Before the end of 2021, the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen went past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One&nbsp;2021 season; the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early December. While many expected the veteran driver Hamilton to claim his eighth title, it was the 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch racing driver&nbsp;Verstappen who stunned one and all and went ahead of his competitor in the final lap to win a maiden driver's title.

The race was full of ups and downs. The 37-year-old British car race driver&nbsp;Hamilton was on the verge&nbsp;of lifting his eighth title before&nbsp;Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams prior to the four laps before the last one, calling for the appearance of the safety car. Verstappen went ahead with new&nbsp;tyres, however, Hamilton didn't. Thus, the youngster Verstappen moved past his&nbsp;close rival -- courtesy the fresh wheels -- to emerge victorious at the&nbsp;Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi.

The race remains in discussion to date.&nbsp;The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has ordered an investigation into the conduct of the entire proceedings in Abu Dhabi. The result is expected to be out in March, 2022.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EXCLUSIVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EXCLUSIVE</a> | Red Bull Racing (<a href="https://twitter.com/redbullracing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@redbullracing</a>) Team Principal Christian Horner speaks to WION's <a href="https://twitter.com/DiggySinghDeo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DiggySinghDeo</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/Max33Verstappen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Max33Verstappen</a>'s maiden world title win at 2021 <a href="https://twitter.com/F1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuDhabiGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuDhabiGP</a> and uncertainty over 7-time World Champion <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> for the 2022 season<a href="https://twitter.com/redbull?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@redbull</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/redbullindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@redbullindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/thdSbK9F3h">pic.twitter.com/thdSbK9F3h</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1486024818386477065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappens-maiden-formula-one-world-title-red-bulls-biggest-achievement-so-far-christian-horner-436466">Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner</a>

Anid all this, WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo got a chance to interact with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Horner&nbsp;opened up on the epic race in Abu Dhabi, rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton, Hamilton's future and more.&nbsp;

The 48-year-old Horner, who remains&nbsp;the mastermind behind four constructors' titles at Red Bull racing, lauded Max's rise and said, "Amazing reception to welcome Max back as a world champion. He has grown up with Red Bull, a product of the junior team. The way he drove last year, he fully deserved the world title."

Horner admitted that a late safety car played into Max's hands and took Hamilton by surprise. On the intense rivalry between the duo, which has gained mileage in recent times, Horner stated it is the need of the hour for the sport. He pointed out, "For sure, sport is all about competition. When you have good serial winners, it becomes less attractive. There was big rivalry and it was very little to choose between the two teams and drivers, hence, it was the best year Formula One has had as a sport for probably 30-40 years."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

Following the season-finale,&nbsp;Hamilton had alleged that the race was manipulated. Moreover, the&nbsp;Mercedes Principal Toto Wolff went ahead and said that the superstar driver is disillusioned and may not race again. Horner, under whose guidance&nbsp;the Red Bull drivers have won as many as five titles, also opined on Hamilton's future. He said, "Certainly, hope Lewis will be around. Ultimately, it is his choice, his career and his decision. I am sure he will decide to do what he wants to do and what is best for him."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lewis Hamilton's&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;team on Thursday withdrew their appeal against Max Verstappen's controversial title-winning victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Verstappen overtook the British driver on the last lap on Sunday to clinch his first drivers' title and deny his rival a record eighth crown.

The deployment of the safety car after a late crash at the Yas Marina Circuit had wiped out Hamilton's seemingly unassailable lead and Verstappen had the advantage as he was using fresher tyres.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

The furious&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;team had an immediate double appeal dismissed by the stewards, then lodged an intention to appeal against that decision, which they were required to trigger by Thursday evening.

But&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;issued a lengthy statement announcing they were drawing a line under the issue.

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Team Statement - Abu Dhabi Grand Prix <a href="https://t.co/tgrBjrNkcz">pic.twitter.com/tgrBjrNkcz</a>
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) <a href="https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1471419870680125441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The team said they had made the decision following "constructive dialogue" with governing body FIA over establishing clarity for future racing scenarios.

"We welcome the decision by the FIA to install a commission to thoroughly analyse what happened in Abu Dhabi and to improve the robustness of rules, governance and decision-making in Formula 1,"&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;said in a statement.

"We also welcome that they have invited the teams and drivers to take part.

"The&nbsp;Mercedes-AMG Petronas team will actively work with this commission to build a better Formula 1 -- for every team and every fan who loves this sport as much as we do. We will hold the FIA accountable for this process and we hereby withdraw our appeal."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abu-dhabi-gp-mercedes-protest-after-max-verstappen-beats-lewis-hamilton-to-win-f1-title-436362">Abu Dhabi GP: Mercedes protest after Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to win F1 title</a>

Mercedes, who won the constructors' title, said they had initially appealed against the result in the interests of "sporting fairness".

The team also offered congratulations to Verstappen and Red Bull, saying the F1 championship title fight had been "truly epic".

"Though this drivers' championship did not end the way we hoped, we could not be prouder of our team," the statement added.

"Lewis, you are the greatest racer in the history of Formula 1 and you drove your heart out for every lap of this incredible season. You're a flawless sportsman on and off the track and you delivered a faultless performance."

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

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

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

Seven times Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton received his knighthood for services to motorsport on Wednesday, days after he lost out on what would have been a record eighth title after a tense last lap at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

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Sir Lewis Hamilton has officially received his knighthood<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/zdotOqf8lv">https://t.co/zdotOqf8lv</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1471090075257782278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Hamilton holds the record for most race wins with 103 while he is tied with German great Michael Schumacher on seven drivers` championships.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-wins-formula-one-world-title-after-beating-lewis-hamilton-to-clinch-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-436341">Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix</a>

The 36-year-old Briton, the sport's only Black driver, was made a Knight Bachelor by Britain's Price Charles during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle in England.

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🏎️ Arise Sir <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a>! 
 
The seven-time <a href="https://twitter.com/F1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@F1</a> World Champion received his Knighthood from The Prince of Wales at today's Investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle. <a href="https://t.co/I3xicKLLYp">pic.twitter.com/I3xicKLLYp</a>
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1471105425022070785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Hamilton is the fourth F1 driver to be knighted after the late Australian Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and triple champion Jackie Stewart, and the only one to have received the award while still racing.

Other active sportsmen who have received a knighthood are cycling's Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres gold medallist Mo Farah, twice Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and England cricketer Alastair Cook.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/memes-galore-as-max-verstappen-denies-lewis-hamilton-record-8th-f1-world-title-in-dramatic-finish-436516">Memes galore as Max Verstappen denies Lewis Hamilton record 8th F1 world title in dramatic finish</a>

Hamilton lost out on the 2021 title to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on Sunday. The two were equal on points before the final race in Abu Dhabi, where the Dutchman overtook Hamilton on the final lap to lift his maiden title.

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

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

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton receives knighthood

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen pulled off a thrilling last-lap win against Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to clinch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and win his maiden Formula One World Championship title on Sunday (December 12). It was a sensational race that went down the wire with Verstappen overtaking Hamilton in the final lap to emerge victorious after a nail-biting finish.

Hamilton dominated the proceedings for the most part of the race and looked close to bagging his record eighth Formula One title&nbsp;but was beaten by Verstappen towards the end. The momentum shifted towards Verstappen after Nicholas Latifi's crash led to the appearance of the safety car. While Hamilton decided to continue and keep his track position, Verstappen pitted for new tyres.

Verstappen zoomed past Hamilton in the final lap with his fresh tyres and pulled off a miraculous win which left the entire sporting fraternity in awe. The 24-year-old became the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One title and brought an end to Mercedes' dominance. Mercedes has won seven back-to-back F1 titles since 2014.

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The grand finale to a season that had everything <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuDhabiGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuDhabiGP</a> 🇦🇪 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/WpjPhhoeQY">pic.twitter.com/WpjPhhoeQY</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1470315303812820994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/from-sachin-to-rosberg-how-sporting-fraternity-reacted-to-max-verstappens-thrilling-maiden-f1-win-436510">From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win</a>

As Verstappen won his maiden title under controversial circumstances, social media exploded with memes. While some took a dig at the officials and the Dutch driver, some celebrated the underdog's memorable triumph at the&nbsp;Yas Marina Circuit.

Here are some of the best memes on Max Verstappen's Formula One win:

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Explaining in football terms how Max Verstappen won the 2021 F1 World Championship: <a href="https://t.co/eLXLXKtozF">pic.twitter.com/eLXLXKtozF</a>
— Footy Humour (@FootyHumour) <a href="https://twitter.com/FootyHumour/status/1470042769569812487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Verstappen to Hamilton when he overtook him in the last lap <a href="https://t.co/oe7Zdz1lFc">pic.twitter.com/oe7Zdz1lFc</a>
— Naughty PT (@fpl_pt) <a href="https://twitter.com/fpl_pt/status/1470059015501668353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“Latifi, now crash the car so we can get the safety car out” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/YTUX2O8znY">pic.twitter.com/YTUX2O8znY</a>
— Alex SHAQ Shafiq (@InkedUpSHAQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/InkedUpSHAQ/status/1470042963807985672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Red bull and max fans rn after latifi’s crash <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuDabhiGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuDabhiGP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MaxVerstappen33?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MaxVerstappen33</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTF1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTF1</a> <a href="https://t.co/cYptEAEitS">pic.twitter.com/cYptEAEitS</a>
— Tushar (@TusharShandilya) <a href="https://twitter.com/TusharShandilya/status/1470054389092028417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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everybody watching the abu dhabi gp <a href="https://t.co/o9by6VUVLk">pic.twitter.com/o9by6VUVLk</a>
— sam (@rbrseb) <a href="https://twitter.com/rbrseb/status/1470032796257189891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Max Verstappen overtaking Lewis Hamilton: <a href="https://t.co/gjJqrc4qvS">pic.twitter.com/gjJqrc4qvS</a>
— ً (@utdrobbo) <a href="https://twitter.com/utdrobbo/status/1470043079986098181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Latifi walking into the red bull garage after the race <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/latifi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#latifi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Verstappen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Verstappen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hamilton?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hamilton</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/f1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#f1</a>: <a href="https://t.co/YMh9qB05Lt">pic.twitter.com/YMh9qB05Lt</a>
— Ed blythman (@Ed_Blythman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ed_Blythman/status/1470042386474713099?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappens-maiden-formula-one-world-title-red-bulls-biggest-achievement-so-far-christian-horner-436466">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappens-maiden-formula-one-world-title-red-bulls-biggest-achievement-so-far-christian-horner-436466">Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner</a>

Regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, Hamilton was gunning for his record eighth world title having won seven straight titles since 2014. A win would have taken the British star past F1 legend Michael&nbsp;Schumacher's tally of seven Formula One World Championships.

However, Verstappen denied the Britisher a record win with an unbelievable effort in the final lap which brought a fitting end to what had been a stunning Formula One season.

&nbsp;

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen pulled off a thrilling last-lap win against Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to clinch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and win his maiden Formula One World Championship title on Sunday (December 12).

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen pulled off a thrilling last-lap win against Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to clinch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and win his maiden Formula One World Championship title on Sunday (December 12). It was a sensational race that went down the wire with Verstappen overtaking Hamilton in the final lap to emerge victorious after a nail-biting finish. Hamilton dominated the proceedings for the most part of the race and looked close to bagging his record eighth Formula One title but was beaten by Verstappen towards the end. The momentum shifted towards Verstappen after Nicholas Latifi's crash led to the appearance of the safety car. While Hamilton decided to continue and keep his track position, Verstappen pitted for new tyres. Verstappen zoomed past Hamilton in the final lap with his fresh tyres and pulled off a miraculous win which left the entire sporting fraternity in awe. The 24-year-old became the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One title and brought an end to Mercedes' dominance. Mercedes has won seven back-to-back F1 titles since 2014. The grand finale to a season that had everything #AbuDhabiGP 🇦🇪 #F1 pic.twitter.com/WpjPhhoeQY — Formula 1 (@F1) December 13, 2021 × Also Read: From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win As Verstappen won his maiden title under controversial circumstances, social media exploded with memes. While some took a dig at the officials and the Dutch driver, some celebrated the underdog's memorable triumph at the Yas Marina Circuit. Here are some of the best memes on Max Verstappen's Formula One win: Explaining in football terms how Max Verstappen won the 2021 F1 World Championship: pic.twitter.com/eLXLXKtozF — Footy Humour (@FootyHumour) December 12, 2021 × Verstappen to Hamilton when he overtook him in the last lap pic.twitter.com/oe7Zdz1lFc — Naughty PT (@fpl_pt) December 12, 2021 × “Latifi, now crash the car so we can get the safety car out” #F1 pic.twitter.com/YTUX2O8znY — Alex SHAQ Shafiq (@InkedUpSHAQ) December 12, 2021 × Red bull and max fans rn after latifi’s crash #AbuDabhiGP #MaxVerstappen33 #WTF1 pic.twitter.com/cYptEAEitS — Tushar (@TusharShandilya) December 12, 2021 × everybody watching the abu dhabi gp pic.twitter.com/o9by6VUVLk — sam (@rbrseb) December 12, 2021 × Max Verstappen overtaking Lewis Hamilton: pic.twitter.com/gjJqrc4qvS — ً (@utdrobbo) December 12, 2021 × Latifi walking into the red bull garage after the race #latifi #Verstappen #Hamilton #f1: pic.twitter.com/YMh9qB05Lt — Ed blythman (@Ed_Blythman) December 12, 2021 × Also Read: Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner Regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time, Hamilton was gunning for his record eighth world title having won seven straight titles since 2014. A win would have taken the British star past F1 legend Michael Schumacher's tally of seven Formula One World Championships. However, Verstappen denied the Britisher a record win with an unbelievable effort in the final lap which brought a fitting end to what had been a stunning Formula One season.

Memes galore as Max Verstappen denies Lewis Hamilton record 8th F1 world title in dramatic finish

On Sunday (December 12), the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen edged past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One season. The race was thoroughly dominated by&nbsp;Hamilton in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, however, the 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch racing driver&nbsp;Verstappen went ahead of his competitor in the final lap to prevent Hamilton from claiming&nbsp;his eighth F1 World title.

For the unversed, Hamilton was on the cusp of lifting his eighth title before&nbsp;Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams just four laps before the last one, leading to the appearance of the safety car.

Verstappen chose new&nbsp;tyres, however, the veteran 36-year-old Hamilton didn't. Verstappen managed to move past his arch-rival -- courtesy the fresh wheels -- to clinch his maiden Formula One title at the&nbsp;Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappens-maiden-formula-one-world-title-red-bulls-biggest-achievement-so-far-christian-horner-436466">Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner</a>

Following Verstappen's thrilling win, many from the sports fraternity reacted to the dramatic turn of events in the Abu Dhabu Grand Prix. From Sachin Tendulkar, Nico Rosberg, Rohit Sharma to Harry Kane, here's how sports personalities reacted to Verstappen's triumph:

Sachin wrote, "What a race! Congrats to Max for becoming the World Champion for the 1st time &amp; there will be many more. However, my heart goes out to Lewis. What a season he’s had too. If not for the safety car, the trophy would’ve been his. Sheer bad luck. All the best for the next season."

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What a race! 
 
Congrats to Max for becoming the World Champion for the 1st time &amp; there will be many more. 
 
However, my heart goes out to Lewis. What a season he’s had too. If not for the safety car, the trophy would’ve been his. Sheer bad luck. All the best for the next season. <a href="https://t.co/pYPLoin4gO">pic.twitter.com/pYPLoin4gO</a>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1470054227498225665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Rohit tweeted saying, "1 ball 6 required and guess what, Max Verstappen hits it. Unbelievable win #AbuDhabiGP #F1TitleChampionship"

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1 ball 6 required and guess what, Max Verstappen hits it. Unbelievable win <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuDhabiGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuDhabiGP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1TitleChampionship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1TitleChampionship</a>
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/1470041760038461441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Nico Rosberg said, "Hats off to Max...big congrats &amp; respect!!! Also an awesome performance by Lewis...it's been an epic F1 season!"

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Hats off to Max...big congrats &amp; respect!!! Also an awesome performance by Lewis...it's been an epic F1 season! 
 
Here's my title reaction from the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuDhabiGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuDhabiGP</a> paddock 👇<a href="https://t.co/bFtIgrE12t">https://t.co/bFtIgrE12t</a>
— Nico Rosberg (@NicoRosberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/NicoRosberg/status/1470091136123482120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur striker and England captain, stated, "I’m new to F1 and it’s been amazing to watch Lewis and Max battle it out. I’m no expert on it but I feel like there’s some bizarre rules that give an unfair advantage like today ? Why should Hamilton be penalised for somebody else’s crash?"

"He literally raced the perfect race under the highest pressure and gets the World Championship taken away from him. Seems like common sense to keep the lead that you’d raced so hard to gain. Shame it had to end like that," he added.

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He literally raced the perfect race under the highest pressure and gets the World Championship taken away from him. Seems like common sense to keep the lead that you’d raced so hard to gain. Shame it had to end like that.
— Harry Kane (@HKane) <a href="https://twitter.com/HKane/status/1470150445431758850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abu-dhabi-gp-mercedes-protest-after-max-verstappen-beats-lewis-hamilton-to-win-f1-title-436362">Abu Dhabi GP: Mercedes protest after Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to win F1 title</a>

On the other hand,&nbsp;India's first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan opined that it was Hamilton's race and the decision was unfair.&nbsp;"How the entire situation unfolded, it seemed like they wanted Max to win. It was a great battle for the championship but what happened yesterday it wasn't sport. You need close battles in Formula 1 but it has to be fair at the same time," Karthikeyan told PTI.

On Sunday (December 12), the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen edged past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One season.

On Sunday (December 12), the Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen edged past the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting end to the Formula One season. The race was thoroughly dominated by Hamilton in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, however, the 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch racing driver Verstappen went ahead of his competitor in the final lap to prevent Hamilton from claiming his eighth F1 World title. For the unversed, Hamilton was on the cusp of lifting his eighth title before Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams just four laps before the last one, leading to the appearance of the safety car. Verstappen chose new tyres, however, the veteran 36-year-old Hamilton didn't. Verstappen managed to move past his arch-rival -- courtesy the fresh wheels -- to clinch his maiden Formula One title at the Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi. ALSO READ | Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner Following Verstappen's thrilling win, many from the sports fraternity reacted to the dramatic turn of events in the Abu Dhabu Grand Prix. From Sachin Tendulkar, Nico Rosberg, Rohit Sharma to Harry Kane, here's how sports personalities reacted to Verstappen's triumph: Sachin wrote, "What a race! Congrats to Max for becoming the World Champion for the 1st time & there will be many more. However, my heart goes out to Lewis. What a season he’s had too. If not for the safety car, the trophy would’ve been his. Sheer bad luck. All the best for the next season." What a race! Congrats to Max for becoming the World Champion for the 1st time & there will be many more. However, my heart goes out to Lewis. What a season he’s had too. If not for the safety car, the trophy would’ve been his. Sheer bad luck. All the best for the next season. pic.twitter.com/pYPLoin4gO — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 12, 2021 × Rohit tweeted saying, "1 ball 6 required and guess what, Max Verstappen hits it. Unbelievable win #AbuDhabiGP #F1TitleChampionship" 1 ball 6 required and guess what, Max Verstappen hits it. Unbelievable win #AbuDhabiGP #F1TitleChampionship — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) December 12, 2021 × Nico Rosberg said, "Hats off to Max...big congrats & respect!!! Also an awesome performance by Lewis...it's been an epic F1 season!" Hats off to Max...big congrats & respect!!! Also an awesome performance by Lewis...it's been an epic F1 season! Here's my title reaction from the #AbuDhabiGP paddock 👇https://t.co/bFtIgrE12t — Nico Rosberg (@NicoRosberg) December 12, 2021 × Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur striker and England captain, stated, "I’m new to F1 and it’s been amazing to watch Lewis and Max battle it out. I’m no expert on it but I feel like there’s some bizarre rules that give an unfair advantage like today ? Why should Hamilton be penalised for somebody else’s crash?" "He literally raced the perfect race under the highest pressure and gets the World Championship taken away from him. Seems like common sense to keep the lead that you’d raced so hard to gain. Shame it had to end like that," he added. He literally raced the perfect race under the highest pressure and gets the World Championship taken away from him. Seems like common sense to keep the lead that you’d raced so hard to gain. Shame it had to end like that. — Harry Kane (@HKane) December 12, 2021 × ALSO READ | Abu Dhabi GP: Mercedes protest after Max Verstappen beats Lewis Hamilton to win F1 title On the other hand, India's first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan opined that it was Hamilton's race and the decision was unfair. "How the entire situation unfolded, it seemed like they wanted Max to win. It was a great battle for the championship but what happened yesterday it wasn't sport. You need close battles in Formula 1 but it has to be fair at the same time," Karthikeyan told PTI.

From Sachin to Rosberg: How sporting fraternity reacted to Max Verstappen's thrilling maiden F1 win

The controversial end to an epic title fight in the 2021 season has not gone down well with India's first Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan.

A series of questionable race control calls were made at the season finale in Abu Dhabi on Sunday when Max Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win his maiden title and deny the Briton a record-breaking eighth crown.

"How the entire situation unfolded, it seemed like they wanted Max to win. It was a great battle for the championship but what happened yesterday it wasn't sport. You need close battles in Formula 1 but it has to be fair at the same time," Karthikeyan told PTI.

Hamilton was cruising to victory when Nicholas Latifi's crash on lap 53 of the 58-lap race brought the safety car on to the track.

In a last throw of dice, Red Bull pitted Verstappen for soft tyres after the safety car was deployed while Hamilton stayed out on his worn out hard tyres.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappens-maiden-formula-one-world-title-red-bulls-biggest-achievement-so-far-christian-horner-436466">Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner</a>

In what could go down as the most controversial call of the Formula 1 decade, race director Michael Masi allowed five backmarkers to unlap themselves on the penultimate lap, making it much easier for Verstappen to make the move on Hamilton.

As per the rules, the safety car should have gone back on the following lap which was the last lap of the race.

"Unless the clerk of the course considers the presence of the safety car is still necessary, once the last lapped car has passed the leader the safety car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap," the rule states.

The social media was a divided space post the finale with some calling Mercedes' race strategy too safe. However, Karthikeyan feels Mercedes were right to not let Hamilton pit following the crash.

"What Mercedes would have done, Red Bull would have done the opposite and stayed out to take track opposition so it was too risky. Lewis had so much pace and hard tyres had life of 50 laps so why should you give that up?

"Before the safety car the gap was still more than 11 seconds between Hamilton and Verstappen. What happened was not fair and Lewis would have been deserving eight time champion with due respect to Max who is a very quick driver," said the 44-year-old who race in Formula 1 over three seasons between 2005 and 2012.

Interestingly, Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington had worked with Karthikeyan during the Indian's debut season with Jordan in 2005.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-wins-formula-one-world-title-after-beating-lewis-hamilton-to-clinch-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-436341">Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix</a>

"Lewis' race engineer was my race engineer during my first season with Jordan. He is a very clever guy and made all the right calls."

Like many after the title showdown, Karthikeyan also remembered former race director, the late Charlie Whiting, and said he would have handled the pressure situation much better.

"This is what happens when you are under pressure. He (Michael Masi) was being bombarded from all sides on the radio." 
So, what should be done going going forward?

"Each scenario is different. They need a strong a guy at the top. That is what everyone said if Charlie Whiting was there, it would be much more fair. He never relented to teams' pressure.

"On the open channel, he would have ignored the constant pushing from the teams and carried on with his job. These situations are bound to happen, the race control should have been more prepared for a situation like yesterday. It should not have ended the way I did.

"We can give them the benefit of doubt that he was not siding with anyone yesterday and the calls were just made under tremendous pressure and it went terribly wrong.

"If you leave all the controversy aside, Lewis surely deserved to win if you look at the race in general. It was definitely his race. So not a fair result," Karthikeyan added.&nbsp;

The controversial end to an epic title fight in the 2021 season has not gone down well with India's first Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan. A series of questionable race control calls were made at the season finale in Abu Dhabi on Sunday when Max Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win his maiden title and deny the Briton a record-breaking eighth crown.

The controversial end to an epic title fight in the 2021 season has not gone down well with India's first Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan. A series of questionable race control calls were made at the season finale in Abu Dhabi on Sunday when Max Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton on the final lap to win his maiden title and deny the Briton a record-breaking eighth crown. "How the entire situation unfolded, it seemed like they wanted Max to win. It was a great battle for the championship but what happened yesterday it wasn't sport. You need close battles in Formula 1 but it has to be fair at the same time," Karthikeyan told PTI. Hamilton was cruising to victory when Nicholas Latifi's crash on lap 53 of the 58-lap race brought the safety car on to the track. In a last throw of dice, Red Bull pitted Verstappen for soft tyres after the safety car was deployed while Hamilton stayed out on his worn out hard tyres. ALSO READ: Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner In what could go down as the most controversial call of the Formula 1 decade, race director Michael Masi allowed five backmarkers to unlap themselves on the penultimate lap, making it much easier for Verstappen to make the move on Hamilton. As per the rules, the safety car should have gone back on the following lap which was the last lap of the race. "Unless the clerk of the course considers the presence of the safety car is still necessary, once the last lapped car has passed the leader the safety car will return to the pits at the end of the following lap," the rule states. The social media was a divided space post the finale with some calling Mercedes' race strategy too safe. However, Karthikeyan feels Mercedes were right to not let Hamilton pit following the crash. "What Mercedes would have done, Red Bull would have done the opposite and stayed out to take track opposition so it was too risky. Lewis had so much pace and hard tyres had life of 50 laps so why should you give that up? "Before the safety car the gap was still more than 11 seconds between Hamilton and Verstappen. What happened was not fair and Lewis would have been deserving eight time champion with due respect to Max who is a very quick driver," said the 44-year-old who race in Formula 1 over three seasons between 2005 and 2012. Interestingly, Hamilton's race engineer Peter Bonnington had worked with Karthikeyan during the Indian's debut season with Jordan in 2005. ALSO READ: Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix "Lewis' race engineer was my race engineer during my first season with Jordan. He is a very clever guy and made all the right calls." Like many after the title showdown, Karthikeyan also remembered former race director, the late Charlie Whiting, and said he would have handled the pressure situation much better. "This is what happens when you are under pressure. He (Michael Masi) was being bombarded from all sides on the radio." So, what should be done going going forward? "Each scenario is different. They need a strong a guy at the top. That is what everyone said if Charlie Whiting was there, it would be much more fair. He never relented to teams' pressure. "On the open channel, he would have ignored the constant pushing from the teams and carried on with his job. These situations are bound to happen, the race control should have been more prepared for a situation like yesterday. It should not have ended the way I did. "We can give them the benefit of doubt that he was not siding with anyone yesterday and the calls were just made under tremendous pressure and it went terribly wrong. "If you leave all the controversy aside, Lewis surely deserved to win if you look at the race in general. It was definitely his race. So not a fair result," Karthikeyan added.

What happened in Abu Dhabi wasn't fair,it was Hamilton's race, says India's first F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan

Red Bull's Max Verstappen rallied past seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a thrilling finish to the Formula One season on Sunday. Hamilton dominated the proceedings throughout the race in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before Verstappen overtook him in the final lap following late drama to deny the British great his eighth F1 World title.

It was a dramatic end to what was one of the best Formula One seasons in the history of the sport. Hamilton was edging close to lifting his eighth title and had everything in control. However, Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams just four laps before the final one which triggered the appearance of the safety car.

While Verstappen opted for new&nbsp;tyres, Hamilton did not. With fresh wheels, the Dutch managed to get the better of Hamilton in the final lap to lay his hands on his first Formula One title. It was nothing less than an extraordinary finish to the race as millions around the world stayed glued to their TV screens to witness the drama unfold at the&nbsp;Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi.

Elated after Verstappen's world championship triumph, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner labelled it the team's biggest achievement so far. Horner, who oversaw Red Bull's dominance during the 2010-2013 seasons when&nbsp;Sebastian Vettel helped the team win four&nbsp;drivers' and constructors' titles, said&nbsp;Verstappen's tops them all for the sheer quality of competition.

"All credit to Lewis, he’s been a phenomenal opponent all year and he’s a great world champion and that’s what makes it even more valid to win this," said Horner after Verstappen's win.

"It’s right up there with the first one," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-wins-formula-one-world-title-after-beating-lewis-hamilton-to-clinch-abu-dhabi-grand-prix-436341">Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix</a>

Vettel won Red Bull's first title in 2010 at the same Yas Marana circuit in Abu Dhabi before winning three more titles in the next three years. Hamilton has since taken over and has led Marcedes to back-to-back seven world championships from 2014 to 2020. His streak was finally broken by Verstappen on Sunday with a last-lap overtake in controversial circumstances.

"Mercedes are such a quality team and they’ve got stronger and stronger over the years. And that’s what’s made this so intense. Because of the quality of the opposition we’ve had, that’s what makes this one so special,"&nbsp;said Horner, who had all but lost his hope ahead of the final lap before Verstappen made a miraculous recovery and went on to clinch the title.

"This is probably the biggest championship that we’ve ever won," he added.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen rallied past seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a thrilling finish to the Formula One season on Sunday. Hamilton dominated the proceedings throughout the race in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before Verstappen overtook him in the final lap following late drama to deny the British great his eighth F1 World title.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen rallied past seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in a thrilling finish to the Formula One season on Sunday. Hamilton dominated the proceedings throughout the race in the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before Verstappen overtook him in the final lap following late drama to deny the British great his eighth F1 World title. It was a dramatic end to what was one of the best Formula One seasons in the history of the sport. Hamilton was edging close to lifting his eighth title and had everything in control. However, Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams just four laps before the final one which triggered the appearance of the safety car. While Verstappen opted for new tyres, Hamilton did not. With fresh wheels, the Dutch managed to get the better of Hamilton in the final lap to lay his hands on his first Formula One title. It was nothing less than an extraordinary finish to the race as millions around the world stayed glued to their TV screens to witness the drama unfold at the Yas Marina track in Abu Dhabi. Elated after Verstappen's world championship triumph, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner labelled it the team's biggest achievement so far. Horner, who oversaw Red Bull's dominance during the 2010-2013 seasons when Sebastian Vettel helped the team win four drivers' and constructors' titles, said Verstappen's tops them all for the sheer quality of competition. "All credit to Lewis, he’s been a phenomenal opponent all year and he’s a great world champion and that’s what makes it even more valid to win this," said Horner after Verstappen's win. "It’s right up there with the first one," he added. Also Read: Max Verstappen wins Formula One world title after beating Lewis Hamilton to clinch Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Vettel won Red Bull's first title in 2010 at the same Yas Marana circuit in Abu Dhabi before winning three more titles in the next three years. Hamilton has since taken over and has led Marcedes to back-to-back seven world championships from 2014 to 2020. His streak was finally broken by Verstappen on Sunday with a last-lap overtake in controversial circumstances. "Mercedes are such a quality team and they’ve got stronger and stronger over the years. And that’s what’s made this so intense. Because of the quality of the opposition we’ve had, that’s what makes this one so special," said Horner, who had all but lost his hope ahead of the final lap before Verstappen made a miraculous recovery and went on to clinch the title. "This is probably the biggest championship that we’ve ever won," he added.

Max Verstappen's maiden Formula One World title Red Bull's biggest achievement so far: Christian Horner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Max Verstappen gained a potentially decisive advantage in his epic battle for the Formula One world title on Saturday by claiming pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen goes into the season-closing race level on points with Lewis Hamilton, who took second in qualifying to join the Red Bull driver on the front row.

Lando Norris was a surprise third to start on the second row alongside Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez.

The last six winners in Abu Dhabi have all started from the front of the grid, with Verstappen victorious from pole last year.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lewis-hamilton-wins-saudi-grand-prix-comes-at-par-with-max-verstappen-434539">Lewis Hamilton wins Saudi Grand Prix, comes at par with Max Verstappen</a>

Hamilton, seeking a historic eighth world title, was favourite to secure the final pole of 2021 after his Mercedes left Verstappen's Red Bull trailing in his wake in practice.

But after Red Bull's mechanics worked on Verstappen's car overnight, the Dutchman produced a blistering flying lap in Q3.

His time of 1min 22.109sec left Hamilton over half a second behind.

That forced the seven-time world champion back onto the heavily modified Yas Marina circuit for one last throw of the dice.

But although he reduced the gap to 0.371 at a venue where he is a five-time winner he could not knock his arch rival off the top of the grid.

"It's an amazing feeling, we definitely improved the car in quali," said Verstappen.

The 24-year-old added: "I'm incredibly happy with this. It's what we wanted but it was not easy with Mercedes' form. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, that's the most important."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/f2-racers-enzo-fittipaldi-and-theo-pourchaire-taken-to-hospital-after-start-line-crash-video-434404">F2 racers Enzo Fittipaldi and Theo Pourchaire taken to hospital after start line crash: Video</a>

With the two drivers locked together on 369.5 points after 21 of the 22 races the stakes could not be higher for the duelling duo.

Aside from pole Verstappen has another advantage over Hamilton.

Should the pair end up all square -- (one finishes ninth, the other 10th with the fastest lap) - or fail to score any points then the title is his on the strength of his nine race wins to Hamilton's eight.

Max Verstappen gained a potentially decisive advantage in his epic battle for the Formula One world title on Saturday by claiming pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen gained a potentially decisive advantage in his epic battle for the Formula One world title on Saturday by claiming pole for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen goes into the season-closing race level on points with Lewis Hamilton, who took second in qualifying to join the Red Bull driver on the front row. Lando Norris was a surprise third to start on the second row alongside Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez. The last six winners in Abu Dhabi have all started from the front of the grid, with Verstappen victorious from pole last year. ALSO READ: Lewis Hamilton wins Saudi Grand Prix, comes at par with Max Verstappen Hamilton, seeking a historic eighth world title, was favourite to secure the final pole of 2021 after his Mercedes left Verstappen's Red Bull trailing in his wake in practice. But after Red Bull's mechanics worked on Verstappen's car overnight, the Dutchman produced a blistering flying lap in Q3. His time of 1min 22.109sec left Hamilton over half a second behind. That forced the seven-time world champion back onto the heavily modified Yas Marina circuit for one last throw of the dice. But although he reduced the gap to 0.371 at a venue where he is a five-time winner he could not knock his arch rival off the top of the grid. "It's an amazing feeling, we definitely improved the car in quali," said Verstappen. The 24-year-old added: "I'm incredibly happy with this. It's what we wanted but it was not easy with Mercedes' form. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, that's the most important." ALSO READ: F2 racers Enzo Fittipaldi and Theo Pourchaire taken to hospital after start line crash: Video With the two drivers locked together on 369.5 points after 21 of the 22 races the stakes could not be higher for the duelling duo. Aside from pole Verstappen has another advantage over Hamilton. Should the pair end up all square -- (one finishes ninth, the other 10th with the fastest lap) - or fail to score any points then the title is his on the strength of his nine race wins to Hamilton's eight.

Max Verstappen on pole for title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton second

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;won Sunday's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a commanding performance from pole to cut Max Verstappen's world championship lead to eight points.

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Back-to-back wins for <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> as he takes victory in Qatar 👀🎧 
 
And cuts Max Verstappen's championship lead to eight points with two races left to go! 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QatarGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QatarGP</a> 🇶🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/9xOMl0m2kx">pic.twitter.com/9xOMl0m2kx</a>
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The Mercedes seven-time champion comfortably held off his arch Dutch rival's Red Bull under the Losail circuit's lights to leave the battle for the F1 drivers' crown delicately poised with only two races remaining.

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UPDATED DRIVER STANDINGS 👀 
 
Two races to go 
 
Eight points in it 
 
An F1 title race for the ages <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QatarGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QatarGP</a> 🇶🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/hoUdjtI4qm">pic.twitter.com/hoUdjtI4qm</a>
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Fernando Alonso took third for Alpine, the former two-time world champion's first podium since 2014.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/max-verstappen-given-five-place-grid-penalty-for-qatar-grand-prix-431011">Max Verstappen given five-place grid penalty for Qatar Grand Prix</a>

One week on from arguably his toughest and greatest win in Brazil,&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;enjoyed one of his easiest.

And after an unprecedented eighth world title appeared to be slipping from his grasp after Verstappen's wins in the USA and Mexico, it is the 36-year-old Briton rather than the 12-year-younger pretender who has the momentum.

"We needed those points today. I can't wait to watch the race replay to find out what happened behind me," he said after his 102nd career win.

"I'm really grateful for these points, it's been a hell of a year. Back-to-back wins here, feel good, I feel fit, fitter than I've ever felt. Bring on the next two!"

Verstappen, who was demoted from second to seventh on the grid for a yellow flag infringement in qualifying on Saturday, took second, and picked up a point for the fastest lap.

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"Our starting position was compromised, but luckily we had a really good start," he said.

"Of course, I know it's going to be difficult to the end but it keeps it nice, keeps it exciting. This track was fun to drive as well.&nbsp;I feel good, but it's going to be a tight battle to the end."

Hamilton's faster engine, fitted last weekend in Sao Paulo, will give Red Bull a likely tough time again at the ultra quick new circuit in Saudi Arabia in a fortnight's time ahead of the season-closing race in Abu Dhabi in mid-December.

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

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

Lewis Hamilton wins Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen second

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on pole position for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a stunning display of dominance under the floodlights on Saturday.

Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen, 14 points clear of his British rival with three races remaining, will line up alongside on Sunday night but qualified nearly half a second slower.

Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas, fastest in practice, ended up third.

"That last lap was beautiful, it was a really sweet lap," said Hamilton, who won last weekend in Brazil after starting 10th on the grid.

The defending champion was first out of the pits for the final flying effort and set an eye-opening time of one minute 20.827 seconds for his 102nd career pole and fourth of the season.

The 36-year-old had already been on provisional pole with a time of 1:21.262 after going fastest in the first and second phases of qualifying and also being quickest in every sector of the track.

The margin of 0.455 between the two title contenders was the biggest it had been all season in a qualifying session in dry conditions.

Hamilton said he had not been feeling well on Thursday and Friday, when he was also up until midnight working with his engineers.

"I had a bit of a stomach ache from Wednesday but felt fantastic today. I slept well last night so that makes a big difference," he said.

LACKING PACE

Verstappen, whose team have openly questioned the legality of Hamilton's rear wing and voiced concern about the Mercedes' impressive straight line speed, said his car was just lacking some pace.

"It's been just a bit more tricky for us again in qualifying," said the Dutch 24-year-old, whose Mexican team mate Sergio Perez qualified only 11th in a strategic setback for Red Bull.

"Checo (Perez) is not even in Q3 (the final phase) so it definitely shows we are struggling a bit more than normal. But nevertheless it's still second, so it's all to play for. I wish we could have fought for more."

Pierre Gasly was fourth despite breaking his front wing on the kerbs and suffering a puncture, shedding debris and bringing out the yellow flags briefly on his final lap as he came to a halt.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso qualified fifth for Renault-owned Alpine, with McLaren's Lando Norris sixth and Carlos Sainz seventh for Ferrari.

"I think there are certain circuits that seem to be better for our package and this is one of those," said Alonso, whose team are level on points with AlphaTauri but ahead thanks to a race win.

"Being at night, I know it should be no big difference but the track is quite cool at night and that helps a lot with the overheating of the tyres," added the Spaniard.

"You feel the grip, you feel you can drive the car, you don't need to save the tyres in any of the corners and that's a good feeling for a driver."

AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel completed the top 10.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo start 13th and 14th respectively with their teams battling for third overall.

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on pole position for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a stunning display of dominance under the floodlights on Saturday.

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes on pole position for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix with a stunning display of dominance under the floodlights on Saturday. Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen, 14 points clear of his British rival with three races remaining, will line up alongside on Sunday night but qualified nearly half a second slower. Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas, fastest in practice, ended up third. "That last lap was beautiful, it was a really sweet lap," said Hamilton, who won last weekend in Brazil after starting 10th on the grid. The defending champion was first out of the pits for the final flying effort and set an eye-opening time of one minute 20.827 seconds for his 102nd career pole and fourth of the season. The 36-year-old had already been on provisional pole with a time of 1:21.262 after going fastest in the first and second phases of qualifying and also being quickest in every sector of the track. The margin of 0.455 between the two title contenders was the biggest it had been all season in a qualifying session in dry conditions. Hamilton said he had not been feeling well on Thursday and Friday, when he was also up until midnight working with his engineers. "I had a bit of a stomach ache from Wednesday but felt fantastic today. I slept well last night so that makes a big difference," he said. LACKING PACE Verstappen, whose team have openly questioned the legality of Hamilton's rear wing and voiced concern about the Mercedes' impressive straight line speed, said his car was just lacking some pace. "It's been just a bit more tricky for us again in qualifying," said the Dutch 24-year-old, whose Mexican team mate Sergio Perez qualified only 11th in a strategic setback for Red Bull. "Checo (Perez) is not even in Q3 (the final phase) so it definitely shows we are struggling a bit more than normal. But nevertheless it's still second, so it's all to play for. I wish we could have fought for more." Pierre Gasly was fourth despite breaking his front wing on the kerbs and suffering a puncture, shedding debris and bringing out the yellow flags briefly on his final lap as he came to a halt. Double world champion Fernando Alonso qualified fifth for Renault-owned Alpine, with McLaren's Lando Norris sixth and Carlos Sainz seventh for Ferrari. "I think there are certain circuits that seem to be better for our package and this is one of those," said Alonso, whose team are level on points with AlphaTauri but ahead thanks to a race win. "Being at night, I know it should be no big difference but the track is quite cool at night and that helps a lot with the overheating of the tyres," added the Spaniard. "You feel the grip, you feel you can drive the car, you don't need to save the tyres in any of the corners and that's a good feeling for a driver." AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel completed the top 10. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo start 13th and 14th respectively with their teams battling for third overall.

Lewis Hamilton on pole in Qatar with Max Verstappen second

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said that Formula One is “duty bound” to raise awareness of human rights issues as the series closes its season in the Middle East. Qatar is holding its maiden Formula 1 race this weekend and, from 2023, has a 10-year contract that is said to be the most lucrative in F1.

Hamilton calls for Qatar and Saudi Arabia to be scrutinised over human rights issues

Formula One stewards will hear Mercedes representatives on Thursday to decide whether to grant a request for review of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix incident between title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Verstappen's Red Bull team were also invited to attend the video hearing.

Mercedes asked for a review on Tuesday on grounds that significant new evidence had emerged since last Sunday's race at Interlagos.

Championship leader Verstappen appeared to force Mercedes' seven times world champion Hamilton off the track as they jostled for the lead.

The stewards took note of the lap 48 incident during the race but concluded, on the basis of the evidence they had, that no investigation was necessary.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sao-paulo-gp-lewis-hamilton-wins-from-10th-to-reignite-title-race-429370">Sao Paulo GP: Lewis Hamilton wins from 10th to reignite title race</a>

Hamilton eventually passed Verstappen 11 laps later and won the race but Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff felt the Dutch driver should have been handed at least a five second penalty.

The stewards said in a statement on Wednesday that the hearing would determine whether the right of review existed in this case.

The Mercedes team manager and up to three witnesses were required to attend the video conference at 1700 local time (1400GMT) ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix.

Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, told Sky Sports television that Verstappen had used "every bit of road he possibly could" to keep Hamilton behind.

"At the time I thought that was a penalty but I think the other way of looking at it is that you let things run their course.

"We're caught between the desire to let racing drivers manage their own races and interrupting that flow with restrictions like penalties.

"It wasn't dangerous what happened, it was excessive defending of his position," added the Briton.

McLaren's Lando Norris and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who were playing golf together in Doha on Wednesday, said the matter would be discussed at the next drivers' briefing.

Formula One stewards will hear Mercedes representatives on Thursday to decide whether to grant a request for review of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix incident between title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Formula One stewards will hear Mercedes representatives on Thursday to decide whether to grant a request for review of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix incident between title contenders Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Verstappen's Red Bull team were also invited to attend the video hearing. Mercedes asked for a review on Tuesday on grounds that significant new evidence had emerged since last Sunday's race at Interlagos. Championship leader Verstappen appeared to force Mercedes' seven times world champion Hamilton off the track as they jostled for the lead. The stewards took note of the lap 48 incident during the race but concluded, on the basis of the evidence they had, that no investigation was necessary. ALSO READ | Sao Paulo GP: Lewis Hamilton wins from 10th to reignite title race Hamilton eventually passed Verstappen 11 laps later and won the race but Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff felt the Dutch driver should have been handed at least a five second penalty. The stewards said in a statement on Wednesday that the hearing would determine whether the right of review existed in this case. The Mercedes team manager and up to three witnesses were required to attend the video conference at 1700 local time (1400GMT) ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix. Damon Hill, the 1996 world champion, told Sky Sports television that Verstappen had used "every bit of road he possibly could" to keep Hamilton behind. "At the time I thought that was a penalty but I think the other way of looking at it is that you let things run their course. "We're caught between the desire to let racing drivers manage their own races and interrupting that flow with restrictions like penalties. "It wasn't dangerous what happened, it was excessive defending of his position," added the Briton. McLaren's Lando Norris and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who were playing golf together in Doha on Wednesday, said the matter would be discussed at the next drivers' briefing.

F1 stewards to assess Mercedes review request on Thursday

Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday in one of his all-time great drives from 10th on the grid with championship leader Max Verstappen second to give a major boost to his quest for a record eighth world championship.

Hamilton&nbsp;had to overcome a mountain of adversity with his first win since Russia which sliced six points off Verstappen's advantage to leave him 14 points adrift with three races of the season remaining.&nbsp;

The Mercedes seven-time world champion's teammate Valtteri Bottas, who started on pole, took third.

With a new engine,&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;produced a peerless Sunday afternoon drive that was anything but sedate to overcome penalty points after his car was judged to have breached technical rules on Friday.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/toto-wolff-says-lewis-hamiltons-rear-wing-failed-test-by-02mm-429272">Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton's rear wing failed test by 0.2mm</a>

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A race winning move ✅ 
 
A momentum-swinging move? 🤔<a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> passes <a href="https://twitter.com/Max33Verstappen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Max33Verstappen</a> on his way to a win in Brazil that keeps his title hopes very much alive 🚀<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrazilGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrazilGP</a> 🇧🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/4CbdWlOGsS">pic.twitter.com/4CbdWlOGsS</a>
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That saw him demoted from pole to last in Saturday's sprint race where he took fifth to leave him 10th in Sunday's Interlagos grid after another penalty for what Mercedes hoped would be their trump card now under the bonnet.

"What a race. The team did a great job, Valtteri did a great job. With the penalties, it's the hardest race weekend I've had," said&nbsp;Hamilton.

He said his father had reminded him of a race in Bahrain during his days in F3 "when I started last and finished first".

"I never thought we would close the gap like we did today - just never give up and never stop fighting. It feels like a first as I haven't had a win for a long time."

Verstappen said: "We tried everything we could today, it was a good battle but at the end we missed a little pace. But it was good fun.

"We still have a decent lead so today was a bit of damage limitation. I'm confident, in the coming races we will come back stronger."

Hamilton&nbsp;was on target to get a point for the fastest lap until Red Bull hauled in Sergio Perez for a change of tyres to his car in a move that duly paid off.

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UPDATED DRIVER STANDINGS: 
 
Three races to go 
14 points in it 
What a season 
What a title race <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrazilGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrazilGP</a> 🇧🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/SexlILlbpZ">pic.twitter.com/SexlILlbpZ</a>
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Bottas managed to hold Verstappen, starting alongside him on the second row, at the first bend but the Red Bull driver took the lead shortly after.

Hamilton&nbsp;was picking off the cars ahead of him with ominous ease and after both had pitted twice&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;surged past Verstappen on lap 59 at the third attempt.

His initial overtake looked to have succeeded until Verstappen forced him wide in a move that appeared to be calculated by the leading car's driver but the stewards having studied all the video footage from all angles available decided to take no action.

And so, a weekend in Brazil that got off to a rocky start had a perfect ending for&nbsp;Hamilton&nbsp;who not only pulled victory from the jaws of F1's technical rule book and Red Bull but also crucially prevented his arch-rival pulling too far ahead as the gripping title battle nears its conclusion.

Qatar is the stage for Formula One's refreshingly exciting circuit drama next Sunday followed by Saudi Arabia and the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in mid-December.

Lewis Hamilton won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday in one of his all-time great drives from 10th on the grid with championship leader Max Verstappen second to give a major boost to his quest for a record eighth world championship.

Lewis Hamilton won the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday in one of his all-time great drives from 10th on the grid with championship leader Max Verstappen second to give a major boost to his quest for a record eighth world championship. Hamilton had to overcome a mountain of adversity with his first win since Russia which sliced six points off Verstappen's advantage to leave him 14 points adrift with three races of the season remaining. The Mercedes seven-time world champion's teammate Valtteri Bottas, who started on pole, took third. With a new engine, Hamilton produced a peerless Sunday afternoon drive that was anything but sedate to overcome penalty points after his car was judged to have breached technical rules on Friday. ALSO READ | Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton's rear wing failed test by 0.2mm A race winning move ✅ A momentum-swinging move? 🤔@LewisHamilton passes @Max33Verstappen on his way to a win in Brazil that keeps his title hopes very much alive 🚀#BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/4CbdWlOGsS — Formula 1 (@F1) November 14, 2021 × That saw him demoted from pole to last in Saturday's sprint race where he took fifth to leave him 10th in Sunday's Interlagos grid after another penalty for what Mercedes hoped would be their trump card now under the bonnet. "What a race. The team did a great job, Valtteri did a great job. With the penalties, it's the hardest race weekend I've had," said Hamilton. He said his father had reminded him of a race in Bahrain during his days in F3 "when I started last and finished first". "I never thought we would close the gap like we did today - just never give up and never stop fighting. It feels like a first as I haven't had a win for a long time." Verstappen said: "We tried everything we could today, it was a good battle but at the end we missed a little pace. But it was good fun. "We still have a decent lead so today was a bit of damage limitation. I'm confident, in the coming races we will come back stronger." Hamilton was on target to get a point for the fastest lap until Red Bull hauled in Sergio Perez for a change of tyres to his car in a move that duly paid off. UPDATED DRIVER STANDINGS: Three races to go 14 points in it What a season What a title race #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/SexlILlbpZ — Formula 1 (@F1) November 14, 2021 × Bottas managed to hold Verstappen, starting alongside him on the second row, at the first bend but the Red Bull driver took the lead shortly after. Hamilton was picking off the cars ahead of him with ominous ease and after both had pitted twice Hamilton surged past Verstappen on lap 59 at the third attempt. His initial overtake looked to have succeeded until Verstappen forced him wide in a move that appeared to be calculated by the leading car's driver but the stewards having studied all the video footage from all angles available decided to take no action. And so, a weekend in Brazil that got off to a rocky start had a perfect ending for Hamilton who not only pulled victory from the jaws of F1's technical rule book and Red Bull but also crucially prevented his arch-rival pulling too far ahead as the gripping title battle nears its conclusion. Qatar is the stage for Formula One's refreshingly exciting circuit drama next Sunday followed by Saudi Arabia and the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in mid-December.

Sao Paulo GP: Lewis Hamilton wins from 10th to reignite title race

The rear wing on Lewis&nbsp;Hamilton's Mercedes failed a post-qualifying inspection by just 0.2 of a millimetre, team boss Toto Wolff said after the Formula One title contender was sent from first to last on the grid for Saturday's sprint race in Brazil.

The seven-time world champion battled back through the field to finish fifth, leaving him 10th on Sunday's main race grid after a penalty for exceeding his season's engine allocation is applied.

His car failed the technical inspection after he dominated Friday qualifying for the new format 100km sprint at Interlagos, with checks showing the gap between the rear wing elements was too wide.

Wolff said the wing, which was impounded by the governing FIA and had yet to be returned, was damaged in qualifying and the matter should not have gone to the stewards.

He said&nbsp;Hamilton, now 21 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen with four races to go, had been in disbelief after the stewards' ruling.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sao-paulo-gp-hamilton-disqualified-from-qualifying-verstappen-fined-eu50000-for-touching-hamiltons-car-429122">Sao Paulo GP: Hamilton disqualified from qualifying, Verstappen fined €50,000 for touching Hamilton's car</a>

"Discovering that we've marginally failed the test, we are speaking 0.2 of a millimetre, to not allowing this to be fixed like the normal protocol would be...there the bullet was out of the gun," said the Austrian.

"The wing was damaged. One side was OK, the middle was OK, the right side was not OK, and that means we actually had a performance disadvantage.

"We thought that, in consideration of all these aspects, the FIA would say there was a damage and therefore we weren't in breach of the regulations."

Wolff said he thought sporting director Ron Meadows was joking when he told him the news.

"Strange things happen but you have to take it on the chin, and the last 60 minutes of motor racing from Valtteri and from Lewis brought all the enjoyment back with all the frustrations that happened before," he added.

Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas qualified on pole position for Sunday's race.

The rear wing on Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes failed a post-qualifying inspection by just 0.2 of a millimetre, team boss Toto Wolff said after the Formula One title contender was sent from first to last on the grid for Saturday's sprint race in Brazil.

The rear wing on Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes failed a post-qualifying inspection by just 0.2 of a millimetre, team boss Toto Wolff said after the Formula One title contender was sent from first to last on the grid for Saturday's sprint race in Brazil. The seven-time world champion battled back through the field to finish fifth, leaving him 10th on Sunday's main race grid after a penalty for exceeding his season's engine allocation is applied. His car failed the technical inspection after he dominated Friday qualifying for the new format 100km sprint at Interlagos, with checks showing the gap between the rear wing elements was too wide. Wolff said the wing, which was impounded by the governing FIA and had yet to be returned, was damaged in qualifying and the matter should not have gone to the stewards. He said Hamilton, now 21 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen with four races to go, had been in disbelief after the stewards' ruling. ALSO READ | Sao Paulo GP: Hamilton disqualified from qualifying, Verstappen fined €50,000 for touching Hamilton's car "Discovering that we've marginally failed the test, we are speaking 0.2 of a millimetre, to not allowing this to be fixed like the normal protocol would be...there the bullet was out of the gun," said the Austrian. "The wing was damaged. One side was OK, the middle was OK, the right side was not OK, and that means we actually had a performance disadvantage. "We thought that, in consideration of all these aspects, the FIA would say there was a damage and therefore we weren't in breach of the regulations." Wolff said he thought sporting director Ron Meadows was joking when he told him the news. "Strange things happen but you have to take it on the chin, and the last 60 minutes of motor racing from Valtteri and from Lewis brought all the enjoyment back with all the frustrations that happened before," he added. Hamilton's team mate Valtteri Bottas qualified on pole position for Sunday's race.

Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton's rear wing failed test by 0.2mm

Valtteri Bottas won a sprint race to put his Mercedes on pole position at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Saturday as Red Bull`s Max Verstappen extended his Formula One championship lead to 21 points.

Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton made a sensational, aggressive charge from last on the grid, after being disqualified from a qualifying session he dominated on Friday, to fifth.

The Mercedes driver will start 10th on Sunday after a five place penalty for an engine change. "It`s not over yet," Hamilton said over the team radio after gaining 15 positions in 24 laps.

He finished with a flourish, sweeping past the McLaren of fellow-Briton Lando Norris on the last lap as the crowd stood and cheered.

"I honestly had no idea what was possible. I didn`t set a limit or a maximum," said Hamilton, who would have started at the front but was demoted to the back after his car`s rear wing failed a technical check.

"Then all of a sudden I was chipping away at it much faster...you can`t give up, you`ve just got to keep pushing." 
Bottas took three points for the sprint win, stretching Mercedes` lead over Red Bull in the constructors` standings to two points and also doing Hamilton a service.

Verstappen, who had lined up in the number one slot, lost out to Bottas at the start and was then also passed by Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz.

The Dutch 24-year-old took back second on lap four and stayed there to bank the two points. "The start was the key thing for me," said Bottas, who has now taken pole at three of the last four races. "We gambled a bit with the soft tyre, we knew it would be a benefit at the start and it worked."

Sainz was third, after also opting to start on the soft tyres, and took the final point available with Red Bull`s Sergio Perez fourth. Sunday`s race will be almost three times longer and Hamilton, with a fresher engine than those ahead of him, will be targeting the podium -- and could even be in with a chance of the win.

"Brilliant drive. Damage limitation," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after a difficult day. Norris and Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc will share the third row in fifth and sixth respectively after Hamilton`s penalty with AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly seventh and Alpine`s Esteban Ocon eighth.

Aston Martin`s four times world champion Sebastian Vettel starts ninth and just ahead of Hamilton. The sprint was the third race weekend of the year using the experimental format, after Silverstone and Monza, and Formula One managing director Ross Brawn liked what he saw.

"This sprint was the best one so far with plenty of action and a great crowd to witness it all," said the Briton, who plans to expand the format to six rounds next year.

"The drama off the track created something fixating on it, with Lewis overtaking car after car. Without the sprint, he would be at the back of the grid for tomorrow`s race but instead he has a real chance tomorrow."

Valtteri Bottas won a sprint race to put his Mercedes on pole position at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Saturday as Red Bull`s Max Verstappen extended his Formula One championship lead to 21 points.

Valtteri Bottas won a sprint race to put his Mercedes on pole position at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Saturday as Red Bull`s Max Verstappen extended his Formula One championship lead to 21 points. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton made a sensational, aggressive charge from last on the grid, after being disqualified from a qualifying session he dominated on Friday, to fifth. The Mercedes driver will start 10th on Sunday after a five place penalty for an engine change. "It`s not over yet," Hamilton said over the team radio after gaining 15 positions in 24 laps. He finished with a flourish, sweeping past the McLaren of fellow-Briton Lando Norris on the last lap as the crowd stood and cheered. "I honestly had no idea what was possible. I didn`t set a limit or a maximum," said Hamilton, who would have started at the front but was demoted to the back after his car`s rear wing failed a technical check. "Then all of a sudden I was chipping away at it much faster...you can`t give up, you`ve just got to keep pushing." Bottas took three points for the sprint win, stretching Mercedes` lead over Red Bull in the constructors` standings to two points and also doing Hamilton a service. Verstappen, who had lined up in the number one slot, lost out to Bottas at the start and was then also passed by Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz. The Dutch 24-year-old took back second on lap four and stayed there to bank the two points. "The start was the key thing for me," said Bottas, who has now taken pole at three of the last four races. "We gambled a bit with the soft tyre, we knew it would be a benefit at the start and it worked." Sainz was third, after also opting to start on the soft tyres, and took the final point available with Red Bull`s Sergio Perez fourth. Sunday`s race will be almost three times longer and Hamilton, with a fresher engine than those ahead of him, will be targeting the podium -- and could even be in with a chance of the win. "Brilliant drive. Damage limitation," said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after a difficult day. Norris and Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc will share the third row in fifth and sixth respectively after Hamilton`s penalty with AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly seventh and Alpine`s Esteban Ocon eighth. Aston Martin`s four times world champion Sebastian Vettel starts ninth and just ahead of Hamilton. The sprint was the third race weekend of the year using the experimental format, after Silverstone and Monza, and Formula One managing director Ross Brawn liked what he saw. "This sprint was the best one so far with plenty of action and a great crowd to witness it all," said the Briton, who plans to expand the format to six rounds next year. "The drama off the track created something fixating on it, with Lewis overtaking car after car. Without the sprint, he would be at the back of the grid for tomorrow`s race but instead he has a real chance tomorrow."

Valtteri Bottas takes Brazilian GP pole as Lewis Hamilton goes down after disqualification

In a fresh blow to the Formula One world championship hopes, Lewis Hamilton, who trails Max Verstappen by 19 points in the title race, was disqualified from qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix over a rear-wing infringement. F1 stewards sent the Mercedes racer Hamilton from first to last in the lineup for Saturday's Sao Paulo sprint race after technical infringement was found related to the DRS system.&nbsp;

It is important to note here that the 100km sprint determines the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix in Brazil. The seven-time world champion Hamilton had already been hit with a five-place grid penalty for the main event after the engine was changed on his Mercedes.&nbsp;

The stewards explained: "In lay terms, there is a gap between the upper and lower parts of the rear wing. When the DRS is not activated this gap must be between 10mm and 15mm. The car passed this part of the test."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/105-year-old-julia-hawkins-sets-world-record-for-sprinting-100m-but-she-is-unsatisfied-heres-why-429091">105-year-old Julia Hawkins sets world record for sprinting 100m but she is unsatisfied, here's why</a>

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Here is how we will now line up for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1Sprint?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1Sprint</a> 👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrazilGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrazilGP</a> 🇧🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/KYXNJtOiXT">pic.twitter.com/KYXNJtOiXT</a>
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"When DRS is activated, which raises the upper element of the wing to a flatter position, the gap must be between 10mm and 85mm. The maximum gap is measured, in accordance with TD/011-19, by pushing an 85mm gauge against the gap with a maximum load of 10N (ten newtons.) If the gauge goes through then the car has failed the test."

"In this case, the gauge would not pass through at the inner section of the wing, but did at the outer section of the wing. This test was repeated four times with two different gauges, once being done in the presence of the Stewards and representatives of the Competitor."

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BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton is disqualified from Friday's qualifying session for a technical infringement related to the DRS system<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrazilGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrazilGP</a> 🇧🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/zjgQ4WlArN">pic.twitter.com/zjgQ4WlArN</a>
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On the other hand, stewards fined Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen 50,000 euros ($57,250) for touching and examining the rear wing of Hamilton's Mercedes following qualifying in Parc Ferme, which in itself was a suspected breach of Article 2.5.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code.&nbsp;

That article states: "in the Parc Ferme, only the officials assigned may enter. No operation, checking, tuning or repair is allowed unless authorised by the same officials or by the applicable regulations."

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BREAKING: Max Verstappen has been fined for infringing parc ferme regulations after qualifying on Friday<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrazilGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrazilGP</a> 🇧🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/sC2n1irwOn">pic.twitter.com/sC2n1irwOn</a>
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The stewards released statement, which read: "The stewards heard from the driver of car 33 (Max Verstappen) and team representative. The stewards also examined a fan video taken from across the track, CCTV video footage taken from pit lane and in car footage from car 14, car 33, car 44 and car 77."

"In all, these videos gave a clear picture of what occurred in parc fermé following the qualifying session. Verstappen exits the car, then moves to the rear of his car. He then takes his gloves off and puts his right hand at the slot-gap of the rear wing of his car."

"He then moves to car 44 and repeats the exercise, touching the rear wing in two places, once on either side of the DRS actuation device, but on the bottom rear side of the wing, in the area of the slot gap and never near the actuator or the end fixation points."

In a fresh blow to the Formula One world championship hopes, Lewis Hamilton, who trails Max Verstappen by 19 points in the title race, was disqualified from qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix over a rear-wing infringement.

In a fresh blow to the Formula One world championship hopes, Lewis Hamilton, who trails Max Verstappen by 19 points in the title race, was disqualified from qualifying at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix over a rear-wing infringement. F1 stewards sent the Mercedes racer Hamilton from first to last in the lineup for Saturday's Sao Paulo sprint race after technical infringement was found related to the DRS system. It is important to note here that the 100km sprint determines the starting grid for Sunday's Grand Prix in Brazil. The seven-time world champion Hamilton had already been hit with a five-place grid penalty for the main event after the engine was changed on his Mercedes. The stewards explained: "In lay terms, there is a gap between the upper and lower parts of the rear wing. When the DRS is not activated this gap must be between 10mm and 15mm. The car passed this part of the test." ALSO READ | 105-year-old Julia Hawkins sets world record for sprinting 100m but she is unsatisfied, here's why Here is how we will now line up for #F1Sprint 👇#BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/KYXNJtOiXT — Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2021 × "When DRS is activated, which raises the upper element of the wing to a flatter position, the gap must be between 10mm and 85mm. The maximum gap is measured, in accordance with TD/011-19, by pushing an 85mm gauge against the gap with a maximum load of 10N (ten newtons.) If the gauge goes through then the car has failed the test." "In this case, the gauge would not pass through at the inner section of the wing, but did at the outer section of the wing. This test was repeated four times with two different gauges, once being done in the presence of the Stewards and representatives of the Competitor." BREAKING: Lewis Hamilton is disqualified from Friday's qualifying session for a technical infringement related to the DRS system#BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/zjgQ4WlArN — Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2021 × On the other hand, stewards fined Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen 50,000 euros ($57,250) for touching and examining the rear wing of Hamilton's Mercedes following qualifying in Parc Ferme, which in itself was a suspected breach of Article 2.5.1 of the FIA International Sporting Code. That article states: "in the Parc Ferme, only the officials assigned may enter. No operation, checking, tuning or repair is allowed unless authorised by the same officials or by the applicable regulations." BREAKING: Max Verstappen has been fined for infringing parc ferme regulations after qualifying on Friday#BrazilGP 🇧🇷 #F1 pic.twitter.com/sC2n1irwOn — Formula 1 (@F1) November 13, 2021 × The stewards released statement, which read: "The stewards heard from the driver of car 33 (Max Verstappen) and team representative. The stewards also examined a fan video taken from across the track, CCTV video footage taken from pit lane and in car footage from car 14, car 33, car 44 and car 77." "In all, these videos gave a clear picture of what occurred in parc fermé following the qualifying session. Verstappen exits the car, then moves to the rear of his car. He then takes his gloves off and puts his right hand at the slot-gap of the rear wing of his car." "He then moves to car 44 and repeats the exercise, touching the rear wing in two places, once on either side of the DRS actuation device, but on the bottom rear side of the wing, in the area of the slot gap and never near the actuator or the end fixation points."

Sao Paulo GP: Hamilton disqualified from qualifying, Verstappen fined €50,000 for touching Hamilton's car

Formula One title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both faced possible sanctions on Saturday after being accused of breaking the rules ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

On a day of drama in Brazil after qualifying for a Saturday sprint race that determines Sunday`s starting grid, Mercedes driver Hamilton and then Red Bull`s championship leader Verstappen caught the stewards` attention.

Seven times world champion Hamilton dominated qualifying at the Interlagos circuit but his car then failed a technical check, with the risk of demotion to the back of the sprint field.

Stewards ordered the rear wing assembly to be impounded and the car stored overnight.

A spokesman for the governing FIA said the officials were awaiting further evidence that would not be available until morning.

A statement then delivered another bombshell by summoning Verstappen and a team representative to a meeting at 0930 local time (1230 GMT) for an alleged breach of the international sporting code.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sau-paulo-grand-prix-grid-penalty-another-blow-to-lewis-hamiltons-title-hopes-428856">Sau Paulo Grand Prix: Grid penalty another blow to Lewis Hamilton's title hopes</a>

Video footage posted by a fan on social media showed Verstappen seemingly checking with his hands the rear wings of his Red Bull and Hamilton`s Mercedes after they had parked up post-qualifying.

Article 2.5.1 of the sporting code states that "no operation, checking, tuning or repair is allowed" in that secure area unless authorised by officials.

NEW ENGINE

Hamilton, 19 points adrift of Verstappen with four races remaining, already has a five-place grid penalty for Sunday`s race after Mercedes changed the engine in his car.

The Briton had clocked a fastest time of one minute 07.934 seconds with Verstappen 0.438 slower, a considerable margin around one of the shortest laps on the calendar.

"Let`s go," exclaimed Hamilton over the team radio.

Three points are to be won in the sprint but Hamilton`s chances of taking them were thrown into doubt by a measurement of millimetres.

Formula One technical delegate Jo Bauer reported the uppermost rear wing adjustable positions did not comply with the rules for a maximum distance of 85mm when the drag reduction system was deployed.

Hamilton had earlier told reporters the car was finally performing to his liking.

"A lot of the times we get it wrong, I get it wrong, and today I got it right and the car was really nice to drive. It was everything I wanted," he said.

Verstappen said Hamilton`s new engine had clearly made a difference.

"For me it’s not a big shock. I’m just happy to be second. That’s a good position to start from. Of course you always want to be closer but sometimes you just have to be realistic and there was not much more in it," he said.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sao-paulo-grand-prix-one-is-magic-number-as-max-verstappen-ignores-title-talk-428859">Sao Paulo Grand Prix: One is magic number as Max Verstappen ignores title talk</a>

The 100km sprint is the last of three in the experimental format this season, with the other two being at Monza and Silverstone. 
Mercedes` Valtteri Bottas was third fastest with Red Bull`s Sergio Perez alongside on the second row.

"Lewis was untouchable today," said Perez.

Team boss Christian Horner agreed: "That fresh engine is obviously pumping out some horsepower for (Hamilton) so I think second was the best we could hope for," he said.

"If you look at the relative speed (of Hamilton) compared to Valtteri it`s a couple of tenths."

AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly starts fifth with the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc followed by the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo in the battle for third overall.

Fernando Alonso qualified 10th for Alpine.

Further back George Russell was out-qualified by Williams team mate Nicholas Latifi - the first time that has happened although the actual grand prix grid positions will not be decided until Saturday.

Formula One title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both faced possible sanctions on Saturday after being accused of breaking the rules ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Formula One title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton both faced possible sanctions on Saturday after being accused of breaking the rules ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. On a day of drama in Brazil after qualifying for a Saturday sprint race that determines Sunday`s starting grid, Mercedes driver Hamilton and then Red Bull`s championship leader Verstappen caught the stewards` attention. Seven times world champion Hamilton dominated qualifying at the Interlagos circuit but his car then failed a technical check, with the risk of demotion to the back of the sprint field. Stewards ordered the rear wing assembly to be impounded and the car stored overnight. A spokesman for the governing FIA said the officials were awaiting further evidence that would not be available until morning. A statement then delivered another bombshell by summoning Verstappen and a team representative to a meeting at 0930 local time (1230 GMT) for an alleged breach of the international sporting code. ALSO READ: Sau Paulo Grand Prix: Grid penalty another blow to Lewis Hamilton's title hopes Video footage posted by a fan on social media showed Verstappen seemingly checking with his hands the rear wings of his Red Bull and Hamilton`s Mercedes after they had parked up post-qualifying. Article 2.5.1 of the sporting code states that "no operation, checking, tuning or repair is allowed" in that secure area unless authorised by officials. NEW ENGINE Hamilton, 19 points adrift of Verstappen with four races remaining, already has a five-place grid penalty for Sunday`s race after Mercedes changed the engine in his car. The Briton had clocked a fastest time of one minute 07.934 seconds with Verstappen 0.438 slower, a considerable margin around one of the shortest laps on the calendar. "Let`s go," exclaimed Hamilton over the team radio. Three points are to be won in the sprint but Hamilton`s chances of taking them were thrown into doubt by a measurement of millimetres. Formula One technical delegate Jo Bauer reported the uppermost rear wing adjustable positions did not comply with the rules for a maximum distance of 85mm when the drag reduction system was deployed. Hamilton had earlier told reporters the car was finally performing to his liking. "A lot of the times we get it wrong, I get it wrong, and today I got it right and the car was really nice to drive. It was everything I wanted," he said. Verstappen said Hamilton`s new engine had clearly made a difference. "For me it’s not a big shock. I’m just happy to be second. That’s a good position to start from. Of course you always want to be closer but sometimes you just have to be realistic and there was not much more in it," he said. ALSO READ: Sao Paulo Grand Prix: One is magic number as Max Verstappen ignores title talk The 100km sprint is the last of three in the experimental format this season, with the other two being at Monza and Silverstone. Mercedes` Valtteri Bottas was third fastest with Red Bull`s Sergio Perez alongside on the second row. "Lewis was untouchable today," said Perez. Team boss Christian Horner agreed: "That fresh engine is obviously pumping out some horsepower for (Hamilton) so I think second was the best we could hope for," he said. "If you look at the relative speed (of Hamilton) compared to Valtteri it`s a couple of tenths." AlphaTauri`s Pierre Gasly starts fifth with the two Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc followed by the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo in the battle for third overall. Fernando Alonso qualified 10th for Alpine. Further back George Russell was out-qualified by Williams team mate Nicholas Latifi - the first time that has happened although the actual grand prix grid positions will not be decided until Saturday.

Sao Paulo GP: Hamilton at risk of penalty over DRS infringement, Verstappen also summoned by stewards

Max&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;is refusing to dream of being world champion, but on Thursday admitted he would love to race next season with number one on his Red Bull car.

The 24-year-old Dutchman has raced with number 33 since starting his Formula One career in 2015 and said he would love to swap numbers because "it's the smart thing to do."

But first, he conceded, he would carry on ignoring talk of the title despite leading the championship by 19 points with four races remaining starting with this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

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"It's very simple," he said. "To be honest, if you don't think about it, you don't have any dreams or whatever. So I am just really focused.

"A lot of things can happen in four races. We are looking good, but things can change very quickly.

"I said it after the race in Mexico. I've had a bigger lead already in the championship and that disappeared within two races."

If&nbsp;Verstappen&nbsp;ends Mercedes' seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton's reign, he could become the first driver with number one on his car since Sebastian Vettel in 2014.

Hamilton retained his number 44 in preference to taking number one, as champion.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mexican-grand-prix-max-verstappen-wins-to-stretch-f1-lead-by-19-points-against-lewis-hamilton-427713">Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins to stretch F1 lead by 19 points against Lewis Hamilton</a>

Verstappen&nbsp;said he would "absolutely" change his number if he has the chance. &nbsp;

"How many times to you have the opportunity to drive with number one?" he asked.&nbsp;

"And it's good for merchandise as well -- so it's smart to do that."

Max Verstappen is refusing to dream of being world champion, but on Thursday admitted he would love to race next season with number one on his Red Bull car. The 24-year-old Dutchman has raced with number 33 since starting his Formula One career in 2015 and said he would love to swap numbers because "it's the smart thing to do.

Max Verstappen is refusing to dream of being world champion, but on Thursday admitted he would love to race next season with number one on his Red Bull car. The 24-year-old Dutchman has raced with number 33 since starting his Formula One career in 2015 and said he would love to swap numbers because "it's the smart thing to do." But first, he conceded, he would carry on ignoring talk of the title despite leading the championship by 19 points with four races remaining starting with this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. ALSO READ: Lewis Hamilton has Neymar onside ahead of big F1 battle in Brazil "It's very simple," he said. "To be honest, if you don't think about it, you don't have any dreams or whatever. So I am just really focused. "A lot of things can happen in four races. We are looking good, but things can change very quickly. "I said it after the race in Mexico. I've had a bigger lead already in the championship and that disappeared within two races." If Verstappen ends Mercedes' seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton's reign, he could become the first driver with number one on his car since Sebastian Vettel in 2014. Hamilton retained his number 44 in preference to taking number one, as champion. ALSO READ: Mexican Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins to stretch F1 lead by 19 points against Lewis Hamilton Verstappen said he would "absolutely" change his number if he has the chance. "How many times to you have the opportunity to drive with number one?" he asked. "And it's good for merchandise as well -- so it's smart to do that."

Sao Paulo Grand Prix: One is magic number as Max Verstappen ignores title talk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas claimed his first chequered flag of the season to win the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday as Max Verstappen reclaimed the lead in the title race.&nbsp;

The Red Bull driver finished second to take a six-point lead in the championship ahead of Bottas' teammate Lewis Hamilton who finished fifth voicing frustration with team strategy.&nbsp;

Sergio Perez, in the other Red Bull, took third with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth.&nbsp;

Although the rain eased by the start of the race, the wet conditions prevailed throughout, making the tactics around tyres and the timing of pit stops all the more important.&nbsp;

Bottas began from pole, avoiding a tangle between Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso on the opening lap, and led until pitting on the 38th lap of the 58-lap race.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/turkish-gp-valtteri-bottas-gets-pole-as-fastest-driver-lewis-hamilton-takes-grid-penalty-419468">Turkish GP: Valtteri Bottas gets pole as fastest driver Lewis Hamilton takes grid penalty</a>

That gave Leclerc the lead but as his tyres faded so did his pace and the Finn soon reclaimed the lead, going on to take his first win in over a year.&nbsp;

Verstappen made no attempt to challenge Bottas and was content to ease home second knowing that Hamilton was three places further back.&nbsp;

Hamilton was quickest in qualifying but had to start the race in 11th because of a grid penalty incurred for changing his engine.&nbsp;

The seven-time champion gained two places on the opening lap before picking his way up to fifth where he was held up by Perez.

As the other cars came in to change their tyres Hamilton stayed out, moving up to third and looking good for the podium.

Mercedes, however, called him in seven laps from the end, resulting in two lost places and an angry Hamilton.&nbsp;

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

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

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

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