not race in Russia this season, saying it was "impossible" to do so after the country launched an invasion on neighbouring Ukraine.

Formula One on Friday said it will not race in Russia this season, saying it was "impossible" to do so after the country launched an invasion on neighbouring Ukraine. The race was scheduled for Sept. 25 at Sochi`s Olympic park. "We are watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to the present situation," the sport said in a statement. "On Thursday evening Formula One, the FIA, and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is ... that it is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in the current circumstances." Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, sea and air on Thursday. Four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel told a news conference that he would not take part in the Russian Grand Prix if it went ahead. World champion Max Verstappen also said racing in a country at war was "not correct". U.S.-owned Haas ran their car in Barcelona testing on Friday in an all-white livery, having taken off all branding representing title sponsor and Russian potash producer Uralkali. Team principal Guenther Steiner also acknowledged that the outfit`s Russian driver Nikita Mazepin, whose father owns Uralkali, faces an uncertain future. Also Read: UEFA moves Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris amid Russia-Ukraine conflict European soccer`s governing body UEFA, earlier on Friday, said it had moved the Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris. The cancellation of the Russian race brings Formula One`s calendar back down to 22 races from a planned record 23-round schedule. But the sport, which pulled off 17 races in the pandemic-hit 2020 season and held 22 races last year, has options it can pick to fill the spot vacated by Russia, after a number of venues held races as COVID-19 stand-ins over the last two seasons. The Russian race debuted on the calendar in 2014 and was set to move to a new track outside St Petersburg from its current Sochi Olympic park venue next year. Russian President Vladimir Putin has attended the race in the past, even handing out the trophies on the podium. The title sponsor of the race is the VTB Group whose VTB Bank was hit with sanctions by the United States and Britain following the Russian invasion.

Formula One cancels 2022 Russian Grand Prix after Ukraine invasion

Sebastian Vettel said Formula One drivers had not been consulted about the sport’s plans to do away with the pre-race slot for taking the knee, and suggested the decision may have been taken for business reasons.

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali told Sky Sports earlier this week that the sport would no longer set time aside for drivers to take the knee ahead of races, as it looks to introduce more concrete actions to combat racism.

The drivers typically used the pre-race moment, introduced in 2020, to support causes of their choice or Formula One’s broader "We Race As One" diversity, inclusion and sustainability platform.

"The issues that we are tackling are not going to be gone within two years,” said four-times champion Vettel ahead of the launch of his new 2022 Aston Martin challenger.

“Therefore I was a bit surprised. Probably it was getting a bit too strong and too individual for the business side of it.”

Domenicali said the "We Race As One" platform would continue with a video that preceded drivers taking the knee still being broadcast and branding for the initiative visible at race tracks.&nbsp;

Vettel, who like seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is a staunch advocate for social justice, racial equality and environmental sustainability, was among those to kneel.

He hoped drivers would still find a way to display their support for the issues they cared about.

“I hope that as drivers we find a way to get together and find a slot for still expressing topics that are important to us,” said the 34-year-old.&nbsp;

“Probably not all the drivers care but I think there are some that really do care.”

Sebastian Vettel said Formula One drivers had not been consulted about the sport’s plans to do away with the pre-race slot for taking the knee, and suggested the decision may have been taken for business reasons.

Sebastian Vettel said Formula One drivers had not been consulted about the sport’s plans to do away with the pre-race slot for taking the knee, and suggested the decision may have been taken for business reasons. Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali told Sky Sports earlier this week that the sport would no longer set time aside for drivers to take the knee ahead of races, as it looks to introduce more concrete actions to combat racism. The drivers typically used the pre-race moment, introduced in 2020, to support causes of their choice or Formula One’s broader "We Race As One" diversity, inclusion and sustainability platform. "The issues that we are tackling are not going to be gone within two years,” said four-times champion Vettel ahead of the launch of his new 2022 Aston Martin challenger. “Therefore I was a bit surprised. Probably it was getting a bit too strong and too individual for the business side of it.” Domenicali said the "We Race As One" platform would continue with a video that preceded drivers taking the knee still being broadcast and branding for the initiative visible at race tracks. Vettel, who like seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is a staunch advocate for social justice, racial equality and environmental sustainability, was among those to kneel. He hoped drivers would still find a way to display their support for the issues they cared about. “I hope that as drivers we find a way to get together and find a slot for still expressing topics that are important to us,” said the 34-year-old. “Probably not all the drivers care but I think there are some that really do care.”

Sebastian Vettel surprised by F1 decision to discontinue 'taking the knee'

Before the end of 2021, the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen went past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One&nbsp;2021 season; the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early December. While many expected the veteran driver Hamilton to claim his eighth title, it was the 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch racing driver&nbsp;Verstappen who stunned one and all and went ahead of his competitor in the final lap to win a maiden driver's title.

The race was full of ups and downs. The 37-year-old British car race driver&nbsp;Hamilton was on the verge&nbsp;of lifting his eighth title before&nbsp;Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams prior to the four laps before the last one, calling for the appearance of the safety car. Verstappen went ahead with new&nbsp;tyres, however, Hamilton didn't. Thus, the youngster Verstappen moved past his&nbsp;close rival -- courtesy the fresh wheels -- to emerge victorious at the&nbsp;Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi.

The race remains in discussion to date.&nbsp;The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has ordered an investigation into the conduct of the entire proceedings in Abu Dhabi. The result is expected to be out in March, 2022.

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappens-maiden-formula-one-world-title-red-bulls-biggest-achievement-so-far-christian-horner-436466">Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner</a>

Anid all this, WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo got a chance to interact with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Horner&nbsp;opened up on the epic race in Abu Dhabi, rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton, Hamilton's future and more.&nbsp;

The 48-year-old Horner, who remains&nbsp;the mastermind behind four constructors' titles at Red Bull racing, lauded Max's rise and said, "Amazing reception to welcome Max back as a world champion. He has grown up with Red Bull, a product of the junior team. The way he drove last year, he fully deserved the world title."

Horner admitted that a late safety car played into Max's hands and took Hamilton by surprise. On the intense rivalry between the duo, which has gained mileage in recent times, Horner stated it is the need of the hour for the sport. He pointed out, "For sure, sport is all about competition. When you have good serial winners, it becomes less attractive. There was big rivalry and it was very little to choose between the two teams and drivers, hence, it was the best year Formula One has had as a sport for probably 30-40 years."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

Following the season-finale,&nbsp;Hamilton had alleged that the race was manipulated. Moreover, the&nbsp;Mercedes Principal Toto Wolff went ahead and said that the superstar driver is disillusioned and may not race again. Horner, under whose guidance&nbsp;the Red Bull drivers have won as many as five titles, also opined on Hamilton's future. He said, "Certainly, hope Lewis will be around. Ultimately, it is his choice, his career and his decision. I am sure he will decide to do what he wants to do and what is best for him."

Before the end of 2021, the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen went past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One 2021 season; the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early December.

Before the end of 2021, the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen went past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One 2021 season; the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early December. While many expected the veteran driver Hamilton to claim his eighth title, it was the 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch racing driver Verstappen who stunned one and all and went ahead of his competitor in the final lap to win a maiden driver's title. The race was full of ups and downs. The 37-year-old British car race driver Hamilton was on the verge of lifting his eighth title before Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams prior to the four laps before the last one, calling for the appearance of the safety car. Verstappen went ahead with new tyres, however, Hamilton didn't. Thus, the youngster Verstappen moved past his close rival -- courtesy the fresh wheels -- to emerge victorious at the Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi. The race remains in discussion to date. The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has ordered an investigation into the conduct of the entire proceedings in Abu Dhabi. The result is expected to be out in March, 2022. #EXCLUSIVE | Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) Team Principal Christian Horner speaks to WION's @DiggySinghDeo on @Max33Verstappen's maiden world title win at 2021 @F1 #AbuDhabiGP and uncertainty over 7-time World Champion @LewisHamilton for the 2022 season@redbull @redbullindia pic.twitter.com/thdSbK9F3h — WION (@WIONews) January 25, 2022 × ALSO READ | Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner Anid all this, WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo got a chance to interact with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Horner opened up on the epic race in Abu Dhabi, rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton, Hamilton's future and more. The 48-year-old Horner, who remains the mastermind behind four constructors' titles at Red Bull racing, lauded Max's rise and said, "Amazing reception to welcome Max back as a world champion. He has grown up with Red Bull, a product of the junior team. The way he drove last year, he fully deserved the world title." Horner admitted that a late safety car played into Max's hands and took Hamilton by surprise. On the intense rivalry between the duo, which has gained mileage in recent times, Horner stated it is the need of the hour for the sport. He pointed out, "For sure, sport is all about competition. When you have good serial winners, it becomes less attractive. There was big rivalry and it was very little to choose between the two teams and drivers, hence, it was the best year Formula One has had as a sport for probably 30-40 years." ALSO READ | From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win Following the season-finale, Hamilton had alleged that the race was manipulated. Moreover, the Mercedes Principal Toto Wolff went ahead and said that the superstar driver is disillusioned and may not race again. Horner, under whose guidance the Red Bull drivers have won as many as five titles, also opined on Hamilton's future. He said, "Certainly, hope Lewis will be around. Ultimately, it is his choice, his career and his decision. I am sure he will decide to do what he wants to do and what is best for him."

EXCLUSIVE | Christian Horner opens up on Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton rivalry

Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates will be the first non-European president of motorsport's world governing body after being elected on Friday, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said.

He replaces 75-year-old Frenchman Jean Todt, who is retiring after three terms of office.

The 60-year-old Dubai-born former rally driver was standing against British lawyer Graham Stoker, who has been Todt's deputy president for sport since 2009.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mercedes-boss-toto-wolff-casts-doubt-on-lewis-hamilton-future-both-to-shun-fia-gala-awards-437496">Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton future, both to shun FIA gala awards</a>

The FIA is the governing body for Formula One, the World Rally Championship, World Endurance and Formula E among other series.

"The votes are in and we’ve won. We are thrilled that 62% of all clubs have given us their vote," said Ben Sulayem`s `FIA for Members'&nbsp;campaign on Twitter. An FIA spokesman confirmed the result.

Formula One will be high on Ben Sulayem`s list of immediate sporting priorities after last Sunday's season-ending race in Abu Dhabi ended in uproar after a change to the safety car procedure led to Red Bull's Max Verstappen taking the title.

FIA race director Michael Masi has been at the centre of the controversy, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff saying the Australian had 'robbed'&nbsp;his driver Lewis Hamilton of a record eighth championship.

The governing body has agreed to look into the decision-making process and clarification of the rules.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

Ben Sulayem, previously an FIA vice-president and World Motor Sport Council member, has Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone, the wife of former Formula One supremo Bernie, on his team. She will be vice-president for sport in South America.

Robert Reid, who was co-driver to Britain`s late world rally champion Richard Burns, will take the role of deputy president for sport.

Frenchman Todt stood unopposed in 2017. He remains an honorary president.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates will be the first non-European president of motorsport's world governing body after being elected on Friday, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates will be the first non-European president of motorsport's world governing body after being elected on Friday, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said. He replaces 75-year-old Frenchman Jean Todt, who is retiring after three terms of office. The 60-year-old Dubai-born former rally driver was standing against British lawyer Graham Stoker, who has been Todt's deputy president for sport since 2009. ALSO READ: Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton future, both to shun FIA gala awards The FIA is the governing body for Formula One, the World Rally Championship, World Endurance and Formula E among other series. "The votes are in and we’ve won. We are thrilled that 62% of all clubs have given us their vote," said Ben Sulayem`s `FIA for Members' campaign on Twitter. An FIA spokesman confirmed the result. Formula One will be high on Ben Sulayem`s list of immediate sporting priorities after last Sunday's season-ending race in Abu Dhabi ended in uproar after a change to the safety car procedure led to Red Bull's Max Verstappen taking the title. FIA race director Michael Masi has been at the centre of the controversy, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff saying the Australian had 'robbed' his driver Lewis Hamilton of a record eighth championship. The governing body has agreed to look into the decision-making process and clarification of the rules. ALSO READ: From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win Ben Sulayem, previously an FIA vice-president and World Motor Sport Council member, has Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone, the wife of former Formula One supremo Bernie, on his team. She will be vice-president for sport in South America. Robert Reid, who was co-driver to Britain`s late world rally champion Richard Burns, will take the role of deputy president for sport. Frenchman Todt stood unopposed in 2017. He remains an honorary president.

FIA elects first non-European President, UAE's Mohammed Ben Sulayem replaces Jean Todt

Lewis Hamilton may never get over the pain of being 'robbed'&nbsp;of a record eighth Formula One title, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said on Thursday in comments that raised doubts about the driver's future in the sport.

The Austrian, speaking to reporters for the first time since Sunday's race in Abu Dhabi and after Mercedes dropped plans to appeal, said he and Hamilton would not be attending the FIA's gala awards in Paris that evening.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen will be handed his trophy at the ceremony and the top three drivers are obliged to attend the prizegiving under article 6.6 of the Formula One sporting regulations.

Hamilton lost out to Verstappen after the Dutch driver overtook him on the last lap at Yas Marina, benefiting from a sudden change to the safety car procedure that allowed racing to resume.

"It's going to take a long time for us to digest what has happened on Sunday. I don`t think we will ever come over it, that`s not possible," said Wolff.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mercedes-f1-team-drops-appeal-and-congratulates-max-verstappen-for-maiden-title-win-437393">Mercedes F1 team drops appeal and congratulates Max Verstappen for maiden title win</a>

"And certainly not him (Hamilton) as a driver. I would very much hope the two of us and the rest of the team we can work through the events... But he will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on Sunday."

Hamilton spoke briefly after Sunday's race to 2009 world champion Jenson Button before the podium ceremonies but did no media post-race and has not spoken publicly since.

He also avoided saying anything after being knighted at Windsor Palace on Wednesday.

CLEAR VALUES

Asked directly whether Hamilton, who turns 37 in January and has two years remaining on his contract, would be back next year, Wolff indicated that was not a certainty.

"I would very much hope Lewis continues racing because he is the greatest driver of all time," he said.

"As a racer his heart will say I need to continue because he's at the peak of his game," he added. "But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday. He is a man with clear values."

Mercedes won the constructors'&nbsp;title for an unprecedented eighth year in a row and Wolff said technical head James Allison would be in Paris to collect the trophy on behalf of all the workforce.

"I won't be there because of my loyalty to Lewis and because of my own personal integrity," he said.

Wolff was confident Mercedes could have won a legal battle but there was "a difference between right and obtaining justice."

He said every decision was taken with Hamilton.

"It was tremendously hard for him and for us as a team to withdraw the appeal, because we were wronged," he added.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

"My soul and my heart cries with every bone that this should have been judged in the right way."

Wolff said there had been no contact with race director Michael Masi, who made the safety car decision, since Sunday.

"I`m not interested in having a conversation with Michael Masi," he said.

"The decisions that have been taken in the last four minutes of this race have robbed Lewis Hamilton of a deserved world championship. He won the start and he never gave the lead away again.

"Robbing him on the last lap of the race is unacceptable... my values, my sense of integrity, just isn`t compatible with the decisions that have been made on Sunday."

Lewis Hamilton may never get over the pain of being 'robbed' of a record eighth Formula One title, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said on Thursday in comments that raised doubts about the driver's future in the sport.

Lewis Hamilton may never get over the pain of being 'robbed' of a record eighth Formula One title, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said on Thursday in comments that raised doubts about the driver's future in the sport. The Austrian, speaking to reporters for the first time since Sunday's race in Abu Dhabi and after Mercedes dropped plans to appeal, said he and Hamilton would not be attending the FIA's gala awards in Paris that evening. Red Bull's Max Verstappen will be handed his trophy at the ceremony and the top three drivers are obliged to attend the prizegiving under article 6.6 of the Formula One sporting regulations. Hamilton lost out to Verstappen after the Dutch driver overtook him on the last lap at Yas Marina, benefiting from a sudden change to the safety car procedure that allowed racing to resume. "It's going to take a long time for us to digest what has happened on Sunday. I don`t think we will ever come over it, that`s not possible," said Wolff. ALSO READ: Mercedes F1 team drops appeal and congratulates Max Verstappen for maiden title win "And certainly not him (Hamilton) as a driver. I would very much hope the two of us and the rest of the team we can work through the events... But he will never overcome the pain and the distress that was caused on Sunday." Hamilton spoke briefly after Sunday's race to 2009 world champion Jenson Button before the podium ceremonies but did no media post-race and has not spoken publicly since. He also avoided saying anything after being knighted at Windsor Palace on Wednesday. CLEAR VALUES Asked directly whether Hamilton, who turns 37 in January and has two years remaining on his contract, would be back next year, Wolff indicated that was not a certainty. "I would very much hope Lewis continues racing because he is the greatest driver of all time," he said. "As a racer his heart will say I need to continue because he's at the peak of his game," he added. "But we have to overcome the pain that was caused upon him on Sunday. He is a man with clear values." Mercedes won the constructors' title for an unprecedented eighth year in a row and Wolff said technical head James Allison would be in Paris to collect the trophy on behalf of all the workforce. "I won't be there because of my loyalty to Lewis and because of my own personal integrity," he said. Wolff was confident Mercedes could have won a legal battle but there was "a difference between right and obtaining justice." He said every decision was taken with Hamilton. "It was tremendously hard for him and for us as a team to withdraw the appeal, because we were wronged," he added. ALSO READ: From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win "My soul and my heart cries with every bone that this should have been judged in the right way." Wolff said there had been no contact with race director Michael Masi, who made the safety car decision, since Sunday. "I`m not interested in having a conversation with Michael Masi," he said. "The decisions that have been taken in the last four minutes of this race have robbed Lewis Hamilton of a deserved world championship. He won the start and he never gave the lead away again. "Robbing him on the last lap of the race is unacceptable... my values, my sense of integrity, just isn`t compatible with the decisions that have been made on Sunday."

Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton future, both to shun FIA gala awards

Lewis Hamilton's&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;team on Thursday withdrew their appeal against Max Verstappen's controversial title-winning victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Verstappen overtook the British driver on the last lap on Sunday to clinch his first drivers' title and deny his rival a record eighth crown.

The deployment of the safety car after a late crash at the Yas Marina Circuit had wiped out Hamilton's seemingly unassailable lead and Verstappen had the advantage as he was using fresher tyres.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

The furious&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;team had an immediate double appeal dismissed by the stewards, then lodged an intention to appeal against that decision, which they were required to trigger by Thursday evening.

But&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;issued a lengthy statement announcing they were drawing a line under the issue.

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The team said they had made the decision following "constructive dialogue" with governing body FIA over establishing clarity for future racing scenarios.

"We welcome the decision by the FIA to install a commission to thoroughly analyse what happened in Abu Dhabi and to improve the robustness of rules, governance and decision-making in Formula 1,"&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;said in a statement.

"We also welcome that they have invited the teams and drivers to take part.

"The&nbsp;Mercedes-AMG Petronas team will actively work with this commission to build a better Formula 1 -- for every team and every fan who loves this sport as much as we do. We will hold the FIA accountable for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abu-dhabi-gp-mercedes-protest-after-max-verstappen-beats-lewis-hamilton-to-win-f1-title-436362">Abu Dhabi GP: Mercedes protest after Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to win F1 title</a>

Mercedes, who won the constructors' title, said they had initially appealed against the result in the interests of "sporting fairness".

The team also offered congratulations to Verstappen and Red Bull, saying the F1 championship title fight had been "truly epic".

"Though this drivers' championship did not end the way we hoped, we could not be prouder of our team," the statement added.

"Lewis, you are the greatest racer in the history of Formula 1 and you drove your heart out for every lap of this incredible season. You're a flawless sportsman on and off the track and you delivered a faultless performance."

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team on Thursday withdrew their appeal against Max Verstappen's controversial title-winning victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Red Bull's Verstappen overtook the British driver on the last lap on Sunday to clinch his first drivers' title and deny his rival a record eighth crown.

Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team on Thursday withdrew their appeal against Max Verstappen's controversial title-winning victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Red Bull's Verstappen overtook the British driver on the last lap on Sunday to clinch his first drivers' title and deny his rival a record eighth crown. The deployment of the safety car after a late crash at the Yas Marina Circuit had wiped out Hamilton's seemingly unassailable lead and Verstappen had the advantage as he was using fresher tyres. ALSO READ: From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win The furious Mercedes team had an immediate double appeal dismissed by the stewards, then lodged an intention to appeal against that decision, which they were required to trigger by Thursday evening. But Mercedes issued a lengthy statement announcing they were drawing a line under the issue. Team Statement - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix pic.twitter.com/tgrBjrNkcz — Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) December 16, 2021 × The team said they had made the decision following "constructive dialogue" with governing body FIA over establishing clarity for future racing scenarios. "We welcome the decision by the FIA to install a commission to thoroughly analyse what happened in Abu Dhabi and to improve the robustness of rules, governance and decision-making in Formula 1," Mercedes said in a statement. "We also welcome that they have invited the teams and drivers to take part. "The Mercedes-AMG Petronas team will actively work with this commission to build a better Formula 1 -- for every team and every fan who loves this sport as much as we do. We will hold the FIA accountable for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal." ALSO READ | Abu Dhabi GP: Mercedes protest after Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to win F1 title Mercedes, who won the constructors' title, said they had initially appealed against the result in the interests of "sporting fairness". The team also offered congratulations to Verstappen and Red Bull, saying the F1 championship title fight had been "truly epic". "Though this drivers' championship did not end the way we hoped, we could not be prouder of our team," the statement added. "Lewis, you are the greatest racer in the history of Formula 1 and you drove your heart out for every lap of this incredible season. You're a flawless sportsman on and off the track and you delivered a faultless performance."

Mercedes F1 team drops appeal and congratulates Max Verstappen for maiden title win

Seven times Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton received his knighthood for services to motorsport on Wednesday, days after he lost out on what would have been a record eighth title after a tense last lap at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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Sir Lewis Hamilton has officially received his knighthood<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/zdotOqf8lv">https://t.co/zdotOqf8lv</a>
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Hamilton holds the record for most race wins with 103 while he is tied with German great Michael Schumacher on seven drivers` championships.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-wins-formula-one-world-title-after-beating-lewis-hamilton-to-clinch-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-436341">Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix</a>

The 36-year-old Briton, the sport's only Black driver, was made a Knight Bachelor by Britain's Price Charles during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in England.

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🏎️ Arise Sir <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a>! 
 
The seven-time <a href="https://twitter.com/F1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@F1</a> World Champion received his Knighthood from The Prince of Wales at today's Investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle. <a href="https://t.co/I3xicKLLYp">pic.twitter.com/I3xicKLLYp</a>
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Hamilton is the fourth F1 driver to be knighted after the late Australian Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and triple champion Jackie Stewart, and the only one to have received the award while still racing.

Other active sportsmen who have received a knighthood are cycling's Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres gold medallist Mo Farah, twice Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and England cricketer Alastair Cook.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/memes-galore-as-max-verstappen-denies-lewis-hamilton-record-8th-f1-world-title-in-dramatic-finish-436516">Memes galore as Max Verstappen denies Lewis Hamilton record 8th F1 world title in dramatic finish</a>

Hamilton lost out on the 2021 title to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on Sunday. The two were equal on points before the final race in Abu Dhabi, where the Dutchman overtook Hamilton on the final lap to lift his maiden title.

Seven times Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton received his knighthood for services to motorsport on Wednesday, days after he lost out on what would have been a record eighth title after a tense last lap at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Seven times Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton received his knighthood for services to motorsport on Wednesday, days after he lost out on what would have been a record eighth title after a tense last lap at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Sir Lewis Hamilton has officially received his knighthood#F1 https://t.co/zdotOqf8lv — Formula 1 (@F1) December 15, 2021 × Hamilton holds the record for most race wins with 103 while he is tied with German great Michael Schumacher on seven drivers` championships. ALSO READ: Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix The 36-year-old Briton, the sport's only Black driver, was made a Knight Bachelor by Britain's Price Charles during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in England. 🏎️ Arise Sir @LewisHamilton! The seven-time @F1 World Champion received his Knighthood from The Prince of Wales at today's Investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/I3xicKLLYp — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 15, 2021 × Hamilton is the fourth F1 driver to be knighted after the late Australian Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and triple champion Jackie Stewart, and the only one to have received the award while still racing. Other active sportsmen who have received a knighthood are cycling's Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres gold medallist Mo Farah, twice Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and England cricketer Alastair Cook. ALSO READ: Memes galore as Max Verstappen denies Lewis Hamilton record 8th F1 world title in dramatic finish Hamilton lost out on the 2021 title to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on Sunday. The two were equal on points before the final race in Abu Dhabi, where the Dutchman overtook Hamilton on the final lap to lift his maiden title.

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton receives knighthood

Mercedes protested on Sunday after Red Bull`s Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and beat their seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 world title with a last lap overtake.

The team, who still secured the constructors` crown for a record eighth year in a row, protested two alleged breaches of the sporting regulations when the safety car was deployed late in the race.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-wins-formula-one-world-title-after-beating-lewis-hamilton-to-clinch-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-436341">Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix</a>

A statement from the stewards said Mercedes had protested "against the classification established at the end of the competition", arguing there was a breach of article 48.12.

Verstappen had back markers between him and Hamilton after pitting with the safety car deployed and time running out for racing to resume.

Race director Michael Masi decided that only the five lapped cars between the two title rivals should be allowed to unlap themselves, instead of all lapped cars as is the usual procedure.

In a second protest, Mercedes also argued that article 48.8 was breached with Verstappen`s car moving in front of Hamilton`s before racing resumed as he waited impatiently for the Briton to lead away.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/russias-nikita-mazepin-out-of-abu-dhabi-gp-after-positive-covid-19-test-436264">Russia's Nikita Mazepin out of Abu Dhabi GP after positive COVID-19 test</a>

It is illegal to overtake, unless authorised to do so, while the safety car is on track.

Mercedes said they would make no further comment until after the hearing.

Mercedes protested on Sunday after Red Bull`s Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and beat their seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 world title with a last lap overtake.

Mercedes protested on Sunday after Red Bull`s Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and beat their seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 world title with a last lap overtake. The team, who still secured the constructors` crown for a record eighth year in a row, protested two alleged breaches of the sporting regulations when the safety car was deployed late in the race. ALSO READ: Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix A statement from the stewards said Mercedes had protested "against the classification established at the end of the competition", arguing there was a breach of article 48.12. Verstappen had back markers between him and Hamilton after pitting with the safety car deployed and time running out for racing to resume. Race director Michael Masi decided that only the five lapped cars between the two title rivals should be allowed to unlap themselves, instead of all lapped cars as is the usual procedure. In a second protest, Mercedes also argued that article 48.8 was breached with Verstappen`s car moving in front of Hamilton`s before racing resumed as he waited impatiently for the Briton to lead away. ALSO READ: Russia's Nikita Mazepin out of Abu Dhabi GP after positive COVID-19 test It is illegal to overtake, unless authorised to do so, while the safety car is on track. Mercedes said they would make no further comment until after the hearing.

Abu Dhabi GP: Mercedes protest after Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to win F1 title

Max Verstappen&nbsp;became the first Dutchman ever to win the&nbsp;Formula One&nbsp;world championship title when he won a dramatic season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Red Bull driver notched up a 10th victory of the season when he took advantage of a second safety car to overtake seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton on the final lap after Nicholas Latifi crashed.

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MAX VERSTAPPEN. WORLD CHAMPION!!! 
 
A stunning season by an extraordinary talent<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HistoryMade?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HistoryMade</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Max33Verstappen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Max33Verstappen</a> <a href="https://t.co/FxT9W69xJe">pic.twitter.com/FxT9W69xJe</a>
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Verstappen and Hamilton, who went into the race level on points, went whee to wheel to the chequered flag with the Dutchman edging the race.&nbsp;

Hamilton, who had won the three previous races, made the perfect start when he overtook Verstappen before by the first corner.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/russias-nikita-mazepin-out-of-abu-dhabi-gp-after-positive-covid-19-test-436264">Russia's Nikita Mazepin out of Abu Dhabi GP after positive COVID-19 test</a>

The two then tangled on the first lap with Verstappen overtaking and forcing Hamilton wide off the track but the Mercedes driver cut across and rejoined the race in the lead.

He slowed to give back time but the stewards decided not to investigate the incident.

Hamilton built up a lead which was then threatened when Red Bull took advantage of a virtual safety car on lap 36 of 58 to switch to a new set of hard tyres.&nbsp;

Hamilton stayed out and saw the Dutchman erode his lead with every lap. Another safety car on lap 54 enabled Verstappen to pit again and switch to soft tyres.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-on-pole-for-title-deciding-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-lewis-hamilton-second-436133">Max Verstappen on pole for title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton second</a>

When the safety car came off, just one dramatic lap remained and the two began it neck and neck.&nbsp;

But the fresh tyres paid off for the 24-year-old Verstappen who surged through to win the race and the title to roars from the stands at the Yas Marina stands.&nbsp;

Max Verstappen became the first Dutchman ever to win the Formula One world championship title when he won a dramatic season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday.

Max Verstappen became the first Dutchman ever to win the Formula One world championship title when he won a dramatic season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. The Red Bull driver notched up a 10th victory of the season when he took advantage of a second safety car to overtake seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton on the final lap after Nicholas Latifi crashed. MAX VERSTAPPEN. WORLD CHAMPION!!! A stunning season by an extraordinary talent#HistoryMade #F1 @Max33Verstappen pic.twitter.com/FxT9W69xJe — Formula 1 (@F1) December 12, 2021 × Verstappen and Hamilton, who went into the race level on points, went whee to wheel to the chequered flag with the Dutchman edging the race. Hamilton, who had won the three previous races, made the perfect start when he overtook Verstappen before by the first corner. ALSO READ: Russia's Nikita Mazepin out of Abu Dhabi GP after positive COVID-19 test The two then tangled on the first lap with Verstappen overtaking and forcing Hamilton wide off the track but the Mercedes driver cut across and rejoined the race in the lead. He slowed to give back time but the stewards decided not to investigate the incident. Hamilton built up a lead which was then threatened when Red Bull took advantage of a virtual safety car on lap 36 of 58 to switch to a new set of hard tyres. Hamilton stayed out and saw the Dutchman erode his lead with every lap. Another safety car on lap 54 enabled Verstappen to pit again and switch to soft tyres. ALSO READ: Max Verstappen on pole for title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton second When the safety car came off, just one dramatic lap remained and the two began it neck and neck. But the fresh tyres paid off for the 24-year-old Verstappen who surged through to win the race and the title to roars from the stands at the Yas Marina stands.

Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton won a crazy, twice-halted Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday to go level on points with Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and set up a winner-takes-all title showdown.

On a chaotic night in Jeddah, the first race in the Gulf kingdom took almost as many twists and turns as an already astonishing and enthralling rollercoaster season&nbsp;and also left a bitter aftertaste.

There were crashes and collisions, safety cars, red flags, and claims of dirty driving after seven-times world champion Hamilton hit the back of Verstappen's suddenly slowing car on the super-fast Corniche street circuit.

Extraordinary, at times angry, radio exchanges between the race director Michael Masi and the top two teams filled the airwaves.

With a bonus point for fastest lap, Hamilton moved alongside Verstappen at the top of the standings with 369.5 points after 21 races.

Verstappen, who finished second with Valtteri Bottas third for Mercedes, leads 9-8 on wins, however&nbsp;meaning that the Dutch 24-year-old will be champion if neither he nor Hamilton scores another point.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/f2-racers-enzo-fittipaldi-and-theo-pourchaire-taken-to-hospital-after-start-line-crash-video-434404">F2 racers Enzo Fittipaldi and Theo Pourchaire taken to hospital after start line crash: Video</a>

Mercedes extended their lead in the constructors'&nbsp;championship to 28 points and a record eighth successive title looking likely.

The final race is in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

BRAKE-TEST

Hamilton had started on pole but twice lost out to Verstappen, who began the day eight points ahead, at the standing re-starts.

The Dutch driver was ordered to hand back the lead, for going wide as Hamilton tried to pass on lap 37, but when he slowed Hamilton ran into the back of him.

"He just brake-tested me. I’ve just hit him, man, my wing’s broken," exclaimed the Briton. "That was dangerous driving dude."

Stewards summoned both drivers after the race and found Verstappen predominantly to blame, handing him a 10 second penalty that changed nothing.

The Dutchman did hand back the lead on lap 42 but took it back immediately.

Stewards then gave him a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage but Verstappen again let Hamilton through.

"We didn’t need to do that, Max," said his race engineer.

Mercedes told Masi they had not been given sufficient time to inform Hamilton that Verstappen would give back the place, and the Red Bull driver was also furious.

"What happened today is unbelievable and this sport is more about penalties than racing. For me, this is not Formula One," he fumed after being told he had been voted 'Driver of the Day'.

RED FLAGS

The red flags first came out on lap 14 after a safety car period triggered by Mick Schumacher crashing his Haas.

That played into the hands of Verstappen, who stayed out while Hamilton pitted from the lead for fresh tyres to take advantage of the safety car deployment.

The advantage disappeared, however, when the standing re-start triggered more chaos.

Hamilton made the better getaway but Verstappen went off track to keep the lead, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon -- who finished fourth after being pipped by Bottas at the end&nbsp;forcing his way into second place.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saudi-arabian-gp-lewis-hamilton-on-pole-max-verstappen-hits-wall-434214">Saudi Arabian GP: Lewis Hamilton on pole, Max Verstappen hits wall</a>

"I had to avoid a collision there," exclaimed Hamilton. "He (Verstappen) cut across the whole kerb. He just overtook me outside the white line."

The race was halted a lap later when Haas's Russian rookie Nikita Mazepin and Williams`s George Russell collided while

Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez was tagged by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and spun.

Masi offered Red Bull the "opportunity" to line up on the grid for the third standing start behind Hamilton, with Ocon in the lead.

"You'd be back behind Lewis," said the Australian. "That is my offer."

"We accept that," came the reply from Red Bull's team manager Jonathan Wheatley.

Verstappen seized the lead again, with Hamilton passing Ocon, and the battle was on&nbsp;punctuated by more virtual safety car periods.

"Get in there Lewis!" Hamilton's race engineer shouted at the chequered flag. "That has got to be the craziest race I can remember, the cool heads won that out."

Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth for McLaren, ahead of AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly and Leclerc. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was eighth, with Antonio Giovinazzi ninth for Alfa Romeo and Lando Norris 10th for McLaren.

Lewis Hamilton won a crazy, twice-halted Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday to go level on points with Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and set up a winner-takes-all title showdown.

Lewis Hamilton won a crazy, twice-halted Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday to go level on points with Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and set up a winner-takes-all title showdown. On a chaotic night in Jeddah, the first race in the Gulf kingdom took almost as many twists and turns as an already astonishing and enthralling rollercoaster season and also left a bitter aftertaste. There were crashes and collisions, safety cars, red flags, and claims of dirty driving after seven-times world champion Hamilton hit the back of Verstappen's suddenly slowing car on the super-fast Corniche street circuit. Extraordinary, at times angry, radio exchanges between the race director Michael Masi and the top two teams filled the airwaves. With a bonus point for fastest lap, Hamilton moved alongside Verstappen at the top of the standings with 369.5 points after 21 races. Verstappen, who finished second with Valtteri Bottas third for Mercedes, leads 9-8 on wins, however meaning that the Dutch 24-year-old will be champion if neither he nor Hamilton scores another point. ALSO READ: F2 racers Enzo Fittipaldi and Theo Pourchaire taken to hospital after start line crash: Video Mercedes extended their lead in the constructors' championship to 28 points and a record eighth successive title looking likely. The final race is in Abu Dhabi next weekend. BRAKE-TEST Hamilton had started on pole but twice lost out to Verstappen, who began the day eight points ahead, at the standing re-starts. The Dutch driver was ordered to hand back the lead, for going wide as Hamilton tried to pass on lap 37, but when he slowed Hamilton ran into the back of him. "He just brake-tested me. I’ve just hit him, man, my wing’s broken," exclaimed the Briton. "That was dangerous driving dude." Stewards summoned both drivers after the race and found Verstappen predominantly to blame, handing him a 10 second penalty that changed nothing. The Dutchman did hand back the lead on lap 42 but took it back immediately. Stewards then gave him a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage but Verstappen again let Hamilton through. "We didn’t need to do that, Max," said his race engineer. Mercedes told Masi they had not been given sufficient time to inform Hamilton that Verstappen would give back the place, and the Red Bull driver was also furious. "What happened today is unbelievable and this sport is more about penalties than racing. For me, this is not Formula One," he fumed after being told he had been voted 'Driver of the Day'. RED FLAGS The red flags first came out on lap 14 after a safety car period triggered by Mick Schumacher crashing his Haas. That played into the hands of Verstappen, who stayed out while Hamilton pitted from the lead for fresh tyres to take advantage of the safety car deployment. The advantage disappeared, however, when the standing re-start triggered more chaos. Hamilton made the better getaway but Verstappen went off track to keep the lead, with Alpine's Esteban Ocon -- who finished fourth after being pipped by Bottas at the end forcing his way into second place. ALSO READ: Saudi Arabian GP: Lewis Hamilton on pole, Max Verstappen hits wall "I had to avoid a collision there," exclaimed Hamilton. "He (Verstappen) cut across the whole kerb. He just overtook me outside the white line." The race was halted a lap later when Haas's Russian rookie Nikita Mazepin and Williams`s George Russell collided while Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez was tagged by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and spun. Masi offered Red Bull the "opportunity" to line up on the grid for the third standing start behind Hamilton, with Ocon in the lead. "You'd be back behind Lewis," said the Australian. "That is my offer." "We accept that," came the reply from Red Bull's team manager Jonathan Wheatley. Verstappen seized the lead again, with Hamilton passing Ocon, and the battle was on punctuated by more virtual safety car periods. "Get in there Lewis!" Hamilton's race engineer shouted at the chequered flag. "That has got to be the craziest race I can remember, the cool heads won that out." Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth for McLaren, ahead of AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly and Leclerc. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was eighth, with Antonio Giovinazzi ninth for Alfa Romeo and Lando Norris 10th for McLaren.

Lewis Hamilton wins Saudi Grand Prix, comes at par with Max Verstappen

Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;snatched pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday, boosting his hopes of staying on course for a record eighth Formula One world title.

Championship leader Max Verstappen was third fastest in the Red Bull after hitting a wall on his final flying lap on the tight Jeddah street circuit just as he appeared poised to unseat his rival.

Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was second and will share the front row on Sunday.

"What a tough track this is. It's amazing what they've built, the speed and the pace around here is phenomenal," said&nbsp;Hamilton.&nbsp;

"It's a great result for the team and a great job by Valtteri -- he's the best teammate there's ever been in this sport."

For&nbsp;Hamilton, who has cut Verstappen's championship lead with successive wins in Brazil and Qatar, it was a fifth pole of the season and 103rd of his career.

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Max Verstappen hits the barriers 💥<a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> takes pole 🏆 
 
An extraordinary finish to qualifying in Jeddah 😮<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaudiArabianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaudiArabianGP</a> 🇸🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/t1xZnz0Baf">pic.twitter.com/t1xZnz0Baf</a>
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Verstappen, who has an eight-point lead over&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;with just two races left, can claim his first world title on Sunday if he wins the race and&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;finishes outside the top six.

If not, the 2021 title battle will go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

"I don't really understand what happened (on the final flying lap). I locked up a bit," Verstappen.

"P3 is disappointing but today did show that the car is quick around here so we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull made up the top five for Sunday's race, the first to be held in the kingdom.

Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Lando Norris (McLaren), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) complete the top 10.

Securing pole capped a dramatic day for seven-time champion&nbsp;Hamilton.

He escaped a sanction for yellow flag incidents in Saturday practice after being summoned over an alleged failure to slow under double waved yellow flags, and for blocking the Haas of Nikita Mazepin.

However, the Mercedes star was cleared of any wrongdoing after the stewards admitted that a double-waved yellow light panel had been activated accidentally.

Mercedes were fined 25,000 euros for the second incident.

Verstappen&nbsp;was hit with a five-place grid penalty for failing to respect double-waved yellow flags during qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix last month.

Lewis Hamilton snatched pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday, boosting his hopes of staying on course for a record eighth Formula One world title.

Lewis Hamilton snatched pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday, boosting his hopes of staying on course for a record eighth Formula One world title. Championship leader Max Verstappen was third fastest in the Red Bull after hitting a wall on his final flying lap on the tight Jeddah street circuit just as he appeared poised to unseat his rival. Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was second and will share the front row on Sunday. "What a tough track this is. It's amazing what they've built, the speed and the pace around here is phenomenal," said Hamilton. "It's a great result for the team and a great job by Valtteri -- he's the best teammate there's ever been in this sport." For Hamilton, who has cut Verstappen's championship lead with successive wins in Brazil and Qatar, it was a fifth pole of the season and 103rd of his career. Max Verstappen hits the barriers 💥@LewisHamilton takes pole 🏆 An extraordinary finish to qualifying in Jeddah 😮#SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 #F1 pic.twitter.com/t1xZnz0Baf — Formula 1 (@F1) December 4, 2021 × Verstappen, who has an eight-point lead over Hamilton with just two races left, can claim his first world title on Sunday if he wins the race and Hamilton finishes outside the top six. If not, the 2021 title battle will go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi next weekend. "I don't really understand what happened (on the final flying lap). I locked up a bit," Verstappen. "P3 is disappointing but today did show that the car is quick around here so we'll see what happens tomorrow." Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull made up the top five for Sunday's race, the first to be held in the kingdom. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), Lando Norris (McLaren), Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo) complete the top 10. Securing pole capped a dramatic day for seven-time champion Hamilton. He escaped a sanction for yellow flag incidents in Saturday practice after being summoned over an alleged failure to slow under double waved yellow flags, and for blocking the Haas of Nikita Mazepin. However, the Mercedes star was cleared of any wrongdoing after the stewards admitted that a double-waved yellow light panel had been activated accidentally. Mercedes were fined 25,000 euros for the second incident. Verstappen was hit with a five-place grid penalty for failing to respect double-waved yellow flags during qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix last month.

Saudi Arabian GP: Lewis Hamilton on pole, Max Verstappen hits wall

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton drew first blood as he edged out Formula One title rival Max Verstappen to go fastest in the opening practice session for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Briton lapped the 6.1-km long circuit in one minute, 29.786 seconds in his Mercedes, pipping Verstappen by just 0.056 seconds.

Finland's Valtteri Bottas was third in the other Mercedes, two-tenths of a second off his team mate's pace.

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is the first of only two races left on this year's Formula One calendar, with the hard fought battle of the generations between 36-year-old Hamilton and 24-year-old Verstappen racing towards its conclusion.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-chasing-hat-trick-to-set-up-last-race-showdown-433373">Lewis Hamilton chasing hat-trick to set up last-race showdown</a>

Verstappen leads Hamilton by eight points in the overall standings and has his first shot at wrapping up a maiden title with a race to spare this weekend.

Hamilton, who only needs to finish fifth to keep the battle alive into next week's Abu Dhabi finale, is gunning for a third win in a row to force a last-race showdown in his quest for an unprecedented eighth world title.

Verstappen, quick out of the blocks, set the early pace as drivers got to grips with the unfamiliar flat-out blasts of the Jeddah track.

Hamilton, whose Mercedes is expected to have an advantage around the circuit's high-speed layout, dialled himself in more gradually, vaulting to the top of the timesheets with 15 minutes of the hour-long session to run.

The Dutchman responded with a late run on soft tyres but was unable to usurp Hamilton.

Behind the top-three, Frenchman Pierre Gasly was fourth for AlphaTauri. Antonio Giovinazzi, making way at Alfa Romeo for Chinese rookie Guyanyu Zhou next season, was fifth.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sao-paulo-gp-lewis-hamilton-wins-from-10th-to-reignite-title-race-429370">Sao Paulo GP: Lewis Hamilton wins from 10th to reignite title race</a>

Carlos Sainz led Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc in sixth with McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo and former champions Fernando

Alonso and Sebastian Vettel completing the top 10 for Alpine and Aston Martin, respectively.

The Jeddah track, which runs along the Red Sea, is expected to be the second fastest on the calendar behind only Italy's "Temple of Speed", Monza.

Hemmed in by walls, drivers and teams had feared lengthy stoppages in the case of any incidents.

But, despite drivers exploring its limits, Friday's opening session remained uneventful.

The track also drew praise, as did organisers'&nbsp;efforts to complete it in time.

Teams also carried a tribute to Sir Frank Williams on their cars, co-founder of the Williams team, who died on Sunday. The squad, among the sport`s most successful outfits, was sold last year but continues to race under the Williams name.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton drew first blood as he edged out Formula One title rival Max Verstappen to go fastest in the opening practice session for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton drew first blood as he edged out Formula One title rival Max Verstappen to go fastest in the opening practice session for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Briton lapped the 6.1-km long circuit in one minute, 29.786 seconds in his Mercedes, pipping Verstappen by just 0.056 seconds. Finland's Valtteri Bottas was third in the other Mercedes, two-tenths of a second off his team mate's pace. The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is the first of only two races left on this year's Formula One calendar, with the hard fought battle of the generations between 36-year-old Hamilton and 24-year-old Verstappen racing towards its conclusion. ALSO READ: Lewis Hamilton chasing hat-trick to set up last-race showdown Verstappen leads Hamilton by eight points in the overall standings and has his first shot at wrapping up a maiden title with a race to spare this weekend. Hamilton, who only needs to finish fifth to keep the battle alive into next week's Abu Dhabi finale, is gunning for a third win in a row to force a last-race showdown in his quest for an unprecedented eighth world title. Verstappen, quick out of the blocks, set the early pace as drivers got to grips with the unfamiliar flat-out blasts of the Jeddah track. Hamilton, whose Mercedes is expected to have an advantage around the circuit's high-speed layout, dialled himself in more gradually, vaulting to the top of the timesheets with 15 minutes of the hour-long session to run. The Dutchman responded with a late run on soft tyres but was unable to usurp Hamilton. Behind the top-three, Frenchman Pierre Gasly was fourth for AlphaTauri. Antonio Giovinazzi, making way at Alfa Romeo for Chinese rookie Guyanyu Zhou next season, was fifth. ALSO READ: Sao Paulo GP: Lewis Hamilton wins from 10th to reignite title race Carlos Sainz led Ferrari team mate Charles Leclerc in sixth with McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo and former champions Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel completing the top 10 for Alpine and Aston Martin, respectively. The Jeddah track, which runs along the Red Sea, is expected to be the second fastest on the calendar behind only Italy's "Temple of Speed", Monza. Hemmed in by walls, drivers and teams had feared lengthy stoppages in the case of any incidents. But, despite drivers exploring its limits, Friday's opening session remained uneventful. The track also drew praise, as did organisers' efforts to complete it in time. Teams also carried a tribute to Sir Frank Williams on their cars, co-founder of the Williams team, who died on Sunday. The squad, among the sport`s most successful outfits, was sold last year but continues to race under the Williams name.

Saudi Arabian GP: Lewis Hamilton edges Max Verstappen in opening practice

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has his first shot at winning the Formula One title in Sunday's inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton is chasing a hat-trick of wins to take the battle down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.

Seven-times world champion Hamilton, 36, has closed the gap to his 24-year-old rival to eight points in their clash of the generations after resounding back-to-back wins in Brazil and Qatar.

The championship has swung between the two and is now on a knife-edge.

Victory for Hamilton under the floodlights in the penultimate race of the season on Jeddah's super-fast 6.1km street circuit could catapult the Briton into the lead while a failure to finish is likely to end his hopes.

On paper the flat-out blasts along the Red Sea waterfront should favour Hamilton, whose Mercedes will once again have the "spicy" engine that powered the Briton from last on Saturday to first on Sunday in Brazil.

"Both titles are wide open, and our mission is clear," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, whose team are five points ahead of Red Bull in the constructors' standings and can wrap up that battle if they score 40 points more than their rivals.

"The car has been performing well recently and is probably in the best place it has been all season, with the drivers confident to push it to the limit."

Verstappen has won nine races to Hamilton's seven but has a tougher fight on his hands following Mercedes' recent performance improvement.

He needs to finish at least second to have a chance of wrapping up the title with a race to spare.

If Hamilton finishes fifth or higher, the championship remains open even if Verstappen scores maximum points for victory and fastest lap.

The Briton will, however, draw level on points with Verstappen if he wins and takes fastest lap even with the Dutchman second.

"I’m feeling calm, I know that I will always try to do the best that I can and we’ll just find out where we are going to end up," said Verstappen who made his Formula One debut in 2015 aged 17.

"Nothing has been decided yet and we are all up for the challenge, there’s still a lot of racing left to do and we are going to give it our all that’s for sure."

Lower down the order, Ferrari could wrap up third place in the constructors' standings ahead of McLaren.

The Italians are 39.5 points clear of their Woking-based rivals with a maximum 44 points up for grabs after the race in Jeddah.

Formula One will also remember Frank Williams, former team principal and co-founder of the Williams outfit, who died on Sunday.

The team, the sport's third most successful in terms of wins, was sold to new owners last year but continues to race under the Williams name.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has his first shot at winning the Formula One title in Sunday's inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton is chasing a hat-trick of wins to take the battle down to the wire in Abu Dhabi.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has his first shot at winning the Formula One title in Sunday's inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton is chasing a hat-trick of wins to take the battle down to the wire in Abu Dhabi. Seven-times world champion Hamilton, 36, has closed the gap to his 24-year-old rival to eight points in their clash of the generations after resounding back-to-back wins in Brazil and Qatar. The championship has swung between the two and is now on a knife-edge. Victory for Hamilton under the floodlights in the penultimate race of the season on Jeddah's super-fast 6.1km street circuit could catapult the Briton into the lead while a failure to finish is likely to end his hopes. On paper the flat-out blasts along the Red Sea waterfront should favour Hamilton, whose Mercedes will once again have the "spicy" engine that powered the Briton from last on Saturday to first on Sunday in Brazil. "Both titles are wide open, and our mission is clear," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, whose team are five points ahead of Red Bull in the constructors' standings and can wrap up that battle if they score 40 points more than their rivals. "The car has been performing well recently and is probably in the best place it has been all season, with the drivers confident to push it to the limit." Verstappen has won nine races to Hamilton's seven but has a tougher fight on his hands following Mercedes' recent performance improvement. He needs to finish at least second to have a chance of wrapping up the title with a race to spare. If Hamilton finishes fifth or higher, the championship remains open even if Verstappen scores maximum points for victory and fastest lap. The Briton will, however, draw level on points with Verstappen if he wins and takes fastest lap even with the Dutchman second. "I’m feeling calm, I know that I will always try to do the best that I can and we’ll just find out where we are going to end up," said Verstappen who made his Formula One debut in 2015 aged 17. "Nothing has been decided yet and we are all up for the challenge, there’s still a lot of racing left to do and we are going to give it our all that’s for sure." Lower down the order, Ferrari could wrap up third place in the constructors' standings ahead of McLaren. The Italians are 39.5 points clear of their Woking-based rivals with a maximum 44 points up for grabs after the race in Jeddah. Formula One will also remember Frank Williams, former team principal and co-founder of the Williams outfit, who died on Sunday. The team, the sport's third most successful in terms of wins, was sold to new owners last year but continues to race under the Williams name.

Lewis Hamilton chasing hat-trick to set up last-race showdown

Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;won Sunday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a commanding performance from pole to cut Max Verstappen's world championship lead to eight points.

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Back-to-back wins for <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> as he takes victory in Qatar 👀🎧 
 
And cuts Max Verstappen's championship lead to eight points with two races left to go! 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QatarGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QatarGP</a> 🇶🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/9xOMl0m2kx">pic.twitter.com/9xOMl0m2kx</a>
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The Mercedes seven-time champion comfortably held off his arch Dutch rival's Red Bull under the Losail circuit's lights to leave the battle for the F1 drivers' crown delicately poised with only two races remaining.

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UPDATED DRIVER STANDINGS 👀 
 
Two races to go 
 
Eight points in it 
 
An F1 title race for the ages <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QatarGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QatarGP</a> 🇶🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/hoUdjtI4qm">pic.twitter.com/hoUdjtI4qm</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1462456276810715137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Fernando Alonso took third for Alpine, the former two-time world champion's first podium since 2014.

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One week on from arguably his toughest and greatest win in Brazil,&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;enjoyed one of his easiest.

And after an unprecedented eighth world title appeared to be slipping from his grasp after Verstappen's wins in the USA and Mexico, it is the 36-year-old Briton rather than the 12-year-younger pretender who has the momentum.

"We needed those points today. I can't wait to watch the race replay to find out what happened behind me," he said after his 102nd career win.

"I'm really grateful for these points, it's been a hell of a year. Back-to-back wins here, feel good, I feel fit, fitter than I've ever felt. Bring on the next two!"

Verstappen, who was demoted from second to seventh on the grid for a yellow flag infringement in qualifying on Saturday, took second, and picked up a point for the fastest lap.

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"Our starting position was compromised, but luckily we had a really good start," he said.

"Of course, I know it's going to be difficult to the end but it keeps it nice, keeps it exciting. This track was fun to drive as well.&nbsp;I feel good, but it's going to be a tight battle to the end."

Hamilton's faster engine, fitted last weekend in Sao Paulo, will give Red Bull a likely tough time again at the ultra quick new circuit in Saudi Arabia in a fortnight's time ahead of the season-closing race in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.

Lewis Hamilton won Sunday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a commanding performance from pole to cut Max Verstappen's world championship lead to eight points. Back-to-back wins for @LewisHamilton as he takes victory in Qatar 👀🎧 And cuts Max Verstappen's championship lead to eight points with two races left to go!

Lewis Hamilton won Sunday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a commanding performance from pole to cut Max Verstappen's world championship lead to eight points. Back-to-back wins for @LewisHamilton as he takes victory in Qatar 👀🎧 And cuts Max Verstappen's championship lead to eight points with two races left to go! 🏆#QatarGP 🇶🇦 #F1 pic.twitter.com/9xOMl0m2kx — Formula 1 (@F1) November 21, 2021 × The Mercedes seven-time champion comfortably held off his arch Dutch rival's Red Bull under the Losail circuit's lights to leave the battle for the F1 drivers' crown delicately poised with only two races remaining. UPDATED DRIVER STANDINGS 👀 Two races to go Eight points in it An F1 title race for the ages #QatarGP 🇶🇦 #F1 pic.twitter.com/hoUdjtI4qm — Formula 1 (@F1) November 21, 2021 × Fernando Alonso took third for Alpine, the former two-time world champion's first podium since 2014. ALSO READ: Max Verstappen given five-place grid penalty for Qatar Grand Prix One week on from arguably his toughest and greatest win in Brazil, Hamilton enjoyed one of his easiest. And after an unprecedented eighth world title appeared to be slipping from his grasp after Verstappen's wins in the USA and Mexico, it is the 36-year-old Briton rather than the 12-year-younger pretender who has the momentum. "We needed those points today. I can't wait to watch the race replay to find out what happened behind me," he said after his 102nd career win. "I'm really grateful for these points, it's been a hell of a year. Back-to-back wins here, feel good, I feel fit, fitter than I've ever felt. Bring on the next two!" Verstappen, who was demoted from second to seventh on the grid for a yellow flag infringement in qualifying on Saturday, took second, and picked up a point for the fastest lap. IN PICS: Peng Shuai: World seeks answers as Chinese tennis player goes 'missing'; Here's is what we know so far "Our starting position was compromised, but luckily we had a really good start," he said. "Of course, I know it's going to be difficult to the end but it keeps it nice, keeps it exciting. This track was fun to drive as well. I feel good, but it's going to be a tight battle to the end." Hamilton's faster engine, fitted last weekend in Sao Paulo, will give Red Bull a likely tough time again at the ultra quick new circuit in Saudi Arabia in a fortnight's time ahead of the season-closing race in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.

Lewis Hamilton wins Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen second

Lewis Hamilton will take a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix in another blow to the Briton's hopes of winning a record eighth Formula One world championship this season.

The Mercedes driver is 19 points adrift of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who is building momentum with four races remaining.

Formula One's governing body confirmed on Friday that Hamilton had taken a new engine, his fifth of the 22-race campaign.

Drivers have three engines to last the season, with any more triggering a penalty of 10 places for the first time the limit is exceeded and then five places for subsequent engines.

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-has-neymar-onside-ahead-of-big-f1-battle-in-brazil-428451">Lewis Hamilton has Neymar onside ahead of big F1 battle in Brazil</a>

Hamilton collected a 10 place grid penalty after taking his fourth engine in Turkey in October and started Friday practice at Interlagos with his fifth.

Red Bull are favourites to win at Interlagos, with Dutch 24-year-old Verstappen chasing his third win in a row and 10th of the season. He won the last pre-pandemic race at the Sao Paulo circuit in 2019.

Verstappen started the Russian Grand Prix in September from the back of the grid, finishing second, due to power unit penalties.

Team boss Christian Horner saw no need for Red Bull, who are only a point behind Mercedes in the constructors'&nbsp;championship, to take any further engine penalties.

"It's entirely understandable that Mercedes would strategically decide to take that penalty here, which they will incur on Sunday," he told Sky Sports television. "We're just focused on ourselves and do the best job we can.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mexican-grand-prix-max-verstappen-wins-to-stretch-f1-lead-by-19-points-against-lewis-hamilton-427713">Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins to stretch F1 lead by 19 points against Lewis Hamilton</a>

"All things being normal, we expect to get to the end of the year with the combustion engines that we have.

"Obviously we lost one following the crash at Silverstone (in July between Hamilton and Verstappen) but with the penalty we took in Sochi that got us back into good shape."

Lewis Hamilton will take a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix in another blow to the Briton's hopes of winning a record eighth Formula One world championship this season.

Lewis Hamilton will take a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix in another blow to the Briton's hopes of winning a record eighth Formula One world championship this season. The Mercedes driver is 19 points adrift of Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who is building momentum with four races remaining. Formula One's governing body confirmed on Friday that Hamilton had taken a new engine, his fifth of the 22-race campaign. Drivers have three engines to last the season, with any more triggering a penalty of 10 places for the first time the limit is exceeded and then five places for subsequent engines. ALSO READ: Lewis Hamilton has Neymar onside ahead of big F1 battle in Brazil Hamilton collected a 10 place grid penalty after taking his fourth engine in Turkey in October and started Friday practice at Interlagos with his fifth. Red Bull are favourites to win at Interlagos, with Dutch 24-year-old Verstappen chasing his third win in a row and 10th of the season. He won the last pre-pandemic race at the Sao Paulo circuit in 2019. Verstappen started the Russian Grand Prix in September from the back of the grid, finishing second, due to power unit penalties. Team boss Christian Horner saw no need for Red Bull, who are only a point behind Mercedes in the constructors' championship, to take any further engine penalties. "It's entirely understandable that Mercedes would strategically decide to take that penalty here, which they will incur on Sunday," he told Sky Sports television. "We're just focused on ourselves and do the best job we can. ALSO READ: Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins to stretch F1 lead by 19 points against Lewis Hamilton "All things being normal, we expect to get to the end of the year with the combustion engines that we have. "Obviously we lost one following the crash at Silverstone (in July between Hamilton and Verstappen) but with the penalty we took in Sochi that got us back into good shape."

Sau Paulo Grand Prix: Grid penalty another blow to Lewis Hamilton's title hopes

Lewis Hamilton stayed onside with his Brazilian fans on Wednesday by calling up soccer star Neymar ahead of a big weekend for the Briton's bid for a record eighth Formula One championship.

The Mercedes driver told reporters he hoped to watch his friend in a World Cup qualifier between five times champions Brazil and Colombia at the home of Sao Paulo's Corinthians on Thursday night.

"I'm very much in contact with Neymar, quite often, we were just talking actually earlier today," explained the Briton at a news conference for team sponsor Petronas.

"I know he's playing tomorrow, I really want to go and watch the game."

Paris St Germain forward Neymar and Hamilton have hung out on several occasions in the past, with the Brazilian once referring to the Formula One champion as a 'brother from another mother'.

Formula One has only media duties on Thursday with the action getting under way on Friday, with practice and a qualifying session for Saturday's sprint race.

Hamilton is 19 points adrift of Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the championship with four races remaining, including Interlagos.

Mercedes are only a point ahead of Red Bull in the constructors' championship.

This season has been one of the closest and hard-fought of recent years, with the lead swinging between the two contenders, and Hamilton hoped next year could be even more competitive with new rules and cars.

He said that should make a difference when it came to getting more grip from the tyres and also reducing the turbulence of following another car.

"They have developed this new car so you can use less downforce while following another car, so we are really hoping that the racing is going be the best that Formula One has ever seen," he said.

The new cars will feature larger 18 inch wheels with covers and simpler front and rear wings designed to make it easier for drivers to overtake.

Lewis Hamilton stayed onside with his Brazilian fans on Wednesday by calling up soccer star Neymar ahead of a big weekend for the Briton's bid for a record eighth Formula One championship.

Lewis Hamilton stayed onside with his Brazilian fans on Wednesday by calling up soccer star Neymar ahead of a big weekend for the Briton's bid for a record eighth Formula One championship. The Mercedes driver told reporters he hoped to watch his friend in a World Cup qualifier between five times champions Brazil and Colombia at the home of Sao Paulo's Corinthians on Thursday night. "I'm very much in contact with Neymar, quite often, we were just talking actually earlier today," explained the Briton at a news conference for team sponsor Petronas. "I know he's playing tomorrow, I really want to go and watch the game." Paris St Germain forward Neymar and Hamilton have hung out on several occasions in the past, with the Brazilian once referring to the Formula One champion as a 'brother from another mother'. Formula One has only media duties on Thursday with the action getting under way on Friday, with practice and a qualifying session for Saturday's sprint race. Hamilton is 19 points adrift of Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the championship with four races remaining, including Interlagos. Mercedes are only a point ahead of Red Bull in the constructors' championship. This season has been one of the closest and hard-fought of recent years, with the lead swinging between the two contenders, and Hamilton hoped next year could be even more competitive with new rules and cars. He said that should make a difference when it came to getting more grip from the tyres and also reducing the turbulence of following another car. "They have developed this new car so you can use less downforce while following another car, so we are really hoping that the racing is going be the best that Formula One has ever seen," he said. The new cars will feature larger 18 inch wheels with covers and simpler front and rear wings designed to make it easier for drivers to overtake.

Lewis Hamilton has Neymar onside ahead of big F1 battle in Brazil

Red Bull`s Max Verstappen celebrated a dominant win in the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to surge 19 points clear of Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One championship with four races remaining.

Seven-times world champion Hamilton was second for Mercedes, holding off Red Bull`s Sergio Perez who became the first Mexican to stand on his home podium at a jubilant Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Red Bull closed the gap to champions Mercedes in the constructors'&nbsp;standings to one point.

"It`s still a long way to go but it`s of course looking good, but also it can turn around very quickly," said Verstappen, 24, of his big step forward in the championship battle.

Verstappen took the chequered flag 16.555 seconds clear of Hamilton to seal his ninth victory of the season, third in Mexico and 19th of his career.

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The Dutchman seized the lead into the first corner from third on the grid, going three abreast with the two Mercedes and timing his braking to perfection, in what turned out to be the decisive moment of the race.

"I kept it on the track, came from third to first and that was basically what made my race because I could just focus on myself, and we had incredible pace in the car," he said.

Verstappen then gave Hamilton no chance to hit back once the safety car, deployed after collisions further back, was out of the way.

Hamilton, the most successful driver of all time with 100 career wins, said he gave it everything after being chased closely by Perez over the last 10 laps.

"I feel like I maximised it with what I have," said the Briton.

"We've got four races to go and we just have to keep pushing."

MEXICAN FIESTA

Perez was hoisted high on the shoulders of his mechanics as he waved the Mexican flag to salute the crowd before the podium ceremony.

"Of course I wanted more, I wanted to get a one-two for the team but I didn`t have a single chance to get through," he said after his third podium in a row after third places in Texas and Turkey.

"If I had a small chance I would have gone for it," added the 31-year-old, who also became the first Mexican to lead his home race after Verstappen and Hamilton had pitted.

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The safety car was deployed until lap four after a collision at the start between Haas` Mick Schumacher and AlphaTauri`s Yuki Tsunoda, while McLaren`s Daniel Ricciardo tagged the back of Valtteri Bottas`s Mercedes and lost his front wing.

Bottas, who had taken a surprise pole position on Saturday, was spun around and dropped to 18th place after an immediate pitstop.

The Finn ended up 15th but pitted for fresh tyres to snatch the fastest lap from Verstappen at the end, denying the Dutchman a precious bonus point without it coming to Mercedes since he was outside the top 10.

"You have to congratulate Red Bull because the pace was just on another level," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "I don`t think we could have won the race even if we had stayed ahead in the first corner."

AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly was fourth with Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fifth and sixth to lift the Italian team ahead of McLaren and into third place in the constructors` standings.

Sebastian Vettel was seventh for Aston Martin, with fellow champions Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso eighth and ninth for Alfa Romeo and Alpine respectively. Lando Norris took the final point for McLaren. 
&nbsp;

Red Bull`s Max Verstappen celebrated a dominant win in the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to surge 19 points clear of Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One championship with four races remaining.

Red Bull`s Max Verstappen celebrated a dominant win in the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday to surge 19 points clear of Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One championship with four races remaining. Seven-times world champion Hamilton was second for Mercedes, holding off Red Bull`s Sergio Perez who became the first Mexican to stand on his home podium at a jubilant Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Red Bull closed the gap to champions Mercedes in the constructors' standings to one point. "It`s still a long way to go but it`s of course looking good, but also it can turn around very quickly," said Verstappen, 24, of his big step forward in the championship battle. Verstappen took the chequered flag 16.555 seconds clear of Hamilton to seal his ninth victory of the season, third in Mexico and 19th of his career. ALSO READ: Russian GP: Lewis Hamilton goes back on top with his 100th F1 win The Dutchman seized the lead into the first corner from third on the grid, going three abreast with the two Mercedes and timing his braking to perfection, in what turned out to be the decisive moment of the race. "I kept it on the track, came from third to first and that was basically what made my race because I could just focus on myself, and we had incredible pace in the car," he said. Verstappen then gave Hamilton no chance to hit back once the safety car, deployed after collisions further back, was out of the way. Hamilton, the most successful driver of all time with 100 career wins, said he gave it everything after being chased closely by Perez over the last 10 laps. "I feel like I maximised it with what I have," said the Briton. "We've got four races to go and we just have to keep pushing." MEXICAN FIESTA Perez was hoisted high on the shoulders of his mechanics as he waved the Mexican flag to salute the crowd before the podium ceremony. "Of course I wanted more, I wanted to get a one-two for the team but I didn`t have a single chance to get through," he said after his third podium in a row after third places in Texas and Turkey. "If I had a small chance I would have gone for it," added the 31-year-old, who also became the first Mexican to lead his home race after Verstappen and Hamilton had pitted. ALSO READ: No excessive make-up, restricted dressing: Saudi Arabia's dress code for Formula 1 sparks controversy The safety car was deployed until lap four after a collision at the start between Haas` Mick Schumacher and AlphaTauri`s Yuki Tsunoda, while McLaren`s Daniel Ricciardo tagged the back of Valtteri Bottas`s Mercedes and lost his front wing. Bottas, who had taken a surprise pole position on Saturday, was spun around and dropped to 18th place after an immediate pitstop. The Finn ended up 15th but pitted for fresh tyres to snatch the fastest lap from Verstappen at the end, denying the Dutchman a precious bonus point without it coming to Mercedes since he was outside the top 10. "You have to congratulate Red Bull because the pace was just on another level," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "I don`t think we could have won the race even if we had stayed ahead in the first corner." AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly was fourth with Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz fifth and sixth to lift the Italian team ahead of McLaren and into third place in the constructors` standings. Sebastian Vettel was seventh for Aston Martin, with fellow champions Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso eighth and ninth for Alfa Romeo and Alpine respectively. Lando Norris took the final point for McLaren.

Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins to stretch F1 lead by 19 points against Lewis Hamilton

Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton expressed his thoughts on bullying and hate and opened up on learning Karate as a young boy to defend himself.&nbsp;

"So many people are going through in different ways. And after social media the hate and bullying is growing we need to protect the youth," said Hamilton in an interview with CNN.

"I am a fighter and I always wanted to fight back when I was being bullied in my childhood by bigger kids. I was too weak back then, for example, I went and did Karate because I wanted to channelise my aggression and learn to protect myself and anyone around me," said Hamilton.&nbsp;

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The seven-times Formula One world champion further said, "And then I put my skills in racing. When I was on the racing track and if someone told names to me or my parent, I just go out there and beat. It's a good feeling."&nbsp;

Previously also, Hamilton spoke about the mental scars left by the abuse he suffered. In 2020, he wrote on his Instagram, "Vivid memories of the challenges I faced when I was a kid, as I’m sure many of you who have experienced racism or some sort of discrimination have faced."

"I have spoken so little about my personal experiences because I was taught to keep it in, don’t show weakness, kill them with love and beat them on the track. But when it was away from the track, I was bullied, beaten and the only way I could fight this was to learn to defend myself, so I went to karate. The negative psychological effects cannot be measured," he added.&nbsp;

Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton expressed his thoughts on bullying and hate and opened up on learning Karate as a young boy to defend himself. "So many people are going through in different ways.

Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton expressed his thoughts on bullying and hate and opened up on learning Karate as a young boy to defend himself. "So many people are going through in different ways. And after social media the hate and bullying is growing we need to protect the youth," said Hamilton in an interview with CNN. "I am a fighter and I always wanted to fight back when I was being bullied in my childhood by bigger kids. I was too weak back then, for example, I went and did Karate because I wanted to channelise my aggression and learn to protect myself and anyone around me," said Hamilton. IN PICS | How much Cristiano Ronaldo earns per week? Mind-boggling salary of Manchester United star and his net worth The seven-times Formula One world champion further said, "And then I put my skills in racing. When I was on the racing track and if someone told names to me or my parent, I just go out there and beat. It's a good feeling." Previously also, Hamilton spoke about the mental scars left by the abuse he suffered. In 2020, he wrote on his Instagram, "Vivid memories of the challenges I faced when I was a kid, as I’m sure many of you who have experienced racism or some sort of discrimination have faced." "I have spoken so little about my personal experiences because I was taught to keep it in, don’t show weakness, kill them with love and beat them on the track. But when it was away from the track, I was bullied, beaten and the only way I could fight this was to learn to defend myself, so I went to karate. The negative psychological effects cannot be measured," he added.

Lewis Hamilton: 'Social media hate and bullying is growing, we need to protect the youth'

Formula One's title rivalry flared up on Friday with championship leader Max Verstappen calling Lewis Hamilton a "stupid idiot" as they went wheel-to-wheel in second U.S. Grand Prix practice.

The 24-year-old Red Bull racer also gave the seven-times world champion, the most successful driver of all time, a single digit salute as the Mercedes accelerated away on a hot and humid Texas afternoon at Austin`s Circuit of the Americas.

"Ignore it, don`t worry about it," his race engineer told him over the radio. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joked Verstappen was simply pointing out who was number one in the standings.

Verstappen is six points clear of Hamilton with six rounds remaining and the battle is getting more intense with every race as the pendulum swings one way and then the other.

The Dutch youngster's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez was quickest in the second session, with a best lap of one minute 34.946 seconds.

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"It was a good day, obviously it`s going to be very tight," said Perez, whose role will be to support Verstappen unless circumstances fall his way.

"There`s a lot to be done to try to improve the car," he added.

Verstappen, meanwhile, was frustrated by traffic and failed to set a proper flying lap. He ended up eighth in the session after third in the morning.

"The track's quite bumpy and to find the right compromise with the car hasn’t been the easiest so far," said Verstappen. 
Jenson Button, Britain`s 2009 world champion who is now a television pundit for Sky, wondered whether Hamilton was playing mind games.

"Obviously it did rattle Max a little bit, he was very upset on the radio," he said.

"It's been quite a fiery day for Max, to be fair. Not getting his lap. I think there's a bit of frustration building, with that incident he couldn't get his lap and then he had traffic in FP2 on his new tyres for two laps in a row."

McLaren`s Lando Norris was second fastest and Hamilton, who had his best lap deleted for exceeding track limits, third.

"Generally it`s been a good day but still work to do," said the champion, who will be chasing a record-extending 101st career win on Sunday and sixth in nine races in Austin.

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Mercedes had dominated the first session with Hamilton`s Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas 0.045 quicker than the champion with Verstappen third but nearly a second off the Finn's pace.

Bottas, fourth in the afternoon session, will have a five-place grid penalty for Sunday`s race after using his sixth engine of the campaign -- three more than the rules allow.

Mercedes are favourites to win on Sunday after taking pole for the last six races there. Last year`s round was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fourth and fifth in the morning, a boost for a team fighting McLaren for third.

The opening session was stopped after three minutes when Fernando Alonso stopped on track. The team said the Spaniard, who returned later, had done so as a precaution.

Haas`s Mick Schumacher and Perez clashed on the bumpy track late in that session, with the Mexican unimpressed by the German rookie but later clearing things up. Stewards decided to take no further action.

Formula One's title rivalry flared up on Friday with championship leader Max Verstappen calling Lewis Hamilton a "stupid idiot" as they went wheel-to-wheel in second U.

Formula One's title rivalry flared up on Friday with championship leader Max Verstappen calling Lewis Hamilton a "stupid idiot" as they went wheel-to-wheel in second U.S. Grand Prix practice. The 24-year-old Red Bull racer also gave the seven-times world champion, the most successful driver of all time, a single digit salute as the Mercedes accelerated away on a hot and humid Texas afternoon at Austin`s Circuit of the Americas. "Ignore it, don`t worry about it," his race engineer told him over the radio. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner joked Verstappen was simply pointing out who was number one in the standings. Verstappen is six points clear of Hamilton with six rounds remaining and the battle is getting more intense with every race as the pendulum swings one way and then the other. The Dutch youngster's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez was quickest in the second session, with a best lap of one minute 34.946 seconds. ALSO READ: No excessive make-up, restricted dressing: Saudi Arabia's dress code for Formula 1 sparks controversy "It was a good day, obviously it`s going to be very tight," said Perez, whose role will be to support Verstappen unless circumstances fall his way. "There`s a lot to be done to try to improve the car," he added. Verstappen, meanwhile, was frustrated by traffic and failed to set a proper flying lap. He ended up eighth in the session after third in the morning. "The track's quite bumpy and to find the right compromise with the car hasn’t been the easiest so far," said Verstappen. Jenson Button, Britain`s 2009 world champion who is now a television pundit for Sky, wondered whether Hamilton was playing mind games. "Obviously it did rattle Max a little bit, he was very upset on the radio," he said. "It's been quite a fiery day for Max, to be fair. Not getting his lap. I think there's a bit of frustration building, with that incident he couldn't get his lap and then he had traffic in FP2 on his new tyres for two laps in a row." McLaren`s Lando Norris was second fastest and Hamilton, who had his best lap deleted for exceeding track limits, third. "Generally it`s been a good day but still work to do," said the champion, who will be chasing a record-extending 101st career win on Sunday and sixth in nine races in Austin. ALSO READ | India vs Pakistan in World Cups: With 12-0 record, Pakistan has yet to win a match in 50 and 20 overs formats Mercedes had dominated the first session with Hamilton`s Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas 0.045 quicker than the champion with Verstappen third but nearly a second off the Finn's pace. Bottas, fourth in the afternoon session, will have a five-place grid penalty for Sunday`s race after using his sixth engine of the campaign -- three more than the rules allow. Mercedes are favourites to win on Sunday after taking pole for the last six races there. Last year`s round was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were fourth and fifth in the morning, a boost for a team fighting McLaren for third. The opening session was stopped after three minutes when Fernando Alonso stopped on track. The team said the Spaniard, who returned later, had done so as a precaution. Haas`s Mick Schumacher and Perez clashed on the bumpy track late in that session, with the Mexican unimpressed by the German rookie but later clearing things up. Stewards decided to take no further action.

Formula 1: Max Verstappen calls Lewis Hamilton a 'stupid idiot' as F1 rivals clash

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas claimed his first chequered flag of the season to win the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday as Max Verstappen reclaimed the lead in the title race.&nbsp;

The Red Bull driver finished second to take a six-point lead in the championship ahead of Bottas' teammate Lewis Hamilton who finished fifth voicing frustration with team strategy.&nbsp;

Sergio Perez, in the other Red Bull, took third with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth.&nbsp;

Although the rain eased by the start of the race, the wet conditions prevailed throughout, making the tactics around tyres and the timing of pit stops all the more important.&nbsp;

Bottas began from pole, avoiding a tangle between Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso on the opening lap, and led until pitting on the 38th lap of the 58-lap race.

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That gave Leclerc the lead but as his tyres faded so did his pace and the Finn soon reclaimed the lead, going on to take his first win in over a year.&nbsp;

Verstappen made no attempt to challenge Bottas and was content to ease home second knowing that Hamilton was three places further back.&nbsp;

Hamilton was quickest in qualifying but had to start the race in 11th because of a grid penalty incurred for changing his engine.&nbsp;

The seven-time champion gained two places on the opening lap before picking his way up to fifth where he was held up by Perez.

As the other cars came in to change their tyres Hamilton stayed out, moving up to third and looking good for the podium.

Mercedes, however, called him in seven laps from the end, resulting in two lost places and an angry Hamilton.&nbsp;

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas claimed his first chequered flag of the season to win the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday as Max Verstappen reclaimed the lead in the title race.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas claimed his first chequered flag of the season to win the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday as Max Verstappen reclaimed the lead in the title race. The Red Bull driver finished second to take a six-point lead in the championship ahead of Bottas' teammate Lewis Hamilton who finished fifth voicing frustration with team strategy. Sergio Perez, in the other Red Bull, took third with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth. Although the rain eased by the start of the race, the wet conditions prevailed throughout, making the tactics around tyres and the timing of pit stops all the more important. Bottas began from pole, avoiding a tangle between Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso on the opening lap, and led until pitting on the 38th lap of the 58-lap race. ALSO READ: Turkish GP: Valtteri Bottas gets pole as fastest driver Lewis Hamilton takes grid penalty That gave Leclerc the lead but as his tyres faded so did his pace and the Finn soon reclaimed the lead, going on to take his first win in over a year. Verstappen made no attempt to challenge Bottas and was content to ease home second knowing that Hamilton was three places further back. Hamilton was quickest in qualifying but had to start the race in 11th because of a grid penalty incurred for changing his engine. The seven-time champion gained two places on the opening lap before picking his way up to fifth where he was held up by Perez. As the other cars came in to change their tyres Hamilton stayed out, moving up to third and looking good for the podium. Mercedes, however, called him in seven laps from the end, resulting in two lost places and an angry Hamilton.

Valtteri Bottas wins Turkish Grand Prix as Max Verstappen reclaims F1 championship lead

Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;became the first Formula One driver to win 100 grands prix with a dramatic rain-assisted victory in Russia that sent the Mercedes driver two points clear in the championship on Sunday.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished an impressive second at Sochi's Olympic Park, after starting 20th and last due to engine penalties, thereby limiting the damage from his rival's fifth win of the season and first since July.

Spaniard Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari on a day of hope and ultimate heartbreak for McLaren's Lando Norris as a late downpour dashed his hopes of a first win.

The 21-year-old Briton started on pole for the first time in his career, lost out to Sainz at the start but then passed the Spaniard 13 laps later and was still leading when the clouds burst.

Norris decided to stay out on slicks, after&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;had stopped for intermediates on team advice, with the top two comfortably clear of the rest.

He then plunged from first to seventh in the last three laps after slipping, sliding off and eventually having to pit.

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14 years, 108 days after his first win... 
 
Lewis celebrates his 100th in Sochi<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussianGP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/UM0Z7PJP2T">pic.twitter.com/UM0Z7PJP2T</a>
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"What a race the weather provided. It's taken a long time to get to 100 and I wasn't sure it would come," said&nbsp;Hamilton, who last season passed Ferrari great Michael Schumacher's previous record of 91 wins.

"Max must've done a really great job to come up to second from last. We've got our work cut out," added the Briton, who started the day five points behind Verstappen with seven races remaining after Sochi.

Hamilton&nbsp;had slipped to seventh at the end of lap one, losing out at the start after being fourth on the grid, but made up places as those ahead of him pitted early.

He was still 25 seconds behind Norris after his final stop but the team had read the weather right and the tyres easily allowed him to catch up and overtake his compatriot for a landmark win.

"The team made a great call right at the end. I didn't want to let Lando go and I didn't know what the weather was doing," said&nbsp;Hamilton.

"It would've been tough to get past Lando unless we came up to some traffic or he made a mistake, which he hasn't been doing, so then the rain came and it was very opportunistic."

While&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;celebrated a personal century, his Mercedes team maintained their own 100% record in Sochi.

The champions have won every Russian grand prix since the first in 2014,&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;triumphant in five of them.

RICCIARDO FOURTH

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, winner of the previous race at Italy's Monza circuit, was fourth for McLaren, with Valtteri Bottas fifth for Mercedes after starting 16th. Both benefited from stopping early for the treaded tyres.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso was sixth for Renault-owned Alpine.

Kimi Raikkonen, returning for Alfa Romeo after missing the previous two races due to a positive COVID-19 test, was eighth and Mexican Sergio Perez ninth for Red Bull.

George Russell, who had started a stunning third for Williams, struggled to 10th -- his fourth points finish in the last five races for a team that had not scored for two years before that.

The only consolation for Norris, and it was a scant one on an afternoon that had offered so much more, was a bonus point for fastest lap.

Mercedes stretched their lead over Red Bull in the constructors' standings to 33 points.

Haas driver Mick Schumacher, son of Michael, was the only retirement from the race.

The next round is at Turkey's Istanbul Park on Oct. 10.

Hamilton&nbsp;won his record-equalling seventh title there last November in a wet and slippery race but this year's championship chase looks like going the distance.

Lewis Hamilton became the first Formula One driver to win 100 grands prix with a dramatic rain-assisted victory in Russia that sent the Mercedes driver two points clear in the championship on Sunday.

Lewis Hamilton became the first Formula One driver to win 100 grands prix with a dramatic rain-assisted victory in Russia that sent the Mercedes driver two points clear in the championship on Sunday. Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished an impressive second at Sochi's Olympic Park, after starting 20th and last due to engine penalties, thereby limiting the damage from his rival's fifth win of the season and first since July. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was third for Ferrari on a day of hope and ultimate heartbreak for McLaren's Lando Norris as a late downpour dashed his hopes of a first win. The 21-year-old Briton started on pole for the first time in his career, lost out to Sainz at the start but then passed the Spaniard 13 laps later and was still leading when the clouds burst. Norris decided to stay out on slicks, after Hamilton had stopped for intermediates on team advice, with the top two comfortably clear of the rest. He then plunged from first to seventh in the last three laps after slipping, sliding off and eventually having to pit. 14 years, 108 days after his first win... Lewis celebrates his 100th in Sochi#RussianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/UM0Z7PJP2T — Formula 1 (@F1) September 26, 2021 × "What a race the weather provided. It's taken a long time to get to 100 and I wasn't sure it would come," said Hamilton, who last season passed Ferrari great Michael Schumacher's previous record of 91 wins. "Max must've done a really great job to come up to second from last. We've got our work cut out," added the Briton, who started the day five points behind Verstappen with seven races remaining after Sochi. Hamilton had slipped to seventh at the end of lap one, losing out at the start after being fourth on the grid, but made up places as those ahead of him pitted early. He was still 25 seconds behind Norris after his final stop but the team had read the weather right and the tyres easily allowed him to catch up and overtake his compatriot for a landmark win. "The team made a great call right at the end. I didn't want to let Lando go and I didn't know what the weather was doing," said Hamilton. "It would've been tough to get past Lando unless we came up to some traffic or he made a mistake, which he hasn't been doing, so then the rain came and it was very opportunistic." While Hamilton celebrated a personal century, his Mercedes team maintained their own 100% record in Sochi. The champions have won every Russian grand prix since the first in 2014, Hamilton triumphant in five of them. RICCIARDO FOURTH Australian Daniel Ricciardo, winner of the previous race at Italy's Monza circuit, was fourth for McLaren, with Valtteri Bottas fifth for Mercedes after starting 16th. Both benefited from stopping early for the treaded tyres. Double world champion Fernando Alonso was sixth for Renault-owned Alpine. Kimi Raikkonen, returning for Alfa Romeo after missing the previous two races due to a positive COVID-19 test, was eighth and Mexican Sergio Perez ninth for Red Bull. George Russell, who had started a stunning third for Williams, struggled to 10th -- his fourth points finish in the last five races for a team that had not scored for two years before that. The only consolation for Norris, and it was a scant one on an afternoon that had offered so much more, was a bonus point for fastest lap. Mercedes stretched their lead over Red Bull in the constructors' standings to 33 points. Haas driver Mick Schumacher, son of Michael, was the only retirement from the race. The next round is at Turkey's Istanbul Park on Oct. 10. Hamilton won his record-equalling seventh title there last November in a wet and slippery race but this year's championship chase looks like going the distance.

Russian GP: Lewis Hamilton goes back on top with his 100th F1 win

Mercedes are open to compromise on Formula One's future engine rules to make it easier for the Volkswagen Group to enter the sport, motorsport head and F1 team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Italian Grand Prix.

The sport is due to introduce a new engine formula from 2025 and manufacturers are discussing how to make power units simpler, cheaper and more sustainable.

The Volkswagen Group, whose brands include Porsche and Audi, has attended engine manufacturer meetings as an interested party with the latest held on Sunday.

Wolff said Mercedes would be willing to get rid of the MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit-Heat) element, with the new rules possibly delayed to 2026.

The current V6 turbo hybrid power units have two Motor Generator Units, the other being the MGU-K that recovers and supplies kinetic energy from braking. The MGU-H recovers and stores energy from or to the turbocharger.

"The MGU-H is going to be dropped if we can find alignment of many other points," said Wolff.

"I think it's a compromise. I cannot speak for anybody else but at Mercedes we are prepared to...in order to facilitate the entry of the Volkswagen Group.

"But there are several other topics where compromise needs to be found," he added.

"If compromise cannot be found then we will probably revert to the governance and have 2026 regulations that the (governing) FIA and FOM (Formula One Management) are going to come up with."

Formula One said in a statement that Sunday's meeting involved existing and prospective power unit suppliers as well as the FIA and Formula One.

"The discussion was positive and progress was made," it said. Some details remain to be addressed, however, we expect these to be resolved in the coming weeks."

The sport is hoping to attract more engine manufacturers with Honda pulling out at the end of this season and Red Bull taking over the Japanese manufacturer's intellectual property.

Red Bull are keen to simplify the engines and cut out the MGU-H element.

Champions Mercedes supply four of the 10 teams at present and Ferrari three, with Renault providing engines to their own Alpine-branded team. Honda work with Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri.

Red Bull have worked with the Volkswagen Group in the past, notably in the world rally championship before the German manufacturer withdrew, and there has long been talk of a partnership with Audi or Porsche in Formula One.

Former Volkswagen Motorsport head Jost Capito is now boss of the Mercedes-powered Williams team, who last week announced Red Bull-backed Alex Albon would be racing for them next season.

Formula One's chief executive Stefano Domenicali was previously head of Italian sportscar marque Lamborghini, a subsidiary of Audi, while Renault CEO Luca di Meo joined the French manufacturer from VW brand Seat after a stint at Audi.

Mercedes are open to compromise on Formula One's future engine rules to make it easier for the Volkswagen Group to enter the sport, motorsport head and F1 team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Italian Grand Prix.

Mercedes are open to compromise on Formula One's future engine rules to make it easier for the Volkswagen Group to enter the sport, motorsport head and F1 team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at the Italian Grand Prix. The sport is due to introduce a new engine formula from 2025 and manufacturers are discussing how to make power units simpler, cheaper and more sustainable. The Volkswagen Group, whose brands include Porsche and Audi, has attended engine manufacturer meetings as an interested party with the latest held on Sunday. Wolff said Mercedes would be willing to get rid of the MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit-Heat) element, with the new rules possibly delayed to 2026. The current V6 turbo hybrid power units have two Motor Generator Units, the other being the MGU-K that recovers and supplies kinetic energy from braking. The MGU-H recovers and stores energy from or to the turbocharger. "The MGU-H is going to be dropped if we can find alignment of many other points," said Wolff. "I think it's a compromise. I cannot speak for anybody else but at Mercedes we are prepared to...in order to facilitate the entry of the Volkswagen Group. "But there are several other topics where compromise needs to be found," he added. "If compromise cannot be found then we will probably revert to the governance and have 2026 regulations that the (governing) FIA and FOM (Formula One Management) are going to come up with." Formula One said in a statement that Sunday's meeting involved existing and prospective power unit suppliers as well as the FIA and Formula One. "The discussion was positive and progress was made," it said. Some details remain to be addressed, however, we expect these to be resolved in the coming weeks." The sport is hoping to attract more engine manufacturers with Honda pulling out at the end of this season and Red Bull taking over the Japanese manufacturer's intellectual property. Red Bull are keen to simplify the engines and cut out the MGU-H element. Champions Mercedes supply four of the 10 teams at present and Ferrari three, with Renault providing engines to their own Alpine-branded team. Honda work with Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri. Red Bull have worked with the Volkswagen Group in the past, notably in the world rally championship before the German manufacturer withdrew, and there has long been talk of a partnership with Audi or Porsche in Formula One. Former Volkswagen Motorsport head Jost Capito is now boss of the Mercedes-powered Williams team, who last week announced Red Bull-backed Alex Albon would be racing for them next season. Formula One's chief executive Stefano Domenicali was previously head of Italian sportscar marque Lamborghini, a subsidiary of Audi, while Renault CEO Luca di Meo joined the French manufacturer from VW brand Seat after a stint at Audi.

Mercedes see engine compromise to help VW enter Formula One

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff dismissed Formula One`s experimental Saturday sprint format as `not fish, not meat` and said it was not doing much for the sport either. 
 
The 100km qualifying race was trialled for the second time at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, but drivers struggled to overtake. 
 
Mercedes` seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton made a poor start and ended up fourth on the grid for Sunday`s main race, with title rival Max Verstappen putting his Red Bull on pole. 
 
Valtteri Bottas won the sprint for Mercedes, leading all the way, but the Finn will start last on Sunday due to engine penalties. 
 
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has suggested reverse grids could be used next season while Formula One is also considering running sprint races as stand-alone events unrelated to Sunday`s grand prix. 
 
Asked for his opinion, Wolff told reporters he felt the experiments were `diluting the DNA of the sport as a meritocracy. 
 
"I think the sprint races was worth the try, not sure we will keep them," he added. 
 
"Reverse grids can be done in junior formulas where you want to see the overtaking abilities of drivers but its not something we should even come close to in Formula One." 
 
Wolff said his preference would be to reduce the amount of practice time. 
 
"Start Friday afternoon with FP1 (first practice), do a Saturday morning FP2, do a conventional qualifying like we do and a fantastic grand prix on Sunday," he said. 
 
"And maybe you want to do some warm-up on Sunday morning, to have a little bit more spectacle for the people. I would just shorten the free practice sessions so there is more variability in the results, keep the rest like it is." 
 
The Austrian said everybody was confused with the sprint format and it "doesn`t give a lot of benefit" because nobody was prepared to take a serious risk. 
 
Formula One has scheduled a third sprint for Brazil in November and Wolff agreed the sport should give it another try and see if anything changed. 
 
Formula One managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn said it had been a "little bit quiet" at the front of the field but that happened in races anyway and the potential was evident. 
 
"I think it`s added to the whole weekend," he said. 
 
The Briton said drivers had been generally positive but some felt there should be more reward for the sprint and also more jeopardy. 
 
"If we`re doing that, then maybe a stand-alone event is a consideration. Qualifying on a Friday, race on a Sunday but a stand-alone event with some decent reward but maybe a little bit of jeopardy in the grid and how you start it," he said. 
 
"We don`t want gimmicks, we don`t want to cannibalise, we don`t want to affect the integrity." 
 
Brawn said there had been much more engagement with fans on a Friday.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff dismissed Formula One`s experimental Saturday sprint format as `not fish, not meat` and said it was not doing much for the sport either.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff dismissed Formula One`s experimental Saturday sprint format as `not fish, not meat` and said it was not doing much for the sport either. The 100km qualifying race was trialled for the second time at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, but drivers struggled to overtake. Mercedes` seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton made a poor start and ended up fourth on the grid for Sunday`s main race, with title rival Max Verstappen putting his Red Bull on pole. Valtteri Bottas won the sprint for Mercedes, leading all the way, but the Finn will start last on Sunday due to engine penalties. Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has suggested reverse grids could be used next season while Formula One is also considering running sprint races as stand-alone events unrelated to Sunday`s grand prix. Asked for his opinion, Wolff told reporters he felt the experiments were `diluting the DNA of the sport as a meritocracy. "I think the sprint races was worth the try, not sure we will keep them," he added. "Reverse grids can be done in junior formulas where you want to see the overtaking abilities of drivers but its not something we should even come close to in Formula One." Wolff said his preference would be to reduce the amount of practice time. "Start Friday afternoon with FP1 (first practice), do a Saturday morning FP2, do a conventional qualifying like we do and a fantastic grand prix on Sunday," he said. "And maybe you want to do some warm-up on Sunday morning, to have a little bit more spectacle for the people. I would just shorten the free practice sessions so there is more variability in the results, keep the rest like it is." The Austrian said everybody was confused with the sprint format and it "doesn`t give a lot of benefit" because nobody was prepared to take a serious risk. Formula One has scheduled a third sprint for Brazil in November and Wolff agreed the sport should give it another try and see if anything changed. Formula One managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn said it had been a "little bit quiet" at the front of the field but that happened in races anyway and the potential was evident. "I think it`s added to the whole weekend," he said. The Briton said drivers had been generally positive but some felt there should be more reward for the sprint and also more jeopardy. "If we`re doing that, then maybe a stand-alone event is a consideration. Qualifying on a Friday, race on a Sunday but a stand-alone event with some decent reward but maybe a little bit of jeopardy in the grid and how you start it," he said. "We don`t want gimmicks, we don`t want to cannibalise, we don`t want to affect the integrity." Brawn said there had been much more engagement with fans on a Friday.

Mercedes boss says F1 sprint format is 'not fish, not meat'

Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Australian took advantage of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's dramatic crash which eliminated both championship rivals.

Ricciardo was followed by his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in the British team's first win since the 2012 Brazilian GP, while Valtteri Bottas will take third despite starting in last place due to a five-second time penalty for Sergio Perez.

Red Bull's Verstappen leads seven-time world champion Hamilton by five points at the top of the drivers' standings as they both finished in the gravel following their crash halfway through the race.

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The Honey Badger is back, baby! 😃<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItalianGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItalianGP</a> 🇮🇹 <a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a> <a href="https://t.co/rzu3iHif8u">pic.twitter.com/rzu3iHif8u</a>
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Ricciardo, 32, promised "total attack" after starting second on the grid and made the most of the most dramatic moment of an eventful race when Hamilton re-entered the Monza track from the pit lane.

Vertsappen tried to dart past Hamilton just after the Briton's pit stop but ended up with his back wheel rolling over the top of his rival's Mercedes, narrowly missing Hamilton's head.

Both drivers then slid into the gravel and were forced to retire from the race, which Hamilton was hoping to make his 100th Grand Prix victory.

Vertsappen was reportedly furious at Hamilton, saying his rival gave him "no space" in a crash which will be investigated by officials after the race.

Ricciardo then powered to victory backed up by his teammate Norris and was ecstatic as the pair earned McLaren's first one-two finish in 11 years.

Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Australian took advantage of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's dramatic crash which eliminated both championship rivals.

Daniel Ricciardo won the Formula One Italian Grand Prix on Sunday as the Australian took advantage of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's dramatic crash which eliminated both championship rivals. Ricciardo was followed by his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in the British team's first win since the 2012 Brazilian GP, while Valtteri Bottas will take third despite starting in last place due to a five-second time penalty for Sergio Perez. Red Bull's Verstappen leads seven-time world champion Hamilton by five points at the top of the drivers' standings as they both finished in the gravel following their crash halfway through the race. The Honey Badger is back, baby! 😃#ItalianGP 🇮🇹 @danielricciardo pic.twitter.com/rzu3iHif8u — Formula 1 (@F1) September 12, 2021 × Ricciardo, 32, promised "total attack" after starting second on the grid and made the most of the most dramatic moment of an eventful race when Hamilton re-entered the Monza track from the pit lane. Vertsappen tried to dart past Hamilton just after the Briton's pit stop but ended up with his back wheel rolling over the top of his rival's Mercedes, narrowly missing Hamilton's head. Both drivers then slid into the gravel and were forced to retire from the race, which Hamilton was hoping to make his 100th Grand Prix victory. Vertsappen was reportedly furious at Hamilton, saying his rival gave him "no space" in a crash which will be investigated by officials after the race. Ricciardo then powered to victory backed up by his teammate Norris and was ecstatic as the pair earned McLaren's first one-two finish in 11 years.

Daniel Ricciardo wins F1 Italian GP as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen crash out

Formula One should award points for qualifying if circumstances prevent a meaningful race from going ahead, as was the case in Belgium last weekend, McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl said on Friday. 
 
Half-points were awarded at a wet Spa on Sunday after drivers completed a couple of laps behind the safety car with no overtaking, the podium places effectively a reward for Saturday`s qualifying. 
 
The farce has led to calls for a review of the regulations that allow half-points to be awarded after two laps have been completed. 
 
"On the points side, there is definitely something that should be learned from what happened last weekend," Seidl told reporters at Zandvoort, ahead of the first Dutch Grand Prix in 36 years. 
 
He said race director Michael Masi had already asked teams to provide feedback. 
 
"One idea is simply to make crystal clear and straightforward that if a race can’t happen... that you then award or distribute points based on qualifying result, maybe half points. 
 
"I think that needs to be discussed in detail, I would be fine with that and it would also avoid this discussion that we had of `were the laps only done because of getting a classification or not`," added the German. 
 
"From my point of view, rewarding points for a qualifying result, if the race doesn’t happen, is something I could imagine is introduced. It would be also fair because that`s the last point during a weekend where you had a fair competition between all competitors." 
 
Seidl said that would be the same as qualifying not happening and the grid being established by final practice times, and easy for everyone to understand. 
 
FIA President Jean Todt said after Spa that the governing body would review how points are awarded. 
 
The findings will be on the agenda for the next F1 Commission meeting, which includes the teams and stakeholders, on Oct. 5. 
&nbsp;

Formula One should award points for qualifying if circumstances prevent a meaningful race from going ahead, as was the case in Belgium last weekend, McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl said on Friday.

Formula One should award points for qualifying if circumstances prevent a meaningful race from going ahead, as was the case in Belgium last weekend, McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl said on Friday. Half-points were awarded at a wet Spa on Sunday after drivers completed a couple of laps behind the safety car with no overtaking, the podium places effectively a reward for Saturday`s qualifying. The farce has led to calls for a review of the regulations that allow half-points to be awarded after two laps have been completed. "On the points side, there is definitely something that should be learned from what happened last weekend," Seidl told reporters at Zandvoort, ahead of the first Dutch Grand Prix in 36 years. He said race director Michael Masi had already asked teams to provide feedback. "One idea is simply to make crystal clear and straightforward that if a race can’t happen... that you then award or distribute points based on qualifying result, maybe half points. "I think that needs to be discussed in detail, I would be fine with that and it would also avoid this discussion that we had of `were the laps only done because of getting a classification or not`," added the German. "From my point of view, rewarding points for a qualifying result, if the race doesn’t happen, is something I could imagine is introduced. It would be also fair because that`s the last point during a weekend where you had a fair competition between all competitors." Seidl said that would be the same as qualifying not happening and the grid being established by final practice times, and easy for everyone to understand. FIA President Jean Todt said after Spa that the governing body would review how points are awarded. The findings will be on the agenda for the next F1 Commission meeting, which includes the teams and stakeholders, on Oct. 5.

Formula One: McLaren boss would support points for qualifying if no race

The Japanese Grand Prix has been cancelled for a second year over virus "complexities", Formula 1 said Wednesday.

The race was due to take place at Suzuka on October 10, but F1 said the Japanese government had pulled the plug due to the country's pandemic situation.

Japan is currently battling record coronavirus infections, with Tokyo and other regions under a state of emergency.

"The decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country," F1 said in a statement.

The decision follows Grand Prix cancellations this season in Australia, China, Canada and Singapore.

F1 said it had yet to decide how to fill the gap.

"Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks," the statement said.

"Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest in locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond."

Japan's MotoGP, which was also scheduled to take place in October, was scrapped in June.

The figure-of-eight Suzuka circuit, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022, has hosted 31 GPs since 1987, with the drivers' world title being decided there on 11 occasions.

In April, Japanese GP promoters and F1 chiefs announced that the race would remain at Suzuka until 2024.

The Japanese Grand Prix has been cancelled for a second year over virus "complexities", Formula 1 said Wednesday. The race was due to take place at Suzuka on October 10, but F1 said the Japanese government had pulled the plug due to the country's pandemic situation.

The Japanese Grand Prix has been cancelled for a second year over virus "complexities", Formula 1 said Wednesday. The race was due to take place at Suzuka on October 10, but F1 said the Japanese government had pulled the plug due to the country's pandemic situation. Japan is currently battling record coronavirus infections, with Tokyo and other regions under a state of emergency. "The decision has been taken by the Japanese government to cancel the race this season due to ongoing complexities of the pandemic in the country," F1 said in a statement. The decision follows Grand Prix cancellations this season in Australia, China, Canada and Singapore. F1 said it had yet to decide how to fill the gap. "Formula 1 is now working on the details of the revised calendar and will announce the final details in the coming weeks," the statement said. "Formula 1 has proven this year, and in 2020, that we can adapt and find solutions to the ongoing uncertainties and is excited by the level of interest in locations to host Formula 1 events this year and beyond." Japan's MotoGP, which was also scheduled to take place in October, was scrapped in June. The figure-of-eight Suzuka circuit, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022, has hosted 31 GPs since 1987, with the drivers' world title being decided there on 11 occasions. In April, Japanese GP promoters and F1 chiefs announced that the race would remain at Suzuka until 2024.

COVID-19: Japanese Grand Prix cancelled for second year over virus

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) in relation to the Victorian Government and Formula 1 today declared the 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix has been called off because of limitations and logistical difficulties identifying with the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

The 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix was expected to be held at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit from 18-21 November.&nbsp;

"We regret to announce that the 2021 Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled due to restrictions and logistical challenges relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," organizers said in a statement of the Nov. 21 race.

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The Australian round of the MotoGP world championship, scheduled for Phillip Island on Oct. 24, was also cancelled for the second successive year.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean it has not been possible to confirm the viability of the event at this time, and it will therefore not feature on the 2021 calendar," organisers said.

“We’re deeply disappointed that for a second consecutive year, both MotoGP™ and Formula 1&nbsp;fans won’t be able to see the world’s best riders and drivers compete at the wonderful Phillip Island and Albert Park Grand Prix Circuits. We appreciate the challenge Australia faces with current international travel restrictions and the importance of vaccinations. I would like to reassure our motivated and professional staff, suppliers, and partners, as well as the Victorian tourism and major events community that we will work tirelessly to deliver these iconic events in 2022,”&nbsp;Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman, Paul Little&nbsp;AO.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO, Andrew Westacott said:&nbsp;“We understand this is not the news MotoGP™ and Formula 1&nbsp;fans wanted to hear. I would like to extend my thanks to the Victorian Government, Formula 1, and Dorna Sports for their unwavering resilience and support during this challenging period, and for their ongoing commitment to these two great events.”

Daniel Ricciardo has shared his disappointment following affirmation that the 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix has been called off.&nbsp;Ricciardo's best outcome in the Australian Grand Prix stays two fourth places, scored in 2016 and 2018, while driving for Red Bull and Renault, separately.

"It's a huge disappointment for all of the drivers that we won't be coming down to Australia in November, but we understand the reasons.”

"For me personally, I can't wait to have the chance to race at home again, and it'll be even sweeter when we do because it's been so long. Fingers crossed things can change for 2022 and we get to see the awesome fans at Albert Park again and put on a good show for them."

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) in relation to the Victorian Government and Formula 1 today declared the 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix has been called off because of limitations and logistical difficulties identifying with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) in relation to the Victorian Government and Formula 1 today declared the 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix has been called off because of limitations and logistical difficulties identifying with the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix was expected to be held at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit from 18-21 November. "We regret to announce that the 2021 Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled due to restrictions and logistical challenges relating to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," organizers said in a statement of the Nov. 21 race. ALSO READ: Euro 2020: Possession will be first battle against Italy, says coach Luis Enrique The Australian round of the MotoGP world championship, scheduled for Phillip Island on Oct. 24, was also cancelled for the second successive year. "The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean it has not been possible to confirm the viability of the event at this time, and it will therefore not feature on the 2021 calendar," organisers said. “We’re deeply disappointed that for a second consecutive year, both MotoGP™ and Formula 1 fans won’t be able to see the world’s best riders and drivers compete at the wonderful Phillip Island and Albert Park Grand Prix Circuits. We appreciate the challenge Australia faces with current international travel restrictions and the importance of vaccinations. I would like to reassure our motivated and professional staff, suppliers, and partners, as well as the Victorian tourism and major events community that we will work tirelessly to deliver these iconic events in 2022,” Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman, Paul Little AO. The Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO, Andrew Westacott said: “We understand this is not the news MotoGP™ and Formula 1 fans wanted to hear. I would like to extend my thanks to the Victorian Government, Formula 1, and Dorna Sports for their unwavering resilience and support during this challenging period, and for their ongoing commitment to these two great events.” Daniel Ricciardo has shared his disappointment following affirmation that the 2021 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix has been called off. Ricciardo's best outcome in the Australian Grand Prix stays two fourth places, scored in 2016 and 2018, while driving for Red Bull and Renault, separately. "It's a huge disappointment for all of the drivers that we won't be coming down to Australia in November, but we understand the reasons.” "For me personally, I can't wait to have the chance to race at home again, and it'll be even sweeter when we do because it's been so long. Fingers crossed things can change for 2022 and we get to see the awesome fans at Albert Park again and put on a good show for them."

Formula One: Australian F1 Grand Prix and MotoGP race cancelled

Lewis Hamilton says he has no plans to stick around in Formula One into his 40s but signed up for two more years because this season`s close competition has been so exciting. 
 
Explaining the thinking behind a contract extension announced at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday, Mercedes` seven times world champion told reporters he was loving the challenge. 
 
The 36-year-old said he had considered leaving but felt both he and the sport were entering an interesting new phase. 
 
"I think we are being challenged more than ever this year, which is great," said the most successful driver of all time. "And I love racing. This is what I want to do." 
 
Hamilton said his previous contract was supposed to be for two years but he asked for one because he was unsure whether he would continue or not, with the COVID-19 pandemic also casting uncertainty. 
 
"I had the best and most enjoyable start of the year, enjoyed the roller-coaster ride that we`re having," he explained. 
 
"The start of this season, when the cars were so close in performance -- pretty much equal -- then it was really one of the most exciting times I`ve had for some time. To be able to have this battle with Red Bull. 
 
"I was really hoping that it would continue on like that for the rest of the year but they`ve taken a huge leap forwards," said Hamilton. 
 
The Briton is 18 points behind Max Verstappen after the opening eight races, with Red Bull winning four in a row up to Sunday after Hamilton triumphed in three of the first four. 
 
Hamilton has used his platform to campaign for diversity and equal rights, an important part of his decision to stay, but he said he was also just loving his job. 
 
"I found myself just waking up thinking about racing, so I wanted to continue to race," he said. 
 
"Now we are having this tight battle it`s brought me closer to the team, closer to the engineers, it`s making me dig deeper and I love that. It has reinvigorated the love that I have for this sport and love for what I do." 
 
The new contract will see Hamilton, who has 98 wins and 100 poles, race on until he is 38 -- an age he said "doesn`t actually sound that bad". 
 
He would not stick around just for the sake of it, though. 
 
"There`s going to be a point at which I`m going to want to move on to do different things...I`m not going to do it at 80%, 70% and just trundle along," he said. 
 
"I`m only here to win. So if there`s ever a point that I feel I don`t want to commit the time or the effort, that will be the time for me to stop. I don`t plan to be here until I`m 40. I hope I have something else exciting to do beyond."

Lewis Hamilton says he has no plans to stick around in Formula One into his 40s but signed up for two more years because this season`s close competition has been so exciting.

Lewis Hamilton says he has no plans to stick around in Formula One into his 40s but signed up for two more years because this season`s close competition has been so exciting. Explaining the thinking behind a contract extension announced at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday, Mercedes` seven times world champion told reporters he was loving the challenge. The 36-year-old said he had considered leaving but felt both he and the sport were entering an interesting new phase. "I think we are being challenged more than ever this year, which is great," said the most successful driver of all time. "And I love racing. This is what I want to do." Hamilton said his previous contract was supposed to be for two years but he asked for one because he was unsure whether he would continue or not, with the COVID-19 pandemic also casting uncertainty. "I had the best and most enjoyable start of the year, enjoyed the roller-coaster ride that we`re having," he explained. "The start of this season, when the cars were so close in performance -- pretty much equal -- then it was really one of the most exciting times I`ve had for some time. To be able to have this battle with Red Bull. "I was really hoping that it would continue on like that for the rest of the year but they`ve taken a huge leap forwards," said Hamilton. The Briton is 18 points behind Max Verstappen after the opening eight races, with Red Bull winning four in a row up to Sunday after Hamilton triumphed in three of the first four. Hamilton has used his platform to campaign for diversity and equal rights, an important part of his decision to stay, but he said he was also just loving his job. "I found myself just waking up thinking about racing, so I wanted to continue to race," he said. "Now we are having this tight battle it`s brought me closer to the team, closer to the engineers, it`s making me dig deeper and I love that. It has reinvigorated the love that I have for this sport and love for what I do." The new contract will see Hamilton, who has 98 wins and 100 poles, race on until he is 38 -- an age he said "doesn`t actually sound that bad". He would not stick around just for the sake of it, though. "There`s going to be a point at which I`m going to want to move on to do different things...I`m not going to do it at 80%, 70% and just trundle along," he said. "I`m only here to win. So if there`s ever a point that I feel I don`t want to commit the time or the effort, that will be the time for me to stop. I don`t plan to be here until I`m 40. I hope I have something else exciting to do beyond."

Lewis Hamilton says thrilling season convinced him to stay in F1

As they gear up for Formula One's doubleheader at the Red Bull Ring, starting with this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull Racing Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri drivers went head-to-head in the ultimate scavenger hunt, codenamed 'Formula Schnitzeljagd'.

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Formula Schnitzeljagd is an off-road Austrian adventure like no other. Red Bull Racing duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez joined Scuderia AlphaTauri racers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda on a tour that mixed culture with driving challenges.

First up, they travelled to Hangar-7 in Salzburg and jumped on board a Cessna 208 Caravan seaplane for the short 80km flight to Styria's largest lake, Grundlsee.

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After arriving at Grundlsee and kitting themselves out in traditional Austrian clothing, the Bulls faced their first challenge of racing two of the lake's traditional long wooden Plätten boats.

Next up, was stepping into a pair of enormous six-wheel Pinzgauer trucks. Originally manufactured in nearby Graz, Pinzgauers are high-mobility, all-terrain vehicles capable of taking on daunting landscapes, and the most treacherous of inclines and declines.

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The drivers were tested to make full use of the Pinzgauer's capabilities as they went head-to-head through the forests deep in the Styrian countryside on their way to the Red Bull Ring.

And once at the home of F1 in Austria and with a suitably damp track awaiting them, there was only one final challenge to face – an all-or-nothing sprint to the flag.

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Verstappen, 23, said: "Honestly I'd never seen anything like the Pinzgauer before – a six-wheel car. It pretty was cool to drive! It's always nice to race in Austria and now we get the opportunity to do it twice. It's our home Grand Prix and we've won it before, so hopefully we can have two good weekends here."

Pérez, 31, added: "It was very competitive, very serious (laughs) and the best type of preparation you can have for the race weekend."

Tsunoda, 21, said: "It was a really interesting and exciting event and there was plenty of teamwork. It was fun. The driving in the off-road with the Pinzgauer, we got stuck a lot on the hills and we had a tough time to get out from there, but it was fun."

Gasly, 25, concluded: "We went around the Austrian countryside and discovered a lot of different parts of the country before we ended up at The Red Bull Ring. It was good to be with all four drivers together."

As they gear up for Formula One's doubleheader at the Red Bull Ring, starting with this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull Racing Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri drivers went head-to-head in the ultimate scavenger hunt, codenamed 'Formula Schnitzeljagd'.

As they gear up for Formula One's doubleheader at the Red Bull Ring, starting with this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix, the Red Bull Racing Honda and Scuderia AlphaTauri drivers went head-to-head in the ultimate scavenger hunt, codenamed 'Formula Schnitzeljagd'. ALSO READ: Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel lashes out at UEFA over 'rainbow' protest refusal Formula Schnitzeljagd is an off-road Austrian adventure like no other. Red Bull Racing duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez joined Scuderia AlphaTauri racers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda on a tour that mixed culture with driving challenges. First up, they travelled to Hangar-7 in Salzburg and jumped on board a Cessna 208 Caravan seaplane for the short 80km flight to Styria's largest lake, Grundlsee. × After arriving at Grundlsee and kitting themselves out in traditional Austrian clothing, the Bulls faced their first challenge of racing two of the lake's traditional long wooden Plätten boats. Next up, was stepping into a pair of enormous six-wheel Pinzgauer trucks. Originally manufactured in nearby Graz, Pinzgauers are high-mobility, all-terrain vehicles capable of taking on daunting landscapes, and the most treacherous of inclines and declines. The drivers were tested to make full use of the Pinzgauer's capabilities as they went head-to-head through the forests deep in the Styrian countryside on their way to the Red Bull Ring. And once at the home of F1 in Austria and with a suitably damp track awaiting them, there was only one final challenge to face – an all-or-nothing sprint to the flag. Verstappen, 23, said: "Honestly I'd never seen anything like the Pinzgauer before – a six-wheel car. It pretty was cool to drive! It's always nice to race in Austria and now we get the opportunity to do it twice. It's our home Grand Prix and we've won it before, so hopefully we can have two good weekends here." Pérez, 31, added: "It was very competitive, very serious (laughs) and the best type of preparation you can have for the race weekend." Tsunoda, 21, said: "It was a really interesting and exciting event and there was plenty of teamwork. It was fun. The driving in the off-road with the Pinzgauer, we got stuck a lot on the hills and we had a tough time to get out from there, but it was fun." Gasly, 25, concluded: "We went around the Austrian countryside and discovered a lot of different parts of the country before we ended up at The Red Bull Ring. It was good to be with all four drivers together."

WATCH - Formula One drivers face off in fun Austrian off-road adventure

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen pulled off the unexpected on Saturday when he snatched a comfortable French Grand Prix pole for Red Bull at a track that had until now been a happy hunting ground for rivals Mercedes.

The Dutchman, who leads Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton by four points in the overall standings, was in a league of his own around the 5.8-kilometer Paul Ricard circuit.

His lap of one minute 29.990 seconds made him the only driver to breach the 1:30 barrier and was good enough to beat the seven-time world champion, Hamilton, by 0.258 seconds.

Verstappen's qualifying display followed an even more dominant showing in final practice earlier on Saturday when he lapped 0.747 seconds quicker than Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas, who qualified third for Sunday's race.

“I knew it was going to be better than the last time we were here but this good I didn't expect,” said Verstappen after taking his second pole position of the season and the fifth of his career.

“This has traditionally not been an amazing track for us but to be able to put it on pole here, of course, we're super happy about that.”

Mercedes have been dominant at the track at Le Castellet in southern France since it joined the calendar as host of the returning French Grand Prix in 2018.

The team topped every practice and qualifying session for the 2018 and 2019 races, with Hamilton going on to win both from the pole. The race did not take place last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reigning champions had hoped the venue would set the stage for a return to form after disappointing outings at the last two races in Monaco and Baku.

“It's been a difficult weekend because we are just lacking pace,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Sky&nbsp;F1.

“It looked much worse than at the end where we ended up but we just need to gain everywhere.”

For Red Bull, it proved that their speed around the street layouts in Monaco and Baku had carried over to the more conventional layout of Paul Ricard, after having been beaten by Mercedes at similar venues in Portugal and Spain.

Verstappen is hopeful he can get the job done and deal Mercedes with their first defeat at the circuit on Sunday.

“I’m so confident that we can have a good race car anyway, so it’s going to be a long race. It will be a tight battle but I’m looking forward to it.”

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen pulled off the unexpected on Saturday when he snatched a comfortable French Grand Prix pole for Red Bull at a track that had until now been a happy hunting ground for rivals Mercedes.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen pulled off the unexpected on Saturday when he snatched a comfortable French Grand Prix pole for Red Bull at a track that had until now been a happy hunting ground for rivals Mercedes. The Dutchman, who leads Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton by four points in the overall standings, was in a league of his own around the 5.8-kilometer Paul Ricard circuit. His lap of one minute 29.990 seconds made him the only driver to breach the 1:30 barrier and was good enough to beat the seven-time world champion, Hamilton, by 0.258 seconds. Verstappen's qualifying display followed an even more dominant showing in final practice earlier on Saturday when he lapped 0.747 seconds quicker than Hamilton’s teammate Valtteri Bottas, who qualified third for Sunday's race. “I knew it was going to be better than the last time we were here but this good I didn't expect,” said Verstappen after taking his second pole position of the season and the fifth of his career. “This has traditionally not been an amazing track for us but to be able to put it on pole here, of course, we're super happy about that.” Mercedes have been dominant at the track at Le Castellet in southern France since it joined the calendar as host of the returning French Grand Prix in 2018. The team topped every practice and qualifying session for the 2018 and 2019 races, with Hamilton going on to win both from the pole. The race did not take place last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reigning champions had hoped the venue would set the stage for a return to form after disappointing outings at the last two races in Monaco and Baku. “It's been a difficult weekend because we are just lacking pace,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Sky F1. “It looked much worse than at the end where we ended up but we just need to gain everywhere.” For Red Bull, it proved that their speed around the street layouts in Monaco and Baku had carried over to the more conventional layout of Paul Ricard, after having been beaten by Mercedes at similar venues in Portugal and Spain. Verstappen is hopeful he can get the job done and deal Mercedes with their first defeat at the circuit on Sunday. “I’m so confident that we can have a good race car anyway, so it’s going to be a long race. It will be a tight battle but I’m looking forward to it.”

F1: Max Verstappen delivers the unexpected with French GP pole

Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying on Saturday.

Hamilton's pursuit of a 100th pole at the track where last year he notched up his record 92nd win was delayed when Bottas earned the 17th of his career.

"It's a good feeling to be on pole," said Bottas after a final qualifying session lap of 1min 18.348sec.

He added: "Feels like it's been a while. It's been a weak point for me in the first two races. The team have been working hard all weekend and we have a good position for tomorrow."

Bottas' performance was well-timed after he had qualified third in the season-opener in Bahrain but then a lowly eighth at Emilia-Romagna.

His time was just 0.007sec faster than Hamilton.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, one point off Hamilton in the drivers' standings, took third on Sunday's grid with his teammate Sergio Perez alongside him on the second row in Portimao.

Verstappen had in fact bettered Bottas' time but had his 1min 18.209sec run scrubbed out after exceeding track limits.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz came in fifth ahead of the Alpine of Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris, in a McLaren, and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari.

Hamilton paid tribute to Bottas "and our team for us both to be on the front row".

"It was not expected. We have to be happy for that, it was not the perfect lap but I gave it everything.

"You can never be satisfied, we exist to keep moving forward but I'm happy with what we're doing and the steps we're taking."

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff admitted his world champion team is making steady qualifying improvements.

"I'm not sure we had the fastest car but we have improved a lot," he said.&nbsp;

"We are catching up (Red Bull) in qualifying, we are maybe at the same level, and I think we have a good car for racing."

<h2>- Red Bull 'not too far off' -</h2>

Hamilton narrowly leads the 2021 championship after he won the opener in Bahrain before Dutch rival Verstappen hit back at Imola.

"Third is of course not what we wanted but it's not too bad after I had a Q3 lap time deleted, which would actually have put us fastest," said Verstappen.

"We struggled with the balance in Q1 and Q2 because of the track surface, and everyone is chasing grip, but we got to a decent level in Q3 so I don't think we are too far off."

Bottas' last outing at Imola was one to forget as he and Williams driver George Russell collided at 300km/h.

Both cars were wrecked that day and Russell was furious with the Finn before the pair continued their clash off the track with a bitter war of words.

Russell will start on the sixth row on Sunday with Pierre Gasly, in an AlphaTauri, and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, in an Aston Martin, ahead of him.

"It's our best qualifying position in three years so I'm really proud," said Russell.

"We all have our responsibilities, and as a team we did a really good job.

"Tomorrow we've got to keep moving forward. We have a good race car –- it's fast on the straights, so let's see what we can do."

The Haas pair of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin start at the back.

Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying on Saturday.

Valtteri Bottas took pole position for the Portuguese Grand Prix with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes front-row lockout in qualifying on Saturday. Hamilton's pursuit of a 100th pole at the track where last year he notched up his record 92nd win was delayed when Bottas earned the 17th of his career. "It's a good feeling to be on pole," said Bottas after a final qualifying session lap of 1min 18.348sec. He added: "Feels like it's been a while. It's been a weak point for me in the first two races. The team have been working hard all weekend and we have a good position for tomorrow." Bottas' performance was well-timed after he had qualified third in the season-opener in Bahrain but then a lowly eighth at Emilia-Romagna. His time was just 0.007sec faster than Hamilton. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, one point off Hamilton in the drivers' standings, took third on Sunday's grid with his teammate Sergio Perez alongside him on the second row in Portimao. Verstappen had in fact bettered Bottas' time but had his 1min 18.209sec run scrubbed out after exceeding track limits. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz came in fifth ahead of the Alpine of Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris, in a McLaren, and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari. Hamilton paid tribute to Bottas "and our team for us both to be on the front row". "It was not expected. We have to be happy for that, it was not the perfect lap but I gave it everything. "You can never be satisfied, we exist to keep moving forward but I'm happy with what we're doing and the steps we're taking." Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff admitted his world champion team is making steady qualifying improvements. "I'm not sure we had the fastest car but we have improved a lot," he said. "We are catching up (Red Bull) in qualifying, we are maybe at the same level, and I think we have a good car for racing." - Red Bull 'not too far off' - Hamilton narrowly leads the 2021 championship after he won the opener in Bahrain before Dutch rival Verstappen hit back at Imola. "Third is of course not what we wanted but it's not too bad after I had a Q3 lap time deleted, which would actually have put us fastest," said Verstappen. "We struggled with the balance in Q1 and Q2 because of the track surface, and everyone is chasing grip, but we got to a decent level in Q3 so I don't think we are too far off." Bottas' last outing at Imola was one to forget as he and Williams driver George Russell collided at 300km/h. Both cars were wrecked that day and Russell was furious with the Finn before the pair continued their clash off the track with a bitter war of words. Russell will start on the sixth row on Sunday with Pierre Gasly, in an AlphaTauri, and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, in an Aston Martin, ahead of him. "It's our best qualifying position in three years so I'm really proud," said Russell. "We all have our responsibilities, and as a team we did a really good job. "Tomorrow we've got to keep moving forward. We have a good race car –- it's fast on the straights, so let's see what we can do." The Haas pair of Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin start at the back.

Formula One: Bottas denies Hamilton 100th pole in Portugal

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