World champion Max Verstappen drew alongside Ayrton Senna in the Formula One record books with his 41st victory on Sunday when he drove his Red Bull to a flawless triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix.&nbsp;

The 25-year-old defending double champion and series leader led from lights to flag as he came home 9.570 seconds ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso with Lewis Hamilton finishing third for Mercedes for his team's 100th F1 win.&nbsp;

It was Verstappen’s second win at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, his sixth in eight races this year and his 41st&nbsp;overall, leaving him behind only four-time champions Alain Prost (51) and Sebastian Vettel (53), seven-time champions Michael Schumacher (91) and Hamilton (103).&nbsp;

"It's amazing to get the team's 100th&nbsp;win here. I never expected to be on these kind of numbers for myself so we have to just keep enjoying it and working hard, but this is a great day for us," said Verstappen.&nbsp;

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For Red Bull, this comprehensive victory was their eighth this year and 10th&nbsp;in succession &nbsp;– statistics that make the prospect of an invincible season appear ever more likely.&nbsp;

Alonso's podium was his sixth of the season as he continued to deliver competitive and revived form, aged 41.

Alonso said he was managing a brake issue at the end of the race.&nbsp;

"We hoped to challenge a bit more, but we lost a place to Lewis at the start and then battled all race. It was like 70 qualifying laps," he said.

Hamilton said: "It's been a great weekend here for us and we are chipping away and making progress. It's an honour to be here on the podium with these two world champions."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Charles Leclerc came home fourth ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull with Alex Albon taking an excellent seventh in his revamped Williams.&nbsp;

Esteban Ocon was eighth for Alpine ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, who dropped to 13th&nbsp;with a five-second time penalty, and local hero Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin.&nbsp;

Perez recorded the fastest lap of the race to take a bonus point, but is now 69 points behind his team-mate in the drivers title race.&nbsp;

After Saturday's rain-swept qualifying, the race began in warm sunshine with Verstappen and Hamilton enjoying perfect starts, the Mercedes man firing past Alonso to take second.&nbsp;

The Aston Martin pushed to recover, holding off Russell, but by lap five Verstappen was 1.8 seconds clear of Hamilton with Alonso 2.7 adrift in third, having banged the wall at Turn Four.&nbsp;

Russell was fourth ahead of Ocon and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, who started fifth, before a Virtual Safety Car was deployed when Logan Sargeant pulled up and retired his Williams.&nbsp;

<h2>'I'm so sorry'</h2>

Hulkenberg made an early pit-stop after 12 laps, shortly before Russell smacked the wall at the exit of the chicane at Turn Nine causing a full Safety Car deployment on lap 13.&nbsp;

Russell limped back to the Mercedes pits for a new front wing and fresh tyres, the leaders all having dived in to switch to hard rubber, Hamilton and Alonso almost colliding as they exited their pits.

Racing resumed on lap 16, the leading trio scrapping immediately without positional changes before Verstappen pulled clear.&nbsp;

The Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz had worked through to fourth and fifth, on mediums, ahead of Perez, but they struggled for outright pace.&nbsp;

On lap 23, having stalked his foe, Alonso attacked and passed Hamilton with the aid of Drag Reduction System (DRS) going into the final chicane.&nbsp;

Russell, from last, fought back to eighth before he retired on lap 55.&nbsp;

"I'm so sorry everyone," said Russell. "Nothing more to say. Sorry."

Perez pitted from sixth after 40 laps, taking mediums, but was unable to make an impression on the top five and chose a late burst on softs to take fastest lap.

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World champion Max Verstappen drew alongside Ayrton Senna in the Formula One record books with his 41st victory on Sunday when he drove his Red Bull to a flawless triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix.

World champion Max Verstappen drew alongside Ayrton Senna in the Formula One record books with his 41st victory on Sunday when he drove his Red Bull to a flawless triumph at the Canadian Grand Prix. The 25-year-old defending double champion and series leader led from lights to flag as he came home 9.570 seconds ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso with Lewis Hamilton finishing third for Mercedes for his team's 100th F1 win. It was Verstappen’s second win at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, his sixth in eight races this year and his 41st overall, leaving him behind only four-time champions Alain Prost (51) and Sebastian Vettel (53), seven-time champions Michael Schumacher (91) and Hamilton (103). "It's amazing to get the team's 100th win here. I never expected to be on these kind of numbers for myself so we have to just keep enjoying it and working hard, but this is a great day for us," said Verstappen. Also Read: Nations League: Spain beat Croatia on penalties to clinch title For Red Bull, this comprehensive victory was their eighth this year and 10th in succession – statistics that make the prospect of an invincible season appear ever more likely. Alonso's podium was his sixth of the season as he continued to deliver competitive and revived form, aged 41. Alonso said he was managing a brake issue at the end of the race. "We hoped to challenge a bit more, but we lost a place to Lewis at the start and then battled all race. It was like 70 qualifying laps," he said. Hamilton said: "It's been a great weekend here for us and we are chipping away and making progress. It's an honour to be here on the podium with these two world champions." Charles Leclerc came home fourth ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull with Alex Albon taking an excellent seventh in his revamped Williams. Esteban Ocon was eighth for Alpine ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, who dropped to 13th with a five-second time penalty, and local hero Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin. Perez recorded the fastest lap of the race to take a bonus point, but is now 69 points behind his team-mate in the drivers title race. After Saturday's rain-swept qualifying, the race began in warm sunshine with Verstappen and Hamilton enjoying perfect starts, the Mercedes man firing past Alonso to take second. The Aston Martin pushed to recover, holding off Russell, but by lap five Verstappen was 1.8 seconds clear of Hamilton with Alonso 2.7 adrift in third, having banged the wall at Turn Four. Russell was fourth ahead of Ocon and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, who started fifth, before a Virtual Safety Car was deployed when Logan Sargeant pulled up and retired his Williams. 'I'm so sorry' Hulkenberg made an early pit-stop after 12 laps, shortly before Russell smacked the wall at the exit of the chicane at Turn Nine causing a full Safety Car deployment on lap 13. Russell limped back to the Mercedes pits for a new front wing and fresh tyres, the leaders all having dived in to switch to hard rubber, Hamilton and Alonso almost colliding as they exited their pits. Racing resumed on lap 16, the leading trio scrapping immediately without positional changes before Verstappen pulled clear. The Ferraris of Leclerc and Sainz had worked through to fourth and fifth, on mediums, ahead of Perez, but they struggled for outright pace. On lap 23, having stalked his foe, Alonso attacked and passed Hamilton with the aid of Drag Reduction System (DRS) going into the final chicane. Russell, from last, fought back to eighth before he retired on lap 55. "I'm so sorry everyone," said Russell. "Nothing more to say. Sorry." Perez pitted from sixth after 40 laps, taking mediums, but was unable to make an impression on the top five and chose a late burst on softs to take fastest lap. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Red Bull's Max Verstappen equals Ayrton Senna with Canadian Grand Prix victory

Max Verstappen wrote another piece of Red Bull history on Sunday with a 39th win that sent him past Germany's now-retired Sebastian Vettel as the driver with most victories for the Formula One team.

Vettel is still ahead of the Dutchman 4-2 on championships won but Verstappen, 25, has plenty of time on his side to match or surpass that mark with a third title surely on its way this season.

Verstappen is 39 points ahead of Mexican team mate and closest rival Sergio Perez after winning four of six rounds with 16 remaining to be raced.

"If you have a good car for a while you can break these kinds of numbers," the champion said when reminded about the team record. "But yeah, it's great. I mean, I would have never thought that I would be in this position in my career. When I grew up I wanted to be a Formula One driver and winning these races is amazing.

"It's better than I could have ever imagined, for sure."

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Verstappen joined Red Bull mid-season in 2016, after 23 races for sister team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri), and took his first win on his debut in Barcelona.

Vettel won 53 races in total -- one of them with Toro Rosso and 14 with Ferrari.

Verstappen's victory on Sunday was his second in three years on the streets of Monaco and Red Bull's third in a row, but the seeds were sown with a qualifying lap on Saturday that will rank as one of the sport's greatest.

In the end, he led all the way -- a normal state of affairs in Monaco where overtaking is a rare feat -- and took the chequered flag 27.921 seconds clear of Aston Martin's second-placed Fernando Alonso.

"With that victory he becomes the most winningest Red Bull driver," said team boss Christian Horner. "He passes Sebastian's record which is an incredible achievement.

"He's obviously at the top of his game and driving incredibly well."

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Max Verstappen wrote another piece of Red Bull history on Sunday with a 39th win that sent him past Germany's now-retired Sebastian Vettel as the driver with most victories for the Formula One team.

Max Verstappen wrote another piece of Red Bull history on Sunday with a 39th win that sent him past Germany's now-retired Sebastian Vettel as the driver with most victories for the Formula One team. Vettel is still ahead of the Dutchman 4-2 on championships won but Verstappen, 25, has plenty of time on his side to match or surpass that mark with a third title surely on its way this season. Verstappen is 39 points ahead of Mexican team mate and closest rival Sergio Perez after winning four of six rounds with 16 remaining to be raced. "If you have a good car for a while you can break these kinds of numbers," the champion said when reminded about the team record. "But yeah, it's great. I mean, I would have never thought that I would be in this position in my career. When I grew up I wanted to be a Formula One driver and winning these races is amazing. "It's better than I could have ever imagined, for sure." ALSO READ: Formula One: Max Verstappen extends lead with dominant victory in Monaco rain Verstappen joined Red Bull mid-season in 2016, after 23 races for sister team Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri), and took his first win on his debut in Barcelona. Vettel won 53 races in total -- one of them with Toro Rosso and 14 with Ferrari. Verstappen's victory on Sunday was his second in three years on the streets of Monaco and Red Bull's third in a row, but the seeds were sown with a qualifying lap on Saturday that will rank as one of the sport's greatest. In the end, he led all the way -- a normal state of affairs in Monaco where overtaking is a rare feat -- and took the chequered flag 27.921 seconds clear of Aston Martin's second-placed Fernando Alonso. "With that victory he becomes the most winningest Red Bull driver," said team boss Christian Horner. "He passes Sebastian's record which is an incredible achievement. "He's obviously at the top of his game and driving incredibly well." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Formula One: Max Verstappen goes past Sebastian Vettel with most wins for Red Bull

Seven-time world champion and lone Black driver of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton has come out in support of Brazilian Vinicius Jr. for speaking against the racism the latter experienced at a recent soccer match in Spain.

“It’s devastating to think that in 2023 we’re still seeing these things and hearing these things,” said Hamilton on Thursday ahead of Monaco Grand Prix.&nbsp;

“It really brings up emotions about things that I experienced, whether it’s back in the UK or whether it was when I was racing in Italy or in France or in Spain," he added. "It can be so hurtful the things that people say."

<h2>Vinicius Jr. racism case</h2>

The Brazilian signed with La Liga club Real Madrid in 2018 and has, on multiple occasions, been subjected to racist chants including 'mono' which is Spanish for Monkey. The most recent case where the soccer player faced the racist abuse what during Real Madrid's &nbsp;0-1 loss to Valencia on Sunday.

The game was stopped for several minutes after the player complained about he behaious of crowd. He then shared a long post on Instagram, describing his ordeal and calling Spain a racist country.

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"Death wishes, hanged dolls, criminal screams... This is not football. This is inhuman," wrote the Brazilian in his social media post a day after the incident.

Hamilton also shared the post on his Instagram with the caption "standing with you," alongside a Black fist bump emoji. The racer also said that he eventually hopes to visit and support the soccer player at a match.

<h2>No room for discrimination</h2>

Hamilton emphasized on need of doing more about the issue in sports as the 'society has no place for discrimination.' &nbsp;&nbsp;

“There is no room for discrimination in society today. Sports need to do more, we all need to continue to do more. If we see it, hear it – we need to do something about it," said the racer.

"I think it’s amazing what so many of these (athletes) that are experiencing that on the pitch are doing in terms of standing tall and standing strong," Hamilton added. "Continuing to be humble in their approach, not being reactive but being responsible when moving forward because they know lots of young kids are watching."

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Seven-time world champion and lone Black driver of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton has come out in support of Brazilian Vinicius Jr. for speaking against the racism the latter experienced at a recent soccer match in Spain.

Seven-time world champion and lone Black driver of Formula One, Lewis Hamilton has come out in support of Brazilian Vinicius Jr. for speaking against the racism the latter experienced at a recent soccer match in Spain. “It’s devastating to think that in 2023 we’re still seeing these things and hearing these things,” said Hamilton on Thursday ahead of Monaco Grand Prix. “It really brings up emotions about things that I experienced, whether it’s back in the UK or whether it was when I was racing in Italy or in France or in Spain," he added. "It can be so hurtful the things that people say." Vinicius Jr. racism case The Brazilian signed with La Liga club Real Madrid in 2018 and has, on multiple occasions, been subjected to racist chants including 'mono' which is Spanish for Monkey. The most recent case where the soccer player faced the racist abuse what during Real Madrid's 0-1 loss to Valencia on Sunday. The game was stopped for several minutes after the player complained about he behaious of crowd. He then shared a long post on Instagram, describing his ordeal and calling Spain a racist country. Also Read: 'Impossible to keep rhythm,' says Nuggets coach Michael Malone ahead of NBA Finals "Death wishes, hanged dolls, criminal screams... This is not football. This is inhuman," wrote the Brazilian in his social media post a day after the incident. Hamilton also shared the post on his Instagram with the caption "standing with you," alongside a Black fist bump emoji. The racer also said that he eventually hopes to visit and support the soccer player at a match. No room for discrimination Hamilton emphasized on need of doing more about the issue in sports as the 'society has no place for discrimination.' “There is no room for discrimination in society today. Sports need to do more, we all need to continue to do more. If we see it, hear it – we need to do something about it," said the racer. "I think it’s amazing what so many of these (athletes) that are experiencing that on the pitch are doing in terms of standing tall and standing strong," Hamilton added. "Continuing to be humble in their approach, not being reactive but being responsible when moving forward because they know lots of young kids are watching." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One champ Lewis Hamilton comes out in support of Vinicius Jr. for speaking against racism

High-flying Aston Martin will be powered by Honda engines from 2026 in what the Formula One team says is "the last piece of the jigsaw".

This represents a return to F1 for Honda, who left in 2021 but retain links with Red Bull and AlphaTauri.

The tie up, announced on Wednesday, comes in the run-up to this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix with Aston Martin a surprise second to world champions Red Bull in the constructors' standings.

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That lofty position is in no small part down to Fernando Alonso, the two-time former champion who has made the podium in four of this season's five races as he revels in his switch from Alpine.

Hailing the Honda link-up, Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, said: "Our future works partnership with Honda is one of the last parts of the jigsaw puzzle slotting into place for Aston Martin’s ambitious plans in Formula One."

Aston will continue to be powered by Mercedes power units until 2026 when there is a sizeable shift in F1's technical landscape.

"One of the key reasons for our decision to take up the new challenge in F1 is that the world’s pinnacle form of racing is striving to become a sustainable racing series, which is in line with the direction Honda is aiming toward carbon neutrality," said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe.

"Honda and our new partner, the Aston Martin F1 Team, share the same sincere attitude and determination to win, so starting with the 2026 season, we will work together and strive for the Championship title."

From 2026 Red Bull and AlphaTauri are linking up with Ford when the existing hybrid power units will rely more on electric energy using 100 percent sustainable fuel.&nbsp;

Audi are also joining the F1 grid from 2026 in a deal to power the Sauber team, currently racing as Alfa Romeo. The other constructors are Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault (Alpine).

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High-flying Aston Martin will be powered by Honda engines from 2026 in what the Formula One team says is "the last piece of the jigsaw". This represents a return to F1 for Honda, who left in 2021 but retain links with Red Bull and AlphaTauri.

High-flying Aston Martin will be powered by Honda engines from 2026 in what the Formula One team says is "the last piece of the jigsaw". This represents a return to F1 for Honda, who left in 2021 but retain links with Red Bull and AlphaTauri. The tie up, announced on Wednesday, comes in the run-up to this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix with Aston Martin a surprise second to world champions Red Bull in the constructors' standings. Also Read: 2023 NBA East Finals: Tatum leads Celtics past Heat in Game 4 to keep series alive That lofty position is in no small part down to Fernando Alonso, the two-time former champion who has made the podium in four of this season's five races as he revels in his switch from Alpine. Hailing the Honda link-up, Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, said: "Our future works partnership with Honda is one of the last parts of the jigsaw puzzle slotting into place for Aston Martin’s ambitious plans in Formula One." Aston will continue to be powered by Mercedes power units until 2026 when there is a sizeable shift in F1's technical landscape. "One of the key reasons for our decision to take up the new challenge in F1 is that the world’s pinnacle form of racing is striving to become a sustainable racing series, which is in line with the direction Honda is aiming toward carbon neutrality," said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe. "Honda and our new partner, the Aston Martin F1 Team, share the same sincere attitude and determination to win, so starting with the 2026 season, we will work together and strive for the Championship title." From 2026 Red Bull and AlphaTauri are linking up with Ford when the existing hybrid power units will rely more on electric energy using 100 percent sustainable fuel. Audi are also joining the F1 grid from 2026 in a deal to power the Sauber team, currently racing as Alfa Romeo. The other constructors are Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault (Alpine). WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One: Honda engines to power Aston Martin from 2026

World champion Max Verstappen powered from ninth on the grid to beat team-mate Sergio Perez and extend Red Bull's all-conquering start to the season with victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

The win was&nbsp;Red Bull's fifth from five races this season and&nbsp;extends Verstappen's lead at the top of the standings to 14 points and follows his triumph in the inaugural Miami race last year.

The 1-2 for Red Bull is their fourth in five races so far this year as the team utterly dominate the sport leaving their rivals to battle for the third podium position.

Aston Martin's Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso took third for his fourth podium in five races this season as he continues to enjoy his late-career revival.

Verstappen had to work hard for his third victory of the campaign after his disappointing performance in Saturday's qualifying left him in the middle of the grid.

But the speed of the Red Bull car, combined with smart decisions on tyres, meant that the Dutchman was able to quickly get himself in contention and then produce a late surge to beat his team-mate Perez, who remains second in the standings.

Perez, starting on pole, made the perfect start, racing clear of his rivals but Verstappen, on hard tyres, quickly moved through the field and took just 15 laps to reach second place behind his team-mate.

'Very satisfying'

Perez pitted on lap 20 allowing Verstappen to take the lead but the Dutchman had to give that up when he went into the pits on lap 46, changing to the medium compound tyres and coming out 1.2 seconds behind.

It took just two laps for Verstappen, who won the inaugural Miami Grand Prix a year ago, to take advantage of his fresher tyres with better grip as, after a brief joust, he overtook the Mexican, on 25-lap-old tyres, to take the lead.

Verstappen's 38th win for Red Bull equals the team record set by Sebastian Vettel and is the first time a driver has won from exactly ninth on the grid since Niki Lauda at the French Grand Prix in 1984.

"I took the cars off one by one and then I could stay out really long on the hard tyres and that's where we I think made the difference," said Verstappen.

"For sure winning a race from P9 is always very satisfying," he said.

It was a disappointing day for Perez, who after his victory in Baku last week, had a great chance to win from pole but was left frustrated with the tyre choice.

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"I think the medium initially was really poor. It wasn't expected and that really compromised our pace," said Perez.

"Then, in all honesty, I think Max had tremendous pace on that hard tyre and I have got to analyse what happened today because we simply didn't have the pace," he added.

Mercedes had some consolation at the end of a difficult week with George Russell taking fourth place ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and team-mate Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had described the car as a "nasty piece of work" after qualifying but Russell was delighted with his fourth.

"I am feeling pumped to be honest because it has been a while since we had a good race like that where we made overtakes stick," he said.

"I would have liked to have been three positions higher but we know the position we are as a team right now and P4 was the maximum today," he added.

Charles Leclerc, who crashed late in qualifying and started seventh on the grid, finished in seventh place on another disappointing day for Ferrari.

"There's really a lot of work to do," said Leclerc, "We have a car that has a good feeling under ideal conditions, but as soon as you get away a bit it gets complicated.&nbsp;We need a more consistent car especially in the race.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"It's a very difficult situation because you can fight in qualifying, but then in the race you have to accept that you are passed."

The Alpine pair of French drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocan finished eighth and ninth with Dane Kevin Magnussen finishing tenth.

It was a tough debut in his homeland for American rookie Logan Sargeant of Williams who had to pit early after losing his front wing and ended last.

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World champion Max Verstappen powered from ninth on the grid to beat team-mate Sergio Perez and extend Red Bull's all-conquering start to the season with victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.

World champion Max Verstappen powered from ninth on the grid to beat team-mate Sergio Perez and extend Red Bull's all-conquering start to the season with victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. The win was Red Bull's fifth from five races this season and extends Verstappen's lead at the top of the standings to 14 points and follows his triumph in the inaugural Miami race last year. The 1-2 for Red Bull is their fourth in five races so far this year as the team utterly dominate the sport leaving their rivals to battle for the third podium position. Aston Martin's Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso took third for his fourth podium in five races this season as he continues to enjoy his late-career revival. Verstappen had to work hard for his third victory of the campaign after his disappointing performance in Saturday's qualifying left him in the middle of the grid. But the speed of the Red Bull car, combined with smart decisions on tyres, meant that the Dutchman was able to quickly get himself in contention and then produce a late surge to beat his team-mate Perez, who remains second in the standings. Perez, starting on pole, made the perfect start, racing clear of his rivals but Verstappen, on hard tyres, quickly moved through the field and took just 15 laps to reach second place behind his team-mate. 'Very satisfying' Perez pitted on lap 20 allowing Verstappen to take the lead but the Dutchman had to give that up when he went into the pits on lap 46, changing to the medium compound tyres and coming out 1.2 seconds behind. It took just two laps for Verstappen, who won the inaugural Miami Grand Prix a year ago, to take advantage of his fresher tyres with better grip as, after a brief joust, he overtook the Mexican, on 25-lap-old tyres, to take the lead. Verstappen's 38th win for Red Bull equals the team record set by Sebastian Vettel and is the first time a driver has won from exactly ninth on the grid since Niki Lauda at the French Grand Prix in 1984. "I took the cars off one by one and then I could stay out really long on the hard tyres and that's where we I think made the difference," said Verstappen. "For sure winning a race from P9 is always very satisfying," he said. It was a disappointing day for Perez, who after his victory in Baku last week, had a great chance to win from pole but was left frustrated with the tyre choice. ALSO READ | Luka Modric to extend Real Madrid stay, set to sign new deal until 2024 "I think the medium initially was really poor. It wasn't expected and that really compromised our pace," said Perez. "Then, in all honesty, I think Max had tremendous pace on that hard tyre and I have got to analyse what happened today because we simply didn't have the pace," he added. Mercedes had some consolation at the end of a difficult week with George Russell taking fourth place ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and team-mate Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had described the car as a "nasty piece of work" after qualifying but Russell was delighted with his fourth. "I am feeling pumped to be honest because it has been a while since we had a good race like that where we made overtakes stick," he said. "I would have liked to have been three positions higher but we know the position we are as a team right now and P4 was the maximum today," he added. Charles Leclerc, who crashed late in qualifying and started seventh on the grid, finished in seventh place on another disappointing day for Ferrari. "There's really a lot of work to do," said Leclerc, "We have a car that has a good feeling under ideal conditions, but as soon as you get away a bit it gets complicated. We need a more consistent car especially in the race. "It's a very difficult situation because you can fight in qualifying, but then in the race you have to accept that you are passed." The Alpine pair of French drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocan finished eighth and ninth with Dane Kevin Magnussen finishing tenth. It was a tough debut in his homeland for American rookie Logan Sargeant of Williams who had to pit early after losing his front wing and ended last. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Max Verstappen comes from ninth on grid to bag Miami GP; Perez, Alonso take podium

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen said victory in Sunday's Miami Grand Prix is "not impossible" despite him starting ninth on the grid.

Red Bull's Verstappen, who leads the driver's championship after picking up two wins from opening four races of the season, was unable to get his late fast lap after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed and qualifying was cut short with one minute 36 left.

The Dutchman's team-mate Sergio Perez, who is second in the standings just six points behind Verstappen, grabbed pole position after Saturday's qualifying.

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Despite the setback, Verstappen, who won the maiden Miami race last year, was not giving up hope of a strong result.

"A podium, for sure, but I want to win, so this is not great. (Winning is) not impossible, but it's not going to be easy," he said.

While Leclerc's crash didn't help, Verstappen had already made life difficult for himself by not getting his full fast lap in earlier.

He said he had only himself to blame for having to pull out of his earlier lap after a mistake.

"I was a little bit offline out of (turn) six into seven, I felt a bit of understeer, and I just couldn't get it back on the line. So I aborted my lap. It was definitely a mistake of mine trying to put it on the limit.

"Then of course, you need a bit of luck, hoping that there won't be a red flag. But of course, when you try to think like that, then it happens. So, it's a bit upsetting," he said.

But Verstappen, winner of the last two Formula One seasons, was keeping a sense of perspective.

"I've been in this position before, you have sometimes a few setbacks but that doesn't mean that it carries on for the rest of the year or whatever.

"It can't always be perfect, you hope that it's going to be perfect. Last year we had a tough start, but you still need to nail a few bits yourself. Today was not great," he said.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner questioned why the race was only stopped 20 seconds after Leclerc's crash.

"Had it been stopped immediately, you could have possibly got around," he told Sky Sports.

Horner has been happy to let Perez compete with Verstappen, with no heavy use of team orders as of yet, and the Mexican says he is relishing the inner-team competition.

"I'm enjoying it. I'm just thinking race by race. I will go out … for my team because they've done a tremendous job and see what happens tomorrow (Sunday)," he said.

"It is a new opportunity, starting from pole. We are the ones that have (something) to lose, but we will just go out there and try to enjoy this amazing crowd," he said.

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Formula One world champion Max Verstappen said victory in Sunday's Miami Grand Prix is "not impossible" despite him starting ninth on the grid. Red Bull's Verstappen, who leads the driver's championship after picking up two wins from opening four races of the season, was unable to get his late fast lap after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed and qualifying was cut short with one minute 36 left.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen said victory in Sunday's Miami Grand Prix is "not impossible" despite him starting ninth on the grid. Red Bull's Verstappen, who leads the driver's championship after picking up two wins from opening four races of the season, was unable to get his late fast lap after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc crashed and qualifying was cut short with one minute 36 left. The Dutchman's team-mate Sergio Perez, who is second in the standings just six points behind Verstappen, grabbed pole position after Saturday's qualifying. Also Read: Man City spoil Sam Allardyce's return to edge closer to title Despite the setback, Verstappen, who won the maiden Miami race last year, was not giving up hope of a strong result. "A podium, for sure, but I want to win, so this is not great. (Winning is) not impossible, but it's not going to be easy," he said. While Leclerc's crash didn't help, Verstappen had already made life difficult for himself by not getting his full fast lap in earlier. He said he had only himself to blame for having to pull out of his earlier lap after a mistake. "I was a little bit offline out of (turn) six into seven, I felt a bit of understeer, and I just couldn't get it back on the line. So I aborted my lap. It was definitely a mistake of mine trying to put it on the limit. "Then of course, you need a bit of luck, hoping that there won't be a red flag. But of course, when you try to think like that, then it happens. So, it's a bit upsetting," he said. But Verstappen, winner of the last two Formula One seasons, was keeping a sense of perspective. "I've been in this position before, you have sometimes a few setbacks but that doesn't mean that it carries on for the rest of the year or whatever. "It can't always be perfect, you hope that it's going to be perfect. Last year we had a tough start, but you still need to nail a few bits yourself. Today was not great," he said. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner questioned why the race was only stopped 20 seconds after Leclerc's crash. "Had it been stopped immediately, you could have possibly got around," he told Sky Sports. Horner has been happy to let Perez compete with Verstappen, with no heavy use of team orders as of yet, and the Mexican says he is relishing the inner-team competition. "I'm enjoying it. I'm just thinking race by race. I will go out … for my team because they've done a tremendous job and see what happens tomorrow (Sunday)," he said. "It is a new opportunity, starting from pole. We are the ones that have (something) to lose, but we will just go out there and try to enjoy this amazing crowd," he said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: 'Not impossible,' says Ninth on grid Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of Miami Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc will start on pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint race despite crashing on his final flying lap in qualifying on Saturday.

The Ferrari driver is joined by Sergio Perez's Red Bull on the front row for the first of Formula One's six sprints this season.

The Mexican's teammate Max Verstappen finished third with George Russell of Mercedes in fourth.

Leclerc is a master of qualifying on the streets of Baku, adding this to his pole from qualifying on Friday for Sunday's main event, for which he has now headed the grid for the past three years.

The sprint, introduced in 2021, has undergone a revamp this year.

The 100 kilometre dash now stands alone from Sunday's main race with its own new shorter form of qualifying called the 'Sprint Shootout'.

Leclerc created a footnote in F1 history by claiming the honours of the inaugural edition in entertaining style.

He topped the times with three minutes of qualifying to go but then slid his Ferrari into the barriers at his last throw of the dice.

But the Red Bulls weren't able to better Leclerc's time as he claimed his second pole in Azerbaijan inside 24 hours.

"The rear overheated and I lost it in Turn 5. In the end it doesn't have any consequence (for me)," said the man from Monaco who is trying to make up for lost time after a terrible start to 2023.&nbsp;

He suggested he will have his work cut out holding off the flying Red Bulls, who have won all three races so far in 2023.

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"We will go for it but we also need to be realistic, as of now, we've already been on the back foot during the race, especially the Red Bull seems to be a step ahead."

He added: "I will do everything for it and we are here for that, Ferrari needs to be on top and I will do everything I can to win."

His teammate Carlos Sainz came fifth to fill the third row with Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes.

Alex Albon, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and Lando Norris completed the top five rows of the grid for the 17-lap sprint due off later Saturday.

The sprint offers the winner eight points down to one for eighth.

Red Bull's double world champion Verstappen leads the championship on 69 points, 15 ahead of Perez.

Two retirements sandwiching a seventh place in Jeddah have left Leclerc lagging well behind with just half a dozen points.

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Charles Leclerc will start on pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint race despite crashing on his final flying lap in qualifying on Saturday. The Ferrari driver is joined by Sergio Perez's Red Bull on the front row for the first of Formula One's six sprints this season.

Charles Leclerc will start on pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint race despite crashing on his final flying lap in qualifying on Saturday. The Ferrari driver is joined by Sergio Perez's Red Bull on the front row for the first of Formula One's six sprints this season. The Mexican's teammate Max Verstappen finished third with George Russell of Mercedes in fourth. Leclerc is a master of qualifying on the streets of Baku, adding this to his pole from qualifying on Friday for Sunday's main event, for which he has now headed the grid for the past three years. The sprint, introduced in 2021, has undergone a revamp this year. The 100 kilometre dash now stands alone from Sunday's main race with its own new shorter form of qualifying called the 'Sprint Shootout'. Leclerc created a footnote in F1 history by claiming the honours of the inaugural edition in entertaining style. He topped the times with three minutes of qualifying to go but then slid his Ferrari into the barriers at his last throw of the dice. But the Red Bulls weren't able to better Leclerc's time as he claimed his second pole in Azerbaijan inside 24 hours. "The rear overheated and I lost it in Turn 5. In the end it doesn't have any consequence (for me)," said the man from Monaco who is trying to make up for lost time after a terrible start to 2023. He suggested he will have his work cut out holding off the flying Red Bulls, who have won all three races so far in 2023. ALSO READ | Jim Ratcliffe, Sheikh Jassim submit final bids to buy Manchester United from Glazer family "We will go for it but we also need to be realistic, as of now, we've already been on the back foot during the race, especially the Red Bull seems to be a step ahead." He added: "I will do everything for it and we are here for that, Ferrari needs to be on top and I will do everything I can to win." His teammate Carlos Sainz came fifth to fill the third row with Lewis Hamilton in the other Mercedes. Alex Albon, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll and Lando Norris completed the top five rows of the grid for the 17-lap sprint due off later Saturday. The sprint offers the winner eight points down to one for eighth. Red Bull's double world champion Verstappen leads the championship on 69 points, 15 ahead of Perez. Two retirements sandwiching a seventh place in Jeddah have left Leclerc lagging well behind with just half a dozen points. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc to start on pole despite crashing on final flying lap

Brazil's triple Formula One champion Nelson&nbsp;Piquet&nbsp;must pay 5 million Brazilian Reals ($953,050) in moral damages for racist and homophobic comments against Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, a Brazilian court ruled on Friday (March 24).

In an interview in November 2021,&nbsp;Piquet&nbsp;used a racial slur referring to the seven-time world champion, when commenting on Hamilton's British Grand Prix crash with Max Verstappen.

Hamilton called for action to change "archaic mindsets" after footage of the interview surfaced on social media last June.&nbsp;Piquet, 70, apologised to the British driver and said his comments had been mistranslated.&nbsp;Piquet's daughter Kelly is Verstappen's partner.

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In another clip which surfaced later,&nbsp;Piquet&nbsp;used racist and homophobic language against Hamilton in a podcast interview when describing how Hamilton missed out on the 2016 championship to Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton, who was awarded honorary Brazilian citizenship last June, is the sport's only Black driver.

The charges were brought by four human rights groups, including Brazil's National LGBT+ Alliance, which wanted&nbsp;Piquet&nbsp;to pay 10 million Brazilian Reals for alleged moral damages.

In his decision, Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said the amount of compensation was given "in the sense that one should not only appreciate the reparative function of civil liability but also (and perhaps mainly) the punitive function so that, as a society, we can someday be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobia".

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Brazil's triple Formula One champion Nelson Piquet must pay 5 million Brazilian Reals ($953,050) in moral damages for racist and homophobic comments against Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, a Brazilian court ruled on Friday (March 24).

Brazil's triple Formula One champion Nelson Piquet must pay 5 million Brazilian Reals ($953,050) in moral damages for racist and homophobic comments against Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, a Brazilian court ruled on Friday (March 24). In an interview in November 2021, Piquet used a racial slur referring to the seven-time world champion, when commenting on Hamilton's British Grand Prix crash with Max Verstappen. Hamilton called for action to change "archaic mindsets" after footage of the interview surfaced on social media last June. Piquet, 70, apologised to the British driver and said his comments had been mistranslated. Piquet's daughter Kelly is Verstappen's partner. Also Read: Virender Sehwag says he 'didn't believe' Virat Kohli will reach such heights in international cricket In another clip which surfaced later, Piquet used racist and homophobic language against Hamilton in a podcast interview when describing how Hamilton missed out on the 2016 championship to Nico Rosberg. Hamilton, who was awarded honorary Brazilian citizenship last June, is the sport's only Black driver. The charges were brought by four human rights groups, including Brazil's National LGBT+ Alliance, which wanted Piquet to pay 10 million Brazilian Reals for alleged moral damages. In his decision, Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said the amount of compensation was given "in the sense that one should not only appreciate the reparative function of civil liability but also (and perhaps mainly) the punitive function so that, as a society, we can someday be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobia". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Former champion Nelson Piquet ordered to pay $950K for racist comments against Lewis Hamilton

Red Bull's Sergio&nbsp;Perez&nbsp;flexed his street circuit muscles with dramatic effect on Sunday by storming to victory ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

While the top two were clear cut, the next two places remained in confusion long after the race had finished with Fernando Alonso first stripped of third place and then reinstated in the early hours of Monday morning. &nbsp;

Perez, a 33-year-old Mexican, came home 5.355 seconds clear of the defending double world champion as Red Bull reeled off a masterful one-two triumph, the Dutchman having stormed through the field from 15th on the grid.

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Verstappen also clocked the fastest lap of the race on the final lap to retain his lead of the embryonic drivers' championship, snatching it back from&nbsp;Perez&nbsp;as they duelled at high speed.

It was&nbsp;Perez's fifth career win having previously triumphed in Monte Carlo and Singapore to earn his reputation as a 'street fighter'.

"It turned out to be tougher than expected," he said. "The safety car tried to take the victory from us again here, but not this year! The team did a great job. Now we must keep pushing."

Verstappen was eliminated from qualifying after a drive-shaft failure.

"It wasn't easy to get through the field," he said. "We settled for second so it's a good recovery in the end."

Two-time world champion Alonso finished a stirring third on track for Aston Martin to claim a 100th podium finish on his record-extending 357th start.

That place was initially taken from him. He had received a five-second penalty for starting outside his grid position. When he tried to serve it during a pit stop, stewards ruled a jack had touched the car too soon and they hit Alonso with a 10-second penalty.

George Russell rose to third for Mercedes.&nbsp;

But Aston Martin requested a review and showed stewards videos of similar incidents that went unpunished. Stewards accepted that it was not clear the offence had broken Formula One rules and lifted the punishment.&nbsp;

Alonso was back to third followed by the two Mercedes cars of Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

Next were the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who started 12th. Esteban Ocon and his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly occupied the next two places.&nbsp;

The race began under dazzling floodlights at the Jeddah Street Circuit in balmy conditions, ideal for spectators, drivers and cars.

<h2>Alonso dream start</h2>

Alonso made the best start, from his incorrect position too far to the left of his grid slot, as he surged past&nbsp;Perez&nbsp;to lead into turn one.

He was unable to retain it for long and was passed by&nbsp;Perez&nbsp;at turn one at the start of lap four. By then, he had been given a five-second penalty for his starting spot error.

Behind them, Leclerc, on soft tyres, began his climb from 12th and reached seventh by lap eight as Verstappen climbed from 15th to 10th while Russell and Stroll settled into third and fourth.

After an unexceptional start, Hamilton, one of only two drivers on hard tyres while the majority took mediums, was warned for weaving on the straight.

By lap 11, Hamilton was eighth, trapped between Leclerc and Verstappen.

The Dutchman passed Hamilton on lap 12 while&nbsp;Perez&nbsp;reeled off another fastest lap to pull three seconds clear of Alonso.

On lap 18, yellow flags waved as Stroll obeyed a team order to stop his Aston Martin on the track – resulting in a full safety car deployment and a rush to pit for&nbsp;Perez, Alonso, Russell, Verstappen and Hamilton.

Despite attempting to serve his penalty during the pit stop, Alonso stayed second behind&nbsp;Perez. Hamilton, sixth, was the only front-runner on mediums while the rest took hards.&nbsp;

Verstappen showed great pace as he pressed Russell, breezing past him for third on lap 24. When he&nbsp;passed Alonso, he had gone from 15th to second before half-distance.&nbsp;

With 10 laps remaining, Verstappen said his drive-shaft, which had caused his exit from qualifying on Saturday, was "running a bit rough".&nbsp;

He was pacified by the team as was&nbsp;Perez&nbsp;who complained of a "long brake pedal" before the final fast laps were completed.

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Red Bull's Sergio Perez flexed his street circuit muscles with dramatic effect on Sunday by storming to victory ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez flexed his street circuit muscles with dramatic effect on Sunday by storming to victory ahead of team-mate Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. While the top two were clear cut, the next two places remained in confusion long after the race had finished with Fernando Alonso first stripped of third place and then reinstated in the early hours of Monday morning. Perez, a 33-year-old Mexican, came home 5.355 seconds clear of the defending double world champion as Red Bull reeled off a masterful one-two triumph, the Dutchman having stormed through the field from 15th on the grid. Also Read: La Liga: Barcelona take El Clasico 2-1, dent Real Madrid's chances of defending title Verstappen also clocked the fastest lap of the race on the final lap to retain his lead of the embryonic drivers' championship, snatching it back from Perez as they duelled at high speed. It was Perez's fifth career win having previously triumphed in Monte Carlo and Singapore to earn his reputation as a 'street fighter'. "It turned out to be tougher than expected," he said. "The safety car tried to take the victory from us again here, but not this year! The team did a great job. Now we must keep pushing." Verstappen was eliminated from qualifying after a drive-shaft failure. "It wasn't easy to get through the field," he said. "We settled for second so it's a good recovery in the end." Two-time world champion Alonso finished a stirring third on track for Aston Martin to claim a 100th podium finish on his record-extending 357th start. That place was initially taken from him. He had received a five-second penalty for starting outside his grid position. When he tried to serve it during a pit stop, stewards ruled a jack had touched the car too soon and they hit Alonso with a 10-second penalty. George Russell rose to third for Mercedes. But Aston Martin requested a review and showed stewards videos of similar incidents that went unpunished. Stewards accepted that it was not clear the offence had broken Formula One rules and lifted the punishment. Alonso was back to third followed by the two Mercedes cars of Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Next were the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who started 12th. Esteban Ocon and his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly occupied the next two places. The race began under dazzling floodlights at the Jeddah Street Circuit in balmy conditions, ideal for spectators, drivers and cars. Alonso dream start Alonso made the best start, from his incorrect position too far to the left of his grid slot, as he surged past Perez to lead into turn one. He was unable to retain it for long and was passed by Perez at turn one at the start of lap four. By then, he had been given a five-second penalty for his starting spot error. Behind them, Leclerc, on soft tyres, began his climb from 12th and reached seventh by lap eight as Verstappen climbed from 15th to 10th while Russell and Stroll settled into third and fourth. After an unexceptional start, Hamilton, one of only two drivers on hard tyres while the majority took mediums, was warned for weaving on the straight. By lap 11, Hamilton was eighth, trapped between Leclerc and Verstappen. The Dutchman passed Hamilton on lap 12 while Perez reeled off another fastest lap to pull three seconds clear of Alonso. On lap 18, yellow flags waved as Stroll obeyed a team order to stop his Aston Martin on the track – resulting in a full safety car deployment and a rush to pit for Perez, Alonso, Russell, Verstappen and Hamilton. Despite attempting to serve his penalty during the pit stop, Alonso stayed second behind Perez. Hamilton, sixth, was the only front-runner on mediums while the rest took hards. Verstappen showed great pace as he pressed Russell, breezing past him for third on lap 24. When he passed Alonso, he had gone from 15th to second before half-distance. With 10 laps remaining, Verstappen said his drive-shaft, which had caused his exit from qualifying on Saturday, was "running a bit rough". He was pacified by the team as was Perez who complained of a "long brake pedal" before the final fast laps were completed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Sergio Perez wins Saudi Arabia GP in 1-2 win for Red Bull

Sergio Perez claimed pole position for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to salvage pride for Red Bull after Max Verstappen was forced out of qualifying with a driveshaft failure in Q2.

The 33-year-old Mexican clocked a best lap in one minute 28.265 seconds to beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who faces a 10-place grid penalty, by 0.155sec in a closely fought qualifying session.

It is Perez's second career pole and second in Saudi Arabia, while Verstappen will start from 15th.

"Good job guys," said Perez. "Hopefully, Max will be able to fight through in the race and we can enjoy a good result. We've got a good car and it's a good circuit for me."

As a result of Leclerc's penalty, two-time champion Fernando Alonso will start from the front row of the grid for Aston Martin alongside Perez after winding up third fastest ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and Carlos Sainz, who was fifth in the second Ferrari.

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Lance Stroll was sixth in the second Aston Martin ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes and rookie Oscar Piastri of McLaren.

Pierre Gasly was 10th for Alpine.

"Red Bull are on a different planet," said Leclerc, who will set off from 12th on the grid.

The floodlit session began in cooler conditions than FP3 and Williams led the way.

Nyck de Vries, who had missed the earlier session due an engine change on his Alpha Tauri car, spun almost immediately at the first corner, but recovered. His tyres, however, were gone for a flying lap.

The Red Bulls were soon setting the pace again, Verstappen heading Perez by six-tenths on his first run, before Lando Norris brushed the wall at the final corner.

As the Ferraris showed sign of improvement, Aston Martin pushed in response and after 12 minutes, Alonso spun at Turn Two, retaining control without hitting any barriers and snatched fourth place.

Logan Sargeant was another spinner, the American rookie revolving his Williams at Turn 22 as McLaren's pit crew worked frantically to salvage Norris's car and hopes in vain.

The blur of busy and error-strewn Q1 action ended with Norris eliminated in 19th along with Sargeant, 20th, Yuki Tsunoda and his Alpha Tauri team-mate De Vries, and Alex Albon in the second Williams.

<h2>'Almost not accelerating'</h2>

The Q2 segment began with Alfa Romeo and Haas leading the queue ahead of the Aston Martins. Alonso immediately lit up the time screens in purple and set the pace in 1:28.757.

Verstappen, who had a sharp snap through Turns One and Two, soon reported a power problem. "It's an engine problem," he said, as he made slow progress. "It's almost not accelerating."

The Dutchman limped back to the pits and with five minutes remaining climbed out as his crew set to work. He left the garage, walked away to the weigh-room and out of qualifying as the team diagnosed a driveshaft problem.

This left Alonso on top ahead of Perez, who returned to try and restore some pride for Red Bull on a second run, clocking 1:26.635 to beat him by a tenth ahead of the two Ferraris.

The two Haas cars and both Alfa Romeos were eliminated along with Verstappen, creating the prospect of an unexpectedly open battle for pole with Alonso seeking his first pole in 11 years since the 2012 German Grand Prix.

"It happened at Turn 10," said Verstappen. "Very annoying because we were having such a good weekend. It will be tricky now to get to the front so have to concentrate on points, but anything is possible at this track."

With Leclerc facing a 10-place grid penalty, his rivals sensed a rare chance for pole, Alonso attacking his lap, Leclerc outpacing him and then Perez going top in 1:28.265 – half a second clear of the Ferrari.

Russell also dipped into the 1:28s to go third ahead of Alonso before the Aston Martins and Ferraris returned for their final flings.

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Sergio Perez claimed pole position for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to salvage pride for Red Bull after Max Verstappen was forced out of qualifying with a driveshaft failure in Q2.

Sergio Perez claimed pole position for Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to salvage pride for Red Bull after Max Verstappen was forced out of qualifying with a driveshaft failure in Q2. The 33-year-old Mexican clocked a best lap in one minute 28.265 seconds to beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who faces a 10-place grid penalty, by 0.155sec in a closely fought qualifying session. It is Perez's second career pole and second in Saudi Arabia, while Verstappen will start from 15th. "Good job guys," said Perez. "Hopefully, Max will be able to fight through in the race and we can enjoy a good result. We've got a good car and it's a good circuit for me." As a result of Leclerc's penalty, two-time champion Fernando Alonso will start from the front row of the grid for Aston Martin alongside Perez after winding up third fastest ahead of Mercedes' George Russell and Carlos Sainz, who was fifth in the second Ferrari. Also Read: Defending champions Lahore Qalandars beat Multan Sultans by 1 run to win back-to-back PSL titles Lance Stroll was sixth in the second Aston Martin ahead of Alpine's Esteban Ocon, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Mercedes and rookie Oscar Piastri of McLaren. Pierre Gasly was 10th for Alpine. "Red Bull are on a different planet," said Leclerc, who will set off from 12th on the grid. The floodlit session began in cooler conditions than FP3 and Williams led the way. Nyck de Vries, who had missed the earlier session due an engine change on his Alpha Tauri car, spun almost immediately at the first corner, but recovered. His tyres, however, were gone for a flying lap. The Red Bulls were soon setting the pace again, Verstappen heading Perez by six-tenths on his first run, before Lando Norris brushed the wall at the final corner. As the Ferraris showed sign of improvement, Aston Martin pushed in response and after 12 minutes, Alonso spun at Turn Two, retaining control without hitting any barriers and snatched fourth place. Logan Sargeant was another spinner, the American rookie revolving his Williams at Turn 22 as McLaren's pit crew worked frantically to salvage Norris's car and hopes in vain. The blur of busy and error-strewn Q1 action ended with Norris eliminated in 19th along with Sargeant, 20th, Yuki Tsunoda and his Alpha Tauri team-mate De Vries, and Alex Albon in the second Williams. 'Almost not accelerating' The Q2 segment began with Alfa Romeo and Haas leading the queue ahead of the Aston Martins. Alonso immediately lit up the time screens in purple and set the pace in 1:28.757. Verstappen, who had a sharp snap through Turns One and Two, soon reported a power problem. "It's an engine problem," he said, as he made slow progress. "It's almost not accelerating." The Dutchman limped back to the pits and with five minutes remaining climbed out as his crew set to work. He left the garage, walked away to the weigh-room and out of qualifying as the team diagnosed a driveshaft problem. This left Alonso on top ahead of Perez, who returned to try and restore some pride for Red Bull on a second run, clocking 1:26.635 to beat him by a tenth ahead of the two Ferraris. The two Haas cars and both Alfa Romeos were eliminated along with Verstappen, creating the prospect of an unexpectedly open battle for pole with Alonso seeking his first pole in 11 years since the 2012 German Grand Prix. "It happened at Turn 10," said Verstappen. "Very annoying because we were having such a good weekend. It will be tricky now to get to the front so have to concentrate on points, but anything is possible at this track." With Leclerc facing a 10-place grid penalty, his rivals sensed a rare chance for pole, Alonso attacking his lap, Leclerc outpacing him and then Perez going top in 1:28.265 – half a second clear of the Ferrari. Russell also dipped into the 1:28s to go third ahead of Alonso before the Aston Martins and Ferraris returned for their final flings. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Red Bull's Sergio Perez takes pole at Saudi Arabia GP, Verstappen to start at 15th place

F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: The F1 circus will arrive in Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian GP, the second race of the 2023 season. Max Verstappen and Red Bull won the first race in Bahrain, securing a 1-2 finish.

F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: The F1 circus will arrive in Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian GP, the second race of the 2023 season. Max Verstappen and Red Bull won the first race in Bahrain, securing a 1-2 finish. Since then, the F1 world has been in turmoil, with major revelations from the big teams one after the other. Mercedes and Ferrari appear to be having problems, and there has been no positive news from either camp. In the midst of all of this, we're looking forward to the third edition of the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The first race was chaotic at best, with Lewis Hamilton winning, while the second featured an all-race battle between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. The Grand Prix is officially known as the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023. The event is due to be held across the weekend of March 17- March 19. It will be the second round of the 2023 Formula One World Championship. Who is in form? It's difficult to see anyone but Red Bull. Everything is going well for the team right now. The car works in all conditions, tyre degradation is minimal, and Max Verstappen is at the top of his game. The team is well-equipped to succeed. Who is out of form? Mercedes has effectively abandoned the 2023 Formula One season. Toto Wolff and George Russell have both declared that Red Bull will win every race this season. F1 2023 CAR AND DRIVER LINE-UPS Team Driver 1 Driver 2 Red Bull Max Verstappen Sergio Perez Ferrari Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Mercedes Lewis Hamilton George Russell Alpine Esteban Ocon Pierre Gasly McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Aston Martin Fernando Alonso Lance Stroll Alfa Romeo Valtteri Bottas Guanyu Zhou Alpha Tauri Yuki Tsunoda Nyck de Vries Haas Kevin Magnussen Nico Hülkenberg Williams Alex Albon Logan Sargeant Also Read : F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: Check schedule, weather update, championship standings- All you need to know Here are all the live-streaming details of the Formula One Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: When is the F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023 starting?- Date The F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023 event is due to be held across the weekend of March 17- March 19. Where is the F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023?- Venue The F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023 will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Where to watch the live-streaming of the F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023 in your country? India: The practice, qualifying, and race can be live-streamed on F1TV Pro in India. If you're lucky enough to live in Austria or Luxembourg then you can enjoy every second of the F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix live stream for FREE. That's because the free-to-air RTL Zwee(opens in new tab) in Luxembourg will be showing every session of the Grand Prix, as well as ORF(opens in new tab) in Austria. US: The 2023 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix live stream will be shown on ESPN. Coverage will be spread across ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNEWS, with the race itself on ESPN and ESPN Plus. UK: Sky Sports F1 will show the 2023 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix live stream, and in up to 4K resolution. Canada: TSN has the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix live stream in Canada in English, while RDS has coverage in French. F1 TV Pro(opens in a new tab) also remains an option for fans. Australia: Fox Sports has the rights to the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix live stream in Australia, which means you can watch all the action online via Foxtel. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023 live streaming: How to watch Saudi Arabia GP live on mobile in your country

F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: The 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is all set to be held on 19 March 2023 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: The 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is all set to be held on 19 March 2023 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Grand Prix is officially known as the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023. The event is due to be held across the weekend of March 17- March 19. It will be the second round of the 2023 Formula One World Championship. Championship standings before the race Going into the weekend, Max Verstappen leads the World Drivers' Championship with 25 points, 7 points from his teammate Sergio Pérez, second, and 10 from Fernando Alonso, third. Red Bull Racing leads the Constructors' Championship from Aston Martin by 20 points and Mercedes by 27 points. New Entrants The drivers and teams are due to be the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race. Tyre choices Tyre supplier Pirelli will bring the C2, C3, and C4 tyre compounds (designated hard, medium, and soft, respectively) for teams to use at the event. Track changes The third DRS detection point was moved farther ahead, being positioned on the exit of turn 27. Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2: Full Schedule Day 1 March 17, Friday Session Local time Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East First Practice Session 12:40 - 13:25 FIA Formula 2 Practice Session 13:55 - 14:40 Paddock Club Paddock Club Track Tour 14:50 - 15:20 Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 14:50 - 15:50 FIA F1 Car Presentation 15:00 - 16:00 FORMULA 1 FIRST PRACTICE SESSION 16:30 - 17:30 FIA Formula 2 Qualifying Session 18:00 - 18:30 Formula 1 Teams' Press Conference 18:00 - 19:00 Paddock Club Paddock Club Track Tour 18:45 - 19:35 Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 18:45 - 19:35 FIA Formula 2 Press Conference 19:15 - 19:45 FORMULA 1 SECOND PRACTICE SESSION 20:00 - 21:00 Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East Second Practice Session 21:30 - 22:15 Day 2 March 18, Saturday Session Local Time Paddock Club Paddock Club Track Tour 13:05 - 14:00 Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 13:15 - 14:15 Formula 1 Team Pit Stop Practice 13:45 - 14:15 Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East Qualifying Session 14:45 - 15:15 FORMULA 1 THIRD PRACTICE SESSION 16:30 - 17:30 FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race (20 Laps or 45 Mins +1 Lap) 18:10 - 19:00 Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 19:10 - 19:40 Paddock Club Paddock Club Track Tour 19:10 - 19:40 FIA Formula 2 Press Conference 19:20 - 19:50 FORMULA 1 QUALIFYING SESSION 20:00 - 21:00 Formula 1 Press Conference 21:00 - 22:00 Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East First Race (11 Laps or 25 Mins) 22:05 - 22:35 F1 Experiences F1 Experiences Champions Club Grid Walk & Trophy Photo 22:50 - 23:50 Day 3 March 19, Sunday Session Local time Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East Second Race (11 Laps or 25 Mins) 15:00 - 15:30 FIA Formula 2 Feature Race (28 Laps or 60 Mins +1 Lap) 16:15 - 17:20 Paddock Club Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 17:40 - 18:55 Formula 1 Drivers' Parade 18:00 - 18:30 FIA Formula 2 Press Conference 18:30 - 19:00 Promoter Activity LED Truck Show 18:30 - 19:00 Formula 1 National Anthem 19:44 - 19:46 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX (50 LAPS OR 120 MINS) 20:00 - 22:00 F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: Weather update Jeddah does not typically have much rain and that looks set to continue this weekend. Meanwhile, temperatures are set to be high on all three days of racing, but the drivers can still expect to face some light to moderate winds out on track. Who won the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix? Red Bull's Max Verstappen was the driver who won the 2022 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, his first race victory of the season after he DNF'd on race day one in Bahrain. This race signalled the start of the Dutch star's domination of the field in 2022 as he went on to lift his second successive World Drivers' Championship title. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

F1 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix 2023: Check schedule, weather update, championship standings- All you need to know

Red Bull Racing's defending world champion Max Verstappen won the 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday in his 10th attempt and in doing so, he made it clear that Red Bull has the speed it needs to defend the title.&nbsp;

Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez also got to the podium as the team finished one-two with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, a former world champion, taking the final spot.

The other big names, namely Ferrari and Mercedes have a lot to work on if they want to keep this season challenging. 
 
Meanwhile, here are three key takeaways from the 2023 Bahrain GP:

<h2>Red Bull show speed</h2>

Despite an ordinary showing in practice after a winter during which their wind tunnel time was trimmed severely, Red Bull dominated qualifying and the race to render any contest, in Sakhir at least, to a procession.

Having chosen to focus on race performance through most of all three practice sessions, and then outpacing the field in qualifying, the Red Bulls were in a class of their own.

Double world champion Verstappen led from lights to flag and was in cruise control as he sealed his first season-opening win and first in Bahrain, at the 10th attempt.

Rival George Russell of Mercedes declared afterwards that Red Bull had both championships "sewn up" already as his team, and Ferrari, failed to show any improvement on last year and were outpaced by Aston Martin.

Read More:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1-red-bulls-max-verstappen-wins-2023-season-opener-bahrain-grand-prix-568990">Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins 2023 season-opener Bahrain Grand Prix</a>

Typically, the Dutchman warned against any kind of early complacency and called for continuous development of the car with special attention paid to the team's slow start to the weekend's work.

After coming home almost 12 seconds clear of Perez, Verstappen made clear he did not expect it to be easy in the upcoming races in Jeddah and Melbourne.

"We have to make sure we keep developing," he said. "And we must investigate what went a bit wrong at the beginning of the weekend. Then I’m sure we will be even stronger.

"It’s obviously a top start for us, but as you saw last year, things can turn around very quickly."

<h2>Alonso, Aston Martin confirm pace</h2>

At the age of 41, Fernando Alonso showed he remains one of the fastest and most daring drivers as he confirmed Aston Martin have a car with the pure pace and performance to challenge the leaders.

The two-time champion Spaniard slipped back to seventh at the start before charging though to beat the Mercedes and Ferraris and finish a storming third.

It was his 99th podium in a record career of 356 races.

As Alonso beamed with joy, team boss Mike Krack tried to keep him and the team grounded, warning them not to expect wins in the near future in a beautifully-balanced car revised for 2023 by technical director Dan Fallows, formerly of Red Bull, and his design team.

"The gap is still substantial to the front and we don’t know how much management Red Bull had to do or did in the race. It was comfortable for them.

"We knew after testing that we were not bad and had strong race. Pace, but so many things can go wrong and after two laps I wasn’t dreaming of a podium.

"But now we have one good result and we fought with teams that are used to being at the front and in the high intensity development contest. So, let’s be respectful and humble and see."

Alonso heaped praise on his team-mate Lance Stroll who, two weeks after a pre-season cycling accident left him with two cracked wrists and a broken toe, finished sixth.

<h2>Ferrari reliability suspect</h2>

A change of management at the top, where former Alfa Romeo chief Fred Vasseur took over from Matteo Binotti, has not brought an end to Ferrari's reliability problems.

Charles Leclerc, who had to switch his battery before the race, was running a comfortable third when he experienced a loss of power on lap 47 and retired, leaving Carlos Sainz to come home fourth after being passed by Alonso.

"It's never good to start with a DNF," said Vasseur. "But the championship is not decided in Bahrain. The most important thing now is for us to gain a clearer picture of the situation and to know where we are failing.

"On the positive side, we matched Red Bull's qualifying pace. We are there, but we have to be realistic. To win races, we have to have a 'clean sheet' weekend."

Mercedes also bemoaned problems after finishing fifth and seventh with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Russell, team boss Toto Wolff joining the drivers’ in accepting a need to create a car that is closer to their customer team Aston Martin’s design.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Red Bull Racing's defending world champion Max Verstappen won the 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday in his 10th attempt and in doing so, he made it clear that Red Bull has the speed it needs to defend the title.

Red Bull Racing's defending world champion Max Verstappen won the 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday in his 10th attempt and in doing so, he made it clear that Red Bull has the speed it needs to defend the title. Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez also got to the podium as the team finished one-two with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, a former world champion, taking the final spot. The other big names, namely Ferrari and Mercedes have a lot to work on if they want to keep this season challenging. Meanwhile, here are three key takeaways from the 2023 Bahrain GP: Red Bull show speed Despite an ordinary showing in practice after a winter during which their wind tunnel time was trimmed severely, Red Bull dominated qualifying and the race to render any contest, in Sakhir at least, to a procession. Having chosen to focus on race performance through most of all three practice sessions, and then outpacing the field in qualifying, the Red Bulls were in a class of their own. Double world champion Verstappen led from lights to flag and was in cruise control as he sealed his first season-opening win and first in Bahrain, at the 10th attempt. Rival George Russell of Mercedes declared afterwards that Red Bull had both championships "sewn up" already as his team, and Ferrari, failed to show any improvement on last year and were outpaced by Aston Martin. Read More: Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins 2023 season-opener Bahrain Grand Prix Typically, the Dutchman warned against any kind of early complacency and called for continuous development of the car with special attention paid to the team's slow start to the weekend's work. After coming home almost 12 seconds clear of Perez, Verstappen made clear he did not expect it to be easy in the upcoming races in Jeddah and Melbourne. "We have to make sure we keep developing," he said. "And we must investigate what went a bit wrong at the beginning of the weekend. Then I’m sure we will be even stronger. "It’s obviously a top start for us, but as you saw last year, things can turn around very quickly." Alonso, Aston Martin confirm pace At the age of 41, Fernando Alonso showed he remains one of the fastest and most daring drivers as he confirmed Aston Martin have a car with the pure pace and performance to challenge the leaders. The two-time champion Spaniard slipped back to seventh at the start before charging though to beat the Mercedes and Ferraris and finish a storming third. It was his 99th podium in a record career of 356 races. As Alonso beamed with joy, team boss Mike Krack tried to keep him and the team grounded, warning them not to expect wins in the near future in a beautifully-balanced car revised for 2023 by technical director Dan Fallows, formerly of Red Bull, and his design team. "The gap is still substantial to the front and we don’t know how much management Red Bull had to do or did in the race. It was comfortable for them. "We knew after testing that we were not bad and had strong race. Pace, but so many things can go wrong and after two laps I wasn’t dreaming of a podium. "But now we have one good result and we fought with teams that are used to being at the front and in the high intensity development contest. So, let’s be respectful and humble and see." Alonso heaped praise on his team-mate Lance Stroll who, two weeks after a pre-season cycling accident left him with two cracked wrists and a broken toe, finished sixth. Ferrari reliability suspect A change of management at the top, where former Alfa Romeo chief Fred Vasseur took over from Matteo Binotti, has not brought an end to Ferrari's reliability problems. Charles Leclerc, who had to switch his battery before the race, was running a comfortable third when he experienced a loss of power on lap 47 and retired, leaving Carlos Sainz to come home fourth after being passed by Alonso. "It's never good to start with a DNF," said Vasseur. "But the championship is not decided in Bahrain. The most important thing now is for us to gain a clearer picture of the situation and to know where we are failing. "On the positive side, we matched Red Bull's qualifying pace. We are there, but we have to be realistic. To win races, we have to have a 'clean sheet' weekend." Mercedes also bemoaned problems after finishing fifth and seventh with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and Russell, team boss Toto Wolff joining the drivers’ in accepting a need to create a car that is closer to their customer team Aston Martin’s design. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Max Verstappen and Red Bull show dominance, and other key takeaways from 2023 Bahrain GP

World champion Max Verstappen claimed his maiden season-opening victory and first at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday when he led Sergio Perez home in a dominant Red Bull one-two at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The defending double world champion led from start to finish, bar the pit stops, to establish himself as a strong favourite for a third consecutive drivers' crown this year.&nbsp;

It was his first win in the Gulf state at the 10th attempt.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1-can-max-verstappen-achieve-modern-day-great-status-with-start-of-new-season-568588">Can Max Verstappen achieve modern-day great status with start of new season?</a>

Behind the two Red Bulls, two-time champion Fernando Alonso continued to make light of his 41 years by storming his way to a rousing third place for Aston Martin in his first appearance with the team since succeeding the retired four-time champion Sebastian Vettel.

It was his record-increasing 356th race in&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;in a career that started 22 years earlier, to the weekend, in Melbourne at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix.

Fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who he passed in a late scrap for a podium finish, finished fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Lance Stroll, racing in the second Aston Martin just weeks after cracking both wrists and breaking a toe in a pre-season cycling accident.

George Russell took seventh for Mercedes ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo, Pierre Gasly of Alpine, who had started last, and Alex Albon who claimed a point for Williams finishing 10th.

Charles Leclerc, who won the race in 2022, failed to finish after engine failure on his Ferrari on the 41st lap.

<h2>'What we needed'</h2>

"Thank you, guys," said 25-year-old Verstappen. "It's exactly the start we needed. I had a good start and first stint and then had a gap and just looked after the tyres."

Verstappen made a clean, quick start to pull clear as Leclerc passed Perez for second while, behind them, Stroll hit his Aston Martin team-mate Alonso, under braking at Turn Four.

Both Mercedes had good starts and passed Alonso, Hamilton climbing to fifth ahead of Russell in pursuit of Sainz as Verstappen opened up a commanding lead.

By lap five, he was four seconds clear as Leclerc kept Perez at bay.&nbsp;

Gasly began the pit stops on lap 10, switching his Alpine from softs to hards, followed quickly by Lando Norris and Yuki Tsunoda with tyre degradation taking early effect.

Hamilton pitted from fifth on lap 13, prompting a classic scrap as Alonso battled past Russell to regain his original grid slot and climb to third when both Ferraris pitted. Russell followed.

Verstappen came in a lap later, switching to more softs and handing the lead to Perez, while luckless Australian rookie Oscar Piastri's McLaren debut ended early with electrical problems.

The champion re-joined in second place and regained his lead on lap 18 when Perez pitted, elevating Leclerc to second until the Mexican passed him into Turn One on lap 26.

Hamilton pitted again on lap 31, for more hards, followed by Sainz and Russell, as the leaders prepared for their final stint while, at the back, a beleaguered Esteban Ocon of Alpine, hit with three time penalties for minor infringements, stopped again.

<h2>'No power'</h2>

Perez and Verstappen then completed their second stops, the Dutchman re-joining with a 12-second lead.

Leclerc's Ferrari lost power on the straight. He parked it safely, prompting a brief virtual safety car intervention, with 15 laps remaining, handing Red Bull the prospect of a cosy one-two, 23 seconds clear of third-placed Sainz in the second Ferrari.&nbsp;

"No, no, no," wailed Leclerc. "Come on! What happened, guys? No power."

All this left the two Spaniards scrapping for third, the old master squeezing through on lap 45 after the pair appeared to touch in a frantic and dramatic tussle ahead of the watching fifth man Hamilton.

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World champion Max Verstappen claimed his maiden season-opening victory and first at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday when he led Sergio Perez home in a dominant Red Bull one-two at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

World champion Max Verstappen claimed his maiden season-opening victory and first at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday when he led Sergio Perez home in a dominant Red Bull one-two at the Bahrain Grand Prix. The defending double world champion led from start to finish, bar the pit stops, to establish himself as a strong favourite for a third consecutive drivers' crown this year. It was his first win in the Gulf state at the 10th attempt. Also Read: Can Max Verstappen achieve modern-day great status with start of new season? Behind the two Red Bulls, two-time champion Fernando Alonso continued to make light of his 41 years by storming his way to a rousing third place for Aston Martin in his first appearance with the team since succeeding the retired four-time champion Sebastian Vettel. It was his record-increasing 356th race in Formula One in a career that started 22 years earlier, to the weekend, in Melbourne at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix. Fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who he passed in a late scrap for a podium finish, finished fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Lance Stroll, racing in the second Aston Martin just weeks after cracking both wrists and breaking a toe in a pre-season cycling accident. George Russell took seventh for Mercedes ahead of Valtteri Bottas of Alfa Romeo, Pierre Gasly of Alpine, who had started last, and Alex Albon who claimed a point for Williams finishing 10th. Charles Leclerc, who won the race in 2022, failed to finish after engine failure on his Ferrari on the 41st lap. 'What we needed' "Thank you, guys," said 25-year-old Verstappen. "It's exactly the start we needed. I had a good start and first stint and then had a gap and just looked after the tyres." Verstappen made a clean, quick start to pull clear as Leclerc passed Perez for second while, behind them, Stroll hit his Aston Martin team-mate Alonso, under braking at Turn Four. Both Mercedes had good starts and passed Alonso, Hamilton climbing to fifth ahead of Russell in pursuit of Sainz as Verstappen opened up a commanding lead. By lap five, he was four seconds clear as Leclerc kept Perez at bay. Gasly began the pit stops on lap 10, switching his Alpine from softs to hards, followed quickly by Lando Norris and Yuki Tsunoda with tyre degradation taking early effect. Hamilton pitted from fifth on lap 13, prompting a classic scrap as Alonso battled past Russell to regain his original grid slot and climb to third when both Ferraris pitted. Russell followed. Verstappen came in a lap later, switching to more softs and handing the lead to Perez, while luckless Australian rookie Oscar Piastri's McLaren debut ended early with electrical problems. The champion re-joined in second place and regained his lead on lap 18 when Perez pitted, elevating Leclerc to second until the Mexican passed him into Turn One on lap 26. Hamilton pitted again on lap 31, for more hards, followed by Sainz and Russell, as the leaders prepared for their final stint while, at the back, a beleaguered Esteban Ocon of Alpine, hit with three time penalties for minor infringements, stopped again. 'No power' Perez and Verstappen then completed their second stops, the Dutchman re-joining with a 12-second lead. Leclerc's Ferrari lost power on the straight. He parked it safely, prompting a brief virtual safety car intervention, with 15 laps remaining, handing Red Bull the prospect of a cosy one-two, 23 seconds clear of third-placed Sainz in the second Ferrari. "No, no, no," wailed Leclerc. "Come on! What happened, guys? No power." All this left the two Spaniards scrapping for third, the old master squeezing through on lap 45 after the pair appeared to touch in a frantic and dramatic tussle ahead of the watching fifth man Hamilton. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins 2023 season-opener Bahrain Grand Prix

Max Verstappen said it was a "pleasant surprise" to claim pole position as Red Bull locked out the front row of the grid for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Dutchman, who has never won in Bahrain or at a championship-opening race, secured the 21st pole position of his career with a dazzling pair of laps in the third and final qualifying session (Q3) after struggling with balance and form in practice.

"It's positive and very surprising," said Verstappen. "A pleasant and positive surprise to be on pole after all the struggles in practice. Our race car feels better.

"It's been a bit of a tough start to the weekend, not finding my rhythm, but in qualifying we managed to put the best pieces together and I'm very happy to be on pole.

"It's amazing. Now, I'm looking forward for tomorrow. Compared to last year everyone knows a bit more about what they are doing with the car and increasing their performances a lot."

It was Red Bull's first front row lockout in Bahrain, a track where they have not won since 2013, when the recently-retired Sebastian Vettel was triumphant on his way to his fourth title.&nbsp;

Last year's pole-sitter and race winner Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz, the Monegasque driver choosing to save a set of tyres rather than make a second final flying run.

Two-time champion world Fernando Alonso, who was fastest in second and third practice, was unable to repeat that form, but took fifth on the grid for Aston Martin in his first outing for the team since moving from Alpine to replace Vettel.

The 41-year-old Spaniard, who had beaten Verstappen to top the times in final practice earlier on Saturday, said he had always felt pole position was an unrealistic ambition for Aston Martin.

"We aimed to finish in the top five or six and we did that so it's good," he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Leclerc said: "I think we were in the fight for pole, which was a good surprise to be honest. I did not expect that after testing and after the three practices which were a little bit difficult.

"We managed to find the pace, but not to Red Bull and I think we are better starting third with new tyres than further up with old.

"It was very close. Aston Martin are very quick, Mercedes are very quick. It is looking good for the future and makes&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;1 much more exciting."

The Mercedes of George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton were sixth and seventh ahead of Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Haas's Nico Hulkenberg.

"I thought we'd be a lot further behind so reaching Q3 is great and we did a lot of work overnight," said Hamilton.

"The engineers did a great job and made a step forward. We're in a different place, but in qualifying the car just didn't feel alive. It felt really average.

"It is not an impossible mountain to climb and I think we can definitely close the gap. We've just got to focus."&nbsp;

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Max Verstappen said it was a "pleasant surprise" to claim pole position as Red Bull locked out the front row of the grid for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen said it was a "pleasant surprise" to claim pole position as Red Bull locked out the front row of the grid for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Dutchman, who has never won in Bahrain or at a championship-opening race, secured the 21st pole position of his career with a dazzling pair of laps in the third and final qualifying session (Q3) after struggling with balance and form in practice. "It's positive and very surprising," said Verstappen. "A pleasant and positive surprise to be on pole after all the struggles in practice. Our race car feels better. "It's been a bit of a tough start to the weekend, not finding my rhythm, but in qualifying we managed to put the best pieces together and I'm very happy to be on pole. "It's amazing. Now, I'm looking forward for tomorrow. Compared to last year everyone knows a bit more about what they are doing with the car and increasing their performances a lot." It was Red Bull's first front row lockout in Bahrain, a track where they have not won since 2013, when the recently-retired Sebastian Vettel was triumphant on his way to his fourth title. Last year's pole-sitter and race winner Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz, the Monegasque driver choosing to save a set of tyres rather than make a second final flying run. Two-time champion world Fernando Alonso, who was fastest in second and third practice, was unable to repeat that form, but took fifth on the grid for Aston Martin in his first outing for the team since moving from Alpine to replace Vettel. The 41-year-old Spaniard, who had beaten Verstappen to top the times in final practice earlier on Saturday, said he had always felt pole position was an unrealistic ambition for Aston Martin. "We aimed to finish in the top five or six and we did that so it's good," he said. Leclerc said: "I think we were in the fight for pole, which was a good surprise to be honest. I did not expect that after testing and after the three practices which were a little bit difficult. "We managed to find the pace, but not to Red Bull and I think we are better starting third with new tyres than further up with old. "It was very close. Aston Martin are very quick, Mercedes are very quick. It is looking good for the future and makes Formula 1 much more exciting." The Mercedes of George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton were sixth and seventh ahead of Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin, Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Haas's Nico Hulkenberg. "I thought we'd be a lot further behind so reaching Q3 is great and we did a lot of work overnight," said Hamilton. "The engineers did a great job and made a step forward. We're in a different place, but in qualifying the car just didn't feel alive. It felt really average. "It is not an impossible mountain to climb and I think we can definitely close the gap. We've just got to focus." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Red Bull's Max Verstappen gets pole position ahead of season-opener Bahrain Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso had his fans dreaming of future glory after the Spaniard beat favourites Red Bull and put Aston Martin top of the timesheets in Friday (March 3) practice for Formula One's Bahrain season-opener.

The 41-year-old double world champion, who made his F1 debut before McLaren's Australian rookie Oscar Piastri was born and who will be making a record-stretching 356th start, lapped the Sakhir circuit in one minute 30.907 seconds.

The time on soft tyres was 0.169 quicker than Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen.

“Yeah, it felt good. Obviously, it’s good to see the times and that you are competitive,” said Alonso, who took his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006 and joined Aston Martin from Alpine at the end of last year.

“At the moment, we are just concentrating on ourselves.”

Alonso had set the second-best time in the first daylight session, behind Red Bull's Mexican Sergio Perez who was third later on under the floodlights.

The Red Bull drivers were separated by just 0.002 of a second.

“Yeah, a difficult start of the day. I mean, FP1 was really bad. Just couldn’t get a balance, which is a bit odd because in testing, whenever we tried – OK some things were maybe not amazing, but not that far out. So, a few things to understand", said Verstappen.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest with German veteran Nico Hulkenberg, starting his first full season since 2019, fifth for Haas.

Alonso's team mate Lance Stroll, back in the car despite breaking both his wrists in a cycle accident last month, was sixth.

The Canadian appeared to be struggling to turn the wheel at times, however, and Piastri had to take evasive action at one point.

Once-dominant Mercedes had two lacklustre sessions, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton 10th and eighth respectively and team mate George Russell 11th and 13th.

“We found out we were a long way off. We kind of knew that a little bit in the test. But it’s a big gap. I’m trying everything I can out there, it just is what it is. So, we’re just going to try to work at it,” Hamilton said.

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Fernando Alonso had his fans dreaming of future glory after the Spaniard beat favourites Red Bull and put Aston Martin top of the timesheets in Friday (March 3) practice for Formula One's Bahrain season-opener.

Fernando Alonso had his fans dreaming of future glory after the Spaniard beat favourites Red Bull and put Aston Martin top of the timesheets in Friday (March 3) practice for Formula One's Bahrain season-opener. The 41-year-old double world champion, who made his F1 debut before McLaren's Australian rookie Oscar Piastri was born and who will be making a record-stretching 356th start, lapped the Sakhir circuit in one minute 30.907 seconds. The time on soft tyres was 0.169 quicker than Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen. “Yeah, it felt good. Obviously, it’s good to see the times and that you are competitive,” said Alonso, who took his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006 and joined Aston Martin from Alpine at the end of last year. “At the moment, we are just concentrating on ourselves.” Alonso had set the second-best time in the first daylight session, behind Red Bull's Mexican Sergio Perez who was third later on under the floodlights. The Red Bull drivers were separated by just 0.002 of a second. “Yeah, a difficult start of the day. I mean, FP1 was really bad. Just couldn’t get a balance, which is a bit odd because in testing, whenever we tried – OK some things were maybe not amazing, but not that far out. So, a few things to understand", said Verstappen. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth fastest with German veteran Nico Hulkenberg, starting his first full season since 2019, fifth for Haas. Alonso's team mate Lance Stroll, back in the car despite breaking both his wrists in a cycle accident last month, was sixth. The Canadian appeared to be struggling to turn the wheel at times, however, and Piastri had to take evasive action at one point. Once-dominant Mercedes had two lacklustre sessions, with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton 10th and eighth respectively and team mate George Russell 11th and 13th. “We found out we were a long way off. We kind of knew that a little bit in the test. But it’s a big gap. I’m trying everything I can out there, it just is what it is. So, we’re just going to try to work at it,” Hamilton said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Former champion Fernando Alonso gets top time in Bahrain GP practice

Curtains will be raised on the 2023 season of Formula One as big names once again get ready to throttle their engine rooms. Bahrain Grand Prix which will kick start the new season could lay the foundation for defending world champion Max Verstappen to start his journey to the promise land. The Dutchman could sit in the line of greatness alongside Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as the modern-day greats.

<h3>Can Verstappen go all the way?</h3>

In the first place, the 25-year-old Red Bull driver will look to get the missing piece in the puzzle right on Sunday, having been forced to retire in his last Bahrain Grand Prix. A winning start could be the perfect beginning for him in a season where he could end up with his third successive world title. If he succeeds in doing so Verstappen will have achieved the status of the modern-day great having won three successive seasons of Formula One since the turn of the millennium.

Only Schumacher, Vettel and Hamilton have won three successive world titles in the last two decades as he urges for greatness. A win for him could also see Red Bull once again return to the summit of the standings in three seasons in a row, having last done so during the glorious rein of Vettel at the start of last decade.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-27-days-to-go-csk-begins-preparations-as-ms-dhoni-joins-the-camp-schedule-live-streaming-details-568417">IPL 2023, 27 days to go: CSK begins preparations as MS Dhoni joins the camp; Schedule &amp; live-streaming details</a>

<h3>Verstappen’s impressive 2022</h3>

While 2021 was a close affair for the two-time champion, 2022 proved to be a cakewalk having conquered his second title in Japan last October. Verstappen currently has won his last nine of the 11 races and is enjoying a dream run of form from last season. In 22 races last season, the Dutchman had 17 podium finishes while starting seven races in pole position. Not less than five times did Verstappen end with the fastest lap in a season, most by any racer in the campaign.

So with the 2023 season all set for the curtain-raiser in Bahrain on Sunday, both Red Bull and Verstappen would be hoping for a perfect start.

Curtains will be raised on the 2023 season of Formula One as big names once again get ready to throttle their engine rooms. Bahrain Grand Prix which will kick start the new season could lay the foundation for defending world champion Max Verstappen to start his journey to the promise land.

Curtains will be raised on the 2023 season of Formula One as big names once again get ready to throttle their engine rooms. Bahrain Grand Prix which will kick start the new season could lay the foundation for defending world champion Max Verstappen to start his journey to the promise land. The Dutchman could sit in the line of greatness alongside Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton as the modern-day greats. Can Verstappen go all the way? In the first place, the 25-year-old Red Bull driver will look to get the missing piece in the puzzle right on Sunday, having been forced to retire in his last Bahrain Grand Prix. A winning start could be the perfect beginning for him in a season where he could end up with his third successive world title. If he succeeds in doing so Verstappen will have achieved the status of the modern-day great having won three successive seasons of Formula One since the turn of the millennium. Only Schumacher, Vettel and Hamilton have won three successive world titles in the last two decades as he urges for greatness. A win for him could also see Red Bull once again return to the summit of the standings in three seasons in a row, having last done so during the glorious rein of Vettel at the start of last decade. ALSO READ | IPL 2023, 27 days to go: CSK begins preparations as MS Dhoni joins the camp; Schedule & live-streaming details Verstappen’s impressive 2022 While 2021 was a close affair for the two-time champion, 2022 proved to be a cakewalk having conquered his second title in Japan last October. Verstappen currently has won his last nine of the 11 races and is enjoying a dream run of form from last season. In 22 races last season, the Dutchman had 17 podium finishes while starting seven races in pole position. Not less than five times did Verstappen end with the fastest lap in a season, most by any racer in the campaign. So with the 2023 season all set for the curtain-raiser in Bahrain on Sunday, both Red Bull and Verstappen would be hoping for a perfect start.

Formula 1: Can Max Verstappen achieve modern-day great status with start of new season?

F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Live: F1 Bahrain Grand Prix began this Friday, March 3 with two practice matches scheduled for the day. One additional practice and qualifying match will be played on Saturday, March 4.

F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Live: F1 Bahrain Grand Prix began this Friday, March 3 with two practice matches scheduled for the day. One additional practice and qualifying match will be played on Saturday, March 4. And then comes the final race on Sunday, March 5. Sergio Perez took the lead in the first practice, followed by Max Verstappen in the second and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin in the third. Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes came at the last 10th spot, followed by Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas. Then, Alsonso triumphed in practice 2 with a time of 1:30.907. Max came in second at 1:31.076, followed by Perez, who came in third at 1:31.078. Leclerc followed in fourth, while Lewis finished at the eighth spot. Charles Leclerc, who finished second last year, will be hoping that his Ferrari is reliable and swift enough to challenge Verstappen's claim to a hat-trick of championships. The F1 season opener is being held in Bahrain GP for the third time in a row, and the grand event on Sunday will be a night race with 57 laps. F1 Bahrain GP final race details The formula 1 final race begins at 8:30 PM IST in India on Sunday, March 05. Before the final race, a qualifying race and a third practice race are being held on Saturday, March 04. The first two practice races have already been held on Friday, March 03. The venue of the race is Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain. F1 Bahrain GP full schedule (timings in IST) Practice Session 1- March 3, 2023, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm Practice Session 2- March 3, 2023, 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm Practice Session 3- March 4, 2023, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm Bahrain GP 2023 Qualifying Session- March 4, 2023, 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm Bahrain GP 2023 Main Race- March 5, 2023, 8:30 pm onwards F1 Bahrain GP track details Location – Bahrain International Circuit, First Grand Prix – 2004 Number of Laps – 57 Circuit Length –5.412km Race Distance – 308.238 km Where to watch the F1 Bahrain GP live stream? The F1 races were previously broadcast on Star Sports and streamed live on Disney+Hotstar. To stream the sport in India this year, Formula 1 has however introduced its own OTT network, the F1 TV, for the F1 2023 season. So, watching F1 GP in India could now be a costly affair for Indian fans. When will F1 Bahrain GP final race be held? F1 Bahrain GP final race will be held on Sunday, March 05. Where will F1 Bahrain GP final race be held? F1 Bahrain GP final race will be held at Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain. What time will F1 Bahrain GP final race start? F1 Bahrain GP final race will start at 8:30 PM IST. Where will F1 Bahrain GP final race be live-streamed? F1 Bahrain GP final race will be live-streamed on the F1 TV OTT app.

F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Live: Check Formula 1 GP race schedule, date, time, venue and live-streaming details

Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 has become the talk of the town. It began with a slam bang in Bahrain on February 23, 2023. The ten teams and 20 drivers will test their on-track skills in the upcoming days.

Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 has become the talk of the town. It began with a slam bang in Bahrain on February 23, 2023. The ten teams and 20 drivers will test their on-track skills in the upcoming days. F1 has dropped the highlights of the pre-testing laps on their official YouTube channel. The Day 2 of Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 on February 24 will follow a similar schedule as Day 1. The Formula 1 competitor teams make significant amendments to their designs during the winter break. They build new cars for every new season. Thus, they require some time before the Formula 1 race to test the latest parts and ensure their race cars are ready to race on tracks. Formula 1 Pre-Testing is not competitive, but fans love watching it. The pre-testing season is crucial for drivers as they test their brand-new machines on the tracks for the first time. Thus, they receive ample time with their latest cars before the tournament begins. Meanwhile, the engineers use the three days of the pre-testing season to analyse the race cars. They also try their skills by practising pit stops. Here are all the live-streaming details about the Day 2 of Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023. When is Day 2 of Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023? The Day 2 of Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023 is on February 24. The pre-season testing will end on Day 3 on February 25. What time will Day 2 of Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023 begin? The Formula 1 pre-testing will begin at 12:30 PM IST and continue until 10 PM IST on February 24. Day 3 of the pre-season testing will follow a similar schedule. Where can I watch Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023 live? Earlier, StarSports had the broadcasting rights for Formula 1 in India. However, this year the F1 have launched their official live stream. You can watch the Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023 live on F1 TV pro in India. Formula 1 Pre-Testing: Teams Here's the list of confirmed teams in the Formula race practising in the pre-testing season 2023. Team Driver 1 Driver 2 Red Bull Max Verstappen Sergio Perez Ferrari Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz Mercedes Lewis Hamilton George Russell Alpine Pierre Gasly Esteban Ocon McLaren Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Alfa Romeo Zhou Guanyu Valtteri Bottas Aston Martin Fernando Alonso TBC Haas Kevin Magnussen Nico Hulkenberg AlphaTauri Yuki Tsunoda Nyck de Vries Williams Logan Sargeant Alex Albon

Formula 1 Pre-Testing Day 2 Live Streaming: How to watch F1 pre-season 2023 live, Check full schedule & teams

Ferrari have moved their Formula One head of strategy Inaki Rueda out of the line of fire with&nbsp;Ravin&nbsp;Jain&nbsp;taking the high-pressure role on the pit wall for the season starting in Bahrain next week. A team spokeswoman said&nbsp;Jain, an Oxford physics graduate who joined the team in 2016, would be in charge of strategy at the track.&nbsp;Rueda remains part of the team with a factory-based sporting role at Maranello.

Strategy is one of the areas new team principal Fred Vasseur has been looking at since taking over in January to address some glaring and costly errors last season.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1-pre-testing-2023-live-streaming-how-to-watch-f1-pre-testing-season-2023-live-check-full-schedule-564324">Formula 1 Pre-Testing 2023 Live Streaming: How to watch F1 pre-testing season 2023 Live, Check full schedule</a>

Ferrari started that season strongly, winning two of the first three races, but ended up distant runners-up to champions Red Bull.

They were let down also by reliability and driver mistakes but strategic blunders included a pit call in Monaco that cost Charles Leclerc a home victory after starting on pole position and a tyre gamble that backfired for qualifying in Brazil.

Vasseur, who has joined as a replacement for Mattia Binotto, said this month that Ferrari would be making some marginal changes to the race team.

"Very often, when you are speaking about strategy, it's much more a matter of organization than just the guy who is on the pit wall," he said.

"I'm trying to understand exactly what's happened on every single mistake and what's happened last year. And to try to know if it's a matter of decision if it's a matter of organization, or of communication."

Ferrari have not won a championship since the 2008 constructors' title and the pressure is on Vasseur to fix the errors and end the long drought for the sport's oldest and most successful team.

The team started pre-season testing in Bahrain on Thursday with Carlos Sainz behind the wheel for the first session at the Sakhir circuit.

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Ferrari have moved their Formula One head of strategy Inaki Rueda out of the line of fire with Ravin Jain taking the high-pressure role on the pit wall for the season starting in Bahrain next week.

Ferrari have moved their Formula One head of strategy Inaki Rueda out of the line of fire with Ravin Jain taking the high-pressure role on the pit wall for the season starting in Bahrain next week. A team spokeswoman said Jain, an Oxford physics graduate who joined the team in 2016, would be in charge of strategy at the track. Rueda remains part of the team with a factory-based sporting role at Maranello. Strategy is one of the areas new team principal Fred Vasseur has been looking at since taking over in January to address some glaring and costly errors last season. Also Read: Formula 1 Pre-Testing 2023 Live Streaming: How to watch F1 pre-testing season 2023 Live, Check full schedule Ferrari started that season strongly, winning two of the first three races, but ended up distant runners-up to champions Red Bull. They were let down also by reliability and driver mistakes but strategic blunders included a pit call in Monaco that cost Charles Leclerc a home victory after starting on pole position and a tyre gamble that backfired for qualifying in Brazil. Vasseur, who has joined as a replacement for Mattia Binotto, said this month that Ferrari would be making some marginal changes to the race team. "Very often, when you are speaking about strategy, it's much more a matter of organization than just the guy who is on the pit wall," he said. "I'm trying to understand exactly what's happened on every single mistake and what's happened last year. And to try to know if it's a matter of decision if it's a matter of organization, or of communication." Ferrari have not won a championship since the 2008 constructors' title and the pressure is on Vasseur to fix the errors and end the long drought for the sport's oldest and most successful team. The team started pre-season testing in Bahrain on Thursday with Carlos Sainz behind the wheel for the first session at the Sakhir circuit. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Indian-origin Ravin Jain replaces Inaki Rueda as Ferrari's head of strategy

Formula 1 Pre-Testing 2023: Before the Formula 1 2023 season kickstarts officially, the pre-season testing for the event will begin this week in Bahrain. The newly released cars for the Formula 1 2023 season will take the circuit for the first time from February 23 to February 25.

Formula 1 Pre-Testing 2023: Before the Formula 1 2023 season kickstarts officially, the pre-season testing for the event will begin this week in Bahrain. The newly released cars for the Formula 1 2023 season will take the circuit for the first time from February 23 to February 25. The Formula 1 pre-test comes a week after the teams chose their new liveries and cars for the new season. Formula 1 pre-season testing timings for February 23 are 12:30 PM IST. They are likely to continue until 10 PM. The teams will dedicate the following two days to testing their pristine cars on the tracks within a similar time range. After the Formula 1 2023 pre-testing, the official Formula 1 race will commence at the Bahrain Grand Prix 2023. Formula 1, or F1, will hold only one pre-season in 2023 instead of two. It implies each team has only three days to warm up before the Round 1 of Formula 1. Here's everything you need to know about Formula 1 pre-testing 2023, from live streaming details to the full schedule. Formula 1 Pre-testing 2023: Full Schedule The Formula 1 pre-testing 2023 will commence on Thursday, February 23 and continue till February 25. Every day, the event will begin around 12:30 PM IST and continue till 10 PM IST. Here is the full schedule for the Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023. Full Schedule for Formula-1 Pre-Testing Season 2023 Day 1 Feb-23 12:30 PM IST to 10 PM IST Day 2 Feb-24 12:30 PM IST to 10 PM IST Day 3 Feb-25 12:30 PM IST to 10 PM IST Where will Formula 1 Pre-testing season 2023 take place? The Formula 1 pre-testing will happen at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. After the three-day pre-testing event, Round 1 of Formula 1 will begin at the same venue. The Bahrain International Circuit is 5.412 kilometres long. The teams will test their new cars on the allotted days of track action. Moreover, they can run any set-ups, parts, and programmes during the Formula 1 pre-testing. Formula 1 Pre-Testing Season 2023: Live Streaming Details Where can I watch Formula 1 pre-season testing 2023? Many channels have started to broadcast the Formula 1 races. The Formula 1 pre-testing season 2023 will be available on F1 TV in India. It is the official broadcasting channel for the tournament. Formula 1 pre-testing is available on Sky Sports F1 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Formula 1 Pre-Testing 2023 Live Streaming: How to watch F1 pre-testing season 2023 Live, Check full schedule

Rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri Sunday said he believed he could beat new teammate Lando Norris in his maiden Formula One season, but admitted a steep learning curve awaited him. The 21-year-old, seen as one of the sport's hottest young talents, will make his bow in Bahrain testing this month after replacing fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver. Piastri said he had confidence in his ability to better Britain's Norris, but was also realistic about expectations. Asked if he could beat Norris, Piastri told Australian national broadcaster ABC: "Yeah, I think so."

"I think everyone has to have that self-belief that they can win, or if they're not in a position to win to do the best that they can with what they have," he added.

But the Australian said his main focus in 2023 was to set the foundations for a long F1 career.&nbsp;

"Putting (points and wins) numbers on my expectations is pretty difficult, especially in F1, I think it will depend where we are as a team, where the car is at," he said.

"For me, a successful year would be me setting the foundations for later in the year and the years to come, hopefully, and doing everything the right way from the beginning... starting good habits.

"If there's any results that come out of that, then that's a bonus."

Piastri was caught in a tug-of-war between Alpine -- where he was a reserve driver -- and McLaren last year with the former claiming he was contracted to them, even announcing him as part of their 2023 line-up.

But the Australian forced them into an embarrassing U-turn when he said he had no such arrangement.

An International Motoring Federation (FIA) arbitration panel judged in McLaren's favour, which saw the under-performing Ricciardo's contract terminated a year early so Piastri could join.

Piastri received plenty of negative publicity at the time and told ABC there had been "not too much" contact with Ricciardo since.

But he said he was grateful for the way his fellow Australian handled the situation.

"We got in touch through texts I guess once everything had unfolded last year and he was very supportive of me both personally and on the media front as well... which I'm very thankful for," he said.

"I'm sure I will see him around in the F1 paddock this year, he's back working with Red Bull."

Piastri's credentials face their first test at the opening race of the season in Bahrain in two weeks' time, before a huge occasion at his home Grand Prix in Melbourne, where he was born, on April 2.

"I grew up 10-15 minutes down the road from Albert Park," he said of the Australian Formula One circuit which will host the third race of the 2023 season.

"I was there last year as a reserve driver and it was a pretty electric atmosphere. So knowing that the crowd is going to be there, with me as the home driver now. It's going to be a very special event."

&nbsp;

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Rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri Sunday said he believed he could beat new teammate Lando Norris in his maiden Formula One season, but admitted a steep learning curve awaited him.

Rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri Sunday said he believed he could beat new teammate Lando Norris in his maiden Formula One season, but admitted a steep learning curve awaited him. The 21-year-old, seen as one of the sport's hottest young talents, will make his bow in Bahrain testing this month after replacing fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver. Piastri said he had confidence in his ability to better Britain's Norris, but was also realistic about expectations. Asked if he could beat Norris, Piastri told Australian national broadcaster ABC: "Yeah, I think so." "I think everyone has to have that self-belief that they can win, or if they're not in a position to win to do the best that they can with what they have," he added. But the Australian said his main focus in 2023 was to set the foundations for a long F1 career. "Putting (points and wins) numbers on my expectations is pretty difficult, especially in F1, I think it will depend where we are as a team, where the car is at," he said. "For me, a successful year would be me setting the foundations for later in the year and the years to come, hopefully, and doing everything the right way from the beginning... starting good habits. "If there's any results that come out of that, then that's a bonus." Piastri was caught in a tug-of-war between Alpine -- where he was a reserve driver -- and McLaren last year with the former claiming he was contracted to them, even announcing him as part of their 2023 line-up. But the Australian forced them into an embarrassing U-turn when he said he had no such arrangement. An International Motoring Federation (FIA) arbitration panel judged in McLaren's favour, which saw the under-performing Ricciardo's contract terminated a year early so Piastri could join. Piastri received plenty of negative publicity at the time and told ABC there had been "not too much" contact with Ricciardo since. But he said he was grateful for the way his fellow Australian handled the situation. "We got in touch through texts I guess once everything had unfolded last year and he was very supportive of me both personally and on the media front as well... which I'm very thankful for," he said. "I'm sure I will see him around in the F1 paddock this year, he's back working with Red Bull." Piastri's credentials face their first test at the opening race of the season in Bahrain in two weeks' time, before a huge occasion at his home Grand Prix in Melbourne, where he was born, on April 2. "I grew up 10-15 minutes down the road from Albert Park," he said of the Australian Formula One circuit which will host the third race of the 2023 season. "I was there last year as a reserve driver and it was a pretty electric atmosphere. So knowing that the crowd is going to be there, with me as the home driver now. It's going to be a very special event." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula 1: Rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri upbeat ahead of the season

Legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane has hinted at his football comeback. Former France forward on Thursday was appointed the ambassador of the Alpine Formula 1 team. During the announcement, Zidane said he could be back in managerial capacity, as early as June.&nbsp;

"It's part of our deal. If I have to commit tomorrow, that won't prevent me from continuing to work with the team," said Zidane during the unveiling of the new Alpine car.&nbsp;

"Resuming remains my desire. Today, I have time and I don't know how long it will last. I have time now, maybe until June, but it can also go very quickly."

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Meet <a href="https://twitter.com/AlpineF1Team?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlpineF1Team</a>'s newest ambassador....🤩 
 
French footballing legend Zinedine Zidane! 🤯⚽️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/o4iuAhs9Xe">pic.twitter.com/o4iuAhs9Xe</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1626330791172079620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Ahead of the new F1 season that begins next month, Alpine on Thursday launched its 2023 A523 car. However, the talk of the evening became Zidane and his surprise appearance.&nbsp;

"I am ever so happy to be part of this team, to be part of the Alpine team. Why? It’s always a meeting that starts something and I had the opportunity of meeting Laurent and the whole Alpine team for a Grand Prix and I think we had a good exchange," said Zidane during the launch.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-frances-zinedine-zidanes-infamous-headbutt-to-marco-materazzi-in-2006-wc-final-watch-437694">THROWBACK: France's Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt to Marco Materazzi in 2006 WC final - watch</a>

Zidane, during his relatively short spell as Real Madrid's manager (2016-18, 2019-20) won every silverware there was to win.

He is the only manager in football history to have won a hattrick of UEFA Champions League.&nbsp;Overall, he has won 11 trophies which includes two La Liga titles as well.

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Many had anticipated that Zidane would take over as France's manager after Didier Deschamps' tenure came to an end after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.&nbsp;

However, the fallout between Zidane and French football federation president Noel Le Graet meant that the opportunity never arrived.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-football-federation-president-noel-le-graet-apologises-to-zinedine-zidane-post-disrespectful-remarks-550736">Read more:&nbsp;France Football Federation president Noel Le Graet apologises to Zinedine Zidane post disrespectful remarks</a>

Several clubs across Europe would be willing to avail his services in a heartbeat. However, the Frenchman has been tight-lipped regarding his next move since leaving Real Madrid.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane has hinted at his football comeback. Former France forward on Thursday was appointed the ambassador of the Alpine Formula 1 team.

Legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane has hinted at his football comeback. Former France forward on Thursday was appointed the ambassador of the Alpine Formula 1 team. During the announcement, Zidane said he could be back in managerial capacity, as early as June. "It's part of our deal. If I have to commit tomorrow, that won't prevent me from continuing to work with the team," said Zidane during the unveiling of the new Alpine car. "Resuming remains my desire. Today, I have time and I don't know how long it will last. I have time now, maybe until June, but it can also go very quickly." Meet @AlpineF1Team's newest ambassador....🤩 French footballing legend Zinedine Zidane! 🤯⚽️#F1 pic.twitter.com/o4iuAhs9Xe — Formula 1 (@F1) February 16, 2023 × Ahead of the new F1 season that begins next month, Alpine on Thursday launched its 2023 A523 car. However, the talk of the evening became Zidane and his surprise appearance. "I am ever so happy to be part of this team, to be part of the Alpine team. Why? It’s always a meeting that starts something and I had the opportunity of meeting Laurent and the whole Alpine team for a Grand Prix and I think we had a good exchange," said Zidane during the launch. THROWBACK: France's Zinedine Zidane's infamous headbutt to Marco Materazzi in 2006 WC final - watch Zidane, during his relatively short spell as Real Madrid's manager (2016-18, 2019-20) won every silverware there was to win. He is the only manager in football history to have won a hattrick of UEFA Champions League. Overall, he has won 11 trophies which includes two La Liga titles as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) × Many had anticipated that Zidane would take over as France's manager after Didier Deschamps' tenure came to an end after the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, the fallout between Zidane and French football federation president Noel Le Graet meant that the opportunity never arrived. Read more: France Football Federation president Noel Le Graet apologises to Zinedine Zidane post disrespectful remarks Several clubs across Europe would be willing to avail his services in a heartbeat. However, the Frenchman has been tight-lipped regarding his next move since leaving Real Madrid. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Three-time UCL winning manager Zinedine Zidane hints at football comeback

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton is steadfast in the political stance he will be taking as the new season begins. Hamilton said 'nothing' will stop him from speaking out after FIA introduced new rules restricting the drivers from taking political standings.

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton is steadfast in the political stance he will be taking as the new season begins. Hamilton said 'nothing' will stop him from speaking out after FIA introduced new rules restricting the drivers from taking political standings. “Nothing will stop me from speaking on the things I am passionate about,” said Hamilton. “The sport has a responsibility to speak out and create awareness on important topics, particularly as we are traveling to different places. So nothing changes," he added. Hamilton said he did not want to accumulate any penalty points for his decision but asserted he was '"still going to be speaking" his mind. Being the only driver of colour on the grid, Hamilton has been one of the fiercest advocates of equality in the F1 paddock. He wore a rainbow-coloured helmet in Saudi Arabia Grand Prix to bring visibility to the host country's anti-LGBTQ laws. Read more: Drivers must not use the sport for 'personal agenda': FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem In December last year, FIA updated the International Sporting Code that required drivers to obtain prior written permission to make or display "political, religious and personal statements or comments". "The general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments will be considered a violation under the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its statutes," read the notification. The decision brought negative reactions from nearly all drivers as well as fans of the sport. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez showed his disapproval of the new rules by saying drivers needed to be able to speak freely "We all have different views, different beliefs in religion...I get the political side but we all should be free to express ourselves the way we want," said Perez. "I just struggle to think that they will be able to control what you are able to say or not to say. That to me is not correct. But we will discuss that." Read more: F1 drivers must be allowed to speak out freely, feels Red Bull's Sergio Perez The new F1 season begins next month on March 5 and the first race will take place in Bahrain. Most teams have already revealed their new cars as F1 gets bigger in scope with 24 races taking place this year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Lewis Hamilton challenges FIA after its decision banning political statements, says 'NOTHING' will stop him

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