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Ferrari need to get their act together, and fast, to prevent the Formula One championship becoming even more of a private Mercedes battle than it already looks.

The sport's oldest, most successful and glamorous team flattered to deceive again in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Mercedes celebrated their fourth successive one-two finish.

No season has ever started with such a run.

"We thought it would be a lot closer... but we are delivering on a very, very high percentage," said five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished second to Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas.

"Both Valtteri and I are both delivering on the laps and the team are pumping on all cylinders and they (Ferrari) are not," he added.

"When, if, they start pumping on all cylinders and start delivering, then we'll have much more of a fight."

Ferrari are 74 points adrift of Mercedes in the constructors' standings while Sebastian Vettel, third in the championship, is 35 behind Bottas.

Up until the second phase of Saturday qualifying, it seemed Ferrari were on it. Charles Leclerc led every practice session and seemed destined for his second pole position in four races.

And then, switching from soft to medium tyres, the Monegasque hit the wall and it all went wrong.

Bottas seized pole instead and led Hamilton to the flag in a race short on drama, with Vettel third and Leclerc fifth, taking the fastest lap as a consolation.

That continued a trend: At the Australia season-opener, Ferrari arrived as favourites after lighting up the timing screens in testing. Neither driver ended up on the podium.

In Bahrain, there was more disappointment when Leclerc led from pole before his engine lost power and he finished third, with the fastest lap, and Vettel fifth.

China, where Ferrari had looked sure to use their straight-line speed advantage to telling effect, proved a similar letdown.

SO MATURE

"They (Ferrari) are very good at proving they've got the pace when it doesn't count. That's the problem," commented 1996 world champion Damon Hill on Sky Sports television.

"Mercedes are so mature now, they don't need to show what they can do. They just know where they really stand and how to use the cards in their hand."

Hamilton, with two wins and two-second places but a point behind Bottas because of the Finn's fastest lap in Australia, suggested his performance had been below his best.

"I just struggle here," said the Briton. "This is not our strongest race of the season. This has always been a bit of a difficult race for me.

"If both (their) cars delivered as we delivered, and their drivers delivered as we delivered, I think it would have been a lot closer."

Vettel, despite having won four titles in a row with a dominant Red Bull between 2010-13, said it had all become a bit boring.

"So boring. It's not just four races. It has been four years, more or less," the German told reporters.

"We are pushing as hard as we can. But you need to respect that they are doing phenomenally well and getting their cars most of the time in the right place.

"But I'm confident. I believe in this team and I know we can improve. I think we have a good car. We just haven't managed yet to put it always where it belongs."

Ferrari need to get their act together, and fast, to prevent the Formula One championship becoming even more of a private Mercedes battle than it already looks. The sport's oldest, most successful and glamorous team flattered to deceive again in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Mercedes celebrated their fourth successive one-two finish.

Ferrari need to get their act together, and fast, to prevent the Formula One championship becoming even more of a private Mercedes battle than it already looks. The sport's oldest, most successful and glamorous team flattered to deceive again in Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Mercedes celebrated their fourth successive one-two finish. No season has ever started with such a run. "We thought it would be a lot closer... but we are delivering on a very, very high percentage," said five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who finished second to Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas. "Both Valtteri and I are both delivering on the laps and the team are pumping on all cylinders and they (Ferrari) are not," he added. "When, if, they start pumping on all cylinders and start delivering, then we'll have much more of a fight." Ferrari are 74 points adrift of Mercedes in the constructors' standings while Sebastian Vettel, third in the championship, is 35 behind Bottas. Up until the second phase of Saturday qualifying, it seemed Ferrari were on it. Charles Leclerc led every practice session and seemed destined for his second pole position in four races. And then, switching from soft to medium tyres, the Monegasque hit the wall and it all went wrong. Bottas seized pole instead and led Hamilton to the flag in a race short on drama, with Vettel third and Leclerc fifth, taking the fastest lap as a consolation. That continued a trend: At the Australia season-opener, Ferrari arrived as favourites after lighting up the timing screens in testing. Neither driver ended up on the podium. In Bahrain, there was more disappointment when Leclerc led from pole before his engine lost power and he finished third, with the fastest lap, and Vettel fifth. China, where Ferrari had looked sure to use their straight-line speed advantage to telling effect, proved a similar letdown. SO MATURE "They (Ferrari) are very good at proving they've got the pace when it doesn't count. That's the problem," commented 1996 world champion Damon Hill on Sky Sports television. "Mercedes are so mature now, they don't need to show what they can do. They just know where they really stand and how to use the cards in their hand." Hamilton, with two wins and two-second places but a point behind Bottas because of the Finn's fastest lap in Australia, suggested his performance had been below his best. "I just struggle here," said the Briton. "This is not our strongest race of the season. This has always been a bit of a difficult race for me. "If both (their) cars delivered as we delivered, and their drivers delivered as we delivered, I think it would have been a lot closer." Vettel, despite having won four titles in a row with a dominant Red Bull between 2010-13, said it had all become a bit boring. "So boring. It's not just four races. It has been four years, more or less," the German told reporters. "We are pushing as hard as we can. But you need to respect that they are doing phenomenally well and getting their cars most of the time in the right place. "But I'm confident. I believe in this team and I know we can improve. I think we have a good car. We just haven't managed yet to put it always where it belongs."

Ferrari have to start delivering, says Lewis Hamilton

Valtteri Bottas won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday to retake the Formula One world championship lead from team mate Lewis Hamilton after a stunning fourth successive one-two finish for Mercedes.

The Finn, who started on pole position, crossed the line 1.524 seconds ahead of Hamilton to make up for the agony of 2018 when he was denied victory in Baku by a late puncture.

The pair are now separated by just one point with 17 races remaining, with Mercedes 70 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings.

"It was actually a tough race," said Bottas, who went side-by-side with Hamilton on the opening lap and showed plenty of grit and determination in fending off the Briton to hold position.

"Lewis was putting pressure all the time, I could not do any mistakes," added the 29-year-old who came under renewed threat from Hamilton in the dying laps.

Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari was a distant third as the Italian pre-season favourites again failed to convert their promise into a result.

The win around the streets of capital Baku was the fifth of Bottas’ career and he became the first driver this season to win from pole.

Like Hamilton, he now has two wins and two second places from the first four races but is ahead thanks to the extra point he scored for setting the fastest lap on his way to victory in the Australian season opener.

"I was too friendly at turn one and basically gave it to him," said Hamilton.

Mercedes are the first two-car team in Formula One's 70-year history to open a season with four straight one-twos.

Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque, the pole-position favourite who started eighth after crashing in qualifying, led the race at one point after staying out longer than rivals on softer tyres.

While he ultimately had to settle for fifth, Leclerc took the extra point for fastest lap after making a second stop for fresh tyres with a comfortable buffer to those behind and no risk of losing position.

Sergio Perez was sixth for Racing Point ahead of McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.

Lance Stroll gave Racing Point a double points finish with ninth place, while Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen took 10th after starting from the pitlane.

The main surprise of the day was the lack of upsets, with no safety car on track for the first time and no major crashes on unforgiving streets that have given the race a reputation for unpredictability.

The most notable incident involved Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat, with the Australian running straight onto the runoff while trying overtake the Russian.

He then reversed his Renault into the Toro Rosso, which had also failed to make the corner. Both drivers retired shortly after, with the incident being investigated by stewards.

Pierre Gasly's Red Bull lost power in the late stages of the race, parking down an escape road but prompting the deployment of the virtual safety car as marshals moved it.

Robert Kubica, who started from the pitlane after a qualifying crash, was hit with a drive-through penalty for leaving the garage too early.

Valtteri Bottas won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday to retake the Formula One world championship lead from team mate Lewis Hamilton after a stunning fourth successive one-two finish for Mercedes.

Valtteri Bottas won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday to retake the Formula One world championship lead from team mate Lewis Hamilton after a stunning fourth successive one-two finish for Mercedes. The Finn, who started on pole position, crossed the line 1.524 seconds ahead of Hamilton to make up for the agony of 2018 when he was denied victory in Baku by a late puncture. The pair are now separated by just one point with 17 races remaining, with Mercedes 70 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings. "It was actually a tough race," said Bottas, who went side-by-side with Hamilton on the opening lap and showed plenty of grit and determination in fending off the Briton to hold position. "Lewis was putting pressure all the time, I could not do any mistakes," added the 29-year-old who came under renewed threat from Hamilton in the dying laps. Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari was a distant third as the Italian pre-season favourites again failed to convert their promise into a result. The win around the streets of capital Baku was the fifth of Bottas’ career and he became the first driver this season to win from pole. Like Hamilton, he now has two wins and two second places from the first four races but is ahead thanks to the extra point he scored for setting the fastest lap on his way to victory in the Australian season opener. "I was too friendly at turn one and basically gave it to him," said Hamilton. Mercedes are the first two-car team in Formula One's 70-year history to open a season with four straight one-twos. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque, the pole-position favourite who started eighth after crashing in qualifying, led the race at one point after staying out longer than rivals on softer tyres. While he ultimately had to settle for fifth, Leclerc took the extra point for fastest lap after making a second stop for fresh tyres with a comfortable buffer to those behind and no risk of losing position. Sergio Perez was sixth for Racing Point ahead of McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris. Lance Stroll gave Racing Point a double points finish with ninth place, while Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen took 10th after starting from the pitlane. The main surprise of the day was the lack of upsets, with no safety car on track for the first time and no major crashes on unforgiving streets that have given the race a reputation for unpredictability. The most notable incident involved Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat, with the Australian running straight onto the runoff while trying overtake the Russian. He then reversed his Renault into the Toro Rosso, which had also failed to make the corner. Both drivers retired shortly after, with the incident being investigated by stewards. Pierre Gasly's Red Bull lost power in the late stages of the race, parking down an escape road but prompting the deployment of the virtual safety car as marshals moved it. Robert Kubica, who started from the pitlane after a qualifying crash, was hit with a drive-through penalty for leaving the garage too early.

Valtteri Bottas wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Valtteri Bottas snatched pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday in an incident-packed qualifying session that saw Mercedes lock out the front row and Ferrari favourite <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/charles-leclerc-leads-ferrari-one-two-in-azerbaijan-grand-prix-practice-213807">Charles Leclerc</a> crash out.

The Finn lapped the six-km Baku street circuit in one minute, 40.495 seconds, just 0.059 seconds faster than teammate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton.

Sebastian Vettel, the sole Ferrari driver chasing pole after Leclerc crashed out in the second phase of qualifying, will line up in third place after his fastest lap was 0.302 seconds off Bottas’s pace.

Hamilton had been fastest after the first flying laps in the third and final phase but Bottas found the extra speed just when it mattered.

"It was a nice feeling getting it done on the last lap,” said the Finn, after the eighth pole position of his career and second in a row. The 29-year-old also started the previous race in China from the front.

"I managed to hit the sweet spot," added the Finn.

Hamilton’s second-fastest time gave Mercedes their third front-row lockout of the season, leaving the German marque well-placed to extend their streak of three straight one-two finishes in as many races.

"Ferrari have looked incredibly quick," said Hamilton, who won in Baku last year and leads Bottas by six points in the overall standings.

"This is a massively great result for us. We came here, we didn't have an upgrade so for us to lock out the front row, it puts us in a great position for tomorrow. Pace-wise we are closer in race trim," added the five-time champion.

Ferrari had started the session looking dominant after Leclerc had led every practice session.

However, the Monegasque -- fired up after being ordered to move over for Vettel in China and denied a maiden Formula One win by engine trouble in Bahrain -- hit the wall. He will still start ninth, however.

Red Flags

With the session running late after two lengthy red-flag delays, and with temperatures dropping and no slipstream, Vettel was unable to extract the lap time from his Ferrari.

"It was quite tricky, the track cooled down, it was difficult to find the right balance," he said. "In the end, I had a good lap but I had no tow."

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, fastest in the second phase of qualifying, was fourth ahead of Racing Point’s Sergio Perez -- the only driver to have stood on the Baku podium more than once.

Russian Daniil Kvyat was sixth for Toro Rosso ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi set the eighth-fastest time but the Italian will drop 10 places after being hit with an engine-related grid penalty. Teammate Kimi Raikkonen will, therefore, move up to eighth.

Robert Kubica brought out the first red flag, the Pole ploughing his Williams into the barriers at exactly the same spot as Leclerc in the opening phase.

That crash was the latest blow on a difficult weekend for struggling Williams with rookie George Russell striking a loose manhole cover in Friday practice and wrecking his car.

Several other drivers, including Vettel and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, clipped the barriers or had close escapes at the same turn eight.

Bottas was on course for victory in Baku last year when a blown tyre three laps from the end handed it to Hamilton instead.

No driver has won from pole so far this season while retired champion Nico Rosberg in 2016 is the only driver to have converted pole to victory in Baku.

Valtteri Bottas snatched pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday in an incident-packed qualifying session that saw Mercedes lock out the front row and Ferrari favourite Charles Leclerc crash out.

Valtteri Bottas snatched pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday in an incident-packed qualifying session that saw Mercedes lock out the front row and Ferrari favourite Charles Leclerc crash out. The Finn lapped the six-km Baku street circuit in one minute, 40.495 seconds, just 0.059 seconds faster than teammate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton. Sebastian Vettel, the sole Ferrari driver chasing pole after Leclerc crashed out in the second phase of qualifying, will line up in third place after his fastest lap was 0.302 seconds off Bottas’s pace. Hamilton had been fastest after the first flying laps in the third and final phase but Bottas found the extra speed just when it mattered. "It was a nice feeling getting it done on the last lap,” said the Finn, after the eighth pole position of his career and second in a row. The 29-year-old also started the previous race in China from the front. "I managed to hit the sweet spot," added the Finn. Hamilton’s second-fastest time gave Mercedes their third front-row lockout of the season, leaving the German marque well-placed to extend their streak of three straight one-two finishes in as many races. "Ferrari have looked incredibly quick," said Hamilton, who won in Baku last year and leads Bottas by six points in the overall standings. "This is a massively great result for us. We came here, we didn't have an upgrade so for us to lock out the front row, it puts us in a great position for tomorrow. Pace-wise we are closer in race trim," added the five-time champion. Ferrari had started the session looking dominant after Leclerc had led every practice session. However, the Monegasque -- fired up after being ordered to move over for Vettel in China and denied a maiden Formula One win by engine trouble in Bahrain -- hit the wall. He will still start ninth, however. Red Flags With the session running late after two lengthy red-flag delays, and with temperatures dropping and no slipstream, Vettel was unable to extract the lap time from his Ferrari. "It was quite tricky, the track cooled down, it was difficult to find the right balance," he said. "In the end, I had a good lap but I had no tow." Red Bull's Max Verstappen, fastest in the second phase of qualifying, was fourth ahead of Racing Point’s Sergio Perez -- the only driver to have stood on the Baku podium more than once. Russian Daniil Kvyat was sixth for Toro Rosso ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi set the eighth-fastest time but the Italian will drop 10 places after being hit with an engine-related grid penalty. Teammate Kimi Raikkonen will, therefore, move up to eighth. Robert Kubica brought out the first red flag, the Pole ploughing his Williams into the barriers at exactly the same spot as Leclerc in the opening phase. That crash was the latest blow on a difficult weekend for struggling Williams with rookie George Russell striking a loose manhole cover in Friday practice and wrecking his car. Several other drivers, including Vettel and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, clipped the barriers or had close escapes at the same turn eight. Bottas was on course for victory in Baku last year when a blown tyre three laps from the end handed it to Hamilton instead. No driver has won from pole so far this season while retired champion Nico Rosberg in 2016 is the only driver to have converted pole to victory in Baku.

Valtteri Bottas takes Baku pole after Charles Leclerc crashes

Charles Leclerc set a scorching pace on an incident-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix Friday with Ferrari top of the practice timesheets after an early drain drama that wrecked George Russell's Williams.

The 21-year-old Monegasque lapped the six km Baku street circuit with the best time of one minute 42.872 seconds, 0.324 quicker than his German teammate Sebastian Vettel.

The Ferraris were comfortably clear of their closest challenger Lewis Hamilton, the champion and overall leader for Mercedes, who was 0.669 slower than Leclerc on a sunny afternoon.

Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas in fifth.

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After a severely shortened FP1, the drivers were itching to get out in FP2 
 
And it was <a href="https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScuderiaFerrari</a> who came out on top in Baku ⏱️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AzerbaijanGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AzerbaijanGP</a> 🇦🇿 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/NvD52nsFgY">pic.twitter.com/NvD52nsFgY</a>
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"I think we are pretty strong," said Leclerc, who scored his first Formula One points last year in Baku and in 2017 won a Formula Two race from pole position just days after his father’s death.

"I am confident with the track, the car felt good today and that’s all that matters."

Mercedes have opened the year with three one-two finishes in as many races, marking the strongest start to a season for any team since Williams in 1992.

Pre-season favourites Ferrari have managed only a pair of third-place finishes and are 57 points behind their rivals in the overall standings.

The Italian team marked themselves out as the ones to beat following Friday’s running, however.

Fired up after being ordered to move over for Vettel in China and denied a maiden Formula One victory by engine trouble in Bahrain, Leclerc looked like he had the edge on his rivals.

"The Ferraris are clearly very quick and it looks like they’re quite a bit ahead of us," said Hamilton, the five-times world champion who won last year in Baku and heads into Sunday’s race with two wins from three races.

"It’s unlikely that we’ll find seven tenths overnight but we’ll do everything we can to push the car in the right direction."

Drain Drama

Friday’s running was interrupted by a number of incidents.

The opening 90-minute session was abandoned with 12 minutes on the clock, and only the two Ferrari drivers setting a time, after Russell struck a loose drain cover that destroyed the underside of his car in a shower of debris.

"If that was 10-15mm higher, it was going straight into where I'm sat," said the Briton, who was unhurt but will need a new chassis for qualifying and the race. "It could have been much worse."

Replays showed Leclerc had driven over the cover first, with the governing International Automobile Federation confirming a broken mounting as the cause.

Friday’s second session ran the full 90 minutes but was still interrupted by red flags as drivers, eager to make up for lost track time, impatiently probed the limits of the unforgiving layout.

Canadian Lance Stroll, a 2017 podium finisher with Williams in Baku, was the first casualty when he clouted the barriers and broke the front suspension of his Racing Point car.

Daniel Kvyat’s session also ended with his Toro Rosso in the barriers, its front suspension mangled. The Russian, celebrating his 25th birthday, was still sixth.

Spaniard Carlos Sainz was seventh for McLaren ahead of Thailand’s Alexander Albon in the Toro Rosso.

Pierre Gasly, who spun multiple times, was ninth for Red Bull. The Frenchman missed a call to stop at the weighbridge at the end of the session and will start Sunday’s race from the pitlane as punishment for the offence.

Rookie Lando Norris rounded out the top 10 for McLaren.

Hamilton was nearly involved in an incident with Kevin Magnussen, the Dane’s Haas almost clipping the front wing of the Mercedes as the Briton overtook.

Hamilton leads the overall standings by six points from team mate Bottas with 18 of the season’s 21 races, including Sunday’s round in Baku, remaining.

Charles Leclerc set a scorching pace on an incident-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix Friday with Ferrari top of the practice timesheets after an early drain drama that wrecked George Russell's Williams.

Charles Leclerc set a scorching pace on an incident-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix Friday with Ferrari top of the practice timesheets after an early drain drama that wrecked George Russell's Williams. The 21-year-old Monegasque lapped the six km Baku street circuit with the best time of one minute 42.872 seconds, 0.324 quicker than his German teammate Sebastian Vettel. The Ferraris were comfortably clear of their closest challenger Lewis Hamilton, the champion and overall leader for Mercedes, who was 0.669 slower than Leclerc on a sunny afternoon. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull ahead of Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas in fifth. After a severely shortened FP1, the drivers were itching to get out in FP2 And it was @ScuderiaFerrari who came out on top in Baku ⏱️#AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/NvD52nsFgY — Formula 1 (@F1) April 26, 2019 × "I think we are pretty strong," said Leclerc, who scored his first Formula One points last year in Baku and in 2017 won a Formula Two race from pole position just days after his father’s death. "I am confident with the track, the car felt good today and that’s all that matters." Mercedes have opened the year with three one-two finishes in as many races, marking the strongest start to a season for any team since Williams in 1992. Pre-season favourites Ferrari have managed only a pair of third-place finishes and are 57 points behind their rivals in the overall standings. The Italian team marked themselves out as the ones to beat following Friday’s running, however. Fired up after being ordered to move over for Vettel in China and denied a maiden Formula One victory by engine trouble in Bahrain, Leclerc looked like he had the edge on his rivals. "The Ferraris are clearly very quick and it looks like they’re quite a bit ahead of us," said Hamilton, the five-times world champion who won last year in Baku and heads into Sunday’s race with two wins from three races. "It’s unlikely that we’ll find seven tenths overnight but we’ll do everything we can to push the car in the right direction." Drain Drama Friday’s running was interrupted by a number of incidents. The opening 90-minute session was abandoned with 12 minutes on the clock, and only the two Ferrari drivers setting a time, after Russell struck a loose drain cover that destroyed the underside of his car in a shower of debris. "If that was 10-15mm higher, it was going straight into where I'm sat," said the Briton, who was unhurt but will need a new chassis for qualifying and the race. "It could have been much worse." Replays showed Leclerc had driven over the cover first, with the governing International Automobile Federation confirming a broken mounting as the cause. Friday’s second session ran the full 90 minutes but was still interrupted by red flags as drivers, eager to make up for lost track time, impatiently probed the limits of the unforgiving layout. Canadian Lance Stroll, a 2017 podium finisher with Williams in Baku, was the first casualty when he clouted the barriers and broke the front suspension of his Racing Point car. Daniel Kvyat’s session also ended with his Toro Rosso in the barriers, its front suspension mangled. The Russian, celebrating his 25th birthday, was still sixth. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was seventh for McLaren ahead of Thailand’s Alexander Albon in the Toro Rosso. Pierre Gasly, who spun multiple times, was ninth for Red Bull. The Frenchman missed a call to stop at the weighbridge at the end of the session and will start Sunday’s race from the pitlane as punishment for the offence. Rookie Lando Norris rounded out the top 10 for McLaren. Hamilton was nearly involved in an incident with Kevin Magnussen, the Dane’s Haas almost clipping the front wing of the Mercedes as the Briton overtook. Hamilton leads the overall standings by six points from team mate Bottas with 18 of the season’s 21 races, including Sunday’s round in Baku, remaining.

Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in Azerbaijan Grand Prix practice

Hamilton peerless, Vettel favoured: Major takeaways from Chinese Grand Prix

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Lewis+Hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> won the 1,000th Formula One grand prix Sunday after grabbing the lead from Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the first corner and powering to victory in blustery Shanghai.

Hamilton, who started from second on the grid, took the world championship lead after romping home to win the Chinese Grand Prix by more than 6.5 seconds from Bottas, with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel third.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fourth and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was fifth.

This was world champion Hamilton's sixth victory at the Chinese Grand Prix and second in a row this season.

"To have a one-two (for Mercedes) is really special in the 1,000th grand prix but the start was where it made the difference and the rest is history," said the Briton.

Hamilton was pipped for pole position by Bottas by just 0.023 seconds in qualifying and had said that he was "struggling with the car".

But the Finn laboured out of the blocks, allowing Hamilton to nip in and grab the lead at the first corner.

"I lost it on the start, honestly, shame about the start, I got some wheel spin on the start line," said Bottas, who also relinquished his hold on the standings after three races.

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Your top three in China! 
 
Seb's first podium sine Abu Dhabi 2018 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChineseGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChineseGP</a> 🇨🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Race1000?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Race1000</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rw9E4d5jPD">pic.twitter.com/Rw9E4d5jPD</a>
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Talented 21-year-old Leclerc meanwhile pulled off the same trick at the start at the expense of his team-mate Vettel, darting into third.

There was more early drama when Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat tangled with both McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, earning the Russian a drive-through penalty.

On lap 11, four-time world champion Vettel leapfrogged back in front of Monaco's Leclerc into third following radio orders from Ferrari telling the youngster to let him pass.

"We do our job, stay focused," Leclerc -- agonisingly denied victory last time out in Bahrain after his Ferrari lost power late on -- was informed on team radio after he briefly protested.

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HAMILTON: "It wasn't the most straightforward of race weekends... to have a 1-2 together in the 100th race is really special!"<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChineseGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChineseGP</a> 🇨🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Race1000?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Race1000</a> <a href="https://t.co/6AiUQSGmhr">pic.twitter.com/6AiUQSGmhr</a>
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Back at the front, the 34-year-old Hamilton began pulling away, establishing a more than five-second gap on Bottas with a third of the race gone.

With five-time world champion Hamilton -- winner in Bahrain two weeks ago -- serene up top, the real battles unfolded behind him.

Vettel, under pressure after a number of unforced errors going back to last season, went wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen after both pitted for fresh tyres.

Vettel, Bottas and then Toro Rosso's Alexander Albon, who missed qualifying after a nasty crash in final practice, all exchanged fastest laps.

On lap 38 of the 56 it was Leclerc and Bottas who had a skirmish in the compelling battle for second.

Leclerc then pitted and was momentarily held up by a comparatively sluggish change of tyres.&nbsp;

Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified eighth for Renault, saw his race come to an early conclusion after the team retired his faltering car.

Norris and Kvyat were also forced out before the end.

The fourth race of the season takes place on the streets of Baku, in Azerbaijan, in a fortnight.

Lewis Hamilton won the 1,000th Formula One grand prix Sunday after grabbing the lead from Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the first corner and powering to victory in blustery Shanghai.

Lewis Hamilton won the 1,000th Formula One grand prix Sunday after grabbing the lead from Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the first corner and powering to victory in blustery Shanghai. Hamilton, who started from second on the grid, took the world championship lead after romping home to win the Chinese Grand Prix by more than 6.5 seconds from Bottas, with Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel third. Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fourth and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari was fifth. This was world champion Hamilton's sixth victory at the Chinese Grand Prix and second in a row this season. "To have a one-two (for Mercedes) is really special in the 1,000th grand prix but the start was where it made the difference and the rest is history," said the Briton. Hamilton was pipped for pole position by Bottas by just 0.023 seconds in qualifying and had said that he was "struggling with the car". But the Finn laboured out of the blocks, allowing Hamilton to nip in and grab the lead at the first corner. "I lost it on the start, honestly, shame about the start, I got some wheel spin on the start line," said Bottas, who also relinquished his hold on the standings after three races. Your top three in China! Seb's first podium sine Abu Dhabi 2018 🏆#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/Rw9E4d5jPD — Formula 1 (@F1) April 14, 2019 × Talented 21-year-old Leclerc meanwhile pulled off the same trick at the start at the expense of his team-mate Vettel, darting into third. There was more early drama when Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat tangled with both McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz, earning the Russian a drive-through penalty. On lap 11, four-time world champion Vettel leapfrogged back in front of Monaco's Leclerc into third following radio orders from Ferrari telling the youngster to let him pass. "We do our job, stay focused," Leclerc -- agonisingly denied victory last time out in Bahrain after his Ferrari lost power late on -- was informed on team radio after he briefly protested. HAMILTON: "It wasn't the most straightforward of race weekends... to have a 1-2 together in the 100th race is really special!"#ChineseGP 🇨🇳 #Race1000 pic.twitter.com/6AiUQSGmhr — Formula 1 (@F1) April 14, 2019 × Back at the front, the 34-year-old Hamilton began pulling away, establishing a more than five-second gap on Bottas with a third of the race gone. With five-time world champion Hamilton -- winner in Bahrain two weeks ago -- serene up top, the real battles unfolded behind him. Vettel, under pressure after a number of unforced errors going back to last season, went wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen after both pitted for fresh tyres. Vettel, Bottas and then Toro Rosso's Alexander Albon, who missed qualifying after a nasty crash in final practice, all exchanged fastest laps. On lap 38 of the 56 it was Leclerc and Bottas who had a skirmish in the compelling battle for second. Leclerc then pitted and was momentarily held up by a comparatively sluggish change of tyres. Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified eighth for Renault, saw his race come to an early conclusion after the team retired his faltering car. Norris and Kvyat were also forced out before the end. The fourth race of the season takes place on the streets of Baku, in Azerbaijan, in a fortnight.

Lewis Hamilton wins Formula One's 1,000th race

Kimi Raikkonen says Formula One has become something of a 'hobby' for him, now that his Ferrari days are over and as he races towards his 40th birthday and a record number of starts.

The 2007 world champion, whose birthday is in October, told reporters at the Chinese Grand Prix that he was enjoying life at Alfa Romeo.

"I don’t have any special things that I try to motivate myself. It’s become more of a hobby for me lately than anything else and probably that’s why it’s more fun again," said the Finn, who was much more in the spotlight at Ferrari.

"I always try to do the best that I can. Some days it goes a bit better than others – but that’s how it goes when you do a lot of racing. Some days it’s a bit more tricky than others. It’s never really been an issue.

"When I feel that it’s not what I expect from myself, then obviously I try to find a new hobby after that."

Formula One is celebrating its 1,000th world championship race in Shanghai and Raikkonen, who made his debut with Sauber -- the team that is now Alfa -- in 2001 has started 293 of them and won 21.

Retired Brazilian Rubens Barrichello holds the record of 322 starts which means Raikkonen, whose contract runs to the end of next year, is on course to overtake him midway through the 2020 season.

Raikkonen, who joined Alfa from Ferrari at the end of last season, has made a strong start with 10 points from two races and is sixth overall. Team mate Antonio Giovinazzi has yet to open his tally.

Asked whether the performance had changed his goals for the season, Raikkonen shrugged.

"No, it hasn’t. I didn’t really have any goals, so it’s pretty hard to change them. I can’t really talk about last year’s car," he said.

"So from my side it’s hard to say what is better on this car than the one they had last year... but I think in general it’s quite a good, solid package and we understand it pretty OK and they seem to have good guys on all areas to bring new stuff."

With several other drivers set to race with special helmet designs to commemorate the 1,000th race, Raikkonen said he had nothing new.

"I wanted to have an open-face helmet but there were some regulation issues," said the Finn, who has said before he would have liked to race in the much more dangerous 1960s and 70s.

Kimi Raikkonen says Formula One has become something of a 'hobby' for him, now that his Ferrari days are over and as he races towards his 40th birthday and a record number of starts.

Kimi Raikkonen says Formula One has become something of a 'hobby' for him, now that his Ferrari days are over and as he races towards his 40th birthday and a record number of starts. The 2007 world champion, whose birthday is in October, told reporters at the Chinese Grand Prix that he was enjoying life at Alfa Romeo. "I don’t have any special things that I try to motivate myself. It’s become more of a hobby for me lately than anything else and probably that’s why it’s more fun again," said the Finn, who was much more in the spotlight at Ferrari. "I always try to do the best that I can. Some days it goes a bit better than others – but that’s how it goes when you do a lot of racing. Some days it’s a bit more tricky than others. It’s never really been an issue. "When I feel that it’s not what I expect from myself, then obviously I try to find a new hobby after that." Formula One is celebrating its 1,000th world championship race in Shanghai and Raikkonen, who made his debut with Sauber -- the team that is now Alfa -- in 2001 has started 293 of them and won 21. Retired Brazilian Rubens Barrichello holds the record of 322 starts which means Raikkonen, whose contract runs to the end of next year, is on course to overtake him midway through the 2020 season. Raikkonen, who joined Alfa from Ferrari at the end of last season, has made a strong start with 10 points from two races and is sixth overall. Team mate Antonio Giovinazzi has yet to open his tally. Asked whether the performance had changed his goals for the season, Raikkonen shrugged. "No, it hasn’t. I didn’t really have any goals, so it’s pretty hard to change them. I can’t really talk about last year’s car," he said. "So from my side it’s hard to say what is better on this car than the one they had last year... but I think in general it’s quite a good, solid package and we understand it pretty OK and they seem to have good guys on all areas to bring new stuff." With several other drivers set to race with special helmet designs to commemorate the 1,000th race, Raikkonen said he had nothing new. "I wanted to have an open-face helmet but there were some regulation issues," said the Finn, who has said before he would have liked to race in the much more dangerous 1960s and 70s.

Kimi Raikkonen says Formula One has become a bit of a hobby

Charles Leclerc missed out on his first Formula One victory in Bahrain last weekend because of an unprecedented short-circuit in an injection system control unit, his Ferrari team said on Friday.

The 21-year-old Monegasque driver will be able to use the same power unit in China next week, round three of the championship.

Leclerc finished third at Sakhir after his car lost power with some 10 laps to go while he was leading the race comfortably.

Race winner Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas both overtook the youngster before the chequered flag, with the Leclerc salvaging a podium place thanks to the safety car being deployed for the last three laps.

Ferrari said the problem had never been seen before on that particular component.

Leclerc had also started on pole position for the first time in his Formula One career, and in only his second race with Ferrari.

Shanghai will be the 1,000th Formula One championship grand prix and Ferrari will be favourites to win despite champions Mercedes finishing one-two against the odds in the first two races of the season.

Charles Leclerc missed out on his first Formula One victory in Bahrain last weekend because of an unprecedented short-circuit in an injection system control unit, his Ferrari team said on Friday.

Charles Leclerc missed out on his first Formula One victory in Bahrain last weekend because of an unprecedented short-circuit in an injection system control unit, his Ferrari team said on Friday. The 21-year-old Monegasque driver will be able to use the same power unit in China next week, round three of the championship. Leclerc finished third at Sakhir after his car lost power with some 10 laps to go while he was leading the race comfortably. Race winner Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas both overtook the youngster before the chequered flag, with the Leclerc salvaging a podium place thanks to the safety car being deployed for the last three laps. Ferrari said the problem had never been seen before on that particular component. Leclerc had also started on pole position for the first time in his Formula One career, and in only his second race with Ferrari. Shanghai will be the 1,000th Formula One championship grand prix and Ferrari will be favourites to win despite champions Mercedes finishing one-two against the odds in the first two races of the season.

Unprecedented short-circuit cost Charles Leclerc victory in Bahrain

Formula One world champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Lewis+Hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> praised Ferrari's young driver Charles Leclerc, who made his first F1 podium finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Briton said that the young racing sensation deserved to win and hoped for great battles in future.&nbsp;

Hamilton said, "He thoroughly deserved the win today. He did an exceptional job all weekend, so really proud of him and I know it's a really tough experience to go through what he's going through, but he will learn. He's already so strong this weekend. He'll bounce back. He'll grow."

"This will be another layer to his young greatness already and I'm looking forward to many battles with him hopefully in the future," Hamilton added. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Leclerc emerged as a star when he took his first Formula One pole position with a stunning display in qualifying for the Bahrain GP on Saturday.&nbsp;

But in a dramatic twist, race leader Leclerc's engine started losing power with under 10 laps left and he faced a disappointment for a maiden F1 win.&nbsp;

Leclerc, who joined Ferrari ahead of this season, faced the undesired misfortune when a single cylinder of his car failed.&nbsp;

With the win, Ferrari's Leclerc would have become the third-youngest winner of an F1 race.&nbsp;

Although, he&nbsp;became the 50th driver to lead a race for Ferrari. He also became the sixth youngest driver in F1 history to stand on an F1 podium.&nbsp;

Instead, he was dropped to third as Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished first and second respectively.&nbsp;

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"We have been pretty lucky in an unlucky situation" 
 
Some <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MondayMotivation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MondayMotivation</a> from a driver wise beyond his years - even if <a href="https://twitter.com/Charles_Leclerc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@charles_leclerc</a> wasn't sure where he was going, he knew what to say 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/dDn6D9qiyT">pic.twitter.com/dDn6D9qiyT</a>
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Leclerc is the second youngest pole sitter of all time. Vettel did it at 21 years and 73 days with Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008.&nbsp;

He will also be the first driver from Monaco to start at the front since the world championship started in 1950.&nbsp;

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton praised Ferrari's young driver Charles Leclerc, who made his first F1 podium finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Briton said that the young racing sensation deserved to win and hoped for great battles in future.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton praised Ferrari's young driver Charles Leclerc, who made his first F1 podium finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix. The Briton said that the young racing sensation deserved to win and hoped for great battles in future. Hamilton said, "He thoroughly deserved the win today. He did an exceptional job all weekend, so really proud of him and I know it's a really tough experience to go through what he's going through, but he will learn. He's already so strong this weekend. He'll bounce back. He'll grow." "This will be another layer to his young greatness already and I'm looking forward to many battles with him hopefully in the future," Hamilton added. Leclerc emerged as a star when he took his first Formula One pole position with a stunning display in qualifying for the Bahrain GP on Saturday. But in a dramatic twist, race leader Leclerc's engine started losing power with under 10 laps left and he faced a disappointment for a maiden F1 win. Leclerc, who joined Ferrari ahead of this season, faced the undesired misfortune when a single cylinder of his car failed. With the win, Ferrari's Leclerc would have become the third-youngest winner of an F1 race. Although, he became the 50th driver to lead a race for Ferrari. He also became the sixth youngest driver in F1 history to stand on an F1 podium. Instead, he was dropped to third as Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas finished first and second respectively. "We have been pretty lucky in an unlucky situation" Some #MondayMotivation from a driver wise beyond his years - even if @charles_leclerc wasn't sure where he was going, he knew what to say 👏#F1 pic.twitter.com/dDn6D9qiyT — Formula 1 (@F1) April 1, 2019 × Leclerc is the second youngest pole sitter of all time. Vettel did it at 21 years and 73 days with Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008. He will also be the first driver from Monaco to start at the front since the world championship started in 1950.

Lewis Hamilton praises Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and hopes for great future battles

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his first Formula One pole position with a stunning display under the floodlights in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.

Calm and composed ahead of only his second race for the Italian team, the 21-year-old Monegasque was 0.294 seconds clear of last year’s pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel who secured Ferrari's front row lockout.

Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was Ferrari's closest challenger in third for Mercedes, but the Briton was still 0.324 seconds off the pace with teammate Valtteri Bottas alongside in fourth.

"Thanks guys! The car was amazing," Leclerc said over the team radio after his track record time of one minute 27.866 seconds.

"Today is a good beginning, I'll try and finish the job tomorrow," added the youngster, who was fastest in two of the three practice sessions before qualifying and can take his first F1 win on Sunday.

Leclerc, a rookie with Sauber (now Alfa Romeo) last season after winning the Formula Two title, is the second youngest pole sitter of all time. Vettel did it at 21 years and 73 days with Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008.

He will also be the first driver from Monaco to start at the front since the world championship started in 1950.

Ferrari, mysteriously off the pace at the season-opening race in Australia won by Bottas, were in a league of their own and restored to their position as race favourites.

The pole was the team's first since September’s Italian Grand Prix, when they also swept the front row but lost to Hamilton in the race.&nbsp;

"We have been focused on ourselves, we worked hard to understand the issues and I think the result of today somehow gives us confidence," team boss Mattia Binotto told Sky Sports television.

"This is great for the team, great for him. It will not be his last one."

Incredible pace

Vettel, who has more poles in Bahrain than any other driver, could put in only one run in the final pole-position shootout as the four times champion had to run twice in qualifying's second phase after being held up by traffic.

That forced the German to leave a bit of a margin in the fight for pole.

"Maybe I was a bit shy in the second sector," said the 31-year-old. "But in the end I think Charles did a very good job today, and he deserves to be on pole."

Hamilton said there was still plenty to fight for.

"They’ve shown incredible pace," said the Briton. "But it doesn’t mean they can’t be beaten. We’re going to work at it. We’ll just keep our heads down and try and see what happens."

Behind the top four, Max Verstappen qualified fifth for Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen in the Haas, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean, also for Haas.

Grosjean was later handed a three-place drop for impeding McLaren's British rookie Lando Norris in the first phase, lifting Kimi Raikkonen to eighth for Alfa Romeo and Norris to ninth.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo completed the top 10 for Renault, thanks to Grosjean's penalty, with Thailand's Alexander Albon 12th for Toro Rosso.

Ricciardo's German teammate Nico Hulkenberg, having been impressive all weekend, was a surprise early casualty and will line up 17th.

Fallen champions Williams unsurprisingly propped up the timesheets with rookie George Russell edging out experienced Pole Robert Kubica.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his first Formula One pole position with a stunning display under the floodlights in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his first Formula One pole position with a stunning display under the floodlights in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday. Calm and composed ahead of only his second race for the Italian team, the 21-year-old Monegasque was 0.294 seconds clear of last year’s pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel who secured Ferrari's front row lockout. Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was Ferrari's closest challenger in third for Mercedes, but the Briton was still 0.324 seconds off the pace with teammate Valtteri Bottas alongside in fourth. "Thanks guys! The car was amazing," Leclerc said over the team radio after his track record time of one minute 27.866 seconds. "Today is a good beginning, I'll try and finish the job tomorrow," added the youngster, who was fastest in two of the three practice sessions before qualifying and can take his first F1 win on Sunday. Leclerc, a rookie with Sauber (now Alfa Romeo) last season after winning the Formula Two title, is the second youngest pole sitter of all time. Vettel did it at 21 years and 73 days with Toro Rosso at Monza in 2008. He will also be the first driver from Monaco to start at the front since the world championship started in 1950. Ferrari, mysteriously off the pace at the season-opening race in Australia won by Bottas, were in a league of their own and restored to their position as race favourites. The pole was the team's first since September’s Italian Grand Prix, when they also swept the front row but lost to Hamilton in the race. "We have been focused on ourselves, we worked hard to understand the issues and I think the result of today somehow gives us confidence," team boss Mattia Binotto told Sky Sports television. "This is great for the team, great for him. It will not be his last one." Incredible pace Vettel, who has more poles in Bahrain than any other driver, could put in only one run in the final pole-position shootout as the four times champion had to run twice in qualifying's second phase after being held up by traffic. That forced the German to leave a bit of a margin in the fight for pole. "Maybe I was a bit shy in the second sector," said the 31-year-old. "But in the end I think Charles did a very good job today, and he deserves to be on pole." Hamilton said there was still plenty to fight for. "They’ve shown incredible pace," said the Briton. "But it doesn’t mean they can’t be beaten. We’re going to work at it. We’ll just keep our heads down and try and see what happens." Behind the top four, Max Verstappen qualified fifth for Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen in the Haas, McLaren’s Carlos Sainz and Romain Grosjean, also for Haas. Grosjean was later handed a three-place drop for impeding McLaren's British rookie Lando Norris in the first phase, lifting Kimi Raikkonen to eighth for Alfa Romeo and Norris to ninth. Australian Daniel Ricciardo completed the top 10 for Renault, thanks to Grosjean's penalty, with Thailand's Alexander Albon 12th for Toro Rosso. Ricciardo's German teammate Nico Hulkenberg, having been impressive all weekend, was a surprise early casualty and will line up 17th. Fallen champions Williams unsurprisingly propped up the timesheets with rookie George Russell edging out experienced Pole Robert Kubica.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc storms to first F1 pole in Bahrain

Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton took a lucky Bahrain Grand Prix win for Mercedes on Sunday after engine trouble in the dying stages denied Charles Leclerc a first Formula One victory.

The 21-year-old Monegasque, who had started from pole position and finished third, had been set to become Ferrari’s youngest winner in just his second race for the Italian team when his car started losing power.

Hamilton and team mate Valtteri Bottas, both as much as four seconds a lap faster than the stricken Ferrari, reeled him in and breezed past to secure the team's second one-two finish in as many races.

"That was extremely unfortunate for Charles,” said Hamilton as he crossed the line, with the race finishing behind the safety car which was deployed to clear away Daniel Ricciardo’s stranded Renault.

"He drove such a great race. We’ve got work to do to keep these guys off our tails,” added the Briton, who hugged Leclerc after they stepped out of their cars.

Leclerc’s problems capped an already difficult day for Ferrari, who had swept the front row in qualifying, with Sebastian Vettel’s race having already unravelled.

The German, who finished fifth, spun while defending second place from Hamilton and then lost his front wing in a spectacular shower of sparks.

The only consolation for Leclerc, on the podium for the first time in his F1 career, was an extra point for setting the fastest lap of the race.

"It's a very hard one to take,” said the youngster. "It's a shame to only finish third, but it's part of racing and we'll come back stronger."

Hamilton’s win in Bahrain was the 74th of his career but first this season.

The Briton stayed second in the championship but is now just one point shy of overall leader Bottas, who won and scored the extra point for fastest lap in Australia.

Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull ahead of Vettel.

British rookie Lando Norris put in a fine drive for McLaren to finish sixth ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen, Leclerc's predecessor at Ferrari.

Frenchman Pierre Gasly brought his Red Bull home in eighth ahead of Toro Rosso’s Thai driver Alexander Albon and Mexican Sergio Perez, who rounded out the top 10 for Racing Point.

Hamilton is now 17 wins short of Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 91.

Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton took a lucky Bahrain Grand Prix win for Mercedes on Sunday after engine trouble in the dying stages denied Charles Leclerc a first Formula One victory.

Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton took a lucky Bahrain Grand Prix win for Mercedes on Sunday after engine trouble in the dying stages denied Charles Leclerc a first Formula One victory. The 21-year-old Monegasque, who had started from pole position and finished third, had been set to become Ferrari’s youngest winner in just his second race for the Italian team when his car started losing power. Hamilton and team mate Valtteri Bottas, both as much as four seconds a lap faster than the stricken Ferrari, reeled him in and breezed past to secure the team's second one-two finish in as many races. "That was extremely unfortunate for Charles,” said Hamilton as he crossed the line, with the race finishing behind the safety car which was deployed to clear away Daniel Ricciardo’s stranded Renault. "He drove such a great race. We’ve got work to do to keep these guys off our tails,” added the Briton, who hugged Leclerc after they stepped out of their cars. Leclerc’s problems capped an already difficult day for Ferrari, who had swept the front row in qualifying, with Sebastian Vettel’s race having already unravelled. The German, who finished fifth, spun while defending second place from Hamilton and then lost his front wing in a spectacular shower of sparks. The only consolation for Leclerc, on the podium for the first time in his F1 career, was an extra point for setting the fastest lap of the race. "It's a very hard one to take,” said the youngster. "It's a shame to only finish third, but it's part of racing and we'll come back stronger." Hamilton’s win in Bahrain was the 74th of his career but first this season. The Briton stayed second in the championship but is now just one point shy of overall leader Bottas, who won and scored the extra point for fastest lap in Australia. Max Verstappen finished fourth for Red Bull ahead of Vettel. British rookie Lando Norris put in a fine drive for McLaren to finish sixth ahead of Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen, Leclerc's predecessor at Ferrari. Frenchman Pierre Gasly brought his Red Bull home in eighth ahead of Toro Rosso’s Thai driver Alexander Albon and Mexican Sergio Perez, who rounded out the top 10 for Racing Point. Hamilton is now 17 wins short of Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 91.

Formula one: Heartbreak for Charles Leclerc as Lewis Hamilton wins in Bahrain

Sebastian Vettel won the first round of what could be a long and lively Formula One title fight with Lewis Hamilton on Sunday but the Ferrari driver may be the one with more to worry about as they leave Australia.

Champions Mercedes messed up in Melbourne, their mistake denying Hamilton what had looked a nailed-on victory from pole position, but they also left rivals in no doubt about their pace.

"At the moment we`re a bit worse off," Vettel told reporters after repeating last year`s opening win thanks to a pitstop during a virtual safety car period that wrong-footed Mercedes, whose data wrongly indicated Hamilton had him covered.

"Last year we had more pace at this point. If you look at the gaps the whole weekend, we`re not yet a true match," added the German, who is vying with Hamilton to become a five-times champion.

"I think if you look, and you are fair, then Lewis was fastest whereas last year I think we were fastest and it was very, very close."

Last year, Vettel led from Melbourne to Monza before his challenge imploded.&nbsp;

Hamilton took pole on Saturday with one of the great qualifying laps of his career, lapping a massive 0.664 quicker than Ferrari`s Kimi Raikkonen.

The time may have flattered him, with the Briton producing a near-perfect lap while Vettel would doubtless have been closer had he not made a mistake.

But rivals also pointed to Mercedes` qualifying `party mode` engine setting with concern.

"Mercedes is playing with everyone... with that engine, no one can beat Mercedes. They`re in a different world," Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko was quoted as saying after qualifying.

Despite the pessimism, and the absence of Red Bull drivers from the year`s first podium, Melbourne did not dispel hopes of a three-way team battle.&nbsp;

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who finished fourth after starting eighth following a grid penalty, set the fastest lap of the race for Red Bull and was right on the tail of Raikkonen.

"We are convinced that we had a better car than Ferrari, though the Mercedes still probably had something in hand," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner.

Melbourne is a hard track to overtake on but Bahrain is next up and more open. Vettel won there last year when it was the third race of the season but Hamilton will also fancy his chances.

"We still got second. It feels like a dark cloud but it`s not," the Briton had said on Sunday. "We have a great car, we are still the world champions and with a couple of adjustments we can win the next race."

Champions Mercedes messed up in Melbourne

Sebastian Vettel won the first round of what could be a long and lively Formula One title fight with Lewis Hamilton on Sunday but the Ferrari driver may be the one with more to worry about as they leave Australia. Champions Mercedes messed up in Melbourne, their mistake denying Hamilton what had looked a nailed-on victory from pole position, but they also left rivals in no doubt about their pace. "At the moment we`re a bit worse off," Vettel told reporters after repeating last year`s opening win thanks to a pitstop during a virtual safety car period that wrong-footed Mercedes, whose data wrongly indicated Hamilton had him covered. "Last year we had more pace at this point. If you look at the gaps the whole weekend, we`re not yet a true match," added the German, who is vying with Hamilton to become a five-times champion. "I think if you look, and you are fair, then Lewis was fastest whereas last year I think we were fastest and it was very, very close." Last year, Vettel led from Melbourne to Monza before his challenge imploded. Hamilton took pole on Saturday with one of the great qualifying laps of his career, lapping a massive 0.664 quicker than Ferrari`s Kimi Raikkonen. The time may have flattered him, with the Briton producing a near-perfect lap while Vettel would doubtless have been closer had he not made a mistake. But rivals also pointed to Mercedes` qualifying `party mode` engine setting with concern. "Mercedes is playing with everyone... with that engine, no one can beat Mercedes. They`re in a different world," Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko was quoted as saying after qualifying. Despite the pessimism, and the absence of Red Bull drivers from the year`s first podium, Melbourne did not dispel hopes of a three-way team battle. Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who finished fourth after starting eighth following a grid penalty, set the fastest lap of the race for Red Bull and was right on the tail of Raikkonen. "We are convinced that we had a better car than Ferrari, though the Mercedes still probably had something in hand," said Red Bull principal Christian Horner. Melbourne is a hard track to overtake on but Bahrain is next up and more open. Vettel won there last year when it was the third race of the season but Hamilton will also fancy his chances. "We still got second. It feels like a dark cloud but it`s not," the Briton had said on Sunday. "We have a great car, we are still the world champions and with a couple of adjustments we can win the next race."

Formula One: Advantage Vettel, but Hamilton can feel confident

Valtteri Bottas won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for Mercedes with the fastest lap on Sunday and in the process achieved a Formula One first, while also ignoring team instructions to play safe.

The Finn was the first driver since the 1950s to win a point for the fastest lap, under a new rule introduced this year, and also the only one ever to score more than 25 points in a race on more than one occasion.&nbsp;

The only other race in which drivers have been able to score more than the maximum allocated for a victory was the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when double points were handed out for the first and only time.

Bottas finished third in that race at Yas Marina for Williams, behind winner Lewis Hamilton and now-retired Brazilian Felipe Massa, and banked 30 points. On Sunday he scored 26.

A point for fastest lap was awarded between 1950 and 1959 but in those days a win was worth only eight points.

The Finn said he had been determined to get the maximum score, despite the risk of trying to set a fastest lap on worn tyres and being told before the race not to try and get it if in a podium position.

Bottas pulled it off on the penultimate lap of the race to deny Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

With 21 races, and therefore an extra 21 points available so long as the fastest lap is set by a driver finishing in the top 10, the tweak to the scoring system has become an important consideration.

Team bosses agreed it had added something to the show.

"It's exciting," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. "We were even debating do we take it with Pierre (Gasly), because he’s not in the top 10, to try and take it off Mercedes. So you’ve got all kinds of dynamics.

"Max had a go at it, he had it in the bag for a couple of laps and then Valtteri does a 1.25 (1:25.580) or something and OK we can’t do that.

"I thought it added an extra strategic dynamic which was really quite interesting."

Gasly finished 11th and out of the points. Had he been able to go fastest, he would have been credited with the best lap but the point -- which is also valid for the constructors' championship -- would not have been awarded to anyone.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff agreed the novelty provided another element, even if he had some reservations.

"In the morning meeting when we talked about strategy, I forbade them to go for the fastest lap if we were running first, second or third," he added.

"They ignored me. All of them.

"At the end I'm very happy. Collecting that extra point I think is good. It's entertaining. It's a great new part of the spectacle."

Valtteri Bottas won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for Mercedes with the fastest lap on Sunday and in the process achieved a Formula One first, while also ignoring team instructions to play safe.

Valtteri Bottas won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for Mercedes with the fastest lap on Sunday and in the process achieved a Formula One first, while also ignoring team instructions to play safe. The Finn was the first driver since the 1950s to win a point for the fastest lap, under a new rule introduced this year, and also the only one ever to score more than 25 points in a race on more than one occasion. The only other race in which drivers have been able to score more than the maximum allocated for a victory was the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when double points were handed out for the first and only time. Bottas finished third in that race at Yas Marina for Williams, behind winner Lewis Hamilton and now-retired Brazilian Felipe Massa, and banked 30 points. On Sunday he scored 26. A point for fastest lap was awarded between 1950 and 1959 but in those days a win was worth only eight points. The Finn said he had been determined to get the maximum score, despite the risk of trying to set a fastest lap on worn tyres and being told before the race not to try and get it if in a podium position. Bottas pulled it off on the penultimate lap of the race to deny Red Bull's Max Verstappen. With 21 races, and therefore an extra 21 points available so long as the fastest lap is set by a driver finishing in the top 10, the tweak to the scoring system has become an important consideration. Team bosses agreed it had added something to the show. "It's exciting," said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. "We were even debating do we take it with Pierre (Gasly), because he’s not in the top 10, to try and take it off Mercedes. So you’ve got all kinds of dynamics. "Max had a go at it, he had it in the bag for a couple of laps and then Valtteri does a 1.25 (1:25.580) or something and OK we can’t do that. "I thought it added an extra strategic dynamic which was really quite interesting." Gasly finished 11th and out of the points. Had he been able to go fastest, he would have been credited with the best lap but the point -- which is also valid for the constructors' championship -- would not have been awarded to anyone. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff agreed the novelty provided another element, even if he had some reservations. "In the morning meeting when we talked about strategy, I forbade them to go for the fastest lap if we were running first, second or third," he added. "They ignored me. All of them. "At the end I'm very happy. Collecting that extra point I think is good. It's entertaining. It's a great new part of the spectacle."

Fastest lap point helps Valtteri Bottas make F1 history

Seemingly destined for disappointment at his home Grand Prix, Australian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-formula-one-racer-daniel-ricciardo-meets-a-fan-who-gave-him-funny-nickname-daniel-avocado-203733">Daniel Ricciardo</a> might have hoped for an end to the curse after switching from Red Bull to Renault.

Instead, the home hero's hoodoo continued on Sunday as he suffered a calamitous start and ended up retiring for a third time at Albert Park.

While pondering his fate from the team garage, his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen grabbed a podium behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/motor-racing-valtteri-bottas-wins-australian-grand-prix-for-mercedes-203820">Mercedes winner Valtteri Bottas</a> and runner-up Lewis Hamilton.

Both Ricciardo and Verstappen had fumed over the performance of their Renault-powered cars last season, so the Australian might have felt a tinge of regret seeing Red Bull's successful debut with the engines of once-maligned Honda.

Ricciardo was already underwhelmed by Renault's performance during winter testing, and worked hard to lower expectations to success-starved fans in the leadup to Melbourne.

But even those low expectations were not met.

He lined up 12th on the grid after a poor qualifying on Saturday, and within seconds of the start, he had destroyed his front wing on a gutter after being pushed into the grass near the pit lane.

It prompted an immediate pitstop and his retirement midway through the race, with damage to broken barge-boards reducing performance and wearing tyres.

"I won’t swear, it’s alright. I’ve done enough of that," the seven-times race winner told reporters ruefully.

"No-one to blame other than just grass and then a big bump of concrete or something. A gutter. It was harsh, the bump.

"Just a shame, a shame it’s over so quickly."

A proven talent with a dependable smile, Ricciardo is beloved in Australia as the nation's sole Formula One racer.

But his popularity has become a chore, with the first race week of the year an endless procession of sponsorship and media commitments.

His inability to reach the podium in Australia has added to the frustration of a race where his desperation for success is matched only by his misfortune.

Ricciardo said it had all taken a toll.

"I don’t know how I’m smiling," said the 29-year-old, who was disqualified from a podium spot on his Red Bull debut at the same circuit in 2014.

"This week’s so long and I don’t seem to ever really have a good break here. I think we’re too busy pleasing everyone else and not worrying about ourselves.

"For sure I’m frustrated this week because again it’s like everyone expects so much but the reality is I’ve got to show up on Sunday and when the race is over in five seconds, whether it’s bad luck or not, I feel like well, preparation wasn’t where it should be."

His teammate Nico Hulkenberg had a better weekend, earning six points for seventh place, a result Ricciardo felt was on par for the car.

"I think we should be a top-eight car all of the first part of the season and then hopefully even better," he said.

"I think Bahrain is going to be a lot easier, that’s like a holiday week. There’s really nothing going on so I can actually prepare properly."

Seemingly destined for disappointment at his home Grand Prix, Australian Daniel Ricciardo might have hoped for an end to the curse after switching from Red Bull to Renault.

Seemingly destined for disappointment at his home Grand Prix, Australian Daniel Ricciardo might have hoped for an end to the curse after switching from Red Bull to Renault. Instead, the home hero's hoodoo continued on Sunday as he suffered a calamitous start and ended up retiring for a third time at Albert Park. While pondering his fate from the team garage, his former Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen grabbed a podium behind Mercedes winner Valtteri Bottas and runner-up Lewis Hamilton. Both Ricciardo and Verstappen had fumed over the performance of their Renault-powered cars last season, so the Australian might have felt a tinge of regret seeing Red Bull's successful debut with the engines of once-maligned Honda. Ricciardo was already underwhelmed by Renault's performance during winter testing, and worked hard to lower expectations to success-starved fans in the leadup to Melbourne. But even those low expectations were not met. He lined up 12th on the grid after a poor qualifying on Saturday, and within seconds of the start, he had destroyed his front wing on a gutter after being pushed into the grass near the pit lane. It prompted an immediate pitstop and his retirement midway through the race, with damage to broken barge-boards reducing performance and wearing tyres. "I won’t swear, it’s alright. I’ve done enough of that," the seven-times race winner told reporters ruefully. "No-one to blame other than just grass and then a big bump of concrete or something. A gutter. It was harsh, the bump. "Just a shame, a shame it’s over so quickly." A proven talent with a dependable smile, Ricciardo is beloved in Australia as the nation's sole Formula One racer. But his popularity has become a chore, with the first race week of the year an endless procession of sponsorship and media commitments. His inability to reach the podium in Australia has added to the frustration of a race where his desperation for success is matched only by his misfortune. Ricciardo said it had all taken a toll. "I don’t know how I’m smiling," said the 29-year-old, who was disqualified from a podium spot on his Red Bull debut at the same circuit in 2014. "This week’s so long and I don’t seem to ever really have a good break here. I think we’re too busy pleasing everyone else and not worrying about ourselves. "For sure I’m frustrated this week because again it’s like everyone expects so much but the reality is I’ve got to show up on Sunday and when the race is over in five seconds, whether it’s bad luck or not, I feel like well, preparation wasn’t where it should be." His teammate Nico Hulkenberg had a better weekend, earning six points for seventh place, a result Ricciardo felt was on par for the car. "I think we should be a top-eight car all of the first part of the season and then hopefully even better," he said. "I think Bahrain is going to be a lot easier, that’s like a holiday week. There’s really nothing going on so I can actually prepare properly."

Australian Grand Prix: New team, same sinking feeling for Daniel Ricciardo

A five-year-old Formula One fan, Louis Pope, has no idea that he is ruling the internet with a funny reference to his favourite F1 racer.&nbsp;

The 29-year-old <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/daniel-ricciardo-joins-renault-f1-team-on-two-year-deal-156798">Daniel Ricciardo</a>, who transferred from Red Bull to Renault in the off-season, got a strange nickname after the kid referred to him as "Daniel Avocado".&nbsp;

Ahead of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-takes-pole-at-australian-grand-prix-203692">Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix</a> in Melbourne, a reporter asked Louis&nbsp;his&nbsp;favourite F1 driver, on which he replied, "Daniel Avocado".&nbsp;

The video went viral and the fans started the trend of giving funny names to&nbsp;their favourite racer. Like Ferrari driver&nbsp;Sebastian Vettel became Sebastian "Pretzel" and McLaren driver Lando Norris was named as "Mango" Norris.&nbsp;

Even the official F1 Twitter handle mentioned Ricciardo as "Mr Avocado" in their tweets sharing info that Renault's new recruit Ricciardo might be lining up on the grid alongside "Kiwi" Raikkonen.&nbsp;

One of their tweets read, "Daniel Avocado. We just love it. Lining up on the grid with Kiwi Raikkonen...?"&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Yeah him and Sebastian Pretzel😂
— F1Cyberman (@F1Cyberman) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1Cyberman/status/1105394406415319040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Ricciardo thanked Louis in person and gave him a new Renault cap adorned with his signature.&nbsp;

Watch the video:&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Daniel Avocado 🥑 <a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a> loved his new nickname so much he wanted to meet the boy who made it. <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirst</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/10SportAU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10SportAU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/F1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ausgrandprix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ausgrandprix</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RenaultF1Team?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RenaultF1Team</a> <a href="https://t.co/xx6K12u2sZ">pic.twitter.com/xx6K12u2sZ</a>
— Annie Kearney (@anniemaykearney) <a href="https://twitter.com/anniemaykearney/status/1106740035028541440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Nice to meet you, Mr Avocado 🥑 😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusGP</a> 🇦🇺 <a href="https://twitter.com/danielricciardo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@danielricciardo</a> <a href="https://t.co/HBeEXalqcY">pic.twitter.com/HBeEXalqcY</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1106873690933858304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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At the Australian Grand Prix, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession.&nbsp;

While the Australian Daniel Ricciardo was a big casualty, finishing 12th in his first outing for new team Renault after moving from Red Bull.&nbsp;

A five-year-old Formula One fan, Louis Pope, has no idea that he is ruling the internet with a funny reference to his favourite F1 racer. The 29-year-old Daniel Ricciardo, who transferred from Red Bull to Renault in the off-season, got a strange nickname after the kid referred to him as "Daniel Avocado".

A five-year-old Formula One fan, Louis Pope, has no idea that he is ruling the internet with a funny reference to his favourite F1 racer. The 29-year-old Daniel Ricciardo, who transferred from Red Bull to Renault in the off-season, got a strange nickname after the kid referred to him as "Daniel Avocado". Ahead of Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, a reporter asked Louis his favourite F1 driver, on which he replied, "Daniel Avocado". The video went viral and the fans started the trend of giving funny names to their favourite racer. Like Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel became Sebastian "Pretzel" and McLaren driver Lando Norris was named as "Mango" Norris. Even the official F1 Twitter handle mentioned Ricciardo as "Mr Avocado" in their tweets sharing info that Renault's new recruit Ricciardo might be lining up on the grid alongside "Kiwi" Raikkonen. One of their tweets read, "Daniel Avocado. We just love it. Lining up on the grid with Kiwi Raikkonen...?" Yeah him and Sebastian Pretzel😂 — F1Cyberman (@F1Cyberman) March 12, 2019 × Ricciardo thanked Louis in person and gave him a new Renault cap adorned with his signature. Watch the video: Daniel Avocado 🥑 @danielricciardo loved his new nickname so much he wanted to meet the boy who made it. @10NewsFirst @10SportAU @F1 @ausgrandprix @RenaultF1Team pic.twitter.com/xx6K12u2sZ — Annie Kearney (@anniemaykearney) March 16, 2019 × Nice to meet you, Mr Avocado 🥑 😂#F1 #AusGP 🇦🇺 @danielricciardo pic.twitter.com/HBeEXalqcY — Formula 1 (@F1) March 16, 2019 × At the Australian Grand Prix, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession. While the Australian Daniel Ricciardo was a big casualty, finishing 12th in his first outing for new team Renault after moving from Red Bull.

Watch: Formula One racer Daniel Ricciardo meets a fan who gave him funny nickname, 'Daniel Avocado'

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton blazed to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession at the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday to lead Valtteri Bottas to a Mercedes sweep of the front row of the grid.

Hamilton struggled with a brake problem during the frenetic final session at Albert Park but nosed in front of his Finnish teammate with a record lap of one minute 20.486 seconds at the lakeside circuit.

Briton Hamilton matched Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher for the record number of poles at the same race track.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel will be third on the grid for Sunday's race, separated from his new teammate Charles Leclerc by fourth-placed Max Verstappen of Red Bull.

"Oh man, I'm shaking it was so close out there," Hamilton said.

"Coming from winter testing, we had no idea where we would be. We were hoping to be where we are ... Valterri did an exceptional job out there, it was very close."

In a blow for Red Bull on their debut with engine maker Honda, Pierre Gasly was eliminated in Q1 and will line up 17th on the grid.

While Red Bull may have smarted over Gasly, it was an even tougher session for Renault, with neither of their cars able to reach Q3.

Their expensive new recruit Daniel Ricciardo, who transferred from Red Bull in the off-season, qualified 12th behind his 11th-placed team mate Nico Hulkenberg.

Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen's debut for Alfa Romeo, the team formerly known as Sauber, went better as he qualified ninth.

Formula One rookie Lando Norris enjoyed a good day out with McLaren to qualify eighth, outshining senior teammate Carlos Sainz who was knocked out in Q1 after being blocked on his last flying lap by Williams driver Robert Kubica.

Toro Rosso's Anglo-Thai debutant Alexander Albon made it through Q1 to secure 13th on the grid.

Kubica's first F1 qualifying in over eight years was blighted by a right rear puncture and he ended up skidding over the grass on his final effort in Q1.

The Pole will line up last on the grid behind his 19th-placed teammate George Russell, the Williams team proving decisively they are well off the pace after their off-season troubles.

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton blazed to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession at the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday to lead Valtteri Bottas to a Mercedes sweep of the front row of the grid.

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton blazed to a record-extending eighth pole and sixth in succession at the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday to lead Valtteri Bottas to a Mercedes sweep of the front row of the grid. Hamilton struggled with a brake problem during the frenetic final session at Albert Park but nosed in front of his Finnish teammate with a record lap of one minute 20.486 seconds at the lakeside circuit. Briton Hamilton matched Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher for the record number of poles at the same race track. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel will be third on the grid for Sunday's race, separated from his new teammate Charles Leclerc by fourth-placed Max Verstappen of Red Bull. "Oh man, I'm shaking it was so close out there," Hamilton said. "Coming from winter testing, we had no idea where we would be. We were hoping to be where we are ... Valterri did an exceptional job out there, it was very close." In a blow for Red Bull on their debut with engine maker Honda, Pierre Gasly was eliminated in Q1 and will line up 17th on the grid. While Red Bull may have smarted over Gasly, it was an even tougher session for Renault, with neither of their cars able to reach Q3. Their expensive new recruit Daniel Ricciardo, who transferred from Red Bull in the off-season, qualified 12th behind his 11th-placed team mate Nico Hulkenberg. Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen's debut for Alfa Romeo, the team formerly known as Sauber, went better as he qualified ninth. Formula One rookie Lando Norris enjoyed a good day out with McLaren to qualify eighth, outshining senior teammate Carlos Sainz who was knocked out in Q1 after being blocked on his last flying lap by Williams driver Robert Kubica. Toro Rosso's Anglo-Thai debutant Alexander Albon made it through Q1 to secure 13th on the grid. Kubica's first F1 qualifying in over eight years was blighted by a right rear puncture and he ended up skidding over the grass on his final effort in Q1. The Pole will line up last on the grid behind his 19th-placed teammate George Russell, the Williams team proving decisively they are well off the pace after their off-season troubles.

Lewis Hamilton takes pole at Australian Grand Prix

Five-times champion <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Lewis+Hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> dominated Friday practice at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, topping the timesheets for Mercedes in both sessions to deliver an ominous warning to his Formula One title rivals.

After pipping Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel with a lap of one minute 23.599 seconds in first practice, the Briton shaved almost a second off that time in the second session, his quickest lap timed at 1:22.60.

His Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was 0.048 seconds off the time of Hamilton, who had a yawning 0.800 seconds gap to Max Verstappen in third, with Red Bull's other driver, Pierre Gasly, a further 0.042 seconds behind in fourth.

Vettel was fifth fastest after taking a skid into the grass and complaining of a reliability problem, while new teammate Charles Leclerc posted the ninth fastest time after he too spun into the grass in the dying minutes of the session.

It was a more encouraging session for Kimi Raikkonen and Alfa Romeo, the team formerly known as Sauber. The Finnish former world champion was sixth fastest in the second session, giving them hope of being the best of the midfield racers.

Raikkonen was quicker than both Renaults, with Nico Hulkenberg and home hope Daniel Ricciardo seventh and eighth.

Ricciardo, who switched from Red Bull last season, improved after an underwhelming start, clocking only the 17th fastest lap in the opening session earlier on Friday.

British-born Thai debutant Alexander Albon had a tough day, crashing his Toro Rosso to lose his front wing and causing a brief halt in the first session before spinning off track several times in the second.

Williams appear set for another season of toil as their Polish driver Robert Kubica, returning to Formula One after an absence of more than eight years, was 20th in second practice, one place behind rookie teammate George Russell.

Five-times champion Lewis Hamilton dominated Friday practice at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, topping the timesheets for Mercedes in both sessions to deliver an ominous warning to his Formula One title rivals.

Five-times champion Lewis Hamilton dominated Friday practice at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, topping the timesheets for Mercedes in both sessions to deliver an ominous warning to his Formula One title rivals. After pipping Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel with a lap of one minute 23.599 seconds in first practice, the Briton shaved almost a second off that time in the second session, his quickest lap timed at 1:22.60. His Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was 0.048 seconds off the time of Hamilton, who had a yawning 0.800 seconds gap to Max Verstappen in third, with Red Bull's other driver, Pierre Gasly, a further 0.042 seconds behind in fourth. Vettel was fifth fastest after taking a skid into the grass and complaining of a reliability problem, while new teammate Charles Leclerc posted the ninth fastest time after he too spun into the grass in the dying minutes of the session. It was a more encouraging session for Kimi Raikkonen and Alfa Romeo, the team formerly known as Sauber. The Finnish former world champion was sixth fastest in the second session, giving them hope of being the best of the midfield racers. Raikkonen was quicker than both Renaults, with Nico Hulkenberg and home hope Daniel Ricciardo seventh and eighth. Ricciardo, who switched from Red Bull last season, improved after an underwhelming start, clocking only the 17th fastest lap in the opening session earlier on Friday. British-born Thai debutant Alexander Albon had a tough day, crashing his Toro Rosso to lose his front wing and causing a brief halt in the first session before spinning off track several times in the second. Williams appear set for another season of toil as their Polish driver Robert Kubica, returning to Formula One after an absence of more than eight years, was 20th in second practice, one place behind rookie teammate George Russell.

Lewis Hamilton dominates practice as Mercedes lay down marker

Formula One drivers paid tribute to race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, who died on Thursday (March 14), three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. He was 66.

The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, the FIA said in a statement.

Whiting, who had been race director since 1997, first worked in Formula One for defunct British outfit Hesketh before crossing to Brabham to work with the sport's former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the 1980s.

He joined the FIA as a technical delegate in 1988.

As FIA director, Whiting was a driving force in pushing improved safety and played a key role in the introduction of the halo, the ring-like barrier fitted over the drivers' heads to protect them from heavy impacts and missiles.

The halo was credited with saving driver Charles Leclerc, now at Ferrari, from a potentially serious injury at last year's Belgian Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso's McLaren bashed against his Sauber's bodywork as it flew over the Monegasque's head.

The news was met with shock in the Formula One paddock where Whiting was close to drivers, with whom he conducted pre-race briefings, and teams who sought technical guidance and clarifications. Lewis Hamilton said Whiting "contributed so much", while Sebastian Vettel said he was "the drivers' man".

On the track, Hamilton will be looking to win his sixth drivers' title while his Mercedes team will be aiming for their sixth consecutive championship. Ferrari, who performed well in pre-season testing, are expected to be the main challengers.

A new twist to this season will be an extra point given in each race for the fastest lap by a top-ten finisher.

Formula One drivers paid tribute to race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, who died on Thursday (March 14), three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Formula One drivers paid tribute to race director Charlie Whiting, a popular and key figure in the sport, who died on Thursday (March 14), three days before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. He was 66. The Briton, who started his career working for the Hesketh team in 1977, died in Melbourne of a pulmonary embolism, the FIA said in a statement. Whiting, who had been race director since 1997, first worked in Formula One for defunct British outfit Hesketh before crossing to Brabham to work with the sport's former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone in the 1980s. He joined the FIA as a technical delegate in 1988. As FIA director, Whiting was a driving force in pushing improved safety and played a key role in the introduction of the halo, the ring-like barrier fitted over the drivers' heads to protect them from heavy impacts and missiles. The halo was credited with saving driver Charles Leclerc, now at Ferrari, from a potentially serious injury at last year's Belgian Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso's McLaren bashed against his Sauber's bodywork as it flew over the Monegasque's head. The news was met with shock in the Formula One paddock where Whiting was close to drivers, with whom he conducted pre-race briefings, and teams who sought technical guidance and clarifications. Lewis Hamilton said Whiting "contributed so much", while Sebastian Vettel said he was "the drivers' man". On the track, Hamilton will be looking to win his sixth drivers' title while his Mercedes team will be aiming for their sixth consecutive championship. Ferrari, who performed well in pre-season testing, are expected to be the main challengers. A new twist to this season will be an extra point given in each race for the fastest lap by a top-ten finisher.

F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting passes away, drivers pay tribute

The 2019 Formula One world championship starts on March 17 with 21 races in a season that ends later than any since 1963.

The following are key details (start times 1310 GMT unless stated).

MARCH 17 - AUSTRALIA

Albert Park street circuit, Melbourne. 58 laps of 5.303km. Total distance 307.574km. 0510 GMT start (1610 local). 2018 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes. 2018 winner: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari.

Melbourne has hosted the Australian GP since 1996.

MARCH 31 - BAHRAIN

Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir. 57 laps of 5.412km. 308.238km. 1510GMT (1810 local). 2018 pole and winner: Vettel.

Desert track 30km south-west of Manama. The race has a day-to-night format under floodlights.

APRIL 14 - CHINA

Shanghai International Circuit. 56 laps of 5.451km. 305.066km. 0610GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole: Vettel. Winner: Daniel Ricciardo (Australian) Red Bull.

Built in the shape of the Chinese character "shang", the circuit has hosted a race since 2004. This year's will be Formula One's 1,000th grand prix.

APRIL 28 - AZERBAIJAN

Baku City Circuit. 51 laps of 6.003km. 306.049km. 1210GMT (1610 local). 2018 pole: Vettel. Winner: Hamilton.

New in 2016, the race has earned a reputation for thrills against a backdrop of the historic old town and long seaside promenade.

MAY 12 - SPAIN

Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. 66 laps of 4.655km. 307.104km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton.

Venue for pre-season testing. On the calendar since 1991.

MAY 26 - MONACO

Monte Carlo. 78 laps of 3.337km. 260.286km. 2018 pole and winner: Ricciardo.

The slowest and shortest race but also the most glamorous. -

JUNE 9 - CANADA

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. 70 laps of 4.361km. 305.270km. 1810 GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole and winner: Vettel.

An F1 favourite since 1978, the circuit is named after the late Ferrari great and father of 1997 world champion Jacques and is on the Ile Notre Dame in the St Lawrence River.

JUNE 23 - FRANCE

Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet. 5.861km. 309.690km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton.

The circuit returned last year as the first French Grand Prix since 2008, when the race was held at Magny-Cours.

JUNE 30 - AUSTRIA

Red Bull Ring, Spielberg. 71 laps of 4.318km. 306.452km. 2018 pole: Bottas. Winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull).

A rural circuit in the southern Styria region, not far from Graz, and owned by Red Bull.

JULY 14 - BRITAIN

Silverstone. 52 laps of 5.891km. 306.198km. 2018 pole: Hamilton. Winner: Vettel.

A former World War Two airfield, the first world championship grand prix was held here in 1950. This year's race is the last under the current contract.

JULY 28 - GERMANY

Hockenheim. 67 laps of 4.574km. 306.458km. 2018 pole: Vettel. Winner: Hamilton.

The track was heavily modified in 2002, with a long forest stretch removed. Also out of contract after this year.

AUG 4 - HUNGARY

Hungaroring, Budapest. 70 laps of 4.381km. 306.670km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton.

The first race in 1986 was a breakthrough for F1 behind the 'Iron Curtain'. The circuit is tight, twisty and slow.

SEPT 1 - BELGIUM

Spa-Francorchamps. 44 laps of 7.004km. 308.052km. 2018 pole: Hamilton. Winner: Vettel.

The longest lap on the calendar and one of the fastest circuits. Often wet, always thrilling.

SEPT 8 - ITALY

Monza. 53 laps of 5.793km. 307.029km. 2018 pole: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari. Winner: Hamilton.

"La Pista Magica" is the temple of Italian motorsport and Ferrari. Dates back to the 1920s but still the fastest in F1.

SEPT 22 - SINGAPORE

Marina Bay street circuit. 61 laps of 5.065km. 308.828km. 1210GMT (2010 local). 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton.

On the calendar since 2008 as the sport's first night race.

SEPT 29 - RUSSIA

Sochi street circuit. 53 laps of 5.848km. 309.745km. 1110GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole: Bottas. Winner: Hamilton.

The race made its debut in 2014, with the circuit looping around the park built for the Winter Olympics.

OCT 13 - JAPAN

Suzuka. 53 laps of 5.807km. 307.471km. Race start 0510 GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton.

A classic fast figure-of-eight circuit, owned by Honda with a funfair alongside. Always a passionate crowd.

OCT 27 - MEXICO

Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City. 71 laps of 4.304km. 305.354km. Race start 1910 GMT (1310 local). 2018 pole:

Ricciardo. Winner: Verstappen.

Returned to the calendar in 2015. Has won the award for best grand prix of the season for the past four seasons but this year's could be the last with state funding set to be withdrawn.

NOV 3 - UNITED STATES

Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. 56 laps of 5.513km. 308.405km. Race start 1910 GMT (1310 local). 2018 pole: Hamilton. Winner: Raikkonen.

Anti-clockwise layout with 20 turns.

NOV 17 - BRAZIL

Interlagos, Sao Paulo. 71 laps of 4.309km. 305.909km. Race start 1710 GMT (1510 local). 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton.

Atmospheric anti-clockwise circuit, home of the late triple champion Ayrton Senna.

DEC 1 - ABU DHABI

Yas Marina. 55 laps of 5.554km. 305.355km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. Race start 1310 GMT (1710 local).

Day-to-night anti-clockwise race under floodlights.

The 2019 Formula One world championship starts on March 17 with 21 races in a season that ends later than any since 1963. The following are key details (start times 1310 GMT unless stated).

The 2019 Formula One world championship starts on March 17 with 21 races in a season that ends later than any since 1963. The following are key details (start times 1310 GMT unless stated). MARCH 17 - AUSTRALIA Albert Park street circuit, Melbourne. 58 laps of 5.303km. Total distance 307.574km. 0510 GMT start (1610 local). 2018 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes. 2018 winner: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari. Melbourne has hosted the Australian GP since 1996. MARCH 31 - BAHRAIN Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir. 57 laps of 5.412km. 308.238km. 1510GMT (1810 local). 2018 pole and winner: Vettel. Desert track 30km south-west of Manama. The race has a day-to-night format under floodlights. APRIL 14 - CHINA Shanghai International Circuit. 56 laps of 5.451km. 305.066km. 0610GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole: Vettel. Winner: Daniel Ricciardo (Australian) Red Bull. Built in the shape of the Chinese character "shang", the circuit has hosted a race since 2004. This year's will be Formula One's 1,000th grand prix. APRIL 28 - AZERBAIJAN Baku City Circuit. 51 laps of 6.003km. 306.049km. 1210GMT (1610 local). 2018 pole: Vettel. Winner: Hamilton. New in 2016, the race has earned a reputation for thrills against a backdrop of the historic old town and long seaside promenade. MAY 12 - SPAIN Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. 66 laps of 4.655km. 307.104km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. Venue for pre-season testing. On the calendar since 1991. MAY 26 - MONACO Monte Carlo. 78 laps of 3.337km. 260.286km. 2018 pole and winner: Ricciardo. The slowest and shortest race but also the most glamorous. - JUNE 9 - CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. 70 laps of 4.361km. 305.270km. 1810 GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole and winner: Vettel. An F1 favourite since 1978, the circuit is named after the late Ferrari great and father of 1997 world champion Jacques and is on the Ile Notre Dame in the St Lawrence River. JUNE 23 - FRANCE Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet. 5.861km. 309.690km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. The circuit returned last year as the first French Grand Prix since 2008, when the race was held at Magny-Cours. JUNE 30 - AUSTRIA Red Bull Ring, Spielberg. 71 laps of 4.318km. 306.452km. 2018 pole: Bottas. Winner: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull). A rural circuit in the southern Styria region, not far from Graz, and owned by Red Bull. JULY 14 - BRITAIN Silverstone. 52 laps of 5.891km. 306.198km. 2018 pole: Hamilton. Winner: Vettel. A former World War Two airfield, the first world championship grand prix was held here in 1950. This year's race is the last under the current contract. JULY 28 - GERMANY Hockenheim. 67 laps of 4.574km. 306.458km. 2018 pole: Vettel. Winner: Hamilton. The track was heavily modified in 2002, with a long forest stretch removed. Also out of contract after this year. AUG 4 - HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest. 70 laps of 4.381km. 306.670km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. The first race in 1986 was a breakthrough for F1 behind the 'Iron Curtain'. The circuit is tight, twisty and slow. SEPT 1 - BELGIUM Spa-Francorchamps. 44 laps of 7.004km. 308.052km. 2018 pole: Hamilton. Winner: Vettel. The longest lap on the calendar and one of the fastest circuits. Often wet, always thrilling. SEPT 8 - ITALY Monza. 53 laps of 5.793km. 307.029km. 2018 pole: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari. Winner: Hamilton. "La Pista Magica" is the temple of Italian motorsport and Ferrari. Dates back to the 1920s but still the fastest in F1. SEPT 22 - SINGAPORE Marina Bay street circuit. 61 laps of 5.065km. 308.828km. 1210GMT (2010 local). 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. On the calendar since 2008 as the sport's first night race. SEPT 29 - RUSSIA Sochi street circuit. 53 laps of 5.848km. 309.745km. 1110GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole: Bottas. Winner: Hamilton. The race made its debut in 2014, with the circuit looping around the park built for the Winter Olympics. OCT 13 - JAPAN Suzuka. 53 laps of 5.807km. 307.471km. Race start 0510 GMT (1410 local). 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. A classic fast figure-of-eight circuit, owned by Honda with a funfair alongside. Always a passionate crowd. OCT 27 - MEXICO Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City. 71 laps of 4.304km. 305.354km. Race start 1910 GMT (1310 local). 2018 pole: Ricciardo. Winner: Verstappen. Returned to the calendar in 2015. Has won the award for best grand prix of the season for the past four seasons but this year's could be the last with state funding set to be withdrawn. NOV 3 - UNITED STATES Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. 56 laps of 5.513km. 308.405km. Race start 1910 GMT (1310 local). 2018 pole: Hamilton. Winner: Raikkonen. Anti-clockwise layout with 20 turns. NOV 17 - BRAZIL Interlagos, Sao Paulo. 71 laps of 4.309km. 305.909km. Race start 1710 GMT (1510 local). 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. Atmospheric anti-clockwise circuit, home of the late triple champion Ayrton Senna. DEC 1 - ABU DHABI Yas Marina. 55 laps of 5.554km. 305.355km. 2018 pole and winner: Hamilton. Race start 1310 GMT (1710 local). Day-to-night anti-clockwise race under floodlights.

Motor racing: Formula One calendar and details for 2019

Lewis Hamilton shrugged off Ferrari's testing pace on Wednesday while recognising that he and Mercedes faced their toughest challenge yet as they seek to stretch their Formula One domination into a sixth successive season.

Ferrari, overall runners-up last year, have led the timesheets for the first two days of testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya and have also done plenty of laps with their new SF90 car.

Sebastian Vettel, the four times champion who is partnered by young Monegasque Charles Leclerc this year, said on Monday his Ferrari had been "close to perfection".

Mercedes, winners of both titles for the past five years, have also been pounding out the mileage without setting any eye-catching times.

"They (Ferrari) have been looking great," Hamilton, who will be chasing his sixth title, told reporters. "For us it's been just digging deep, trying to understand the car, Pretty much the same as the beginning of every year.

"The Ferraris always look strong, particularly in the last few years they look very strong right at the beginning so it's to be expected."

Ferrari won the first two races of last year with a car that seemed quicker than the Mercedes but the champions came back strongly and Hamilton ended the year with 11 wins to Vettel's tally of five.

NO WORRIES

Last year Ferrari -- who won six successive constructors' titles between 1999 and 2004 -- were fastest in testing but it was still Hamilton who put his Mercedes on pole position at the first race in Melbourne with a circuit record time.

"At the moment I don't really hold any worry about anything," said the 34-year-old Briton, who conceded that Ferrari did appear to have produced a better package than last season.

"I just try to focus on our job. I don't know what everyone's doing, there's different fuel loads. I've been in this business a long time so I know how it goes over the first week and into the second.

"It's not a time where we need to be focusing on others. We let everyone else do their thing and really try to focus on digging deep, making sure our processes are better than ever before, analysing the data better than ever before."

Hamilton said the W10 Mercedes felt similar to last year's W09, despite aerodynamic rule changes, and he was in the best shape of his life physically.

"I'm here for round seven with the team," he said. "This is going to be the most challenging year, I think, of our partnership.

"And I still love racing so nothing really changes there."

Lewis Hamilton shrugged off Ferrari's testing pace on Wednesday while recognising that he and Mercedes faced their toughest challenge yet as they seek to stretch their Formula One domination into a sixth successive season.

Lewis Hamilton shrugged off Ferrari's testing pace on Wednesday while recognising that he and Mercedes faced their toughest challenge yet as they seek to stretch their Formula One domination into a sixth successive season. Ferrari, overall runners-up last year, have led the timesheets for the first two days of testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya and have also done plenty of laps with their new SF90 car. Sebastian Vettel, the four times champion who is partnered by young Monegasque Charles Leclerc this year, said on Monday his Ferrari had been "close to perfection". Mercedes, winners of both titles for the past five years, have also been pounding out the mileage without setting any eye-catching times. "They (Ferrari) have been looking great," Hamilton, who will be chasing his sixth title, told reporters. "For us it's been just digging deep, trying to understand the car, Pretty much the same as the beginning of every year. "The Ferraris always look strong, particularly in the last few years they look very strong right at the beginning so it's to be expected." Ferrari won the first two races of last year with a car that seemed quicker than the Mercedes but the champions came back strongly and Hamilton ended the year with 11 wins to Vettel's tally of five. NO WORRIES Last year Ferrari -- who won six successive constructors' titles between 1999 and 2004 -- were fastest in testing but it was still Hamilton who put his Mercedes on pole position at the first race in Melbourne with a circuit record time. "At the moment I don't really hold any worry about anything," said the 34-year-old Briton, who conceded that Ferrari did appear to have produced a better package than last season. "I just try to focus on our job. I don't know what everyone's doing, there's different fuel loads. I've been in this business a long time so I know how it goes over the first week and into the second. "It's not a time where we need to be focusing on others. We let everyone else do their thing and really try to focus on digging deep, making sure our processes are better than ever before, analysing the data better than ever before." Hamilton said the W10 Mercedes felt similar to last year's W09, despite aerodynamic rule changes, and he was in the best shape of his life physically. "I'm here for round seven with the team," he said. "This is going to be the most challenging year, I think, of our partnership. "And I still love racing so nothing really changes there."

Motor racing: Lewis Hamilton shrugs off Ferrari's early testing pace

New recruit Charles Leclerc kept Ferrari on top of the timesheets with a full race distance before lunchtime on the second day of Formula One's pre-season testing in Spain on Tuesday.

After teammate Sebastian Vettel led the way on Monday with the fastest time and most laps, Kimi Raikkonen's 21-year-old replacement slotted in seamlessly with a time not far off the German's best.

The Monegasque produced a best time of one minute 18.247 seconds and did 73 laps, compared with Vettel's Monday 1:18.161 and 72 laps, in partially cloudy conditions and an ambient temperature of 14 degrees Celsius.

Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton, working through the Mercedes testing programme, did one more lap than Leclerc however.

Ferrari's times have been quicker than anything from last year's weather-affected first four-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Rule changes, with new aerodynamic regulations, were expected to make the cars around 1.5 seconds a lap slower. But the evidence so far has been that much of the lost time has been regained.

By the time the season starts in Australia on March 17 cars can be expected to be going even faster, but Pirelli's F1 tyre boss Mario Isola cautioned that the picture might be distorted.

He said the asphalt had been new for testing last year, with a very smooth surface that had evolved further.

"I believe the influence of the Tarmac is higher, and the (warmer) temperature is playing a big effect. We know that," he told reporters.

Ferrari-powered Haas were second fastest, with Denmark's Kevin Magnussen taking his turn and producing a best lap of 1:19.234.

Alfa Romeo were third with Italian newcomer Antonio Giovinazzi taking over from Raikkonen who tested on Monday and using harder tyres than others.

In terms of mileage, Red Bull did the third most with Frenchman Pierre Gasly putting in 69 laps in another strong showing for the new partnership with Honda.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has joined Renault from Red Bull, did the least laps of the morning (28) but that was due to his rear wing flying off at speed.

He returned to the pits with the Renault engineers setting to work.

"On-track fun for Daniel. We're testing his reaction skills. They're good," the team said jokingly on Twitter. "Car and driver are back in the garage. Rear-wing assessing is in full flow."

Williams were again absent, with the team hoping to get their car to Barcelona for Wednesday's third day amid speculation that senior heads could roll as a result of the delay.

New recruit Charles Leclerc kept Ferrari on top of the timesheets with a full race distance before lunchtime on the second day of Formula One's pre-season testing in Spain on Tuesday.

New recruit Charles Leclerc kept Ferrari on top of the timesheets with a full race distance before lunchtime on the second day of Formula One's pre-season testing in Spain on Tuesday. After teammate Sebastian Vettel led the way on Monday with the fastest time and most laps, Kimi Raikkonen's 21-year-old replacement slotted in seamlessly with a time not far off the German's best. The Monegasque produced a best time of one minute 18.247 seconds and did 73 laps, compared with Vettel's Monday 1:18.161 and 72 laps, in partially cloudy conditions and an ambient temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton, working through the Mercedes testing programme, did one more lap than Leclerc however. Ferrari's times have been quicker than anything from last year's weather-affected first four-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya. Rule changes, with new aerodynamic regulations, were expected to make the cars around 1.5 seconds a lap slower. But the evidence so far has been that much of the lost time has been regained. By the time the season starts in Australia on March 17 cars can be expected to be going even faster, but Pirelli's F1 tyre boss Mario Isola cautioned that the picture might be distorted. He said the asphalt had been new for testing last year, with a very smooth surface that had evolved further. "I believe the influence of the Tarmac is higher, and the (warmer) temperature is playing a big effect. We know that," he told reporters. Ferrari-powered Haas were second fastest, with Denmark's Kevin Magnussen taking his turn and producing a best lap of 1:19.234. Alfa Romeo were third with Italian newcomer Antonio Giovinazzi taking over from Raikkonen who tested on Monday and using harder tyres than others. In terms of mileage, Red Bull did the third most with Frenchman Pierre Gasly putting in 69 laps in another strong showing for the new partnership with Honda. Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has joined Renault from Red Bull, did the least laps of the morning (28) but that was due to his rear wing flying off at speed. He returned to the pits with the Renault engineers setting to work. "On-track fun for Daniel. We're testing his reaction skills. They're good," the team said jokingly on Twitter. "Car and driver are back in the garage. Rear-wing assessing is in full flow." Williams were again absent, with the team hoping to get their car to Barcelona for Wednesday's third day amid speculation that senior heads could roll as a result of the delay.

Charles Leclerc keeps Ferrari on top in testing

Ferrari's first day of pre-season Formula One testing on Monday was close to perfection, a delighted Sebastian Vettel said after setting the fastest time and completing more laps than anyone else.

The four times world champion managed 169 laps of Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya and the German did not hide his delight.

"Unbelievable, I think the car was working really well. we had no issues slowing us down, we actually completed the programme just the way we wanted," he told reporters.

"Obviously I am still a little bit rusty because I haven’t driven for a couple of months but it's getting better. I certainly got enough laps today," added Vettel.

"I will sleep well tonight. The car is working, I’m very happy. It’s doing what I want, so I am very pleased at the moment.

"I think huge compliments to everyone back in the factory... how they tackled the new rules and regulations and what they put on track today is very close to perfection on the first day of driving."

Ferrari have had a shake-up since last season, with Mattia Binotto installed as team principal in place of the departed Maurizio Arrivabene.

That has also brought a change in attitude, with Ferrari already seeming a more welcoming place -- for the media at least -- after what had seemed like a siege mentality under Arrivabene.

GOOD FEELING

Binotto has decades of experience at Ferrari and Vettel said the foundations remained the same.

"Obviously he’s been around a long time and knows everybody so in this regard there is no news," said Vettel.

"Its obviously news to be in the position and have that responsibility but so far I think everybody is having a smile on their face, focused and happy to come in for work and do their job.

"Days like this and a start like this are quite rewarding, with a lot of laps on the clock and a general good feeling for the car."

Vettel is now starting his fifth season at Ferrari, and he was reminded that it took his great compatriot Michael Schumacher five years before he won a title with the Italian team.

While he said it was too early to make such comparisons, and it did not feel like five years since he left Red Bull, Vettel saw clear progress in the team.

"The team is developing and closer together year by year so I hope that this year we get to have a lot of fun -- fun means win a lot of races and then ultimately you are fighting for the championship," he said.

"If we can maintain the level of enjoyment and fun that I found on the track today, and saw in people’s faces the last couple of months, then I’m positive and hopeful for the future."

Ferrari's first day of pre-season Formula One testing on Monday was close to perfection, a delighted Sebastian Vettel said after setting the fastest time and completing more laps than anyone else.

Ferrari's first day of pre-season Formula One testing on Monday was close to perfection, a delighted Sebastian Vettel said after setting the fastest time and completing more laps than anyone else. The four times world champion managed 169 laps of Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya and the German did not hide his delight. "Unbelievable, I think the car was working really well. we had no issues slowing us down, we actually completed the programme just the way we wanted," he told reporters. "Obviously I am still a little bit rusty because I haven’t driven for a couple of months but it's getting better. I certainly got enough laps today," added Vettel. "I will sleep well tonight. The car is working, I’m very happy. It’s doing what I want, so I am very pleased at the moment. "I think huge compliments to everyone back in the factory... how they tackled the new rules and regulations and what they put on track today is very close to perfection on the first day of driving." Ferrari have had a shake-up since last season, with Mattia Binotto installed as team principal in place of the departed Maurizio Arrivabene. That has also brought a change in attitude, with Ferrari already seeming a more welcoming place -- for the media at least -- after what had seemed like a siege mentality under Arrivabene. GOOD FEELING Binotto has decades of experience at Ferrari and Vettel said the foundations remained the same. "Obviously he’s been around a long time and knows everybody so in this regard there is no news," said Vettel. "Its obviously news to be in the position and have that responsibility but so far I think everybody is having a smile on their face, focused and happy to come in for work and do their job. "Days like this and a start like this are quite rewarding, with a lot of laps on the clock and a general good feeling for the car." Vettel is now starting his fifth season at Ferrari, and he was reminded that it took his great compatriot Michael Schumacher five years before he won a title with the Italian team. While he said it was too early to make such comparisons, and it did not feel like five years since he left Red Bull, Vettel saw clear progress in the team. "The team is developing and closer together year by year so I hope that this year we get to have a lot of fun -- fun means win a lot of races and then ultimately you are fighting for the championship," he said. "If we can maintain the level of enjoyment and fun that I found on the track today, and saw in people’s faces the last couple of months, then I’m positive and hopeful for the future."

Sebastian Vettel says first day of testing was close to perfection

Ferrari made a strong start to the first day of Formula One testing on Monday with four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel top of the timesheets at lunchtime with 72 laps completed.

The Italian team won six of the 21 races last year, finishing overall runners-up, and are hoping the new SF90 car can end Mercedes's five-year stranglehold on both championships.

Vettel's fastest lap of one minute 18.161 seconds, on a sunny morning at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, was already quicker than anything set during the weather-hit first four-day test of 2018.

The German was also nearly two seconds faster than the best of the rest.

Racing Point's Mexican Sergio Perez was next on the timesheets, with a 1.19.944, on a day when mileage mattered more than outright speed as teams get to grips with their new cars for the first time and focus on getting in plenty of laps.

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Reigning champions Mercedes, with Valtteri Bottas first behind the wheel of the silver W10, completed the second most laps -- three fewer than Ferrari -- with Renault's Nico Hulkenberg doing 65.

Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton will take over from Bottas, who was third fastest, in the afternoon.

Former champions McLaren also made a solid start with Spaniard Carlos Sainz, stepping into the shoes of departed compatriot Fernando Alonso, completing 56 laps with the sixth fastest time.

Red Bull, now powered by Honda after their split from Renault, managed 52 laps with Dutch driver Max Verstappen in action.

Alfa Romeo, the renamed former Sauber team, had 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen in new overalls after leaving Ferrari and completing 46 laps after an early trip into the gravel that brought out the first red flag of 2019.

The Finn was fourth fastest at the lunch break.

Russian Daniil Kvyat was slowest in the Honda-powered Toro Rosso but did more laps than Romain Grosjean, who did only 18 for Haas, while Perez took Racing Point's tally to 20.

Only nine of the 10 teams appeared on track, with struggling Williams failing to get their car ready on time and not expecting to test until Wednesday at the earliest.

Ferrari made a strong start to the first day of Formula One testing on Monday with four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel top of the timesheets at lunchtime with 72 laps completed.

Ferrari made a strong start to the first day of Formula One testing on Monday with four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel top of the timesheets at lunchtime with 72 laps completed. The Italian team won six of the 21 races last year, finishing overall runners-up, and are hoping the new SF90 car can end Mercedes's five-year stranglehold on both championships. Vettel's fastest lap of one minute 18.161 seconds, on a sunny morning at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, was already quicker than anything set during the weather-hit first four-day test of 2018. The German was also nearly two seconds faster than the best of the rest. Racing Point's Mexican Sergio Perez was next on the timesheets, with a 1.19.944, on a day when mileage mattered more than outright speed as teams get to grips with their new cars for the first time and focus on getting in plenty of laps. Feels great to be back! 👊#F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/zH4IwM44yj — Formula 1 (@F1) February 18, 2019 × Reigning champions Mercedes, with Valtteri Bottas first behind the wheel of the silver W10, completed the second most laps -- three fewer than Ferrari -- with Renault's Nico Hulkenberg doing 65. Five-times world champion Lewis Hamilton will take over from Bottas, who was third fastest, in the afternoon. Former champions McLaren also made a solid start with Spaniard Carlos Sainz, stepping into the shoes of departed compatriot Fernando Alonso, completing 56 laps with the sixth fastest time. Red Bull, now powered by Honda after their split from Renault, managed 52 laps with Dutch driver Max Verstappen in action. Alfa Romeo, the renamed former Sauber team, had 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen in new overalls after leaving Ferrari and completing 46 laps after an early trip into the gravel that brought out the first red flag of 2019. The Finn was fourth fastest at the lunch break. Russian Daniil Kvyat was slowest in the Honda-powered Toro Rosso but did more laps than Romain Grosjean, who did only 18 for Haas, while Perez took Racing Point's tally to 20. Only nine of the 10 teams appeared on track, with struggling Williams failing to get their car ready on time and not expecting to test until Wednesday at the earliest.

Sebastian Vettel gets Ferrari off to strong start in F1 testing

Ferrari turned a page on their recent past&nbsp;as they unveiled the Formula One car designed to end an era of Mercedes domination and shatter Lewis Hamilton's dreams of a sixth championship this season.&nbsp;

The sport's oldest and most successful team, who last won a title more than a decade ago and finished runners-up last year, presented the SF90 with plenty of fanfare at their Maranello factory.&nbsp;

"I'm looking forward to this year. I think the team is on the right path and hopefully we can continue improving," four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, winner of five races in 2018, assured the audience.&nbsp;

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Newborn <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SF90?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SF90</a> 
 
Discover all contents at <a href="https://t.co/bS2YGkBDkv">https://t.co/bS2YGkBDkv</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/essereFerrari?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#essereFerrari</a> <a href="https://t.co/FvzpUdWrGt">pic.twitter.com/FvzpUdWrGt</a>
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The German has a new team mate in Charles Leclerc, replacing 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen, and a new principal following the departure of Maurizio Arrivabene and appointment of Mattia Binotto.&nbsp;

"I'm extremely excited to start this new adventure," said Leclerc. "It's a dream since childhood. I've always been looking at the red cars, hoping to be one day in this car, so it's a very emotional day for me."&nbsp;

Testing starts in Spain on Monday with the first race in Australia on March 17.&nbsp;

Ferrari turned a page on their recent past as they unveiled the Formula One car designed to end an era of Mercedes domination and shatter Lewis Hamilton's dreams of a sixth championship this season.

Ferrari turned a page on their recent past as they unveiled the Formula One car designed to end an era of Mercedes domination and shatter Lewis Hamilton's dreams of a sixth championship this season. The sport's oldest and most successful team, who last won a title more than a decade ago and finished runners-up last year, presented the SF90 with plenty of fanfare at their Maranello factory. "I'm looking forward to this year. I think the team is on the right path and hopefully we can continue improving," four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, winner of five races in 2018, assured the audience. Newborn #SF90 Discover all contents at https://t.co/bS2YGkBDkv#essereFerrari pic.twitter.com/FvzpUdWrGt — Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 15, 2019 × The German has a new team mate in Charles Leclerc, replacing 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen, and a new principal following the departure of Maurizio Arrivabene and appointment of Mattia Binotto. "I'm extremely excited to start this new adventure," said Leclerc. "It's a dream since childhood. I've always been looking at the red cars, hoping to be one day in this car, so it's a very emotional day for me." Testing starts in Spain on Monday with the first race in Australia on March 17.

Ferrari launch new SF90 looking to end F1 title drought

Formula One owners Liberty Media have under-estimated the task of running the sport and must be firm in setting out a vision for the future, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

Speaking to reporters before the 2019 cars break cover next week, the Briton was also scathing of technical changes he said had been expensive to implement but would change little on track.

The agreements between teams, the rights holders and governing body expire at the end of 2020 and US-based Liberty, who took control two years ago, want closer racing and a more level playing field.

That includes a budget cap and distributing revenues more equally, as well as technical changes so that cars can follow at close quarters and overtake more easily.

The detail has yet to be defined, however, with resistance from wealthy teams who have historically enjoyed special privileges.

"I think they probably thought there was some very low hanging fruit there and I think it's proved an awful lot harder than they perhaps thought," Horner said of Liberty's initial approach to the sport.

"You can window dress and promote a movie as much as you like, but if the movie has not got the substance and isn't an exciting movie, people won't watch it."

Horner said Liberty had taken positive steps in areas such as esports, digital platforms and promotion, but they needed to set out a clear post-2020 blueprint.

"As the owner of the sport they need to take a position of 'this is what we want Formula One to be, here's the set of regulations and here's the financials', and go with it," declared the Briton.

Promoters representing a majority of the tracks on the calendar last week voiced concern about Liberty's handling of the sport.

Horner said former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who ran the sport for decades with an iron fist until 2017, would have had a firmer response to that.

"The problem is the way that Liberty are operating, trying to operate in a democratic way," he said.

"Bernie ran a really tight and hardship. A dictatorship. If you didn't like it, than you wouldn’t have a race the following year."

Formula One cars will have wider and simpler front wings this season, but Horner was sceptical about the changes improving racing.

"They've cherry-picked something in isolation of a future concept for 2021 and rushed it through onto the current car. There's no silver bullet," he said.

"It has to be everything working in harmony with everything else. Just taking the front wing and saying that will make racing better, it's quite a naive and ultimately expensive approach."

Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko has put the cost of developing the aerodynamic changes at an extra 15 million euros ($17.07 million) for the team.

Formula One owners Liberty Media have under-estimated the task of running the sport and must be firm in setting out a vision for the future, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

Formula One owners Liberty Media have under-estimated the task of running the sport and must be firm in setting out a vision for the future, according to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. Speaking to reporters before the 2019 cars break cover next week, the Briton was also scathing of technical changes he said had been expensive to implement but would change little on track. The agreements between teams, the rights holders and governing body expire at the end of 2020 and US-based Liberty, who took control two years ago, want closer racing and a more level playing field. That includes a budget cap and distributing revenues more equally, as well as technical changes so that cars can follow at close quarters and overtake more easily. The detail has yet to be defined, however, with resistance from wealthy teams who have historically enjoyed special privileges. "I think they probably thought there was some very low hanging fruit there and I think it's proved an awful lot harder than they perhaps thought," Horner said of Liberty's initial approach to the sport. "You can window dress and promote a movie as much as you like, but if the movie has not got the substance and isn't an exciting movie, people won't watch it." Horner said Liberty had taken positive steps in areas such as esports, digital platforms and promotion, but they needed to set out a clear post-2020 blueprint. "As the owner of the sport they need to take a position of 'this is what we want Formula One to be, here's the set of regulations and here's the financials', and go with it," declared the Briton. Promoters representing a majority of the tracks on the calendar last week voiced concern about Liberty's handling of the sport. Horner said former commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who ran the sport for decades with an iron fist until 2017, would have had a firmer response to that. "The problem is the way that Liberty are operating, trying to operate in a democratic way," he said. "Bernie ran a really tight and hardship. A dictatorship. If you didn't like it, than you wouldn’t have a race the following year." Formula One cars will have wider and simpler front wings this season, but Horner was sceptical about the changes improving racing. "They've cherry-picked something in isolation of a future concept for 2021 and rushed it through onto the current car. There's no silver bullet," he said. "It has to be everything working in harmony with everything else. Just taking the front wing and saying that will make racing better, it's quite a naive and ultimately expensive approach." Red Bull's motorsport consultant Helmut Marko has put the cost of developing the aerodynamic changes at an extra 15 million euros ($17.07 million) for the team.

Liberty have under-estimated challenge of F1, says Red Bull boss Horner

Ferrari appointed Mattia Binotto as their fourth Formula One principal in less than five years on Monday, with previous incumbent Maurizio Arrivabene paying the price for their continuing lack of titles.

The upheaval, little more than two months before the start of the season in Australia on March 17, had been flagged up before the official announcement by the Gazzeta dello Sport newspaper.

"After four years of untiring commitment and dedication, Maurizio Arrivabene is leaving the team," Ferrari said in a statement.

"The decision was taken together with the company’s top management after lengthy discussions related to Maurizio’s long term personal interests as well as those of the team itself."

Arrivabene was appointed principal of the sport's oldest, most successful and glamorous team in November 2014, replacing Marco Mattiacci who had taken over after Stefano Domenicali resigned in April of that year.

Binotto, a Ferrari stalwart with more than two decades of experience at Maranello, takes over with immediate effect and with all of the team's technical areas continuing to report directly to him.

Ferrari won six of the 21 races last season but their title challenge evaporated in the second half of the year and Mercedes won both the drivers' and constructors' crowns for the fifth year in a row.

The Italian team's most recent driver's title was with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, a year before they took their last constructors' championship.

Ferrari have won a record 16 constructors' titles and are unique in having competed in every season since the first in 1950.

Arrivabene's tenure had looked uncertain for some time, with reports as far back as October, 2017 suggesting Binotto could replace the former Philip Morris marketing executive.

Strategic blunders by the team last year only increased the pressure on a principal with little love or time for the media.

The team meanwhile adopted something of a siege mentality under his leadership.

Former chief engineer Luca Baldisserri spoke in 2016 of a 'climate of fear' at Maranello with staff allegedly reluctant to take risks in case they were fired by bosses with little racing experience.

The death in July last year of combative chairman Sergio Marchionne, who had exercised the real power, triggered a change at the top with Louis Camilleri taking over as chief executive and John Elkann, a scion of Italy's gilded Agnelli family, as chairman.

Media reports last year had indicated that Marchionne was already planning, before he died of complications during cancer surgery, to replace Arrivabene with Binotto.

Binotto, who has risen through the ranks to technical director and overseen a big step up in engine performance, had reportedly been a target for rival constructors and Ferrari were determined to retain his services.

How well equipped he is to fight Ferrari's corner in delicate talks about the sport's future post-2021, with the sport's owners keen to see a more level playing field, remains an open question.

The team's drivers for the 2019 season are Germany's four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel, runner-up to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton last year, and new arrival Charles Leclerc who has replaced Kimi Raikkonen.

Finland's Raikkonen, world champion in 2007, has moved to Sauber.

Ferrari appointed Mattia Binotto as their fourth Formula One principal in less than five years on Monday, with previous incumbent Maurizio Arrivabene paying the price for their continuing lack of titles.

Ferrari appointed Mattia Binotto as their fourth Formula One principal in less than five years on Monday, with previous incumbent Maurizio Arrivabene paying the price for their continuing lack of titles. The upheaval, little more than two months before the start of the season in Australia on March 17, had been flagged up before the official announcement by the Gazzeta dello Sport newspaper. "After four years of untiring commitment and dedication, Maurizio Arrivabene is leaving the team," Ferrari said in a statement. "The decision was taken together with the company’s top management after lengthy discussions related to Maurizio’s long term personal interests as well as those of the team itself." Arrivabene was appointed principal of the sport's oldest, most successful and glamorous team in November 2014, replacing Marco Mattiacci who had taken over after Stefano Domenicali resigned in April of that year. Binotto, a Ferrari stalwart with more than two decades of experience at Maranello, takes over with immediate effect and with all of the team's technical areas continuing to report directly to him. Ferrari won six of the 21 races last season but their title challenge evaporated in the second half of the year and Mercedes won both the drivers' and constructors' crowns for the fifth year in a row. The Italian team's most recent driver's title was with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, a year before they took their last constructors' championship. Ferrari have won a record 16 constructors' titles and are unique in having competed in every season since the first in 1950. Arrivabene's tenure had looked uncertain for some time, with reports as far back as October, 2017 suggesting Binotto could replace the former Philip Morris marketing executive. Strategic blunders by the team last year only increased the pressure on a principal with little love or time for the media. The team meanwhile adopted something of a siege mentality under his leadership. Former chief engineer Luca Baldisserri spoke in 2016 of a 'climate of fear' at Maranello with staff allegedly reluctant to take risks in case they were fired by bosses with little racing experience. The death in July last year of combative chairman Sergio Marchionne, who had exercised the real power, triggered a change at the top with Louis Camilleri taking over as chief executive and John Elkann, a scion of Italy's gilded Agnelli family, as chairman. Media reports last year had indicated that Marchionne was already planning, before he died of complications during cancer surgery, to replace Arrivabene with Binotto. Binotto, who has risen through the ranks to technical director and overseen a big step up in engine performance, had reportedly been a target for rival constructors and Ferrari were determined to retain his services. How well equipped he is to fight Ferrari's corner in delicate talks about the sport's future post-2021, with the sport's owners keen to see a more level playing field, remains an open question. The team's drivers for the 2019 season are Germany's four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel, runner-up to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton last year, and new arrival Charles Leclerc who has replaced Kimi Raikkonen. Finland's Raikkonen, world champion in 2007, has moved to Sauber.

Motor racing: Mattia Binotto replaces Arrivabene as Ferrari F1 boss

The tyres of the Aston Martin Racing team car screech and the engine roars as it leaves the pits on its way back into the race at the Shanghai international circuit, one of China's premier motor racing venues.

This sound is something of a metaphor for the growth of the sport in China, where young and old drivers alike are increasingly itching to make an impression on the track.

One of those is 29-year-old Ryan Liu from Shanghai, who won the China GT4 Championship last year in an Aston Martin Vantage with British co-driver Jack Mitchell.

The result, however, is only a stepping stone for Liu towards his dream of driving at the highest levels, although he is realistic about his chances given his age.

"This is a beautiful dream, for me, as it is for many other people," Liu said. "Whether or not one can get into F1 depends on maximising resources in all areas.

"So this for me is more of a dream (than anything else)."

No Chinese driver has featured in a Formula One race, although Ma Qinghua made a free practice appearance for HRT ahead of the 2012 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

It is a journey which does not come cheap, in a sport which Liu says is notorious for "burning money".

Liu, who funds his passion from his savings as a former analyst with Morgan Stanley and support from his family and sponsors, said it had cost him around five million yuan ($729,288) last year.

About two million yuan is for using the Aston Martin car, of which around 800,000 yuan pays for Mitchell to be his co-driver.

Mitchell, who also won the British GT4 championship in 2018, said he loves racing in China, which established their own GT (Grand Touring) Championship in 2016 as more wealthy Chinese drivers got into the sport, but recognised the standard was different.

"Most of the guys I've raced with in the UK we've been practising since we were seven," the 20-year-old said.

"Whereas a lot of the guys in this championship, the Chinese people ... they are new to it.

"So obviously we've got a lot more experience in that sense... obviously we've been practising since we were seven so at the end of the day it's always practice makes perfect."

KARTING PATHWAY EMERGING

The emergence of go-karting, which is widely seen as the principal route into motor racing, however, is gaining in popularity in China and could drive younger people into the sport.

SD Karting Club in north east Beijing, one of a growing number of clubs in the capital, epitomises the trend.

A year after it opened in 2013, it had only around 10 junior members. Now there are around 500 juniors racing regularly.

One such member, He Wencong, who is 10, began karting aged four after his motorsport-mad father took him along. He now goes up to four times a week and won junior races in Beijing.

"My dream is to one day become a formula racing driver and do everything I can to get to F1," the primary school student said.

His father He Wei, an internet operations technician and a keen go-karter himself, said he would support his son in achieving his goal.

Wei is excited about the growth of the sport in China but thinks a better pathway is needed for local drivers to succeed on the world's biggest motor racing stages.

"We aren't like Italy or Europe where they have professional academies. They'll have professional teams, coaches and engineers or technicians," Wei said.

"But in China in lots of cases everything is spontaneous. For example it could be parents who've started it, or the karting centre who've started it.

"It's very rare to have real, official sponsorship."

The tyres of the Aston Martin Racing team car screech and the engine roars as it leaves the pits on its way back into the race at the Shanghai international circuit, one of China's premier motor racing venues.

The tyres of the Aston Martin Racing team car screech and the engine roars as it leaves the pits on its way back into the race at the Shanghai international circuit, one of China's premier motor racing venues. This sound is something of a metaphor for the growth of the sport in China, where young and old drivers alike are increasingly itching to make an impression on the track. One of those is 29-year-old Ryan Liu from Shanghai, who won the China GT4 Championship last year in an Aston Martin Vantage with British co-driver Jack Mitchell. The result, however, is only a stepping stone for Liu towards his dream of driving at the highest levels, although he is realistic about his chances given his age. "This is a beautiful dream, for me, as it is for many other people," Liu said. "Whether or not one can get into F1 depends on maximising resources in all areas. "So this for me is more of a dream (than anything else)." No Chinese driver has featured in a Formula One race, although Ma Qinghua made a free practice appearance for HRT ahead of the 2012 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. It is a journey which does not come cheap, in a sport which Liu says is notorious for "burning money". Liu, who funds his passion from his savings as a former analyst with Morgan Stanley and support from his family and sponsors, said it had cost him around five million yuan ($729,288) last year. About two million yuan is for using the Aston Martin car, of which around 800,000 yuan pays for Mitchell to be his co-driver. Mitchell, who also won the British GT4 championship in 2018, said he loves racing in China, which established their own GT (Grand Touring) Championship in 2016 as more wealthy Chinese drivers got into the sport, but recognised the standard was different. "Most of the guys I've raced with in the UK we've been practising since we were seven," the 20-year-old said. "Whereas a lot of the guys in this championship, the Chinese people ... they are new to it. "So obviously we've got a lot more experience in that sense... obviously we've been practising since we were seven so at the end of the day it's always practice makes perfect." KARTING PATHWAY EMERGING The emergence of go-karting, which is widely seen as the principal route into motor racing, however, is gaining in popularity in China and could drive younger people into the sport. SD Karting Club in north east Beijing, one of a growing number of clubs in the capital, epitomises the trend. A year after it opened in 2013, it had only around 10 junior members. Now there are around 500 juniors racing regularly. One such member, He Wencong, who is 10, began karting aged four after his motorsport-mad father took him along. He now goes up to four times a week and won junior races in Beijing. "My dream is to one day become a formula racing driver and do everything I can to get to F1," the primary school student said. His father He Wei, an internet operations technician and a keen go-karter himself, said he would support his son in achieving his goal. Wei is excited about the growth of the sport in China but thinks a better pathway is needed for local drivers to succeed on the world's biggest motor racing stages. "We aren't like Italy or Europe where they have professional academies. They'll have professional teams, coaches and engineers or technicians," Wei said. "But in China in lots of cases everything is spontaneous. For example it could be parents who've started it, or the karting centre who've started it. "It's very rare to have real, official sponsorship."

Motor racing: Chinese drivers take baby steps towards F1 dream

Five-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has apologised to residents of his boyhood home town Stevenage for suggesting he grew up in a slum.

The Briton, his country's most successful racing driver, said on national television at Sunday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards that it had been a dream for him and his family "to get out of the slums".

"Well, not the slums, but to get out of somewhere and do something," the Mercedes driver, who is now a multi-millionaire with homes in Monaco and the United States, added immediately after.

The comment drew condemnation from offended civic authorities and on social media.

Hamilton, who speaks often about his journey from an underprivileged background to the pinnacle of motor racing, said in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he had made a mistake.

The 33-year-old, only the third driver to win five championships, said he was "super proud" to come from the commuter town some 40km north of London where he was born and raised.

"Nobody is perfect and I definitely make mistakes quite often, particularly when you are up in front of a crowd trying to find the right words to express the long journey you've had in life," he said.

"I chose the wrong words. I didn't mean anything by it and those of you who know me, know that I always mean love."

Hamilton finished second in the awards, behind Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas.

Five-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has apologised to residents of his boyhood home town Stevenage for suggesting he grew up in a slum. The Briton, his country's most successful racing driver, said on national television at Sunday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards that it had been a dream for him and his family "to get out of the slums".

Five-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has apologised to residents of his boyhood home town Stevenage for suggesting he grew up in a slum. The Briton, his country's most successful racing driver, said on national television at Sunday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards that it had been a dream for him and his family "to get out of the slums". "Well, not the slums, but to get out of somewhere and do something," the Mercedes driver, who is now a multi-millionaire with homes in Monaco and the United States, added immediately after. The comment drew condemnation from offended civic authorities and on social media. Hamilton, who speaks often about his journey from an underprivileged background to the pinnacle of motor racing, said in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he had made a mistake. The 33-year-old, only the third driver to win five championships, said he was "super proud" to come from the commuter town some 40km north of London where he was born and raised. "Nobody is perfect and I definitely make mistakes quite often, particularly when you are up in front of a crowd trying to find the right words to express the long journey you've had in life," he said. "I chose the wrong words. I didn't mean anything by it and those of you who know me, know that I always mean love." Hamilton finished second in the awards, behind Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas.

Motor racing: Lewis Hamilton says he made a mistake with slum comments

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes won their fifth Formula One championships in 2018 but, even if nothing actually changed at the top, the season at least added an exciting twist to the same old story.

Yes, the top three -- the 'Silver Arrows' along with Ferrari and Red Bull -- again won all the races, just as they have for the past five years.

And yes, their drivers also filled all but one of the 63 podium places in what was more than ever a two-tier championship.

At the front, however, the fight for supremacy was far closer, with the outcome far from clear and Mercedes having to wait until the fourth race to open their win account.

Ferrari won six, their best effort since 2008 but still some way short of what might have been, and were hit hard by the death mid-season of combative chairman Sergio Marchionne and their own mistakes.

Red Bull ended their Renault partnership with four victories, their biggest haul since 2013 when they were last champions, to set new engine suppliers Honda a high benchmark for 2019.

Hamilton moved onto another level, however.

His success, with 11 wins from 21 races and 11 poles, was all the more impressive given that Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel could claim to have the faster car for at least the first half of the season.

Unlike Vettel and Ferrari, Hamilton barely put a wheel wrong as he equalled the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio's five titles, with only Michael Schumacher ahead on seven.

The highlights included storming from 14th on the grid to victory in Germany, while Vettel skidded off as he led in the wet, and an astonishing pole position lap in Singapore.

The 33-year-old Briton staged an epic recovery from last to second at Silverstone, and ended the year on 73 wins with Schumacher's all-time record of 91 coming into range.

"I've grown, I've understood myself more," Hamilton said when asked what he had learned from a year that left Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas winless, mentally battered and bruised.

"I've just been able to be a better me all year long and that's never going to stop."

Hamilton's continuing reign was echoed elsewhere in motorsport, with Spaniard Marc Marquez collecting his fifth MotoGP crown while Frenchman Sebastien Ogier went one better to end a closely-fought rally championship as a six-times champion.

Hefty Push

Formula One's youth revolution continued, with fresh faces lined up for 2019 as teams gave the driver merry-go-round a hefty push.

Only Mercedes and fifth-placed Haas will be carrying unchanged line-ups into 2019, also a crucial year off the track with commercial rights holders Liberty Media facing tough discussions over the sport's future direction.

Another, very real, shove landed Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who turned 21 and delighted Dutch fans with two race wins in 2018, in hot water after an altercation with Force India's Esteban Ocon.

Sauber's Charles Leclerc was rookie of the year and the exciting young Monegasque will begin a new chapter at Ferrari next year, trading places with 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen -- who won in Texas for his first victory in 113 races.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso called it a day, leaving as one of the greats but with McLaren still agonisingly slow and ushering out racing director Eric Boullier among others.

Alonso will now chase the Indianapolis 500, and Triple Crown glory, after winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with Toyota at the first attempt in 2018.

The return of the French Grand Prix after a 10-year absence was a popular comeback, the traffic jams around Le Castellet much less so as fans fumed in tailbacks for hours.

New faces coming in for 2019 will include Britain's Formula Two champion George Russell, at Williams, and teenage compatriot Lando Norris at McLaren.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo will also have a new team after leaving Red Bull for Renault -- now the sport's fourth-ranked team.

Force India who had previously been best-of-the-rest, went into administration and emerged under the new ownership of a Canadian consortium led by Lance Stroll's billionaire father Lawrence.

In the year's least surprising move, Stroll junior moved from Williams -- the former champions now 10th and last -- to his father's team for 2019.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes won their fifth Formula One championships in 2018 but, even if nothing actually changed at the top, the season at least added an exciting twist to the same old story.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes won their fifth Formula One championships in 2018 but, even if nothing actually changed at the top, the season at least added an exciting twist to the same old story. Yes, the top three -- the 'Silver Arrows' along with Ferrari and Red Bull -- again won all the races, just as they have for the past five years. And yes, their drivers also filled all but one of the 63 podium places in what was more than ever a two-tier championship. At the front, however, the fight for supremacy was far closer, with the outcome far from clear and Mercedes having to wait until the fourth race to open their win account. Ferrari won six, their best effort since 2008 but still some way short of what might have been, and were hit hard by the death mid-season of combative chairman Sergio Marchionne and their own mistakes. Red Bull ended their Renault partnership with four victories, their biggest haul since 2013 when they were last champions, to set new engine suppliers Honda a high benchmark for 2019. Hamilton moved onto another level, however. His success, with 11 wins from 21 races and 11 poles, was all the more impressive given that Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel could claim to have the faster car for at least the first half of the season. Unlike Vettel and Ferrari, Hamilton barely put a wheel wrong as he equalled the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio's five titles, with only Michael Schumacher ahead on seven. The highlights included storming from 14th on the grid to victory in Germany, while Vettel skidded off as he led in the wet, and an astonishing pole position lap in Singapore. The 33-year-old Briton staged an epic recovery from last to second at Silverstone, and ended the year on 73 wins with Schumacher's all-time record of 91 coming into range. "I've grown, I've understood myself more," Hamilton said when asked what he had learned from a year that left Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas winless, mentally battered and bruised. "I've just been able to be a better me all year long and that's never going to stop." Hamilton's continuing reign was echoed elsewhere in motorsport, with Spaniard Marc Marquez collecting his fifth MotoGP crown while Frenchman Sebastien Ogier went one better to end a closely-fought rally championship as a six-times champion. Hefty Push Formula One's youth revolution continued, with fresh faces lined up for 2019 as teams gave the driver merry-go-round a hefty push. Only Mercedes and fifth-placed Haas will be carrying unchanged line-ups into 2019, also a crucial year off the track with commercial rights holders Liberty Media facing tough discussions over the sport's future direction. Another, very real, shove landed Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who turned 21 and delighted Dutch fans with two race wins in 2018, in hot water after an altercation with Force India's Esteban Ocon. Sauber's Charles Leclerc was rookie of the year and the exciting young Monegasque will begin a new chapter at Ferrari next year, trading places with 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen -- who won in Texas for his first victory in 113 races. Double world champion Fernando Alonso called it a day, leaving as one of the greats but with McLaren still agonisingly slow and ushering out racing director Eric Boullier among others. Alonso will now chase the Indianapolis 500, and Triple Crown glory, after winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with Toyota at the first attempt in 2018. The return of the French Grand Prix after a 10-year absence was a popular comeback, the traffic jams around Le Castellet much less so as fans fumed in tailbacks for hours. New faces coming in for 2019 will include Britain's Formula Two champion George Russell, at Williams, and teenage compatriot Lando Norris at McLaren. Australian Daniel Ricciardo will also have a new team after leaving Red Bull for Renault -- now the sport's fourth-ranked team. Force India who had previously been best-of-the-rest, went into administration and emerged under the new ownership of a Canadian consortium led by Lance Stroll's billionaire father Lawrence. In the year's least surprising move, Stroll junior moved from Williams -- the former champions now 10th and last -- to his father's team for 2019.

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes shift from fourth to fifth

The Force India name will disappear from Formula One next season, after 11 years of competition, with the British-based team entered as Racing Point F1 on a list published by the governing FIA on Friday.

The chassis name was listed as Racing Point, with the company name Racing Point UK Limited.

The team, who became Force India in 2008 after Indian beer baron Vijay Mallya bought Spyker F1, were taken over in August by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll after going into administration.

They then competed in the second part of the 2018 season as a new Racing Point Force India team to distinguish them from the defunct Sahara Force India co-owned by Mallya and India's Sahara Group.

The team's 2019 drivers will be Mexican Sergio Perez and Stroll's son Lance.

Ferrari's official team name also changes to Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow and Haas becomes Rich Energy Haas F1 team to reflect sponsorship arrangements.

The 2019 entry list also revealed that Formula Two champion George Russell will race for Williams with the number 63 while McLaren rookie Lando Norris will have a four on his car.

Polish driver Robert Kubica, returning from an eight year absence after a near-fatal rally accident in 2011, will race with the number 88 on his Williams.

Thailand's Alexander Albon, debuting at Toro Rosso, had yet to have a number assigned.

The Force India name will disappear from Formula One next season, after 11 years of competition, with the British-based team entered as Racing Point F1 on a list published by the governing FIA on Friday.

The Force India name will disappear from Formula One next season, after 11 years of competition, with the British-based team entered as Racing Point F1 on a list published by the governing FIA on Friday. The chassis name was listed as Racing Point, with the company name Racing Point UK Limited. The team, who became Force India in 2008 after Indian beer baron Vijay Mallya bought Spyker F1, were taken over in August by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll after going into administration. They then competed in the second part of the 2018 season as a new Racing Point Force India team to distinguish them from the defunct Sahara Force India co-owned by Mallya and India's Sahara Group. The team's 2019 drivers will be Mexican Sergio Perez and Stroll's son Lance. Ferrari's official team name also changes to Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow and Haas becomes Rich Energy Haas F1 team to reflect sponsorship arrangements. The 2019 entry list also revealed that Formula Two champion George Russell will race for Williams with the number 63 while McLaren rookie Lando Norris will have a four on his car. Polish driver Robert Kubica, returning from an eight year absence after a near-fatal rally accident in 2011, will race with the number 88 on his Williams. Thailand's Alexander Albon, debuting at Toro Rosso, had yet to have a number assigned.

Force India name vanishes from Formula One

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