Lewis Hamilton vowed Thursday to try harder than ever to end his Interlagos winless run and keep his faint title hopes alive in Sunday&#39;s Brazilian Grand Prix.

The defending three-time world champion, who is 19 points adrift of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg with two races remaining, has been involved in several dramatic finishes in Brazil.

The stakes are high as he has to beat Rosberg to retain his title dream.

He lost out in his world title quest as a rookie in the 2007 showdown when Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari lifted the crown, but returned the following year to finish fifth and clinch his maiden championship.

Apart from Brazil, the only other current race the 31-year-old Briton has never won is the European Grand Prix.

&quot;I really don&#39;t know why I&#39;ve never won here,&quot; he told a news conference at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on Thursday. &quot;I have always tried very hard to win!

&quot;So I will be trying even harder this year.&quot;

A smiling Hamilton appeared to be utterly at ease during the news session at the circuit where he and German Rosberg flanked retirement-bound home hero Felipe Massa, of Williams.

Rosberg looked slightly more serious, but was showing no signs of tension as he approached his first title showdown race as favourite to lift the crown. He will be champion if he wins on Sunday.

&quot;I am looking forward to it,&quot; he said. &quot;I`m feeling good and I am excited by it. I will be going out to win. I have good memories from the last two years, but I am aware that we all start from zero.&quot;

Rosberg won the Brazil race in 2014 and 2015 and could complete a hat-trick of victories to seize the title.

&quot;I love this track and I always seem to manage to go well here,&quot; he added.

Their Mercedes team has promised them equal machinery, cars, engines and support for both of the two season-ending races.

But they cannot expect any favours from their rivals.

The two Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, separated by Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, made clear they will be racing hard, and without favour.

&quot;Same approach as usual,&quot; said Verstappen, 19. &quot;If there is a chance, we try to win.&quot;

Rain has been forecast for Sunday and is likely to play a part in the outcome. 
 
(AFP)

The defending three-time world champion is 19 points adrift of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg with two races remaining

Lewis Hamilton vowed Thursday to try harder than ever to end his Interlagos winless run and keep his faint title hopes alive in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix. The defending three-time world champion, who is 19 points adrift of Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg with two races remaining, has been involved in several dramatic finishes in Brazil. The stakes are high as he has to beat Rosberg to retain his title dream. He lost out in his world title quest as a rookie in the 2007 showdown when Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari lifted the crown, but returned the following year to finish fifth and clinch his maiden championship. Apart from Brazil, the only other current race the 31-year-old Briton has never won is the European Grand Prix. "I really don't know why I've never won here," he told a news conference at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on Thursday. "I have always tried very hard to win! "So I will be trying even harder this year." A smiling Hamilton appeared to be utterly at ease during the news session at the circuit where he and German Rosberg flanked retirement-bound home hero Felipe Massa, of Williams. Rosberg looked slightly more serious, but was showing no signs of tension as he approached his first title showdown race as favourite to lift the crown. He will be champion if he wins on Sunday. "I am looking forward to it," he said. "I`m feeling good and I am excited by it. I will be going out to win. I have good memories from the last two years, but I am aware that we all start from zero." Rosberg won the Brazil race in 2014 and 2015 and could complete a hat-trick of victories to seize the title. "I love this track and I always seem to manage to go well here," he added. Their Mercedes team has promised them equal machinery, cars, engines and support for both of the two season-ending races. But they cannot expect any favours from their rivals. The two Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen, separated by Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, made clear they will be racing hard, and without favour. "Same approach as usual," said Verstappen, 19. "If there is a chance, we try to win." Rain has been forecast for Sunday and is likely to play a part in the outcome. (AFP)

Formula One: Lewis Hamilton 'ready to race harder than ever'

Lewis Hamilton won pole position beating his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg for the Mexican Grand Prix on Saturday.&nbsp;

The three-time champion said he&nbsp;performed best during his worst session of the weekend.&nbsp;

&ldquo;On long runs we were really strong and practice was really good,&rdquo; AFP quoted Hamilton saying.&nbsp;

&ldquo;So strangely Q3 was actually my worst session of the whole weekend so far,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

This is Hamilton&#39;s 59th career pole and 10th of the season with his best being 1 minute 18.704 seconds.

If Hamilton fails to finish in the top nine on Sunday, Rosberg who has a 26-point lead will win the title.&nbsp;

&quot;Lewis&#39;s lap was brilliant, not so much mine but I put it together when it counted in the end,&quot; Rosberg said.&nbsp;

 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

Hamilton said his best lap came during his worst session of the weekend

Lewis Hamilton won pole position beating his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg for the Mexican Grand Prix on Saturday. The three-time champion said he performed best during his worst session of the weekend. “On long runs we were really strong and practice was really good,” AFP quoted Hamilton saying. “So strangely Q3 was actually my worst session of the whole weekend so far," he added. This is Hamilton's 59th career pole and 10th of the season with his best being 1 minute 18.704 seconds. If Hamilton fails to finish in the top nine on Sunday, Rosberg who has a 26-point lead will win the title. "Lewis's lap was brilliant, not so much mine but I put it together when it counted in the end," Rosberg said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Mexican GP: Hamilton beats Nico Rosberg in qualifying

World champion Lewis Hamilton produced a flawless drive from his 58th pole position to finish ahead of his Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg at the US Grand Prix on Sunday.

The defending champion kept alive his bid for a fourth world title on Sunday when he claimed his first victory in six races. This is the 50th career triumph for the three-time world champion.&nbsp;

Hamilton, in fact, equalled the record set by seven-time champion German Michael Schumacher with his fifth US Grand Prix win.&nbsp;

&quot;This has always been a good hunting ground for me. I love being in the USA. I&#39;m proud of the team&#39;s effort this weekend,&quot; said the Briton.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished third for Red Bull. Hamilton&rsquo;s win trimmed Rosberg&rsquo;s lead from 33 points to 26 with three races remaining, but he knows that even if he wins them all Rosberg can take his crown by finishing second in each one.

Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel came home fourth for Ferrari after team-mate Kimi Raikkonen had been forced into a bizarre retirement when he left the pits with a loose rear wheel.

Ricciardo&rsquo;s feisty Red Bull team-mate Dutch teenager Max Verstappen also retired after a mechanical failure, leaving the way open for two-time champion Fernando Alonso to seize fifth for McLaren-Honda after a late attack on compatriot Carlos Sainz.

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
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Lewis Hamilton's win kept him in the running for the fourth world title, as he swept past his team-mate Nico Rosberg to take the pole

World champion Lewis Hamilton produced a flawless drive from his 58th pole position to finish ahead of his Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg at the US Grand Prix on Sunday. The defending champion kept alive his bid for a fourth world title on Sunday when he claimed his first victory in six races. This is the 50th career triumph for the three-time world champion. Hamilton, in fact, equalled the record set by seven-time champion German Michael Schumacher with his fifth US Grand Prix win. "This has always been a good hunting ground for me. I love being in the USA. I'm proud of the team's effort this weekend," said the Briton. Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished third for Red Bull. Hamilton’s win trimmed Rosberg’s lead from 33 points to 26 with three races remaining, but he knows that even if he wins them all Rosberg can take his crown by finishing second in each one. Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel came home fourth for Ferrari after team-mate Kimi Raikkonen had been forced into a bizarre retirement when he left the pits with a loose rear wheel. Ricciardo’s feisty Red Bull team-mate Dutch teenager Max Verstappen also retired after a mechanical failure, leaving the way open for two-time champion Fernando Alonso to seize fifth for McLaren-Honda after a late attack on compatriot Carlos Sainz. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Formula One: Hamilton edges Rosberg to win US Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg rode his luck to grab pole position for Sunday&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a prolonged qualifying session punctuated by rainstorms and red flags. 
 
The championship-leading German produced a fastest lap of one minute and 19.965 seconds at the end of a session stretched to nearly two hours by heavy rain and crashes in the hazardous conditions on the twisting Hungaroring circuit on Saturday. 
 
Defending three-time champion Hamilton, who is just one point behind Rosberg after 10 of this year&#39;s 21 races, was 0.143 seconds behind his rival as the pair secured their team&#39;s sixth front-row lockout of the season. 
 
&quot;It was a really challenging qualifying with the changing conditions all the time,&quot; said Rosberg, 31, who six hours later had to survive a meeting with the stewards over his pole lap before he was cleared of any wrongdoing. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve been feeling really good out there the whole weekend in all conditions. I&#39;m looking forward to the race and the great opportunity tomorrow.&quot; 
 
Hamilton looked to be on course to take pole when on an improved best lap he came across Spaniard Fernando Alonso&#39;s McLaren spinning off the track dangerously in front of him.The Briton had to take evasive action, which cost him time, before Rosberg came round and was able to continue without easing off. 
 
&quot;It was unfortunate with Fernando, but these things happen,&quot; said a stony-faced Hamilton, who has been gnawing away at Rosberg&#39;s lead in the standings and is chasing a third win in succession. 
 
&quot;I did the best I could do and it&#39;s a long race tomorrow so I&#39;ll give it everything I&#39;ve got.&quot; 
 
The two Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo, who was also affected by Alonso&#39;s spin, and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen were third and fourth ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari. 
 
Vettel&#39;s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was unable to progress from Q2 in the treacherous conditions.Spaniards Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso and Alonso were sixth and seventh ahead of Briton Jenson Button in the second McLaren, Nico Hulkenberg of Force India and Valtteri Bottas of Williams, who was 10th fastest. 
 
Rosberg&#39;s success brought him his 26th career pole position and his 50th front-row start for a race he has never won.&nbsp; 
 
Heavy rain delayed the start of Q1 by 20 minutes, flooding many parts of the paddock, including television commentary booths.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It&#39;s pretty hairy out there, there&#39;s a lot of spray and standing water,&quot; said Williams deputy team chief Claire Williams. 
&quot;The most important thing is the safety of our drivers.&quot; 
 
When it did finally get going, there were four red flags in Q1 alone, as the drivers struggled badly. 
 
One of the victims was Swede Marcus Ericsson in his Sauber, slamming into advertising boards in front of a tyre barrier at Turn Ten, and bring another red flag with nine minutes remaining. 
 
Then his team-mate Felipe Nasr crashed. He was unhurt, but like Ericsson, his day was over.&nbsp;Another red flag, the fourth, with five minutes to go ensured a thrilling finale to Q1. 
 
(AFP)

Hamilton tried to evade a spin-off on the track which cost him time before Rosberg came round and was able to continue without easing off

Nico Rosberg rode his luck to grab pole position for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a prolonged qualifying session punctuated by rainstorms and red flags. The championship-leading German produced a fastest lap of one minute and 19.965 seconds at the end of a session stretched to nearly two hours by heavy rain and crashes in the hazardous conditions on the twisting Hungaroring circuit on Saturday. Defending three-time champion Hamilton, who is just one point behind Rosberg after 10 of this year's 21 races, was 0.143 seconds behind his rival as the pair secured their team's sixth front-row lockout of the season. "It was a really challenging qualifying with the changing conditions all the time," said Rosberg, 31, who six hours later had to survive a meeting with the stewards over his pole lap before he was cleared of any wrongdoing. "I've been feeling really good out there the whole weekend in all conditions. I'm looking forward to the race and the great opportunity tomorrow." Hamilton looked to be on course to take pole when on an improved best lap he came across Spaniard Fernando Alonso's McLaren spinning off the track dangerously in front of him.The Briton had to take evasive action, which cost him time, before Rosberg came round and was able to continue without easing off. "It was unfortunate with Fernando, but these things happen," said a stony-faced Hamilton, who has been gnawing away at Rosberg's lead in the standings and is chasing a third win in succession. "I did the best I could do and it's a long race tomorrow so I'll give it everything I've got." The two Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo, who was also affected by Alonso's spin, and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen were third and fourth ahead of four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari. Vettel's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was unable to progress from Q2 in the treacherous conditions.Spaniards Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso and Alonso were sixth and seventh ahead of Briton Jenson Button in the second McLaren, Nico Hulkenberg of Force India and Valtteri Bottas of Williams, who was 10th fastest. Rosberg's success brought him his 26th career pole position and his 50th front-row start for a race he has never won. Heavy rain delayed the start of Q1 by 20 minutes, flooding many parts of the paddock, including television commentary booths. "It's pretty hairy out there, there's a lot of spray and standing water," said Williams deputy team chief Claire Williams. "The most important thing is the safety of our drivers." When it did finally get going, there were four red flags in Q1 alone, as the drivers struggled badly. One of the victims was Swede Marcus Ericsson in his Sauber, slamming into advertising boards in front of a tyre barrier at Turn Ten, and bring another red flag with nine minutes remaining. Then his team-mate Felipe Nasr crashed. He was unhurt, but like Ericsson, his day was over. Another red flag, the fourth, with five minutes to go ensured a thrilling finale to Q1. (AFP)

Rosberg trumps team-mate Hamiltion to grab pole position for Hungarian Grand Prix

Red Bull&#39;s Daniel Ricciardo claimed his maiden Formula One win of the season in&nbsp;Malaysian Grand Prix today&nbsp;as long-time leader Lewis Hamilton retired following a Mercedes engine failure.&nbsp;

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The Australian&#39;s mate Max Verstappen finished second to score the former champions&#39; first one-two finish since the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, denying Mercedes the chance to wrap up the constructors&#39; title at the Sepang circuit, Reuters reported.

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In the second Mercedes Nico Rosberg came through the pack after early drama to finish third and extend his championship lead over Hamilton to 23 points, according to an official statement.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The F1 race report stated that despite Rosberg picked&nbsp;up a 10-second time penalty for a mid-race clash with Ferrari&rsquo;s Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth. Split by McLaren&rsquo;s Fernando Alonso, who came from the back row to take seventh, Williams&rsquo; Valtteri Bottas took fifth ahead of the Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg,

&nbsp;

While on the othet hand, team mate Jenson Button was ninth in his 300th Grand Prix, as fellow Briton Jolyon Palmer took his first F1 point with 10th for Renault.

&nbsp;

Ricciardo finally got his payback for his Monaco loss earlier in the year, as he came through a brutal battle with Verstappen which became one for victory after Hamilton&rsquo;s Mercedes had blown up when well ahead on the 41st lap. It was the fourth win of his F1 career.

&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp; 
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Nico Rosberg finished third, despite collecting a 10-second time penalty after colliding with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo claimed his maiden Formula One win of the season in Malaysian Grand Prix today as long-time leader Lewis Hamilton retired following a Mercedes engine failure. The Australian's mate Max Verstappen finished second to score the former champions' first one-two finish since the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, denying Mercedes the chance to wrap up the constructors' title at the Sepang circuit, Reuters reported. In the second Mercedes Nico Rosberg came through the pack after early drama to finish third and extend his championship lead over Hamilton to 23 points, according to an official statement. The F1 race report stated that despite Rosberg picked up a 10-second time penalty for a mid-race clash with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, who finished fourth. Split by McLaren’s Fernando Alonso, who came from the back row to take seventh, Williams’ Valtteri Bottas took fifth ahead of the Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg, While on the othet hand, team mate Jenson Button was ninth in his 300th Grand Prix, as fellow Briton Jolyon Palmer took his first F1 point with 10th for Renault. Ricciardo finally got his payback for his Monaco loss earlier in the year, as he came through a brutal battle with Verstappen which became one for victory after Hamilton’s Mercedes had blown up when well ahead on the 41st lap. It was the fourth win of his F1 career. (WION)

Malaysian Grand Prix 2016: Ricciardo leads Red Bull one-two as Hamilton retires

Lewis Hamilton blitzed his rivals in qualifying Saturday to secure pole position for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion clocked the fastest lap ever recorded at the 5.543km circuit in 1min 32.850sec. His amazing drive eclipsed the pole position lap record for Sepang set by Juan Pablo Montoya in a Williams way back in 2004.

But Hamilton still reckoned it wasn&#39;t perfect despite being more than four-tenths faster than Mercedes rival and championship leader Nico Rosberg.

&quot;I really enjoyed the lap. It could have been faster,&quot; said Hamilton, who has consistently outpaced his rival Rosberg all week.&nbsp;

It marks a welcome and timely return to form for the three-time world champion after his Mercedes teammate won the last three races to open up an eight-point title race lead.

Hamilton trailed Rosberg by 43 points after the first four races of a rollercoaster season, only to turn that into a 19-point lead. The hard-won advantage evaporated as the German sped to victory in Belgium, Italy and then Singapore two weeks ago.&nbsp;

&quot;This is definitely the best the car has been here,&quot; Hamilton told reporters. &quot;A huge thank you to the team, who continue through the whole year to improve,&quot; he added after his eighth pole position in 15 races so far this season. &nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s great work coming here after the last few weeks with Nico&#39;s wins,&quot; he said.

Rosberg&#39;s best lap was hampered by a wobble at the remodelled final hairpin turn 15, which now has a tricky negative camber to negotiate under braking. &quot;Lewis&#39;s lap was very quick so it was always going to be difficult,&quot; said Rosberg.&nbsp;

&quot;I would have been close, but unfortunately I made a mistake in the last corner.&quot;

Birthday boy

Third on the grid will be birthday boy Max Verstappen, who celebrated turning 19 on Friday before clocking 1:33.420 a day later, less than 0.2sec off the pace of Rosberg.&nbsp;

&quot;The whole weekend has been quite positive for me, we made some changes after Singapore that worked,&quot; said the teenager.&nbsp;Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo completes the second row of the grid for Sunday&#39;s race.

Next comes the Ferrari of four-time Malaysia victor Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

Just two-tenths of a second separated the best lap times of the Red Bulls and Ferraris making for an intriguing battle in Sunday&#39;s race on a high-speed circuit that provides ample opportunities for overtaking.

The Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg completed the fourth row locked out by teammates by qualifying seventh and eighth. Jenson Button, in his 300th grand prix demonstrated the continual improvement of the McLaren by putting it in ninth place just ahead of Felipe Massa&#39;s Williams.

Button&#39;s McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso will start from last place after being penalised 45 grid places for fitting an upgraded engine for practice and exceeding his permitted number of power units for the season. &nbsp;

The Spanish two-time world champion will revert to the same engine as Button for the race with Honda debuting the new power unit at their home Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka next weekend.

(AFP)

The British world champion was four-tenths faster than his Mercedes teammate and championship leader Nico Rosberg

Lewis Hamilton blitzed his rivals in qualifying Saturday to secure pole position for the Malaysian Grand Prix. The reigning world champion clocked the fastest lap ever recorded at the 5.543km circuit in 1min 32.850sec. His amazing drive eclipsed the pole position lap record for Sepang set by Juan Pablo Montoya in a Williams way back in 2004. But Hamilton still reckoned it wasn't perfect despite being more than four-tenths faster than Mercedes rival and championship leader Nico Rosberg. "I really enjoyed the lap. It could have been faster," said Hamilton, who has consistently outpaced his rival Rosberg all week. It marks a welcome and timely return to form for the three-time world champion after his Mercedes teammate won the last three races to open up an eight-point title race lead. Hamilton trailed Rosberg by 43 points after the first four races of a rollercoaster season, only to turn that into a 19-point lead. The hard-won advantage evaporated as the German sped to victory in Belgium, Italy and then Singapore two weeks ago. "This is definitely the best the car has been here," Hamilton told reporters. "A huge thank you to the team, who continue through the whole year to improve," he added after his eighth pole position in 15 races so far this season. "It's great work coming here after the last few weeks with Nico's wins," he said. Rosberg's best lap was hampered by a wobble at the remodelled final hairpin turn 15, which now has a tricky negative camber to negotiate under braking. "Lewis's lap was very quick so it was always going to be difficult," said Rosberg. "I would have been close, but unfortunately I made a mistake in the last corner." Birthday boy Third on the grid will be birthday boy Max Verstappen, who celebrated turning 19 on Friday before clocking 1:33.420 a day later, less than 0.2sec off the pace of Rosberg. "The whole weekend has been quite positive for me, we made some changes after Singapore that worked," said the teenager. Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo completes the second row of the grid for Sunday's race. Next comes the Ferrari of four-time Malaysia victor Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Kimi Raikkonen. Just two-tenths of a second separated the best lap times of the Red Bulls and Ferraris making for an intriguing battle in Sunday's race on a high-speed circuit that provides ample opportunities for overtaking. The Force Indias of Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg completed the fourth row locked out by teammates by qualifying seventh and eighth. Jenson Button, in his 300th grand prix demonstrated the continual improvement of the McLaren by putting it in ninth place just ahead of Felipe Massa's Williams. Button's McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso will start from last place after being penalised 45 grid places for fitting an upgraded engine for practice and exceeding his permitted number of power units for the season. The Spanish two-time world champion will revert to the same engine as Button for the race with Honda debuting the new power unit at their home Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka next weekend. (AFP)

Malaysian GP: Lewis Hamilton bags pole after scorching lap

Germany&#39;s Nico Rosberg celebrated his 200th Formula One race in style, retaking the drivers&#39; world championship lead from Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton.&nbsp; 
 
Rosberg won the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to seize the lead.&nbsp; 
 
His teammate and triple world champion Hamilton completed the podium in third place. 
 
&quot;The whole car was on the edge, it always is here in Singapore, so it&#39;s very satisfying to finish like that,&quot; Rosberg told reporters. 
 
The race got off to a chaotic start that brought out a safety car on the opening lap. Nico Hulkenberg&#39;s Force India, eighth on the grid, suffered a heavy crash after making contact with Carlos Sainz&#39;s Toro Rosso. 
 
The finish was equally tense as traffic prevented Rosberg pitting for new tyres near the end. Red Bull&#39;s Daniel Ricciardo, after his stop, closed the gap from more than 20 seconds to mere fractions over the final 14 laps. 
 
But the German held off his late-charge by just 0.4sec to win his third straight race. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s been an awesome weekend. Today, great start, I had a good car in the race. Of course, Daniel tried to pull one up on me with the pitstop at the end there, but it worked out,&quot; said Rosberg, as he celebrated the victory. 
 
It was Rosberg&#39;s third victory in a row and eighth of the season. It has lifted him on to 273 points on the standings, establishing an eight-point lead over title-holder Hamilton. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
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The Singapore win puts Nico Rosberg back on top of the drivers' world championship with an eight-point lead over teammate Hamilton

Germany's Nico Rosberg celebrated his 200th Formula One race in style, retaking the drivers' world championship lead from Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg won the Singapore Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to seize the lead. His teammate and triple world champion Hamilton completed the podium in third place. "The whole car was on the edge, it always is here in Singapore, so it's very satisfying to finish like that," Rosberg told reporters. The race got off to a chaotic start that brought out a safety car on the opening lap. Nico Hulkenberg's Force India, eighth on the grid, suffered a heavy crash after making contact with Carlos Sainz's Toro Rosso. The finish was equally tense as traffic prevented Rosberg pitting for new tyres near the end. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo, after his stop, closed the gap from more than 20 seconds to mere fractions over the final 14 laps. But the German held off his late-charge by just 0.4sec to win his third straight race. "It's been an awesome weekend. Today, great start, I had a good car in the race. Of course, Daniel tried to pull one up on me with the pitstop at the end there, but it worked out," said Rosberg, as he celebrated the victory. It was Rosberg's third victory in a row and eighth of the season. It has lifted him on to 273 points on the standings, establishing an eight-point lead over title-holder Hamilton. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Formula One: Rosberg wins Singapore Grand Prix, takes championship lead from teammate Hamilton

US billionaire John Malone&#39;s cable TV firm Liberty Media has bought Formula One for $4.4 billion. 
 
Bernie Ecclestone, who owned the racing business for decades, will be the chief executive of Formula One, the company said. 
 
&quot;They (Liberty Media) want me to be here for three years,&quot; Ecclestone had told Reuters a few days back, although Liberty didn&#39;t specify a timeframe. 
 
21st Century Fox chairman Chase Carey will be the company&#39;s new chairman.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We are excited to become part of&nbsp;Formula One,&quot; AFP quoted Liberty Media president and chief executive Greg Maffei as saying. 
 
&quot;We think our long-term perspective and expertise with media and sports assets will allow us to be good stewards of&nbsp;Formula One&nbsp;and benefit fans, teams and our shareholders.&quot; 
 
The deal was sealed after months of negotiations.&nbsp; 
 
Malone&#39;s Libert Media is the world&#39;s largest international TV and broadband company.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Liberty said it would keep Bernie Ecclestone, who has long controlled the racing group, as?F1's chief executive

US billionaire John Malone's cable TV firm Liberty Media has bought Formula One for $4.4 billion. Bernie Ecclestone, who owned the racing business for decades, will be the chief executive of Formula One, the company said. "They (Liberty Media) want me to be here for three years," Ecclestone had told Reuters a few days back, although Liberty didn't specify a timeframe. 21st Century Fox chairman Chase Carey will be the company's new chairman. "We are excited to become part of Formula One," AFP quoted Liberty Media president and chief executive Greg Maffei as saying. "We think our long-term perspective and expertise with media and sports assets will allow us to be good stewards of Formula One and benefit fans, teams and our shareholders." The deal was sealed after months of negotiations. Malone's Libert Media is the world's largest international TV and broadband company. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Liberty Media buys Formula One for $4.4 billion

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner today defended Formula One&#39;s decision to postpone the introduction of cockpit &#39;halos&#39; and said not enough research and development had been carried out. 
 
Horner spoke out after drivers union boss Alex Wurz warned that the move, taken on Thursday by the Formula One Strategy Group, had put business interests before driver safety. 
 
&quot;I disagree with that,&quot; said Horner. &quot;We&#39;ve agreed for a system to come in in 2018, but it needs to be fully researched, fully developed and fully tested.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;At the moment, other than a couple of installation laps from a couple of drivers, there&#39;s been no (testing) mileage put on this.&quot; 
 
He added that new tyre compounds are always tested intensively and extensively before they are introduced and said the same rigour must be applied to safety components. 
 
News of the rejection of the proposed cockpit protection device came just hours after four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel warned &quot;nothing justifies death.&quot; 
 
The Ferrari driver said: &quot;It would be the first time in human history that we&#39;ve learned a lesson and we did not change.&quot; 
 
The F1 Strategy Group made the decision at a meeting in Geneva where it also decided to make changes in other areas including a near-complete relaxation of restrictions on teams radio communications and the introduction of wet race standing starts. 
 
In a statement sent out &nbsp;today morning, F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting said the lifting of radio restrictions was done to improve content for the fans and spectators. 
 
His technical directive made clear that there would be no limits on the messages sent by teams except during the pre-race formation lap. 
 
He listed the subjects permitted in formation lap messages - including car problems, damage, driver software failures, official race control information and oil or debris on track. 
 
In exchange, he said, teams would no longer be able to use a &#39;privacy&#39; button and keep their radio communications message secret. 
 
This means that in future broadcasters will have access to all the radio traffic, a move taken to boost the entertainment factor at a time when F1 ticket sales are slumping. 
 
Thousands of seats at Hockenheim have been covered by green sheeting because the promoters have not sold them. 
In another move, a proposal for a standing race start after a Safety Car period was agreed. 
 
Horner welcomed the changes, but added that with major technical regulation changes next year requiring new designs for cars, it was likely to be difficult to do all the required work in the limited time available. 
 
Asked about the implications if there was a serious accident, in which the &#39;halo&#39; might have helped protect a driver`s head, next year, he said: &quot;It&#39;s very difficult... 
 
&quot;There are always &#39;what ifs?&#39; 
 
&quot;What if it was introduced and it created an accident or a driver couldn`t get out of the car... There are so many what ifs... We need to do the work and make sure it is what the drivers need.&quot; 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
&nbsp;

Christian Horner insisted system needs to be 'fully researched, fully developed and fully tested'

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner today defended Formula One's decision to postpone the introduction of cockpit 'halos' and said not enough research and development had been carried out. Horner spoke out after drivers union boss Alex Wurz warned that the move, taken on Thursday by the Formula One Strategy Group, had put business interests before driver safety. "I disagree with that," said Horner. "We've agreed for a system to come in in 2018, but it needs to be fully researched, fully developed and fully tested." "At the moment, other than a couple of installation laps from a couple of drivers, there's been no (testing) mileage put on this." He added that new tyre compounds are always tested intensively and extensively before they are introduced and said the same rigour must be applied to safety components. News of the rejection of the proposed cockpit protection device came just hours after four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel warned "nothing justifies death." The Ferrari driver said: "It would be the first time in human history that we've learned a lesson and we did not change." The F1 Strategy Group made the decision at a meeting in Geneva where it also decided to make changes in other areas including a near-complete relaxation of restrictions on teams radio communications and the introduction of wet race standing starts. In a statement sent out today morning, F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting said the lifting of radio restrictions was done to improve content for the fans and spectators. His technical directive made clear that there would be no limits on the messages sent by teams except during the pre-race formation lap. He listed the subjects permitted in formation lap messages - including car problems, damage, driver software failures, official race control information and oil or debris on track. In exchange, he said, teams would no longer be able to use a 'privacy' button and keep their radio communications message secret. This means that in future broadcasters will have access to all the radio traffic, a move taken to boost the entertainment factor at a time when F1 ticket sales are slumping. Thousands of seats at Hockenheim have been covered by green sheeting because the promoters have not sold them. In another move, a proposal for a standing race start after a Safety Car period was agreed. Horner welcomed the changes, but added that with major technical regulation changes next year requiring new designs for cars, it was likely to be difficult to do all the required work in the limited time available. Asked about the implications if there was a serious accident, in which the 'halo' might have helped protect a driver`s head, next year, he said: "It's very difficult... "There are always 'what ifs?' "What if it was introduced and it created an accident or a driver couldn`t get out of the car... There are so many what ifs... We need to do the work and make sure it is what the drivers need." (AFP)

Formula One: Red Bull boss defends 'halo' delay

The mother-in-law of Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has been kidnapped for ransom in her home city of Sao Paulo, Brazilian media reported on Tuesday. 
 
Aparecida Schunck Flosi Palmeira, 67, was seized Friday night in Interlagos, the Sao Paulo neighborhood that hosts the Brazilian circuit of the F1 Grand Prix, TV Globo reported. 
 
There was no confirmation from Brazilian officials or from Ecclestone&#39;s staff in London on the report which came less than two weeks before Rio de Janeiro hosts South America&#39;s first Olympic Games. 
 
&quot;We neither confirm nor deny this report,&quot; a spokesman for the regional security ministry said. &quot;That is our policy in cases of suspected kidnapping, to avoid putting the lives of potential victims in danger.&quot; 
 
The military police also said: &quot;We cannot confirm anything.&quot; 
 
According to Globo, the kidnappers are already in contact with the victim&#39;s family. 
 
Veja, a Brazilian weekly, reported that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom in pounds sterling worth 120 million reais ($36.6 million). 
 
Aparecida Palmeira is the mother of Ecclestone&#39;s 38-year-old Brazilian wife Fabiana Flosi, who met the 85-year-old billionaire while working for the Interlagos Grand Prix in 2009. 
 
The couple married in Switzerland and live in London. 
 
Neighbors in the comfortable area of Jardim Santa Helena where Aparecida Palmeira keeps a home said that a group of men came pretending to be making a delivery. 
 
&quot;When they opened the door, they went in carrying a box. They went in and left the box in the house, called the boss and forced her to go out into her own car,&quot; said one neighbor, who did not want to be identified. 
 
Another said: &quot;From the time they went in and came out, it didn&#39;t take more than 10 minutes.&quot; 
 
Kidnappings were common in Brazil in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, but dropped with more intensive policing and creation of a specialized anti-kidnapping department. 
 
Relatives of footballers were particularly targeted, including the mother of Brazilian national team star Robinho in 2004. She was held for 41 days in the outskirts of Sao Paulo. 
 
There were reports that she was freed after payment of as much as a $200,000 ransom, although the footballer&#39;s lawyers never confirmed this. 
 
Another high profile case involved the father of football star Romario in 1994. He was held for seven days before being freed. 
 
More recently, the sister of national team player Hulk was held for 24 hours in the state of Paraiba. 
 
(AFP)

There has been no confirmation but she was reportedly abducted by a 'group of men who had pretended to make a delivery'

The mother-in-law of Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has been kidnapped for ransom in her home city of Sao Paulo, Brazilian media reported on Tuesday. Aparecida Schunck Flosi Palmeira, 67, was seized Friday night in Interlagos, the Sao Paulo neighborhood that hosts the Brazilian circuit of the F1 Grand Prix, TV Globo reported. There was no confirmation from Brazilian officials or from Ecclestone's staff in London on the report which came less than two weeks before Rio de Janeiro hosts South America's first Olympic Games. "We neither confirm nor deny this report," a spokesman for the regional security ministry said. "That is our policy in cases of suspected kidnapping, to avoid putting the lives of potential victims in danger." The military police also said: "We cannot confirm anything." According to Globo, the kidnappers are already in contact with the victim's family. Veja, a Brazilian weekly, reported that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom in pounds sterling worth 120 million reais ($36.6 million). Aparecida Palmeira is the mother of Ecclestone's 38-year-old Brazilian wife Fabiana Flosi, who met the 85-year-old billionaire while working for the Interlagos Grand Prix in 2009. The couple married in Switzerland and live in London. Neighbors in the comfortable area of Jardim Santa Helena where Aparecida Palmeira keeps a home said that a group of men came pretending to be making a delivery. "When they opened the door, they went in carrying a box. They went in and left the box in the house, called the boss and forced her to go out into her own car," said one neighbor, who did not want to be identified. Another said: "From the time they went in and came out, it didn't take more than 10 minutes." Kidnappings were common in Brazil in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, but dropped with more intensive policing and creation of a specialized anti-kidnapping department. Relatives of footballers were particularly targeted, including the mother of Brazilian national team star Robinho in 2004. She was held for 41 days in the outskirts of Sao Paulo. There were reports that she was freed after payment of as much as a $200,000 ransom, although the footballer's lawyers never confirmed this. Another high profile case involved the father of football star Romario in 1994. He was held for seven days before being freed. More recently, the sister of national team player Hulk was held for 24 hours in the state of Paraiba. (AFP)

Formula One boss Bernie's mother-in-law reportedly kidnapped in Brazil for ransom: Media

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton produced a trademark triumph of pace and panache to win Sunday&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg and replace him as leader of this year&#39;s world title race. 
 
Hamilton outpaced Rosberg at the start and then controlled the 70 laps with a mixture of speed and flawless judgement in sweltering heat at the Hungaroring circuit. 
 
His victory completed a hat-trick of successes in consecutive races, was his outright record fifth in Hungary, his fifth of the season and the 48th of his career.&nbsp; 
 
Rosberg, who started from pole position, came home second ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen in the second Red Bull. 
 
Kimi Raikkonen was sixth in the second Ferrari ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of McLaren and Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso, Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Nico Hulkenberg who was 10th for Force India. 
 
Hamilton&#39;s win increased his points total to 192, six more than Rosberg as Ricciardo moved up to third. 
 
&quot;Awesome race Lewis, mega result,&quot; said his Mercedes engineer on team radio. &quot;Well done mate. Fantastic drive.&quot; 
 
Hamilton responded generously. &quot;As always, thank you guys, so much, for your hard work all weekend. This is a great result for the team,&quot; he said. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

His victory completed a hat-trick of successes in consecutive races, was his outright record fifth in Hungary and the 48th of his career

Defending champion Lewis Hamilton produced a trademark triumph of pace and panache to win Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg and replace him as leader of this year's world title race. Hamilton outpaced Rosberg at the start and then controlled the 70 laps with a mixture of speed and flawless judgement in sweltering heat at the Hungaroring circuit. His victory completed a hat-trick of successes in consecutive races, was his outright record fifth in Hungary, his fifth of the season and the 48th of his career. Rosberg, who started from pole position, came home second ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Dutch teenager Max Verstappen in the second Red Bull. Kimi Raikkonen was sixth in the second Ferrari ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of McLaren and Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso, Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Nico Hulkenberg who was 10th for Force India. Hamilton's win increased his points total to 192, six more than Rosberg as Ricciardo moved up to third. "Awesome race Lewis, mega result," said his Mercedes engineer on team radio. "Well done mate. Fantastic drive." Hamilton responded generously. "As always, thank you guys, so much, for your hard work all weekend. This is a great result for the team," he said. (AFP)

Hamilton claims record-breaking fifth Hungarian Grand Prix win

Former world champion Sebastian Vettel has slammed Formula One&#39;s decision to tighten radio rules, saying that drivers and teams should be free to say whatever they want to each other during a race. 
 
&quot;All the radio issues we&#39;ve had, I think it&#39;s a joke,&quot; the Ferrari driver told reporters on Thursday during preparations for this weekend&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix. 
 
The governing International Automobile Federation&#39;s (FIA) Formula One race director Charlie Whiting issued a &quot;technical directive&quot; to teams on Wednesday to clarify what they are allowed to tell their drivers over the radio. 
 
According to the document, seen by Reuters, teams can inform a driver about concerns with their vehicle but &quot;any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car&quot;. 
 
The fresh directive also underlined that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pitlane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the vehicle left the garage. 
 
The clarification came after Nico Rosberg, who had help from Mercedes in getting around gearbox gremlins at this month&#39;s British Grand Prix, was found to be in breach of the rule barring teams from giving drivers assistance over the radio. 
 
A week earlier Force India&#39;s Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with brake problems because the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue. 
 
German Vettel, 29, said curbing radio transmissions was the wrong way to go, given the technological complexity of modern-day cars, and called for the restrictions to be lifted. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not our mistake, as in the drivers, that the cars are so complicated these days that they need a big manual and a steering wheel full of buttons to operate it,&quot; the four-times world champion said. 
 
Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, however, brushed off the change, saying it &quot;doesn&rsquo;t make any difference to me&quot; while team-mate Rosberg said he did not have an opinion on it. 
 
(Reuters)

Sebastian Vettel said curbing radio transmissions was the wrong way to go and called for the restrictions to be lifted

Former world champion Sebastian Vettel has slammed Formula One's decision to tighten radio rules, saying that drivers and teams should be free to say whatever they want to each other during a race. "All the radio issues we've had, I think it's a joke," the Ferrari driver told reporters on Thursday during preparations for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. The governing International Automobile Federation's (FIA) Formula One race director Charlie Whiting issued a "technical directive" to teams on Wednesday to clarify what they are allowed to tell their drivers over the radio. According to the document, seen by Reuters, teams can inform a driver about concerns with their vehicle but "any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car". The fresh directive also underlined that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pitlane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the vehicle left the garage. The clarification came after Nico Rosberg, who had help from Mercedes in getting around gearbox gremlins at this month's British Grand Prix, was found to be in breach of the rule barring teams from giving drivers assistance over the radio. A week earlier Force India's Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with brake problems because the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue. German Vettel, 29, said curbing radio transmissions was the wrong way to go, given the technological complexity of modern-day cars, and called for the restrictions to be lifted. "It's not our mistake, as in the drivers, that the cars are so complicated these days that they need a big manual and a steering wheel full of buttons to operate it," the four-times world champion said. Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, however, brushed off the change, saying it "doesn’t make any difference to me" while team-mate Rosberg said he did not have an opinion on it. (Reuters)

Vettel slams radio rules as 'joke'

Formula One has clarified the rules on radio communication between teams and drivers in the wake of incidents that have cost competitors points this season. 
 
The clarification from the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the sport&#39;s governing body, makes clear that a team can inform a driver of a problem with his car but must order him to enter the pits for a decision on what to do. 
 
The technical directive, from Formula One race director Charlie Whiting ahead of Sunday&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix, defines more clearly what teams can tell drivers during a race. 
 
The document, dated July 20 and seen by Reuters, says &ldquo;any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car&quot;. 
 
The FIA has acted following some high-profile incidents relating to instructions from teams to drivers on the track. 
 
At the British Grand Prix on July 10 Mercedes Nico Rosberg was found to be in breach of the rules restricting what information can be conveyed. 
 
The German, nursing a potentially terminal gearbox problem, was hit with a 10-second time penalty that demoted him from second to third after the team gave him instructions on how to get around it. 
 
At the time Mercedes, which decided not to challenge Rosberg&rsquo;s penalty, argued the messages were legal as the rules permitted communication regarding a terminal problem. 
 
Force India&rsquo;s Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix a week earlier with brake problems after the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue. 
 
Following the clarification, teams will be forced to bring a driver into the pits if they inform him of a critical problem where they will then be free to either help him fix it or retire the car. 
 
Coming into the pits will, however, cost the driver a significant chunk of time. 
 
The fresh directive also clarified that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pit lane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the car left the garage. 
 
(Reuters)

International Automobile Federation clarified that a team can inform a driver of a problem with his car but must order him to enter the pits

Formula One has clarified the rules on radio communication between teams and drivers in the wake of incidents that have cost competitors points this season. The clarification from the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the sport's governing body, makes clear that a team can inform a driver of a problem with his car but must order him to enter the pits for a decision on what to do. The technical directive, from Formula One race director Charlie Whiting ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, defines more clearly what teams can tell drivers during a race. The document, dated July 20 and seen by Reuters, says “any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car". The FIA has acted following some high-profile incidents relating to instructions from teams to drivers on the track. At the British Grand Prix on July 10 Mercedes Nico Rosberg was found to be in breach of the rules restricting what information can be conveyed. The German, nursing a potentially terminal gearbox problem, was hit with a 10-second time penalty that demoted him from second to third after the team gave him instructions on how to get around it. At the time Mercedes, which decided not to challenge Rosberg’s penalty, argued the messages were legal as the rules permitted communication regarding a terminal problem. Force India’s Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix a week earlier with brake problems after the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue. Following the clarification, teams will be forced to bring a driver into the pits if they inform him of a critical problem where they will then be free to either help him fix it or retire the car. Coming into the pits will, however, cost the driver a significant chunk of time. The fresh directive also clarified that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pit lane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the car left the garage. (Reuters)

F1 drivers must return to pit under new radio rules

Lewis Hamilton won his home British Grand Prix for the third year in a row today with Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg finishing second but under a stewards investigation. 
 
The triple Formula One world champion&#39;s fourth home win, from pole position, was the 47th victory of Hamilton&#39;s career and cut Rosberg&#39;s overall lead to four points after 10 of 21 races. 
 
Rosberg was slowed by a gearbox problem with five laps remaining and crossed the line 6.9 seconds behind and with a question mark over his result after Mercedes seemingly broke the rules on radio advice by telling him to avoid seventh gear. 
 
Red Bull&#39;s Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was third, 1.3 seconds behind Rosberg, in a race that started behind the safety car after heavy rain. 
 
(Reuters)

It was the 47th victory of Hamilton's career and cut Rosberg's overall lead to four points after 10 of 21 races

Lewis Hamilton won his home British Grand Prix for the third year in a row today with Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg finishing second but under a stewards investigation. The triple Formula One world champion's fourth home win, from pole position, was the 47th victory of Hamilton's career and cut Rosberg's overall lead to four points after 10 of 21 races. Rosberg was slowed by a gearbox problem with five laps remaining and crossed the line 6.9 seconds behind and with a question mark over his result after Mercedes seemingly broke the rules on radio advice by telling him to avoid seventh gear. Red Bull's Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was third, 1.3 seconds behind Rosberg, in a race that started behind the safety car after heavy rain. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton wins fourth British Grand Prix

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was fastest in final British Grand Prix practice today, completing a sweep of the three sessions with Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg second. 
 
While Mercedes were again dominant, Ferrari&#39;s Sebastian Vettel had a bad start to a damp day when he told the team over the radio after his final lap: &quot;I think we failed another gearbox&quot;. 
 
Vettel picked up a five-place grid penalty in Austria last weekend for an unscheduled gearbox change. 
 
Hamilton lapped with a best time of one minute 30.904 seconds, 0.063 quicker than Rosberg who missed all of Friday&#39;s second practice, on the soft tyres. 
 
Australian Daniel Ricciardo was third fastest for Red Bull but more than half a second off Hamilton&#39;s pace. 
 
Dutch team mate Max Verstappen, winner in Spain and second in Austria, was fourth with Vettel fifth and 1.145 slower than the leading Mercedes. 
 
The session was halted to retrieve debris and fix barriers after Marcus Ericsson crashed his Sauber heavily at the exit to Stowe with 20 minutes remaining. 
 
The Swede got out of the badly damaged car without assistance, and did not appear hurt in the accident, but Sauber said he was going to a hospital for routine check-ups. 
 
Rosberg leads Hamilton by 11 points going into Sunday&#39;s race, the 10th of 21 on the calendar. 
 
Hamilton is chasing his third successive win at Silverstone and fourth of his career. 
 
The two Mercedes drivers are under strict instructions to race cleanly after colliding on the last lap in Austria, their third coming together in five races. 
 
(Reuters)

'I think we failed another gearbox', said Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel to his team over the radio after his final lap

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton was fastest in final British Grand Prix practice today, completing a sweep of the three sessions with Mercedes team mate and title rival Nico Rosberg second. While Mercedes were again dominant, Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel had a bad start to a damp day when he told the team over the radio after his final lap: "I think we failed another gearbox". Vettel picked up a five-place grid penalty in Austria last weekend for an unscheduled gearbox change. Hamilton lapped with a best time of one minute 30.904 seconds, 0.063 quicker than Rosberg who missed all of Friday's second practice, on the soft tyres. Australian Daniel Ricciardo was third fastest for Red Bull but more than half a second off Hamilton's pace. Dutch team mate Max Verstappen, winner in Spain and second in Austria, was fourth with Vettel fifth and 1.145 slower than the leading Mercedes. The session was halted to retrieve debris and fix barriers after Marcus Ericsson crashed his Sauber heavily at the exit to Stowe with 20 minutes remaining. The Swede got out of the badly damaged car without assistance, and did not appear hurt in the accident, but Sauber said he was going to a hospital for routine check-ups. Rosberg leads Hamilton by 11 points going into Sunday's race, the 10th of 21 on the calendar. Hamilton is chasing his third successive win at Silverstone and fourth of his career. The two Mercedes drivers are under strict instructions to race cleanly after colliding on the last lap in Austria, their third coming together in five races. (Reuters)

Hamilton on top, Vettel raises gearbox fear

Lewis Hamilton was booed on the podium after a last-lap collision with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg handed the triple Formula One world champion a dramatic first Austrian Grand Prix victory today. 
 
Championship leader Rosberg, who had been in front with Hamilton in his slipstream, nursed his damaged car over the line for fourth place with his advantage cut to 11 points after nine of 21 rounds. 
 
&quot;I am gutted, it&rsquo;s unbelievable,&quot; said the German, accusing Hamilton of turning in and causing the accident that broke his front wing. 
 
Hamilton disagreed. 
 
&quot;I was on the outside, it wasn&#39;t me that had the crash,&quot; said the Briton, who now has three wins to Rosberg&#39;s five this season, over the team radio. 
 
The stewards appeared to back that up by opening an investigation into Rosberg&#39;s actions. 
 
The German was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car. 
 
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described the collision as &quot;brainless&quot;, without singling out either of his drivers for blame. 
 
The team revealed Rosberg had suffered a problem with his brake-by-wire system which went into &quot;passive mode&quot; at the end of the penultimate lap as Hamilton closed in. 
 
The crowd, small in comparison to the previous two years with rows of empty seats in the grandstands, made their disapproval evident with whistles and boos as Hamilton was interviewed on the podium. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s not my problem, it&#39;s their problem,&quot; the surprised Briton, who started on pole, shrugged when asked about the noise. 
 
&quot;I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up and crashed into me. I think he had a problem with his brakes potentially. I&#39;m here to win. That&#39;s all.&quot; 
 
Dutch teenager Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull at their home track with Ferrari&#39;s Kimi Raikkonen third after teammate Sebastian Vettel crashed out on his 29th birthday when a rear tyre exploded. 
 
Hamilton&#39;s victory was the 250th in Formula One by a British driver since the championship started in 1950 and the 46th of his career. 
 
Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fifth for Red Bull with Britain&#39;s Jenson Button sixth for McLaren. 
 
Frenchman Romain Grosjean was seventh in a Haas ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in a Toro Rosso and Finland&#39;s Valtteri Bottas for Williams. 
 
German rookie Pascal Wehrlein scored his first point in Formula One, and his Manor team&#39;s first of the season, with a remarkable 10th. 
 
(Reuters)

Nico Rosberg was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car

Lewis Hamilton was booed on the podium after a last-lap collision with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg handed the triple Formula One world champion a dramatic first Austrian Grand Prix victory today. Championship leader Rosberg, who had been in front with Hamilton in his slipstream, nursed his damaged car over the line for fourth place with his advantage cut to 11 points after nine of 21 rounds. "I am gutted, it’s unbelievable," said the German, accusing Hamilton of turning in and causing the accident that broke his front wing. Hamilton disagreed. "I was on the outside, it wasn't me that had the crash," said the Briton, who now has three wins to Rosberg's five this season, over the team radio. The stewards appeared to back that up by opening an investigation into Rosberg's actions. The German was summoned to answer charges of causing a collision and failing to stop with a seriously damaged car. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described the collision as "brainless", without singling out either of his drivers for blame. The team revealed Rosberg had suffered a problem with his brake-by-wire system which went into "passive mode" at the end of the penultimate lap as Hamilton closed in. The crowd, small in comparison to the previous two years with rows of empty seats in the grandstands, made their disapproval evident with whistles and boos as Hamilton was interviewed on the podium. "That's not my problem, it's their problem," the surprised Briton, who started on pole, shrugged when asked about the noise. "I left a lot of room on the inside and I guess he locked up and crashed into me. I think he had a problem with his brakes potentially. I'm here to win. That's all." Dutch teenager Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull at their home track with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen third after teammate Sebastian Vettel crashed out on his 29th birthday when a rear tyre exploded. Hamilton's victory was the 250th in Formula One by a British driver since the championship started in 1950 and the 46th of his career. Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fifth for Red Bull with Britain's Jenson Button sixth for McLaren. Frenchman Romain Grosjean was seventh in a Haas ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in a Toro Rosso and Finland's Valtteri Bottas for Williams. German rookie Pascal Wehrlein scored his first point in Formula One, and his Manor team's first of the season, with a remarkable 10th. (Reuters)

Lewis Hamilton booed after dramatic Austrian victory

The Williams Formula One team equalled the record for the sport&#39;s fastest pit stop in Sunday&#39;s European Grand Prix. 
 
The British outfit changed the tyres on Brazilian Felipe Massa&#39;s car in 1.92 seconds, equaling the previous best on record set by the Red Bull team at the 2013 United States Grand Prix, according to statistics gathered for the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award. 
 
Red Bull turned around Australian Mark Webber in 1.923 seconds at the American race, when pit-stop timings were logged to thousandths of a second. 
 
Williams&#39; speed in the pits has been outstanding this year and they have been the fastest team at every race following a deliberate plan to improve their form. 
 
&quot;I was surprised in the first race that we had such a quick pit-stop,&quot; said Massa. 
 
&quot;We even lost time because it was quicker than you expected, but then I was ready to have a good one, because the team is doing such a good job.&rdquo; 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

They changed the tyres on Brazilian Felipe Massa's car in 1.92 seconds

The Williams Formula One team equalled the record for the sport's fastest pit stop in Sunday's European Grand Prix. The British outfit changed the tyres on Brazilian Felipe Massa's car in 1.92 seconds, equaling the previous best on record set by the Red Bull team at the 2013 United States Grand Prix, according to statistics gathered for the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award. Red Bull turned around Australian Mark Webber in 1.923 seconds at the American race, when pit-stop timings were logged to thousandths of a second. Williams' speed in the pits has been outstanding this year and they have been the fastest team at every race following a deliberate plan to improve their form. "I was surprised in the first race that we had such a quick pit-stop," said Massa. "We even lost time because it was quicker than you expected, but then I was ready to have a good one, because the team is doing such a good job.” (AFP)

Williams equal F1 pit stop record

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton completed his domination of practice for Azerbaijan&#39;s first Formula One grand prix with the fastest time in Saturday&#39;s final session before qualifying. 
 
The Mercedes driver, who was fastest in both Friday practices at the Baku street circuit, lapped with a best time of one minute 44.352 seconds late in the session, slower than his best the previous day. 
 
Team mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg was second, with a timing that was 0.258 seconds slower. 
 
Force India&#39;s Nico Hulkenberg, who won the Le Mans 24-hours sportscar race this time last year but is unable to defend the title due to the calendar clash, was best of the rest on the timesheets. 
 
Hamilton was 1.188 seconds clear of Hulkenberg. 
 
The session was halted shortly before the scheduled finish when Hulkenberg&#39;s Mexican team mate Sergio Perez hit the wall at Turn 15, the same spot where Red Bull&#39;s Daniel Ricciardo crashed on Friday. Ricciardo was fourth on Saturday, ahead of Ferrari&#39;s Sebastian Vettel, Perez and the Australian&#39;s 18-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen. 
 
Team workers modified the track overnight, removing kerbs that had lifted in Friday practice and moving the white lines at the pit lane entry. However, there was still a worrying moment when a loose drain cover flipped up in the pitlane after Valtteri Bottas&#39;s Williams passed over it. The car was damaged and returned to the garage while marshals placed a traffic cone in front of the hole. 
 
Some drivers, notably Rosberg and McLaren&#39;s Jenson Button, had complained about the lack of runoff areas and pitlane entry but they got short shrift from commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone. 
 
&quot;If they don&#39;t want to drive, they don&#39;t have to,&quot; said the 85-year-old. &quot;It&#39;s up to them. This is the circuit. If they don&#39;t like it, go home. One of them, I think Nico, was complaining about the speed into the pitlane. So I said to the people &#39;go and have a look and see if he&#39;s got a brake on the car&#39;. It&#39;s up to him how quick he is.&quot; 
(Reuters) 
 
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Has the fastest time on Saturday, and was fastest in both practice sessions on Friday

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton completed his domination of practice for Azerbaijan's first Formula One grand prix with the fastest time in Saturday's final session before qualifying. The Mercedes driver, who was fastest in both Friday practices at the Baku street circuit, lapped with a best time of one minute 44.352 seconds late in the session, slower than his best the previous day. Team mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg was second, with a timing that was 0.258 seconds slower. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg, who won the Le Mans 24-hours sportscar race this time last year but is unable to defend the title due to the calendar clash, was best of the rest on the timesheets. Hamilton was 1.188 seconds clear of Hulkenberg. The session was halted shortly before the scheduled finish when Hulkenberg's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez hit the wall at Turn 15, the same spot where Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo crashed on Friday. Ricciardo was fourth on Saturday, ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, Perez and the Australian's 18-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen. Team workers modified the track overnight, removing kerbs that had lifted in Friday practice and moving the white lines at the pit lane entry. However, there was still a worrying moment when a loose drain cover flipped up in the pitlane after Valtteri Bottas's Williams passed over it. The car was damaged and returned to the garage while marshals placed a traffic cone in front of the hole. Some drivers, notably Rosberg and McLaren's Jenson Button, had complained about the lack of runoff areas and pitlane entry but they got short shrift from commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone. "If they don't want to drive, they don't have to," said the 85-year-old. "It's up to them. This is the circuit. If they don't like it, go home. One of them, I think Nico, was complaining about the speed into the pitlane. So I said to the people 'go and have a look and see if he's got a brake on the car'. It's up to him how quick he is." (Reuters)

Hamilton completes practice sweep in Baku

Formula One takes a step into the unknown this weekend with its first grand prix in Azerbaijan, but, triple world champion Lewis Hamilton hopes the race will take him back to familiar, successful territory. 
 
A win in Baku would not only complete a hat-trick of victories for the Briton but would also see him overtake Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg at the top of the standings for the first time this year. 
 
After winning the last two races in Monaco and Montreal, while championship leader Rosberg finished off the podium, Hamilton slashed the gap between them from 43 points to nine. 
 
If Hamilton makes it three in a row by winning a race billed as the &#39;European Grand Prix&#39;, Rosberg must finish second to avoid falling behind his rival, who has beaten him to the championship for the last two years. 
 
&quot;We need to try to keep on a roll if possible,&quot; Hamilton said after winning in Canada on Sunday for the fifth time. &quot;Onwards and upwards, hopefully.&quot; 
 
Rosberg, winner of the first four races of the season as well as the last three of 2015, needs to hit back in Baku. 
 
He won last season&#39;s &#39;new&#39; race, the Mexican Grand Prix that was returning for the first time since 1992, but Hamilton had just won his third title and taken his foot off the gas. 
 
&quot;Canada unfortunately didn&#39;t work out as planned. But that&#39;s how things go when you&#39;re pushing the limits and I&#39;m not going to change my approach or start backing down,&quot; said Rosberg after making a quick getaway from Montreal. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m in this championship battle to win it, not to settle for second best.&quot; 
 
While the spotlight remains on the fierce duel between the two Mercedes drivers, who have clashed on the opening lap twice in the last three races, the champions are no longer in a battle of their own. 
 
Ferrari and Red Bull have closed the performance gap and could be a real threat in Baku where the circuit has long straight and tight turns around the old city, a UNESCO world heritage site. 
 
&quot;The speed of both the Ferrari and Red Bull is pretty much where we are now,&quot; commented Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after Ferrari&#39;s Sebastian Vettel made a lightning start in Canada and finished second. 
 
&quot;We are seeing the convergence of performance between teams that naturally comes with stable regulations, and that has made the competition tougher than ever.&quot; 
 
Formula One teams began setting up on Tuesday for a race that, despite campaigners calling for the sport to take a stance on human rights issues, has created a buzz throughout the paddock. 
 
&quot;It looks spectacular when you see what they have built up in downtown Baku, going through the old city,&quot; said Ferrari&#39;s track operations head Jock Clear. 
 
&quot;It looks a very exciting circuit. The stuff we&rsquo;ve done on simulators and the photographs we&rsquo;ve seen, it looks like it&rsquo;s going to be a great place to race. I think both drivers are really up for that kind of street circuit.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Formula One takes a step into the unknown this weekend with its first grand prix in Azerbaijan, but, triple world champion Lewis Hamilton hopes the race will take him back to familiar, successful territory. A win in Baku would not only complete a hat-trick of victories for the Briton but would also see him overtake Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg at the top of the standings for the first time this year. After winning the last two races in Monaco and Montreal, while championship leader Rosberg finished off the podium, Hamilton slashed the gap between them from 43 points to nine. If Hamilton makes it three in a row by winning a race billed as the 'European Grand Prix', Rosberg must finish second to avoid falling behind his rival, who has beaten him to the championship for the last two years. "We need to try to keep on a roll if possible," Hamilton said after winning in Canada on Sunday for the fifth time. "Onwards and upwards, hopefully." Rosberg, winner of the first four races of the season as well as the last three of 2015, needs to hit back in Baku. He won last season's 'new' race, the Mexican Grand Prix that was returning for the first time since 1992, but Hamilton had just won his third title and taken his foot off the gas. "Canada unfortunately didn't work out as planned. But that's how things go when you're pushing the limits and I'm not going to change my approach or start backing down," said Rosberg after making a quick getaway from Montreal. "I'm in this championship battle to win it, not to settle for second best." While the spotlight remains on the fierce duel between the two Mercedes drivers, who have clashed on the opening lap twice in the last three races, the champions are no longer in a battle of their own. Ferrari and Red Bull have closed the performance gap and could be a real threat in Baku where the circuit has long straight and tight turns around the old city, a UNESCO world heritage site. "The speed of both the Ferrari and Red Bull is pretty much where we are now," commented Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel made a lightning start in Canada and finished second. "We are seeing the convergence of performance between teams that naturally comes with stable regulations, and that has made the competition tougher than ever." Formula One teams began setting up on Tuesday for a race that, despite campaigners calling for the sport to take a stance on human rights issues, has created a buzz throughout the paddock. "It looks spectacular when you see what they have built up in downtown Baku, going through the old city," said Ferrari's track operations head Jock Clear. "It looks a very exciting circuit. The stuff we’ve done on simulators and the photographs we’ve seen, it looks like it’s going to be a great place to race. I think both drivers are really up for that kind of street circuit." (Reuters)

Hamilton hoping for a hat-trick in Baku

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