Jehan Daruvala will drive a Formula One car for the first time when he tests last year`s McLaren at Silverstone this week as part of his bid to become the third Indian to race at the pinnacle of motorsport. The Red Bull junior driver, third in the Formula Two standings and already qualified for a Formula One super licence, will be behind the wheel on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"This is nothing related to me getting a drive next year in Formula One," he told reporters on Monday.

"But I have got this opportunity to be in an F1 car and do well and if I do get the opportunity I want to be ready."

Daruvala is the highest placed Red Bull junior in F2 but is in his third season and progressing up the ladder looks difficult for the 23-year-old. Red Bull`s main F1 team have world champion Max Verstappen and Mexican Sergio Perez on multi-year deals while sister team AlphaTauri have confirmed Frenchman Pierre Gasly for 2023.

Japan`s Yuki Tsunoda, a Honda protege, is also likely to remain. Last year`s Formula Two champion, Australian Oscar Piastri, has yet to secure a race seat but is Alpine reserve driver with the Renault-owned team confident he will be racing somewhere in F1 next season.

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India`s Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok raced in Formula One at a time when it was easier for those bringing sponsorship to secure a seat. Daruvala, a `One in a Billion` find in a competition set up by tycoon Vijay Mallya and the now-defunct Force India team, could be the best his country has produced yet still have less chance of making it.

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He told Reuters earlier this year that 2022 was a make-or-break year and he would not give up on his dream.

"I don’t see why if I win the championship and am the most successful Red Bull junior why I can’t get a seat in the future," he said.

"Formula One is my dream and even if there is a 5% chance of me going to F1 I will wait for that opportunity."

Jehan Daruvala will drive a Formula One car for the first time when he tests last year`s McLaren at Silverstone this week as part of his bid to become the third Indian to race at the pinnacle of motorsport.

Jehan Daruvala will drive a Formula One car for the first time when he tests last year`s McLaren at Silverstone this week as part of his bid to become the third Indian to race at the pinnacle of motorsport. The Red Bull junior driver, third in the Formula Two standings and already qualified for a Formula One super licence, will be behind the wheel on Tuesday and Wednesday. "This is nothing related to me getting a drive next year in Formula One," he told reporters on Monday. "But I have got this opportunity to be in an F1 car and do well and if I do get the opportunity I want to be ready." Daruvala is the highest placed Red Bull junior in F2 but is in his third season and progressing up the ladder looks difficult for the 23-year-old. Red Bull`s main F1 team have world champion Max Verstappen and Mexican Sergio Perez on multi-year deals while sister team AlphaTauri have confirmed Frenchman Pierre Gasly for 2023. Japan`s Yuki Tsunoda, a Honda protege, is also likely to remain. Last year`s Formula Two champion, Australian Oscar Piastri, has yet to secure a race seat but is Alpine reserve driver with the Renault-owned team confident he will be racing somewhere in F1 next season. Also Read: FIFA World Cup fans can face up to 7 years in Jail if caught having one-night stands in Qatar India`s Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok raced in Formula One at a time when it was easier for those bringing sponsorship to secure a seat. Daruvala, a `One in a Billion` find in a competition set up by tycoon Vijay Mallya and the now-defunct Force India team, could be the best his country has produced yet still have less chance of making it. Also Read: Ex-Pakistan pacer Md. Amir responds to Rohit Sharma's 'he is just a normal bowler' comment from 2016 He told Reuters earlier this year that 2022 was a make-or-break year and he would not give up on his dream. "I don’t see why if I win the championship and am the most successful Red Bull junior why I can’t get a seat in the future," he said. "Formula One is my dream and even if there is a 5% chance of me going to F1 I will wait for that opportunity."

India's Jehan Daruvala to have first taste of Formula One with McLaren

Red Bull`s Formula One leader Max Verstappen shone in the wet to take pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix on Saturday as Alpine`s evergreen Fernando Alonso celebrated his first front-row slot in a decade. Verstappen`s main title rivals sunk out of sight, Mexican teammate Sergio Perez crashing and qualifying 13th while Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc ended a run of four poles in a row by dropping to 19th due to engine penalties.

"I still expect it not to be a straightforward race," said Verstappen after his second pole in nine races. "But today with the tricky conditions we stayed calm and didn`t make mistakes."

His qualifying time of one minute 21.299 seconds was 0.645 faster than 40-year-old Alonso`s surprising best. 
Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was third fastest on a drying track and seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton fourth for Mercedes on a weekend dominated by talk of bouncing cars and driver safety.

"I can`t tell you how happy I am," said Hamilton of his best Saturday showing so far this season. "On pure pace in the dry we`re still a long way off but to get top four in qualifying in those conditions is awesome."

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Sunday`s race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will be the first in Canada since 2019 and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is forecast to take place in sunny and dry conditions. Verstappen has won four of the last five races, with Red Bull chasing a sixth in a row. He leads teammate Sergio Perez by 21 points, with Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc a further 13 behind.

Double world champion Alonso, the oldest man on the grid, had been fastest in final practice and Sunday will be his first appearance on the front row since 2012 when he was on pole for Ferrari in Germany. The wily Spaniard said with a grin that he planned to attack Verstappen into the first corner and hoped to lead at least momentarily.

Haas`s Kevin Magnussen qualified fifth with teammate Mick Schumacher a career-highest sixth. Alpine`s Esteban Ocon lines up seventh and Mercedes` George Russell eighth.

"It`s something I can build on and grow from. I always loved racing in the wet conditions. On a track like this, there`s big potential for drivers showing what they can do," said Schumacher, who has yet to score a point.

McLaren`s Daniel Ricciardo qualified ninth and Chinese rookie Zhou Guanyu lines up 10th for Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo. Qualifying was halted in the second phase when Perez went straight into the Tecpro barrier between turns three and four and could not reverse out.

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The car had to be craned off and the barriers repaired before the session resumed. Perez qualified one place ahead of McLaren`s Lando Norris who failed to set a time in the second stage after reporting an issue with the power unit that the team could not fix.

Williams` Alex Albon had also gone into the barriers at turn six earlier but was able to continue, returning to the pits for a new front wing and eventually qualifying 12th.

Aston Martin`s four times world champion Sebastian Vettel and Canadian Lance Stroll failed to progress through the rain and spray of the opening phase after they had raised hopes in final practice. Nicholas Latifi completed a miserable afternoon for Canadian drivers in 19th place, although the Williams driver will move up a slot after Leclerc`s demotion.

Red Bull`s Formula One leader Max Verstappen shone in the wet to take pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix on Saturday as Alpine`s evergreen Fernando Alonso celebrated his first front-row slot in a decade.

Red Bull`s Formula One leader Max Verstappen shone in the wet to take pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix on Saturday as Alpine`s evergreen Fernando Alonso celebrated his first front-row slot in a decade. Verstappen`s main title rivals sunk out of sight, Mexican teammate Sergio Perez crashing and qualifying 13th while Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc ended a run of four poles in a row by dropping to 19th due to engine penalties. "I still expect it not to be a straightforward race," said Verstappen after his second pole in nine races. "But today with the tricky conditions we stayed calm and didn`t make mistakes." His qualifying time of one minute 21.299 seconds was 0.645 faster than 40-year-old Alonso`s surprising best. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was third fastest on a drying track and seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton fourth for Mercedes on a weekend dominated by talk of bouncing cars and driver safety. "I can`t tell you how happy I am," said Hamilton of his best Saturday showing so far this season. "On pure pace in the dry we`re still a long way off but to get top four in qualifying in those conditions is awesome." Also Read: British athletes subjected to 'child abuse', reveals ex-gymnast Nicole Pavier Sunday`s race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will be the first in Canada since 2019 and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is forecast to take place in sunny and dry conditions. Verstappen has won four of the last five races, with Red Bull chasing a sixth in a row. He leads teammate Sergio Perez by 21 points, with Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc a further 13 behind. Double world champion Alonso, the oldest man on the grid, had been fastest in final practice and Sunday will be his first appearance on the front row since 2012 when he was on pole for Ferrari in Germany. The wily Spaniard said with a grin that he planned to attack Verstappen into the first corner and hoped to lead at least momentarily. Haas`s Kevin Magnussen qualified fifth with teammate Mick Schumacher a career-highest sixth. Alpine`s Esteban Ocon lines up seventh and Mercedes` George Russell eighth. "It`s something I can build on and grow from. I always loved racing in the wet conditions. On a track like this, there`s big potential for drivers showing what they can do," said Schumacher, who has yet to score a point. McLaren`s Daniel Ricciardo qualified ninth and Chinese rookie Zhou Guanyu lines up 10th for Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo. Qualifying was halted in the second phase when Perez went straight into the Tecpro barrier between turns three and four and could not reverse out. Also Read: 'I don't support it': Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on US Open’s decision to allow Russian players to participate The car had to be craned off and the barriers repaired before the session resumed. Perez qualified one place ahead of McLaren`s Lando Norris who failed to set a time in the second stage after reporting an issue with the power unit that the team could not fix. Williams` Alex Albon had also gone into the barriers at turn six earlier but was able to continue, returning to the pits for a new front wing and eventually qualifying 12th. Aston Martin`s four times world champion Sebastian Vettel and Canadian Lance Stroll failed to progress through the rain and spray of the opening phase after they had raised hopes in final practice. Nicholas Latifi completed a miserable afternoon for Canadian drivers in 19th place, although the Williams driver will move up a slot after Leclerc`s demotion.

Max Verstappen aces wet conditions to win pole for Canadian Grand Prix edging Fernando Alonso

Mexican Sergio Perez won a rain-delayed, crash-halted and ultimately nail-biting Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen finished third to stretch his Formula One lead over Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was second, for the second year in a row, with Leclerc an agonising fourth in his home race after starting on pole position but with his team outsmarted on strategy by Red Bull.

Mexican Sergio Perez won a rain-delayed, crash-halted and ultimately nail-biting Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen finished third to stretch his Formula One lead over Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc.

Mexican Sergio Perez won a rain-delayed, crash-halted and ultimately nail-biting Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday as Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen finished third to stretch his Formula One lead over Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was second, for the second year in a row, with Leclerc an agonising fourth in his home race after starting on pole position but with his team outsmarted on strategy by Red Bull.

Motor racing: Mexican Sergio Perez wins rain-delayed and red-flagged Monaco GP

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

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

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

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

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone denied on Friday he had been arrested in Brazil and said an illegal gun found in his luggage before boarding a flight was never used and had no ammunition. 
The 91-year-old Briton, now in Portugal, told Reuters a "silly, tiny little incident" had caused a lot of aggravation as he and his family tried to leave Sao Paulo by private plane on Wednesday night.

"I haven`t had any publicity lately and I thought I ought to do something to get some," he joked in a telephone conversation. Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters on Thursday that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas` airport, but did not name him directly.

"I was never arrested," said Ecclestone, who does not speak Portuguese and confirmed that he had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,260) bail before being allowed to leave. "They wanted it in local currency which we never had," he added. "So there was another drama trying to find the money. I was leaving the country, I didn`t have any local money. "It was a bleeding drama, unnecessary, over a nothing."

Ecclestone said he had bought the handgun, a LW Seecamp .32, from a Formula One mechanic or tyre man in Brazil years ago without ammunition and for use purely as a deterrent. "They said you need something like this," he explained. "It might work if someone tried to mug you or something. So I bought it from the guy.

"I had it in the house and used to muck around with it if people came to visit me or something, we would joke around," he added. The billionaire has a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo where he regularly spends time when not in Europe.

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Ecclestone said he had been joking around with his son Ace and had left the gun in a shirt pocket and the people packing his luggage put it in a suitcase without being aware of the gun. An airport scan then revealed the firearm, which had not been registered.

"It was never going to be shot, it never had any bullets so I never bothered to register it. I didn`t know you had to," said Ecclestone. The billionaire said he then spent from 8pm until 5am at the airport making statements and completing paperwork before leaving in the morning. 
"It was good that they picked it up because if I`d come into Portugal and they`d found it, it would have been another mystery here," he said.

Ecclestone is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council. Her mother Aparecida Schunck was kidnapped in Sao Paulo in 2016, with criminals demanding 120 million reais ($25.07 million) in ransom before she was freed nine days later in a police raid without any money being paid.

The Ecclestones attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone denied on Friday he had been arrested in Brazil and said an illegal gun found in his luggage before boarding a flight was never used and had no ammunition.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone denied on Friday he had been arrested in Brazil and said an illegal gun found in his luggage before boarding a flight was never used and had no ammunition. The 91-year-old Briton, now in Portugal, told Reuters a "silly, tiny little incident" had caused a lot of aggravation as he and his family tried to leave Sao Paulo by private plane on Wednesday night. "I haven`t had any publicity lately and I thought I ought to do something to get some," he joked in a telephone conversation. Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters on Thursday that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas` airport, but did not name him directly. "I was never arrested," said Ecclestone, who does not speak Portuguese and confirmed that he had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,260) bail before being allowed to leave. "They wanted it in local currency which we never had," he added. "So there was another drama trying to find the money. I was leaving the country, I didn`t have any local money. "It was a bleeding drama, unnecessary, over a nothing." Ecclestone said he had bought the handgun, a LW Seecamp .32, from a Formula One mechanic or tyre man in Brazil years ago without ammunition and for use purely as a deterrent. "They said you need something like this," he explained. "It might work if someone tried to mug you or something. So I bought it from the guy. "I had it in the house and used to muck around with it if people came to visit me or something, we would joke around," he added. The billionaire has a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo where he regularly spends time when not in Europe. ALSO READ | Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone arrested in Brazil for illegally carrying a gun Ecclestone said he had been joking around with his son Ace and had left the gun in a shirt pocket and the people packing his luggage put it in a suitcase without being aware of the gun. An airport scan then revealed the firearm, which had not been registered. "It was never going to be shot, it never had any bullets so I never bothered to register it. I didn`t know you had to," said Ecclestone. The billionaire said he then spent from 8pm until 5am at the airport making statements and completing paperwork before leaving in the morning. "It was good that they picked it up because if I`d come into Portugal and they`d found it, it would have been another mystery here," he said. Ecclestone is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council. Her mother Aparecida Schunck was kidnapped in Sao Paulo in 2016, with criminals demanding 120 million reais ($25.07 million) in ransom before she was freed nine days later in a police raid without any money being paid. The Ecclestones attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia.

Ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone denies arrest, says gun had no bullets

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland, local police said on Thursday. The Brazilian police found an undocumented LW Seecamp .32 gun in Ecclestone`s luggage during an X-ray screening, police said in a statement, adding that the 91-year-old was then arrested and taken to a facility at Viracopos airport in Campinas.

Ecclestone acknowledged owning the gun, but said he was unaware it was in his luggage at the time, police said. The Briton paid bail and was freed to travel to Switzerland. Asked about Ecclestone`s arrest, the Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas` airport, but did not name him directly.

The office said the "small, silver colored pistol" was out of ammunition and that the arrestee had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,257.55) as bail. The handgun was seized, it added. Ecclestone was not immediately available for comment. He is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council.

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They attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia. The Ecclestones own a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo, which they bought in 2012 and where they regularly spend time when not in Europe. Piquet drove for Brabham when it was owned by Ecclestone in the 1970s and 80s.

For decades Ecclestone was Mr Formula One, the man who did the deals, turned the wheels and transformed the sport into today’s billion dollar business. He was moved aside in 2017 when U.S.-based Liberty Media took control of the commercial rights.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland, local police said on Thursday.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland, local police said on Thursday. The Brazilian police found an undocumented LW Seecamp .32 gun in Ecclestone`s luggage during an X-ray screening, police said in a statement, adding that the 91-year-old was then arrested and taken to a facility at Viracopos airport in Campinas. Ecclestone acknowledged owning the gun, but said he was unaware it was in his luggage at the time, police said. The Briton paid bail and was freed to travel to Switzerland. Asked about Ecclestone`s arrest, the Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed in a statement to Reuters that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas` airport, but did not name him directly. The office said the "small, silver colored pistol" was out of ammunition and that the arrestee had to pay 6,060 reais ($1,257.55) as bail. The handgun was seized, it added. Ecclestone was not immediately available for comment. He is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council. ALSO READ | Wagatha Christie trial: England footballers' wives libel spat ends with judgment reserved They attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia. The Ecclestones own a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo, which they bought in 2012 and where they regularly spend time when not in Europe. Piquet drove for Brabham when it was owned by Ecclestone in the 1970s and 80s. For decades Ecclestone was Mr Formula One, the man who did the deals, turned the wheels and transformed the sport into today’s billion dollar business. He was moved aside in 2017 when U.S.-based Liberty Media took control of the commercial rights.

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone arrested in Brazil for illegally carrying a gun

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

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

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

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

Ferrari`s Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc performed under pressure with a late flyer after a spin to surge from 10th to pole position ahead of Sunday`s Spanish Grand Prix.

Main rival and reigning champion Max Verstappen, who had looked like taking the top slot for Red Bull, had to settle for second after a late problem wrecked his final effort.

Ferrari`s home hero Carlos Sainz secured third place on the grid for Sunday, with George Russell taking the fourth slot for a revived Mercedes team.

Russell`s teammate and seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth, behind Red Bull`s Sergio Perez.

"It was a very, very difficult session...because I did a mistake in the opening and then obviously I only had one lap," said Leclerc after his fourth pole in six races and second in succession.

He had spun in his first flying lap of the final session and, with Verstappen fastest, was then left with one lap and everything riding on it.

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"It went extremely well, I had (some) moments on my lap but at the end I made it stick and I`m very, very happy with pole position," he said.

Verstappen, who has won the last two races to close the championship gap to 19 points, complained over the radio of a loss of power at the key moment in the final phase.

"I couldn`t do my final run. I had a DRS (drag reduction system that) didn`t open or I just lost power, so it`s a bit of a shame," said the Dutch driver.

"But I think, overall, to be on the front row for us here, looking at the whole weekend so far it was a good achievement. But, of course, I would have liked to go for that final run."

Sainz, who has yet to win in Formula One, said everything was still possible.

"Conditions haven`t been the easiest with the heat, with the wind, but today we managed to put in a decent lap which means we can fight tomorrow," he said.

McLaren`s Lando Norris had looked set to make the top 10 but had his best lap time deleted in the second session for exceeding track limits, allowing Haas`s Mick Schumacher to leapfrog ahead and qualify 10th.

The Briton`s Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo did make the final shootout and starts ninth. 
Both Aston Martins went out at the first hurdle despite an eye-catching update package that drew accusations of copying from Red Bull.

Four times world champion Sebastian Vettel starts 16th and Canadian team mate Lance Stroll, son of the team`s billionaire owner Lawrence, qualified 18th.

Two times world champion Fernando Alonso, the only Spaniard to win his home race, will lineup a disappointing 17th for Renault-owned Alpine.

Ferrari`s Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc performed under pressure with a late flyer after a spin to surge from 10th to pole position ahead of Sunday`s Spanish Grand Prix.

Ferrari`s Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc performed under pressure with a late flyer after a spin to surge from 10th to pole position ahead of Sunday`s Spanish Grand Prix. Main rival and reigning champion Max Verstappen, who had looked like taking the top slot for Red Bull, had to settle for second after a late problem wrecked his final effort. Ferrari`s home hero Carlos Sainz secured third place on the grid for Sunday, with George Russell taking the fourth slot for a revived Mercedes team. Russell`s teammate and seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth, behind Red Bull`s Sergio Perez. "It was a very, very difficult session...because I did a mistake in the opening and then obviously I only had one lap," said Leclerc after his fourth pole in six races and second in succession. He had spun in his first flying lap of the final session and, with Verstappen fastest, was then left with one lap and everything riding on it. Also read | Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne named Premier League's Player of the Season "It went extremely well, I had (some) moments on my lap but at the end I made it stick and I`m very, very happy with pole position," he said. Verstappen, who has won the last two races to close the championship gap to 19 points, complained over the radio of a loss of power at the key moment in the final phase. "I couldn`t do my final run. I had a DRS (drag reduction system that) didn`t open or I just lost power, so it`s a bit of a shame," said the Dutch driver. "But I think, overall, to be on the front row for us here, looking at the whole weekend so far it was a good achievement. But, of course, I would have liked to go for that final run." Sainz, who has yet to win in Formula One, said everything was still possible. "Conditions haven`t been the easiest with the heat, with the wind, but today we managed to put in a decent lap which means we can fight tomorrow," he said. McLaren`s Lando Norris had looked set to make the top 10 but had his best lap time deleted in the second session for exceeding track limits, allowing Haas`s Mick Schumacher to leapfrog ahead and qualify 10th. The Briton`s Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo did make the final shootout and starts ninth. Both Aston Martins went out at the first hurdle despite an eye-catching update package that drew accusations of copying from Red Bull. Four times world champion Sebastian Vettel starts 16th and Canadian team mate Lance Stroll, son of the team`s billionaire owner Lawrence, qualified 18th. Two times world champion Fernando Alonso, the only Spaniard to win his home race, will lineup a disappointing 17th for Renault-owned Alpine.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc puts in a late flyer for pole in Spanish Grand Prix

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the inaugural Miami Grand Prix for Red Bull on Sunday, slashing Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc`s overall lead from 27 to 19 points after five races. Leclerc finished a fighting second, 3.786 seconds behind after starting on pole position, with Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz completing the podium at the Miami Dolphins` Hard Rock Stadium.

The victory was the Dutch driver`s third of the season, and second in a row, and he made it happen with a crucial overtake around the outside on Sainz at the start to seize second place before blasting past Leclerc on the ninth of the 57 laps.

Verstappen, who also made sure of the bonus point for fastest lap, had looked to be cruising to victory until McLaren`s Lando Norris collided with AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly and crashed on lap 41, triggering the safety car. 
That allowed Leclerc to close the gap and get back into contention over the final 10 laps.

"It was an incredible Grand Prix," said Verstappen, who has won every race he has finished so far this season and was handed his winner`s trophy by Dolphins NFL quarterback great Dan Marino. "(It was) very physical but I think we kept it exciting until the end."

The race drew a cast of A-list celebrities, sporting greats and a sellout crowd as Formula One basked in a wave of popularity fuelled by the Netflix docu-series "Drive to Survive".

"It’s been insane. I’ve never known such interest, such passion and a huge, huge event," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. "I think it’s been great for the American public to tune into Formula One. ... it’s been a great event and an exciting race in the end as well."

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What was a slow burner in the energy-sapping humidity provided some fireworks at the end with the safety car bunching up the field, putting Leclerc right on Verstappen`s tail with five laps remaining.

"On the hard (tyres) we were very competitive and towards the end I thought I could get Max at one point but today they had the advantage in terms of pace," Leclerc said.

Verstappen`s Mexican teammate, Sergio Perez, finished fourth, with Ferrari retaining the lead in the constructors` standings on 157 points to Red Bull`s 151. Perez, who lost speed with a sensor issue that the team fixed, tried to pass Sainz on lap 52 but overcooked his move, with the Spaniard forcing his way back in front and staying there despite the Mexican`s fresher tyres.

George Russell continued his record of finishing every race so far in the top five, with Mercedes teammate and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton sixth after a brief battle between the two.

Russell, starting 12th but helped by pitting during the virtual safety car phase and having the advantage of fresher tyres, passed Hamilton twice on track. He handed back position after the first overtake because he had benefited from going wide but re-passed him immediately afterwards.

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Valtteri Bottas was seventh for Alfa Romeo with Alpine`s Esteban Ocon eighth in a stirring fightback after being unable to take part in Saturday`s qualifying due to a practice crash that forced the team to change his car`s chassis.

Double world champion teammate Fernando Alonso was demoted to 11th place after receiving a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Gasly.

Alex Albon moved up to ninth and Aston Martin`s Stroll 10th as a result of Alonso`s penalty. There was heartbreak for Mick Schumacher, who had been having his best race to date and looked like taking his first point in Formula One until he collided with Aston Martin`s Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel and teammate Stroll had both started from the pit lane after a fuel temperature problem stopped them from going to the grid.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the inaugural Miami Grand Prix for Red Bull on Sunday, slashing Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc`s overall lead from 27 to 19 points after five races.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the inaugural Miami Grand Prix for Red Bull on Sunday, slashing Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc`s overall lead from 27 to 19 points after five races. Leclerc finished a fighting second, 3.786 seconds behind after starting on pole position, with Spanish teammate Carlos Sainz completing the podium at the Miami Dolphins` Hard Rock Stadium. The victory was the Dutch driver`s third of the season, and second in a row, and he made it happen with a crucial overtake around the outside on Sainz at the start to seize second place before blasting past Leclerc on the ninth of the 57 laps. Verstappen, who also made sure of the bonus point for fastest lap, had looked to be cruising to victory until McLaren`s Lando Norris collided with AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly and crashed on lap 41, triggering the safety car. That allowed Leclerc to close the gap and get back into contention over the final 10 laps. "It was an incredible Grand Prix," said Verstappen, who has won every race he has finished so far this season and was handed his winner`s trophy by Dolphins NFL quarterback great Dan Marino. "(It was) very physical but I think we kept it exciting until the end." The race drew a cast of A-list celebrities, sporting greats and a sellout crowd as Formula One basked in a wave of popularity fuelled by the Netflix docu-series "Drive to Survive". "It’s been insane. I’ve never known such interest, such passion and a huge, huge event," said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. "I think it’s been great for the American public to tune into Formula One. ... it’s been a great event and an exciting race in the end as well." Also Read: Madrid Open - Teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz beats defending champion Alexander Zverev to clinch title What was a slow burner in the energy-sapping humidity provided some fireworks at the end with the safety car bunching up the field, putting Leclerc right on Verstappen`s tail with five laps remaining. "On the hard (tyres) we were very competitive and towards the end I thought I could get Max at one point but today they had the advantage in terms of pace," Leclerc said. Verstappen`s Mexican teammate, Sergio Perez, finished fourth, with Ferrari retaining the lead in the constructors` standings on 157 points to Red Bull`s 151. Perez, who lost speed with a sensor issue that the team fixed, tried to pass Sainz on lap 52 but overcooked his move, with the Spaniard forcing his way back in front and staying there despite the Mexican`s fresher tyres. George Russell continued his record of finishing every race so far in the top five, with Mercedes teammate and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton sixth after a brief battle between the two. Russell, starting 12th but helped by pitting during the virtual safety car phase and having the advantage of fresher tyres, passed Hamilton twice on track. He handed back position after the first overtake because he had benefited from going wide but re-passed him immediately afterwards. Also Read: Chelsea's top five most expensive signings under Roman Abramovich Valtteri Bottas was seventh for Alfa Romeo with Alpine`s Esteban Ocon eighth in a stirring fightback after being unable to take part in Saturday`s qualifying due to a practice crash that forced the team to change his car`s chassis. Double world champion teammate Fernando Alonso was demoted to 11th place after receiving a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Gasly. Alex Albon moved up to ninth and Aston Martin`s Stroll 10th as a result of Alonso`s penalty. There was heartbreak for Mick Schumacher, who had been having his best race to date and looked like taking his first point in Formula One until he collided with Aston Martin`s Sebastian Vettel. Vettel and teammate Stroll had both started from the pit lane after a fuel temperature problem stopped them from going to the grid.

F1 world champion Max Verstappen beats Leclerc to win first Miami Grand Prix

Formula One champion Max Verstappen dominated Sunday in a Red Bull rout of Ferrari at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.

Verstappen won from the pole, logged the fastest lap and picked up his second win of the season while leading teammate Sergio Perez to the first one-two Red Bull finish since Malaysia in 2016.

"Lovely Sunday,"&nbsp;Verstappen radioed his Red Bull team.

The Dutchman also won the sprint qualifying race on Saturday and earned maximum points on the weekend.

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Lando Norris was third for McLaren.

It was a disastrous race for Ferrari, racing on its home soil and hoping to celebrate a return to F1 dominance. Charles LeClerc came into Sunday as the championship leader with two wins in the first three races and Carlos

Sainz Jr. Celebrated a two-year contract extension this weekend in Italy.

But LeClerc couldn't get the jump on Verstappen at the start and never contended. Sainz spun off course on the opening lap to ruin his race, and LeClerc's bid to salvage the day for Ferrari ended when he spun racing Perez for second.

He ultimately finished sixth.

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LeClerc had a 46-point lead in the standings over reigning champion Verstappen at the start of the race but the Verstappen win cut the gap to 27 points.

The race featured a stirring late battle between Mercedes newcomer George Russell and Valtteri Bottas, the driver he replaced. The two went down to the final lap for fourth position, with Russell holding off the veteran for the spot.

Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile. Continued his early struggles and finished 13th. Mercedes head Toto Wolff apologized to Hamilton over the radio for the 'undriveable'&nbsp;car that Hamilton was given in Italy.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen dominated Sunday in a Red Bull rout of Ferrari at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Verstappen won from the pole, logged the fastest lap and picked up his second win of the season while leading teammate Sergio Perez to the first one-two Red Bull finish since Malaysia in 2016.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen dominated Sunday in a Red Bull rout of Ferrari at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Verstappen won from the pole, logged the fastest lap and picked up his second win of the season while leading teammate Sergio Perez to the first one-two Red Bull finish since Malaysia in 2016. "Lovely Sunday," Verstappen radioed his Red Bull team. The Dutchman also won the sprint qualifying race on Saturday and earned maximum points on the weekend. Also read | Maxwell posts Barack Obama meme after no-ball controversy in DC vs RR clash Lando Norris was third for McLaren. It was a disastrous race for Ferrari, racing on its home soil and hoping to celebrate a return to F1 dominance. Charles LeClerc came into Sunday as the championship leader with two wins in the first three races and Carlos Sainz Jr. Celebrated a two-year contract extension this weekend in Italy. But LeClerc couldn't get the jump on Verstappen at the start and never contended. Sainz spun off course on the opening lap to ruin his race, and LeClerc's bid to salvage the day for Ferrari ended when he spun racing Perez for second. He ultimately finished sixth. Also read | 'If it can happen in Pakistan': PSL team owner's absurd remark on Umran Malik LeClerc had a 46-point lead in the standings over reigning champion Verstappen at the start of the race but the Verstappen win cut the gap to 27 points. The race featured a stirring late battle between Mercedes newcomer George Russell and Valtteri Bottas, the driver he replaced. The two went down to the final lap for fourth position, with Russell holding off the veteran for the spot. Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile. Continued his early struggles and finished 13th. Mercedes head Toto Wolff apologized to Hamilton over the radio for the 'undriveable' car that Hamilton was given in Italy.

Formula One: Red Bull's Max Verstappen wins Imola race; Lewis Hamilton finishes 13th

Ferrari has rewarded Carlos Sainz`s fine form with a fresh two-year contract that will keep him at the famous Formula 1 team until at least the end of 2024. The Spaniard had a stellar debut season with Ferrari last year, scoring points in all but two races and reaching the podium four times on his way to a career-best fifth place in the standings, two places above team mate Charles Leclerc. Last month, former Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren driver Sainz said he was "extremely close" to signing a new deal with Ferrari, and in the days leading up to Ferrari`s first home race of the season at Imola, an agreement was reached."I am very happy to have renewed my contract with Scuderia Ferrari. I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for and after over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable," said Sainz. "My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season.

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"I feel strengthened by this renewed show of confidence in me and now I can`t wait to get in the car, to do my best for Ferrari and to give its fans plenty to cheer about. The F1-75 is proving to be a front-runner, which can allow me to chase my goals on track, starting with taking my first Formula 1 win," he added. His new deal brings him in line with Leclerc, with both drivers now contracted to Ferrari until at least the end of 2024.Sainz, who has 143 Grand Prix race starts, currently sits third in the drivers` standings on 33 points, having finished second and third respectively in the opening two races before retiring early last time out in Australia.&nbsp;

Ferrari has rewarded Carlos Sainz`s fine form with a fresh two-year contract that will keep him at the famous Formula 1 team until at least the end of 2024. The Spaniard had a stellar debut season with Ferrari last year, scoring points in all but two races and reaching the podium four times on his way to a career-best fifth place in the standings, two places above team mate Charles Leclerc.

Ferrari has rewarded Carlos Sainz`s fine form with a fresh two-year contract that will keep him at the famous Formula 1 team until at least the end of 2024. The Spaniard had a stellar debut season with Ferrari last year, scoring points in all but two races and reaching the podium four times on his way to a career-best fifth place in the standings, two places above team mate Charles Leclerc. Last month, former Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren driver Sainz said he was "extremely close" to signing a new deal with Ferrari, and in the days leading up to Ferrari`s first home race of the season at Imola, an agreement was reached."I am very happy to have renewed my contract with Scuderia Ferrari. I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for and after over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable," said Sainz. "My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season. ALSO READ | F1 racer Lewis Hamilton, superstar Serena Williams join Sir Martin Broughton's bid to buy Chelsea: Report "I feel strengthened by this renewed show of confidence in me and now I can`t wait to get in the car, to do my best for Ferrari and to give its fans plenty to cheer about. The F1-75 is proving to be a front-runner, which can allow me to chase my goals on track, starting with taking my first Formula 1 win," he added. His new deal brings him in line with Leclerc, with both drivers now contracted to Ferrari until at least the end of 2024.Sainz, who has 143 Grand Prix race starts, currently sits third in the drivers` standings on 33 points, having finished second and third respectively in the opening two races before retiring early last time out in Australia.

Formula 1: Spain's Carlos Sainz pens down new two-year contract with Ferrari

Serena Williams and Sir Lewis Hamilton, two of the biggest athletes in the modern era,&nbsp;are reportedly backing Sir Martin Broughton's bid to buy the English professional football club, Chelsea, with the superstars prepared to invest in buying the Stamford Bridge club.

According to a report in the Sky News, the seven-time Formula One champion Hamilton and the 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena are prepared to pledge as much as a whopping £10million each to the deal. As per speculations, the Chelsea FC is expected to be sold for around £2.5bn. It is reported that Sir Martin was in touch with the superstar duo Hamilton and Serena for quite some time and the deal is finally set to be taken forward.

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Sky News added that the F1 racer&nbsp;Hamilton would also 'play a formal role in Chelsea's future efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion' if Broughton's bid turns out to be&nbsp;successful. Chelsea, the current Champions League holders, have been up for sale since March following Russian owner&nbsp;Roman Abramovich being hit by sanctions from the government due to his ties to the country's&nbsp;president Vladimir Putin. Since then,&nbsp;many big names have brought forward their names and shown keen interest in buying the club. Nonetheless, it looks like Sir Martin has struck the right deal by bringing in two superstar athletes in the mix to strengthen his bid for acquiring the premier club.

Hamilton's name springs a surprise as the Britain racer has always been vocal of his support for Arsenal FC. Meanwhile, Serena already is the co-owner of&nbsp;Los Angeles-based women's team Angel City and, thus, holds significant knowledge of how to run a club.

Talking about Chelsea's run in the ongoing EPL season, it is currently at the third spot behind table-toppers Manchester City and Liverpool.

Serena Williams and Sir Lewis Hamilton, two of the biggest athletes in the modern era, are reportedly backing Sir Martin Broughton's bid to buy the English professional football club, Chelsea, with the superstars prepared to invest in buying the Stamford Bridge club.

Serena Williams and Sir Lewis Hamilton, two of the biggest athletes in the modern era, are reportedly backing Sir Martin Broughton's bid to buy the English professional football club, Chelsea, with the superstars prepared to invest in buying the Stamford Bridge club. According to a report in the Sky News, the seven-time Formula One champion Hamilton and the 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena are prepared to pledge as much as a whopping £10million each to the deal. As per speculations, the Chelsea FC is expected to be sold for around £2.5bn. It is reported that Sir Martin was in touch with the superstar duo Hamilton and Serena for quite some time and the deal is finally set to be taken forward. ALSO READ | Despite Benzema missing penalties, Real Madrid close in on LaLiga title after 3-1 win against Osasuna Sky News added that the F1 racer Hamilton would also 'play a formal role in Chelsea's future efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion' if Broughton's bid turns out to be successful. Chelsea, the current Champions League holders, have been up for sale since March following Russian owner Roman Abramovich being hit by sanctions from the government due to his ties to the country's president Vladimir Putin. Since then, many big names have brought forward their names and shown keen interest in buying the club. Nonetheless, it looks like Sir Martin has struck the right deal by bringing in two superstar athletes in the mix to strengthen his bid for acquiring the premier club. Hamilton's name springs a surprise as the Britain racer has always been vocal of his support for Arsenal FC. Meanwhile, Serena already is the co-owner of Los Angeles-based women's team Angel City and, thus, holds significant knowledge of how to run a club. Talking about Chelsea's run in the ongoing EPL season, it is currently at the third spot behind table-toppers Manchester City and Liverpool.

F1 racer Lewis Hamilton, superstar Serena Williams join Sir Martin Broughton's bid to buy Chelsea: Report

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

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

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

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

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc claimed his second pole position of the year with a blistering final lap in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Leclerc, who won the season-opening race in Bahrain in March, posted a time of 1 minute, 17.868 seconds to edge Red Bull driver and defending series champion Max Verstappen by .286 seconds.

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez qualified in third position, while Lando Norris will start from the second row in his McLaren after qualifying fourth.

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Lewis Hamilton, who had claimed pole position in the six previous Grand Prix races held in Melbourne, finished .957 seconds behind Leclerc in fifth.

The brilliant drive from Leclerc gave Ferrari its first pole position in Melbourne since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

"It felt good. Even more, because it was a track I have always struggled at as a driver," Leclerc said.

"In Q3, I managed to pull everything together. It feels great. Tomorrow we just need to do a good start and hopefully we can maintain pole position."

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Verstappen said he "didn't really feel good in the car all weekend so far" and that it had been a "bit of a struggle . . . For me, this weekend has been all over the place. As a team, we want more."

In a major renovation to the Melbourne track, five corners were reprofiled at Albert Park and two were removed completely.

After two races, Leclerc leads the drivers' championship with 45 points, followed by Sainz with 33 and Verstappen, who won in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago, with 25.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc claimed his second pole position of the year with a blistering final lap in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday. Leclerc, who won the season-opening race in Bahrain in March, posted a time of 1 minute, 17.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc claimed his second pole position of the year with a blistering final lap in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday. Leclerc, who won the season-opening race in Bahrain in March, posted a time of 1 minute, 17.868 seconds to edge Red Bull driver and defending series champion Max Verstappen by .286 seconds. Red Bull driver Sergio Perez qualified in third position, while Lando Norris will start from the second row in his McLaren after qualifying fourth. ALSO READ: Formula One: Sebastian Vettel fined 5,000 euros for riding scooter around Australian Grand Prix circuit Lewis Hamilton, who had claimed pole position in the six previous Grand Prix races held in Melbourne, finished .957 seconds behind Leclerc in fifth. The brilliant drive from Leclerc gave Ferrari its first pole position in Melbourne since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007. "It felt good. Even more, because it was a track I have always struggled at as a driver," Leclerc said. "In Q3, I managed to pull everything together. It feels great. Tomorrow we just need to do a good start and hopefully we can maintain pole position." ALSO READ: UEFA opens disciplinary proceedings against Atletico Madrid for 'discriminatory behaviour' after Man City tie Verstappen said he "didn't really feel good in the car all weekend so far" and that it had been a "bit of a struggle . . . For me, this weekend has been all over the place. As a team, we want more." In a major renovation to the Melbourne track, five corners were reprofiled at Albert Park and two were removed completely. After two races, Leclerc leads the drivers' championship with 45 points, followed by Sainz with 33 and Verstappen, who won in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago, with 25.

Formula 1: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc beats Max Verstappen to claim pole position for Australian Grand Prix

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

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

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

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

Four-times Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel was fined 5,000 euros ($5,420.50) on Friday for riding a scooter around the Australian Grand Prix circuit after his Aston Martin broke down in first practice.

It was not quite the return to action the German had expected after missing the first two races of the season due to contracting COVID-19.

Vettel had managed a few laps but his car soon stopped with smoke billowing out the rear.

After getting out, the German grabbed a fire extinguisher off a track marshal and gave the car a spray.

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Session over, he then rode along the track back to the pits on a motor scooter with his helmet perched on the top of his head, at one point waving at fans with both hands.

Stewards summoned Vettel and fined him for a breach of the sporting regulations in entering the track without permission during a five minute period after a session had ended.

Vettel insisted he had been given the all-clear by a marshal who had offered him use of the scooter.

"I said, 'Can I drive it?'&nbsp;Because I prefer to drive myself," he told reporters in the paddock.

"And then he handed me the scooter, so I said, 'OK,’ and he said, ‘Off you go.’ And I went.

"I mean I would like to get the car back and not to have a problem in the first place. I'm not here to drive a scooter."

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Stewards said Vettel had set off alone and on the track rather than a designated route while the marshal tried to contact race control for instructions.

Vettel, who posted the 13th fastest lap before his mishap, was unable to return for the second free practice, with Aston Martin confirming it would need to swap in a new power unit.

"It will be fine tomorrow but it would have been nice to get a few more laps," he said.

Four-times Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel was fined 5,000 euros ($5,420.50) on Friday for riding a scooter around the Australian Grand Prix circuit after his Aston Martin broke down in first practice.

Four-times Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel was fined 5,000 euros ($5,420.50) on Friday for riding a scooter around the Australian Grand Prix circuit after his Aston Martin broke down in first practice. It was not quite the return to action the German had expected after missing the first two races of the season due to contracting COVID-19. Vettel had managed a few laps but his car soon stopped with smoke billowing out the rear. After getting out, the German grabbed a fire extinguisher off a track marshal and gave the car a spray. ALSO READ: FIFA quashes rumours of changing length of matches for World Cup Qatar 2022 Session over, he then rode along the track back to the pits on a motor scooter with his helmet perched on the top of his head, at one point waving at fans with both hands. Stewards summoned Vettel and fined him for a breach of the sporting regulations in entering the track without permission during a five minute period after a session had ended. Vettel insisted he had been given the all-clear by a marshal who had offered him use of the scooter. "I said, 'Can I drive it?' Because I prefer to drive myself," he told reporters in the paddock. "And then he handed me the scooter, so I said, 'OK,’ and he said, ‘Off you go.’ And I went. "I mean I would like to get the car back and not to have a problem in the first place. I'm not here to drive a scooter." ALSO READ: Patrick Mouratoglou to coach former world no 1 Simona Halep full-time Stewards said Vettel had set off alone and on the track rather than a designated route while the marshal tried to contact race control for instructions. Vettel, who posted the 13th fastest lap before his mishap, was unable to return for the second free practice, with Aston Martin confirming it would need to swap in a new power unit. "It will be fine tomorrow but it would have been nice to get a few more laps," he said.

Formula One: Sebastian Vettel fined 5,000 euros for riding scooter around Australian Grand Prix circuit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Formula One drivers will gather together on the grid ahead of Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix to raise awareness of UNICEF's emergency fundraising appeal for its programmes helping children and families in Ukraine and other conflict zones, the sport said on Sunday.

The 20 drivers will stand on the grid behind a banner in support of the appeal, urging fans to consider donating to the United Nations children's agency's appeal.

Formula One and teams have already made a "generous donation", the sport said, without specifying a number.

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Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Over three million have fled the fighting for other countries, according to United Nations data, in what has become Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War Two.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation".

Formula One drivers will gather together on the grid ahead of Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix to raise awareness of UNICEF's emergency fundraising appeal for its programmes helping children and families in Ukraine and other conflict zones, the sport said on Sunday.

Formula One drivers will gather together on the grid ahead of Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix to raise awareness of UNICEF's emergency fundraising appeal for its programmes helping children and families in Ukraine and other conflict zones, the sport said on Sunday. The 20 drivers will stand on the grid behind a banner in support of the appeal, urging fans to consider donating to the United Nations children's agency's appeal. Formula One and teams have already made a "generous donation", the sport said, without specifying a number. ALSO READ: T Natarajan breaks a stump into two as Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer breathes fire ahead of IPL 2022 - WATCH Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Over three million have fled the fighting for other countries, according to United Nations data, in what has become Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War Two. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special military operation".

F1 drivers to support UNICEF's emergency fundraising appeal for Ukraine

Former Formula One race director Michael Masi made a "human error" but acted in "good faith" during the controversial safety car restart at last season's title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a report published by the governing FIA on Saturday found.

The Australian allowed only the lapped cars between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to unlap themselves as he prepared to get the race restarted after a safety car period.

That gave the Dutchman the chance to pass Hamilton for the lead on the last lap which denied the Briton an unprecedented eighth title and sparked a backlash from fans.

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"The process of identifying lapped cars has up until now been a manual one and human error lead to the fact that not all cars were allowed to unlap themselves," said the report, the result of an investigation into the events in Abu Dhabi, which was presented at the FIA's World Motor Sport Council ahead of the 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain.

In response, the FIA had developed software that will automatically inform lapped cars allowed to move back on to the lead lap that they may unlap themselves, the report said.

The wording of the regulations has also been clarified to say "all" lapped cars must unlap themselves, instead of "any" lapped cars that was previously in the rules.

The report also acknowledged that the rules governing a safety car restart were open to interpretation.

It said Masi was trying to allow for one final racing lap, in accordance with feedback from various stakeholders, including teams and drivers, expressing their preference for races ending under green flag conditions.&nbsp;

"In combination with the objective to finish under green flag racing conditions applied throughout the 2021 season, the report finds that the race director was acting in good faith and to the best of his knowledge given the difficult circumstances," said the findings.

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Masi was replaced as race director by Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, who will alternate in the role, as part of an overhaul of the FIA's&nbsp;refereeing system unveiled last month.

It also included the setting up of a virtual race control centre similar to football's VAR.

The report fleshed out the working of the remote race control centre, which it said would be based in Geneva, and act as a "supporting resource" to the race direction team on site.

Former Formula One race director Michael Masi made a "human error" but acted in "good faith" during the controversial safety car restart at last season's title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a report published by the governing FIA on Saturday found.

Former Formula One race director Michael Masi made a "human error" but acted in "good faith" during the controversial safety car restart at last season's title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a report published by the governing FIA on Saturday found. The Australian allowed only the lapped cars between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to unlap themselves as he prepared to get the race restarted after a safety car period. That gave the Dutchman the chance to pass Hamilton for the lead on the last lap which denied the Briton an unprecedented eighth title and sparked a backlash from fans. ALSO READ: Lakshya Sen joins Prakash Padukone, Saina Nehwal in elite list after reaching All England Open final "The process of identifying lapped cars has up until now been a manual one and human error lead to the fact that not all cars were allowed to unlap themselves," said the report, the result of an investigation into the events in Abu Dhabi, which was presented at the FIA's World Motor Sport Council ahead of the 2022 season-opening race in Bahrain. In response, the FIA had developed software that will automatically inform lapped cars allowed to move back on to the lead lap that they may unlap themselves, the report said. The wording of the regulations has also been clarified to say "all" lapped cars must unlap themselves, instead of "any" lapped cars that was previously in the rules. The report also acknowledged that the rules governing a safety car restart were open to interpretation. It said Masi was trying to allow for one final racing lap, in accordance with feedback from various stakeholders, including teams and drivers, expressing their preference for races ending under green flag conditions. "In combination with the objective to finish under green flag racing conditions applied throughout the 2021 season, the report finds that the race director was acting in good faith and to the best of his knowledge given the difficult circumstances," said the findings. ALSO READ: Lakshya Sen enters final of All England Championships after stunning Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia Masi was replaced as race director by Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, who will alternate in the role, as part of an overhaul of the FIA's refereeing system unveiled last month. It also included the setting up of a virtual race control centre similar to football's VAR. The report fleshed out the working of the remote race control centre, which it said would be based in Geneva, and act as a "supporting resource" to the race direction team on site.

Michael Masi made a 'human error' but acted in 'good faith' at F1 Abu Dhabi GP, says FIA report

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Formula One faces its biggest technical rule change in decades

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will change his name to honour his mother Carmen Larbalestier, he said on Monday as he prepares to challenge for a record eighth world title. 
 
The 37-year-old said he would add his mother's surname to his—most likely racing as Lewis Hamilton-Larbalastier—in a move that would take place "soon". 
 
"My mum's name is Larbalestier and I'm just about to put that in my name," the Mercedes driver said in an on-stage interview at the Expo world fair in Dubai.

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"Because I don't really fully understand the whole idea when people get married then the woman loses her name. And my mum, I really want her name to continue on with the Hamilton name," he said. 
 
Hamilton said he was "working on" the name change but that it would not take place before this week's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. 
 
Larbalastier divorced Lewis's father, Anthony Hamilton, when their son was young but he lived with his mother until the age of 12.

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The Briton, who was pipped to his eighth world title in controversial circumstances at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was non-committal about his future, saying he was taking it "one day at a time". 
 
But Hamilton, who took a two-month break from social media before reappearing in February, added: "I've come back to fight for that eighth (title), that's what I'm here for."

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will change his name to honour his mother Carmen Larbalestier, he said on Monday as he prepares to challenge for a record eighth world title.

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will change his name to honour his mother Carmen Larbalestier, he said on Monday as he prepares to challenge for a record eighth world title. The 37-year-old said he would add his mother's surname to his—most likely racing as Lewis Hamilton-Larbalastier—in a move that would take place "soon". "My mum's name is Larbalestier and I'm just about to put that in my name," the Mercedes driver said in an on-stage interview at the Expo world fair in Dubai. ALSO READ: Pakistan in trouble as Australia stretch lead to 489 on Day 3 of 2nd Test in Karachi "Because I don't really fully understand the whole idea when people get married then the woman loses her name. And my mum, I really want her name to continue on with the Hamilton name," he said. Hamilton said he was "working on" the name change but that it would not take place before this week's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Larbalastier divorced Lewis's father, Anthony Hamilton, when their son was young but he lived with his mother until the age of 12. ALSO READ: Ravichandran Ashwin surpasses Dale Steyn, becomes 8th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket The Briton, who was pipped to his eighth world title in controversial circumstances at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was non-committal about his future, saying he was taking it "one day at a time". But Hamilton, who took a two-month break from social media before reappearing in February, added: "I've come back to fight for that eighth (title), that's what I'm here for."

Formula One star Lewis Hamilton to change his name to honour his mother Carmen Larbalestier

Russian Nikita Mazepin will not race in Formula One this season after his U.S.-owned Haas squad on Saturday severed ties with the 23-year-old and title sponsor Uralkali over his country's invasion of Ukraine.

The outfit did not immediately announce a replacement to race alongside German Mick Schumacher, but team boss Guenther Steiner said last week Brazilian reserve Pietro Fittipaldi would get the "first call".

Fittipaldi stood in for Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after the Frenchman’s fiery crash.&nbsp;

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“Haas F1 team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin," the team said in a statement.

"As with the rest of the Formula One community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”

Mazepin’s future was already looking uncertain after Haas removed branding for Uralkali, a Russian potash producer, from their car on the last day of the Barcelona test last week in the wake of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.&nbsp;

Uralkali is owned by Mazepin’s Oligarch father, Dmitry, with the 23-year-old’s place at the team guaranteed by the sponsorship deal.

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Mazepin made his debut last season in an all-rookie line-up with Schumacher.

The only Russian on the grid, he would have been allowed to race in a neutral capacity, according to a decision by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

But his participation in individual races would have been in doubt, especially after Motorsport UK banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from competing in the country, raising the prospect of other national motorsport federations doing the same. &nbsp;

Haas finished at the bottom of the constructors’ standings last year and were the only team not to score a point after choosing to forgo the development of their car to focus on their 2022 challenger designed to this year's drastically overhauled rules.&nbsp;

But Mazepin’s performances were also underwhelming, with the Russian outperformed by teammate Schumacher.

His ousting from Haas could mark the end of his career.

Formula One on Thursday said it will no longer race in Russia after terminating its Russian Grand Prix contract, originally set to expire in 2025.

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The sport had already called off its 2022 race in the country.

Formula One will hold its final pre-season test in Bahrain from March 10 to 12. The season gets underway in the island kingdom on March 20.

Russian Nikita Mazepin will not race in Formula One this season after his U.S.-owned Haas squad on Saturday severed ties with the 23-year-old and title sponsor Uralkali over his country's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian Nikita Mazepin will not race in Formula One this season after his U.S.-owned Haas squad on Saturday severed ties with the 23-year-old and title sponsor Uralkali over his country's invasion of Ukraine. The outfit did not immediately announce a replacement to race alongside German Mick Schumacher, but team boss Guenther Steiner said last week Brazilian reserve Pietro Fittipaldi would get the "first call". Fittipaldi stood in for Romain Grosjean at the 2020 Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after the Frenchman’s fiery crash. ALSO READ: Ravindra Jadeja breaks Kapil Dev's record with unbeaten 175 in 1st Test against Sri Lanka “Haas F1 team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin," the team said in a statement. "As with the rest of the Formula One community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.” Mazepin’s future was already looking uncertain after Haas removed branding for Uralkali, a Russian potash producer, from their car on the last day of the Barcelona test last week in the wake of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. Uralkali is owned by Mazepin’s Oligarch father, Dmitry, with the 23-year-old’s place at the team guaranteed by the sponsorship deal. ALSO READ: Women's WC 2022: Pakistan have come prepared, can't take them lightly, says Indian skipper Mithali Raj Mazepin made his debut last season in an all-rookie line-up with Schumacher. The only Russian on the grid, he would have been allowed to race in a neutral capacity, according to a decision by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council. But his participation in individual races would have been in doubt, especially after Motorsport UK banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from competing in the country, raising the prospect of other national motorsport federations doing the same. Haas finished at the bottom of the constructors’ standings last year and were the only team not to score a point after choosing to forgo the development of their car to focus on their 2022 challenger designed to this year's drastically overhauled rules. But Mazepin’s performances were also underwhelming, with the Russian outperformed by teammate Schumacher. His ousting from Haas could mark the end of his career. Formula One on Thursday said it will no longer race in Russia after terminating its Russian Grand Prix contract, originally set to expire in 2025. ALSO READ: Great Southern Stand at MCG to be renamed after legendary spinner Shane Warne The sport had already called off its 2022 race in the country. Formula One will hold its final pre-season test in Bahrain from March 10 to 12. The season gets underway in the island kingdom on March 20.

Formula One: US-owned Haas squad break ties with Russian racer Nikita Mazepin

Formula One will no longer race in Russia after the sport terminated its contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, it said on Thursday, in response to the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

The event, which was set to move to a new track outside St Petersburg next year from its current Sochi Olympic park venue, had a contract until 2025.

The sport announced the cancellation of the 2022 race, originally scheduled for Sept 25, last week.

"Formula One can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future," a statement from the sport's commercial rights holder, which decides the calendar, said.

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Formula One's move to effectively pull out of Russia comes after the sport's governing body, the FIA, on Tuesday condemned the country's invasion of Ukraine but said Russian and Belarusian drivers could still take part in its competitions in a neutral capacity.

British federation Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing in the country regardless of the flag they compete under.

Nikita Mazepin is the only Russian on the Formula One grid.

The 22-year-old already faces an uncertain future after his U.S.-owned Haas team removed all branding related to Russian potash producer and title sponsor Uralkali from its car on the final day of last week's Barcelona test.

Uralkali is owned by Mazepin's father, oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and the fate of the partnership and the Russian's continued presence at the team is set to be decided this week.

The Russian Grand Prix joined the calendar in 2014.

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It has been attended by President Vladimir Putin in the past, with the Russian leader even handing out trophies on the podium.

Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine last week, with Belarus used as a key staging area.

The country calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."

Formula One will no longer race in Russia after the sport terminated its contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, it said on Thursday, in response to the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Formula One will no longer race in Russia after the sport terminated its contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix, it said on Thursday, in response to the country's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. The event, which was set to move to a new track outside St Petersburg next year from its current Sochi Olympic park venue, had a contract until 2025. The sport announced the cancellation of the 2022 race, originally scheduled for Sept 25, last week. "Formula One can confirm it has terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter meaning Russia will not have a race in the future," a statement from the sport's commercial rights holder, which decides the calendar, said. ALSO READ: F1 world champion Max Verstappen to stay at Red Bull until 2028 Formula One's move to effectively pull out of Russia comes after the sport's governing body, the FIA, on Tuesday condemned the country's invasion of Ukraine but said Russian and Belarusian drivers could still take part in its competitions in a neutral capacity. British federation Motorsport UK on Wednesday banned Russian and Belarusian license holders from racing in the country regardless of the flag they compete under. Nikita Mazepin is the only Russian on the Formula One grid. The 22-year-old already faces an uncertain future after his U.S.-owned Haas team removed all branding related to Russian potash producer and title sponsor Uralkali from its car on the final day of last week's Barcelona test. Uralkali is owned by Mazepin's father, oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and the fate of the partnership and the Russian's continued presence at the team is set to be decided this week. The Russian Grand Prix joined the calendar in 2014. ALSO READ: You can do better: Serena Williams lashes out at top newspaper for confusing her with sister Venus It has been attended by President Vladimir Putin in the past, with the Russian leader even handing out trophies on the podium. Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine last week, with Belarus used as a key staging area. The country calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation."

No Russian Grand Prix in future as Formula One terminates contract in wake of Ukraine crisis

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen will stay at Red Bull until at least the end of 2028, the squad said on Thursday, after signing a five-year contract extension that will make him one of the sport's top earners alongside Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton.&nbsp;

The Milton Keynes-based squad did not disclose the financial terms of the new deal. The Dutchman's existing contract was set to expire at the end of 2023.

Media reports have valued the new deal at 40-50 million euros ($44 - $55 million) a year.

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"I really enjoy being part of the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision," said Verstappen, who will line up alongside Mexican Sergio Perez this season for the second year in a row. &nbsp;

"I love this team and last year was simply incredible, our goal since we came together in 2016 was to win the championship and we have done that, so now it’s about keeping the number one on the car long-term."

Verstappen, who made his Formula One debut with Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso as a 17-year-old back in 2015, clinched his first Formula One crown after beating Hamilton in controversial circumstances in December's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.&nbsp;

The 20-time race winner, who took his first victory on his Red Bull debut in 2016, will now be in a similar league pay-wise to Hamilton whose current Mercedes contract, set to expire at the end of next season, is reportedly worth 40 million pounds a year.

In a blow to rivals, the new deal also takes Verstappen, one of the sport's hottest properties as 37-year-old Hamilton approaches the end of his career, off the market and locks him in at Red Bull for the long term.

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"To have Max signed with Oracle Red Bull Racing through to the end of 2028 is a real statement of intent," said team principal Christian Horner. &nbsp;

"Our immediate focus is on retaining Max’s world championship title, but this deal also shows he is a part of the team’s long-term planning."

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen will stay at Red Bull until at least the end of 2028, the squad said on Thursday, after signing a five-year contract extension that will make him one of the sport's top earners alongside Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen will stay at Red Bull until at least the end of 2028, the squad said on Thursday, after signing a five-year contract extension that will make him one of the sport's top earners alongside Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton. The Milton Keynes-based squad did not disclose the financial terms of the new deal. The Dutchman's existing contract was set to expire at the end of 2023. Media reports have valued the new deal at 40-50 million euros ($44 - $55 million) a year. ALSO READ: Asian Champions League: Saudi Arabia set to host group matches "I really enjoy being part of the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team, so choosing to stay to the 2028 season was an easy decision," said Verstappen, who will line up alongside Mexican Sergio Perez this season for the second year in a row. "I love this team and last year was simply incredible, our goal since we came together in 2016 was to win the championship and we have done that, so now it’s about keeping the number one on the car long-term." Verstappen, who made his Formula One debut with Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso as a 17-year-old back in 2015, clinched his first Formula One crown after beating Hamilton in controversial circumstances in December's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 20-time race winner, who took his first victory on his Red Bull debut in 2016, will now be in a similar league pay-wise to Hamilton whose current Mercedes contract, set to expire at the end of next season, is reportedly worth 40 million pounds a year. In a blow to rivals, the new deal also takes Verstappen, one of the sport's hottest properties as 37-year-old Hamilton approaches the end of his career, off the market and locks him in at Red Bull for the long term. ALSO READ: Women's ODI World Cup: DRS to be available for all games "To have Max signed with Oracle Red Bull Racing through to the end of 2028 is a real statement of intent," said team principal Christian Horner. "Our immediate focus is on retaining Max’s world championship title, but this deal also shows he is a part of the team’s long-term planning."

F1 world champion Max Verstappen to stay at Red Bull until 2028

From FIFA to IOC: How sporting bodies have shunned Russia after Ukraine invasion

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