On Thursday (Feb 1), reports started doing the rounds which claimed that Lewis Hamilton is set to leave Mercedes, who he has been associated with since the age of 13, to join Ferrari in 2025. Now, it has been confirmed that the British driver is parting ways with Mercedes and will become a part of Ferrari from next year onwards.&nbsp;Notably, he&nbsp;signed a two-year contract with Mercedes last August, however,&nbsp;there was a release option that could be activated to allow him an early release.

Hamilton, thus, used the option to join Ferrari. He will leave Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season. Both parties reacted to the development, on social media platform X, on Friday (Feb 2).&nbsp;

"The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. Lewis has activated a release option in the contract announced last August and this season will therefore be his last driving for the Silver Arrows."

"The news brings an end to what is currently a 17-year long relationship in F1 with Mercedes-Benz and an 11-year long partnership with the works team," read the statement from Mercedes.

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Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. Lewis has activated a release option in the contract announced last year.
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"Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract," read the statement.

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Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract. <a href="https://t.co/moEMqUgzXH">pic.twitter.com/moEMqUgzXH</a>
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Hamilton will race alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. On the other hand,&nbsp;Mercedes are on the hunt for a new driver for the 2025 season.

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<h2>'Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13'</h2>

Hamilton reacted to his departure from Mercedes and said&nbsp;in the Mercedes statement, "I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I'm so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It's a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But the time is right for me to take this step and I'm excited to be taking on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember."

The seven-time world champion's decision to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari also confirms that Carlos Sainz will exit Ferrari&nbsp;at the end of the 2024 season.

On Thursday (Feb 1), reports started doing the rounds which claimed that Lewis Hamilton is set to leave Mercedes, who he has been associated with since the age of 13, to join Ferrari in 2025.

On Thursday (Feb 1), reports started doing the rounds which claimed that Lewis Hamilton is set to leave Mercedes, who he has been associated with since the age of 13, to join Ferrari in 2025. Now, it has been confirmed that the British driver is parting ways with Mercedes and will become a part of Ferrari from next year onwards. Notably, he signed a two-year contract with Mercedes last August, however, there was a release option that could be activated to allow him an early release. Hamilton, thus, used the option to join Ferrari. He will leave Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season. Both parties reacted to the development, on social media platform X, on Friday (Feb 2). "The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. Lewis has activated a release option in the contract announced last August and this season will therefore be his last driving for the Silver Arrows." "The news brings an end to what is currently a 17-year long relationship in F1 with Mercedes-Benz and an 11-year long partnership with the works team," read the statement from Mercedes. Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team and Lewis Hamilton will part ways at the end of the 2024 season. Lewis has activated a release option in the contract announced last year. — Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 1, 2024 × "Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract," read the statement. Team Statement Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract. pic.twitter.com/moEMqUgzXH — Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 1, 2024 × Hamilton will race alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. On the other hand, Mercedes are on the hunt for a new driver for the 2025 season. Also read: PL: Kobbie Mainoo stars in dramatic Man United win at Wolves, West Ham fight back to draw with Bournemouth 'Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13' Hamilton reacted to his departure from Mercedes and said in the Mercedes statement, "I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I'm so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old. It's a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But the time is right for me to take this step and I'm excited to be taking on a new challenge. I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together. I am 100% committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember." The seven-time world champion's decision to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari also confirms that Carlos Sainz will exit Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season.

Formula One: 'One of the hardest decisions' - Lewis Hamilton on leaving Mercedes and joining Ferrari

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in the 2025 season.&nbsp;The seven-time world champion had been linked with Ferrari in the recent past and speculations were rife regarding a massive switch. While both parties have denied any such negotiations taking place, it is believed that Hamilton is now set to move from Mercedes after the end of his two-year deal.

It is to be noted that Sky Sports television claimed that Mercedes principal Toto Wolff would brief the team before a formal announcement later on Thursday (Feb 1).&nbsp;Hamilton, 39, has been associated with Mercedes since 2013 and won his first title with McLaren 16 years back, in 2008.

It is interesting to note that&nbsp;Hamilton signed a multi-year contract with Mercedes last year for 2024 and 2025. Now, it&nbsp;appears that the second season may have only been an option with him set to move away.&nbsp;

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Thus, Hamilton's move to Ferrari indicates that he will have an escape clause that means if he signs for Ferrari, he can be a part of them&nbsp;from 2025. While an official confirmation is expected anytime soon, it is a body blow especially for Mercedes who worked hard to extend the veteran star's stay last year. As of now, it is unclear what caused for such a massive switch as many expected Hamilton to see out his F1 career at Mercedes.&nbsp;

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in the 2025 season. The seven-time world champion had been linked with Ferrari in the recent past and speculations were rife regarding a massive switch.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari in the 2025 season. The seven-time world champion had been linked with Ferrari in the recent past and speculations were rife regarding a massive switch. While both parties have denied any such negotiations taking place, it is believed that Hamilton is now set to move from Mercedes after the end of his two-year deal. It is to be noted that Sky Sports television claimed that Mercedes principal Toto Wolff would brief the team before a formal announcement later on Thursday (Feb 1). Hamilton, 39, has been associated with Mercedes since 2013 and won his first title with McLaren 16 years back, in 2008. It is interesting to note that Hamilton signed a multi-year contract with Mercedes last year for 2024 and 2025. Now, it appears that the second season may have only been an option with him set to move away. Also read: La Liga: Vitor Roque scores debut goal as struggling Barcelona finds form with home win over Osasuna Thus, Hamilton's move to Ferrari indicates that he will have an escape clause that means if he signs for Ferrari, he can be a part of them from 2025. While an official confirmation is expected anytime soon, it is a body blow especially for Mercedes who worked hard to extend the veteran star's stay last year. As of now, it is unclear what caused for such a massive switch as many expected Hamilton to see out his F1 career at Mercedes.

Formula One: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari in 2025 season - Reports

Mercedes&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff has signed a three-year deal to lead the former world champions into the sport's new engine era in 2026, he said on Monday. The 52-year-old Austrian told the Daily Telegraph in an interview that he still felt he was the best man for the job and co-owners Mercedes and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, boss of Ineos, agreed.

"At the end of the day, as a shareholder myself, I want the best return on investment. And the best return on investment is winning," said Wolff. "I’m not going to try to hang on to a position that I think somebody is going to do better than me. I make sure that I have people around who can tell me otherwise. In the end the three of us decided: 'Let’s do it again'."

Mercedes won an unprecedented eight constructors' titles in a row from 2014 to 2021 but finished third in 2022 and runners-up last year. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton has not won a race since 2021 while the team's last grand prix victory was by George Russell in Brazil in 2022. Wolff said he was hopeful the 2024 car would be more competitive after two years of domination by Red Bull and triple champion Max Verstappen. The Austrian quoted former racer Anthony Davidson, who still serves as a simulator driver for Mercedes, reporting that the car "feels like a car for the first time in two years" after driving the Australian GP layout.

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Wolff was also adamant that Hamilton, now 39, could still win a record eighth title.

"His ability is on a different level. If we are able to give him a car that he actually feels, that drives in a way that he can trust, he will be on the level that’s needed to win the championship. 39 is no age."

Mercedes Formula One team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff has signed a three-year deal to lead the former world champions into the sport's new engine era in 2026, he said on Monday.

Mercedes Formula One team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff has signed a three-year deal to lead the former world champions into the sport's new engine era in 2026, he said on Monday. The 52-year-old Austrian told the Daily Telegraph in an interview that he still felt he was the best man for the job and co-owners Mercedes and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, boss of Ineos, agreed. "At the end of the day, as a shareholder myself, I want the best return on investment. And the best return on investment is winning," said Wolff. "I’m not going to try to hang on to a position that I think somebody is going to do better than me. I make sure that I have people around who can tell me otherwise. In the end the three of us decided: 'Let’s do it again'." Mercedes won an unprecedented eight constructors' titles in a row from 2014 to 2021 but finished third in 2022 and runners-up last year. Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton has not won a race since 2021 while the team's last grand prix victory was by George Russell in Brazil in 2022. Wolff said he was hopeful the 2024 car would be more competitive after two years of domination by Red Bull and triple champion Max Verstappen. The Austrian quoted former racer Anthony Davidson, who still serves as a simulator driver for Mercedes, reporting that the car "feels like a car for the first time in two years" after driving the Australian GP layout. Also read: Australian Open: Iga Swiatek battles through tough test against former champion Sofia Kenin Wolff was also adamant that Hamilton, now 39, could still win a record eighth title. "His ability is on a different level. If we are able to give him a car that he actually feels, that drives in a way that he can trust, he will be on the level that’s needed to win the championship. 39 is no age."

Toto Wolff signs three-year extension with Mercedes F1 team

As the leader in the luxury car market, Mercedes-Benzes has experienced unprecedented growth, surpassing its previous all-time high of 15,822 units. Notably, the German automaker achieved its best-ever H2 and Q4 sales in India, maintaining its dominance for the ninth consecutive year.

Mercedes India reports 10% surge in sales

Former Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has opened up on legendary Michael Schumacher on the 10th anniversary of his accident. Friday (Dec 29) marked 10 years of Schumacher’s near-fatal accident at the French Alps after which he is yet to make a public appearance.

Vettel, a former German colleague of Schumacher, opened up on the health of his colleague and how difficult it is for him to accept the current situation of the seven-time world champion.

<h2>Vettel opens up on Schumacher</h2>

"It's still very, very difficult to, I don't want to say accept, but to accept that he keeps fighting and he's not doing well. Of course I wish him only the best. It is still a topic very often and I think about it sometimes in silence and sometimes a lot,"&nbsp;Vettel was quoted as saying by RTL in the English version of its interview.

"The first thoughts were of course at the last conversation we had together," remembers Vettel. "I told him that I was going to be a father and what was coming for us. I just miss my friend. He would have been so important in recent years. I would have had so many questions and he certainly could have provided so many answers or inspiration,” the German racer added.

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Since his accident, Schumacher has undergone several surgeries after having initially gone through a medically induced coma until June 2014. The former Mercedes driver left the hospital in Grenoble for further treatment at the Lausanne University Hospital, before being shifted for treatment and rehabilitation in September 2014.

Currently, according to a report from the BILD and Daily Mail, Schumacher has been driven in a Mercedes AMG car to stimulate the brain with familiar sounds. The reports further add that Schumacher receives 24-hour care, with a private infirmary situated in his former office. Fifteen doctors and their assistants ensure his well-being.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has opened up on legendary Michael Schumacher on the 10th anniversary of his accident. Friday (Dec 29) marked 10 years of Schumacher’s near-fatal accident at the French Alps after which he is yet to make a public appearance.

Former Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has opened up on legendary Michael Schumacher on the 10th anniversary of his accident. Friday (Dec 29) marked 10 years of Schumacher’s near-fatal accident at the French Alps after which he is yet to make a public appearance. Vettel, a former German colleague of Schumacher, opened up on the health of his colleague and how difficult it is for him to accept the current situation of the seven-time world champion. Vettel opens up on Schumacher "It's still very, very difficult to, I don't want to say accept, but to accept that he keeps fighting and he's not doing well. Of course I wish him only the best. It is still a topic very often and I think about it sometimes in silence and sometimes a lot," Vettel was quoted as saying by RTL in the English version of its interview. "The first thoughts were of course at the last conversation we had together," remembers Vettel. "I told him that I was going to be a father and what was coming for us. I just miss my friend. He would have been so important in recent years. I would have had so many questions and he certainly could have provided so many answers or inspiration,” the German racer added. ALSO READ | Australia women beat India by three runs in second ODI to take unassailable lead in three-match series Since his accident, Schumacher has undergone several surgeries after having initially gone through a medically induced coma until June 2014. The former Mercedes driver left the hospital in Grenoble for further treatment at the Lausanne University Hospital, before being shifted for treatment and rehabilitation in September 2014. Currently, according to a report from the BILD and Daily Mail, Schumacher has been driven in a Mercedes AMG car to stimulate the brain with familiar sounds. The reports further add that Schumacher receives 24-hour care, with a private infirmary situated in his former office. Fifteen doctors and their assistants ensure his well-being. (With inputs from agencies)

Michael Schumacher Health: Sebastian Vettel opens up on legendary Mercedes driver, says 'he's not doing well'

Formula One teams on Wednesday denied complaining to the governing body about Mercedes principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, who runs the sport's all-female F1 Academy series. The paddock's power couple were in the spotlight after the FIA issued a&nbsp;surprise statement&nbsp;on Tuesday announcing its compliance department was looking into media speculation about a potential conflict of interest. According to a report in Business F1 magazine, some team principals had raised concerns about possible leaks of information from private meetings.

Nine of the 10 teams, all except Mercedes who issued their reaction on Tuesday, published almost identical statements via social media that effectively undermined the premise of the investigation. "We can confirm that we have not made any complaint to the FIA regarding the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed between an F1 Team Principal and a member of FOM staff," they said.

"We are pleased and proud to support F1 Academy and its managing director through our commitment to sponsor an entrant in our liveries from next season." The F1 Academy aims to help women climb the motorsport ladder to Formula One and is supporting seven grands prix next season. All 10 teams each nominate a driver and will have their livery on a car.

Susie Wolff, a former racer who reports to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali and is one of the most senior women in motorsport, issued her own statement on Tuesday saying she felt "deeply insulted" to have her integrity questioned.

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She spoke also of "intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour" that was "focused on my marital status rather than my abilities". Her wording acquired particular resonance in the light of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem being embroiled in a controversy last January over decades-old&nbsp;sexist comments&nbsp;attributed to him that appeared on an old personal website.

Mercedes also rejected allegations against Toto that it said "wrongly impinges on the integrity and compliance of our team principal." Liberty Media-owned Formula One meanwhile expressed "complete confidence that the allegations are wrong".

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said his dominant team had a big rivalry on track with championship runners-up Mercedes but had not raised any official complaint against Susie, Toto or Mercedes to the FIA. "In fact, Red Bull has been the team that has got most involved with Formula One Academy from its inception, to the point that between the two Red Bull-owned teams we'll be entering three cars," he told Sky Sports television.

"I think we, like others, were quite surprised (by) the statement that came out last night. It certainly wasn't instigated or required or set off by Red Bull." "This is an FIA thing. They've taken this action but certainly nothing to do with Red Bull," he added. Toto Wolff and Horner have had a fierce, and sometimes almost theatrical, rivalry over the years fuelled by the popular Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive'.

Formula One and the FIA have also been at loggerheads repeatedly since Ben Sulayem took the helm at the end of 2021, with the possible addition of U.S.-based Andretti as an 11th team the latest sticking point.

Formula One teams on Wednesday denied complaining to the governing body about Mercedes principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, who runs the sport's all-female F1 Academy series.

Formula One teams on Wednesday denied complaining to the governing body about Mercedes principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, who runs the sport's all-female F1 Academy series. The paddock's power couple were in the spotlight after the FIA issued a surprise statement on Tuesday announcing its compliance department was looking into media speculation about a potential conflict of interest. According to a report in Business F1 magazine, some team principals had raised concerns about possible leaks of information from private meetings. Nine of the 10 teams, all except Mercedes who issued their reaction on Tuesday, published almost identical statements via social media that effectively undermined the premise of the investigation. "We can confirm that we have not made any complaint to the FIA regarding the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed between an F1 Team Principal and a member of FOM staff," they said. "We are pleased and proud to support F1 Academy and its managing director through our commitment to sponsor an entrant in our liveries from next season." The F1 Academy aims to help women climb the motorsport ladder to Formula One and is supporting seven grands prix next season. All 10 teams each nominate a driver and will have their livery on a car. Susie Wolff, a former racer who reports to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali and is one of the most senior women in motorsport, issued her own statement on Tuesday saying she felt "deeply insulted" to have her integrity questioned. Also Read: LA Lakers' superstar LeBron James lashes out at 'ridiculous' US guns laws after Las Vegas shooting She spoke also of "intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour" that was "focused on my marital status rather than my abilities". Her wording acquired particular resonance in the light of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem being embroiled in a controversy last January over decades-old sexist comments attributed to him that appeared on an old personal website. Mercedes also rejected allegations against Toto that it said "wrongly impinges on the integrity and compliance of our team principal." Liberty Media-owned Formula One meanwhile expressed "complete confidence that the allegations are wrong". Red Bull boss Christian Horner said his dominant team had a big rivalry on track with championship runners-up Mercedes but had not raised any official complaint against Susie, Toto or Mercedes to the FIA. "In fact, Red Bull has been the team that has got most involved with Formula One Academy from its inception, to the point that between the two Red Bull-owned teams we'll be entering three cars," he told Sky Sports television. "I think we, like others, were quite surprised (by) the statement that came out last night. It certainly wasn't instigated or required or set off by Red Bull." "This is an FIA thing. They've taken this action but certainly nothing to do with Red Bull," he added. Toto Wolff and Horner have had a fierce, and sometimes almost theatrical, rivalry over the years fuelled by the popular Netflix docu-series 'Drive to Survive'. Formula One and the FIA have also been at loggerheads repeatedly since Ben Sulayem took the helm at the end of 2021, with the possible addition of U.S.-based Andretti as an 11th team the latest sticking point.

Formula one teams deny complaining to FIA against Toto, Susie Wolff

Formula One's governing body announced a compliance probe on Tuesday that drew a furious response from the sport's owners, top team Mercedes and one of the most senior women in motorsport. The storm broke after the FIA issued a surprise statement saying it was looking into reports a team boss had received confidential information from an employee of the commercial rights holder.

Although the principal was not named, media identified him as Mercedes' Toto Wolff whose wife Susie leads the all-female&nbsp;F1&nbsp;Academy and reports to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali. "The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an&nbsp;F1&nbsp;team principal from a member of FOM personnel," the governing body said in a statement. "The FIA compliance department is looking into the matter."

Susie Wolff, a former racer who was also previously a team boss in the all-electric Formula E series, said on Instagram that she felt "deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised" by the allegations. "It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities," she added.

"Throughout my career in motorsport I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for&nbsp;F1&nbsp;Academy. "In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations."

Liberty Media-owned Formula One said the FIA statement had not been shared with them in advance. They expressed "complete confidence that the allegations are wrong", said "no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal" and referred to "robust processes and procedures" to ensure the segregation of information.

Mercedes said the team had received no communication from the FIA Compliance Department "and it was highly surprising to learn of the investigation through a media statement. "We wholly reject the allegation in the statement and associated media coverage, which wrongly impinges on the integrity and compliance of our team principal."

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The website reported that some principals had expressed concern to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of a potential conflict of interest, although nothing had been said in public.

It said Ben Sulayem had asked the compliance department to investigate. An FIA spokesman could not comment on the matter.

Formula One and the FIA have been at loggerheads on a number of issues since Ben Sulayem took office at the end of 2021. Some team bosses also raised conflict of interest concerns last year when Shaila Ann-Rao, who had worked as a special adviser to Wolff, was appointed the FIA's interim head of Formula One.

She left the governing body less than six months later.

Formula One's governing body announced a compliance probe on Tuesday that drew a furious response from the sport's owners, top team Mercedes and one of the most senior women in motorsport.

Formula One's governing body announced a compliance probe on Tuesday that drew a furious response from the sport's owners, top team Mercedes and one of the most senior women in motorsport. The storm broke after the FIA issued a surprise statement saying it was looking into reports a team boss had received confidential information from an employee of the commercial rights holder. Although the principal was not named, media identified him as Mercedes' Toto Wolff whose wife Susie leads the all-female F1 Academy and reports to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali. "The FIA is aware of media speculation centred on the allegation of information of a confidential nature being passed to an F1 team principal from a member of FOM personnel," the governing body said in a statement. "The FIA compliance department is looking into the matter." Susie Wolff, a former racer who was also previously a team boss in the all-electric Formula E series, said on Instagram that she felt "deeply insulted but sadly unsurprised" by the allegations. "It is disheartening that my integrity is being called into question in such a manner, especially when it seems to be rooted in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour, and focused on my marital status rather than my abilities," she added. "Throughout my career in motorsport I have encountered and overcome numerous obstacles and I refuse to let these baseless allegations overshadow my dedication and passion for F1 Academy. "In the strongest possible terms, I reject these allegations." Liberty Media-owned Formula One said the FIA statement had not been shared with them in advance. They expressed "complete confidence that the allegations are wrong", said "no member of our team has made any unauthorised disclosure to a team principal" and referred to "robust processes and procedures" to ensure the segregation of information. Mercedes said the team had received no communication from the FIA Compliance Department "and it was highly surprising to learn of the investigation through a media statement. "We wholly reject the allegation in the statement and associated media coverage, which wrongly impinges on the integrity and compliance of our team principal." Also read: F1: Carlos Sainz's penalty was wrong but unavoidable in LA Grand Prix, feels Steward Derek Warwick The website reported that some principals had expressed concern to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of a potential conflict of interest, although nothing had been said in public. It said Ben Sulayem had asked the compliance department to investigate. An FIA spokesman could not comment on the matter. Formula One and the FIA have been at loggerheads on a number of issues since Ben Sulayem took office at the end of 2021. Some team bosses also raised conflict of interest concerns last year when Shaila Ann-Rao, who had worked as a special adviser to Wolff, was appointed the FIA's interim head of Formula One. She left the governing body less than six months later.

FIA compliance probe evokes a storm in Formula One

Former Formula One world champions&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp;announced the surprise departure of chief&nbsp;technical&nbsp;officer (CTO) Mike&nbsp;Elliott&nbsp;on Tuesday only months after he took on the role in a job swap with James Allison. Elliott&nbsp;had been appointed&nbsp;technical&nbsp;director in July 2021, with Allison moving to the CTO role, but they switched positions last April after&nbsp;Mercedes&nbsp; made a slow start to the season following a difficult 2022.

Red Bull have won the last three drivers' titles with Max Verstappen as well as the 2022 and 2023 constructors' championships. Mercedes&nbsp;are second in the standings with three races remaining and have seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton chasing the runner-up spot behind Verstappen, with the Briton 20 points adrift of Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

Mercedes&nbsp;said&nbsp;Elliott, who had been with the&nbsp;team&nbsp;for 11 years and through their record eight successive constructors' titles, had chosen to depart after developing a&nbsp;technical&nbsp; strategy for the future.

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"Mike has been one of the pillars of the&nbsp;team’s achievements over the past decade," said co-owner and principal Toto Wolff in a statement. "And it’s with truly mixed feelings that we say goodbye to him today.

"Mike is a fiercely intelligent&nbsp;technical&nbsp;brain and a great&nbsp;team-player; he has made a strong contribution not just to winning&nbsp;racing&nbsp;cars but also to building the culture of our&nbsp;team. "But on the other side, it’s clear that he’s ready for new adventures beyond&nbsp;Mercedes, so I know this is the right step for him to take, too."

Former Formula One world champions Mercedes announced the surprise departure of chief technical officer (CTO) Mike Elliott on Tuesday only months after he took on the role in a job swap with James Allison.

Former Formula One world champions Mercedes announced the surprise departure of chief technical officer (CTO) Mike Elliott on Tuesday only months after he took on the role in a job swap with James Allison. Elliott had been appointed technical director in July 2021, with Allison moving to the CTO role, but they switched positions last April after Mercedes made a slow start to the season following a difficult 2022. Red Bull have won the last three drivers' titles with Max Verstappen as well as the 2022 and 2023 constructors' championships. Mercedes are second in the standings with three races remaining and have seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton chasing the runner-up spot behind Verstappen, with the Briton 20 points adrift of Red Bull's Sergio Perez. Mercedes said Elliott, who had been with the team for 11 years and through their record eight successive constructors' titles, had chosen to depart after developing a technical strategy for the future. Also Read: Golf: Tiger Woods fades late to shoot 75 in first round of Hero World Challenge "Mike has been one of the pillars of the team’s achievements over the past decade," said co-owner and principal Toto Wolff in a statement. "And it’s with truly mixed feelings that we say goodbye to him today. "Mike is a fiercely intelligent technical brain and a great team-player; he has made a strong contribution not just to winning racing cars but also to building the culture of our team. "But on the other side, it’s clear that he’s ready for new adventures beyond Mercedes, so I know this is the right step for him to take, too."

F1: Mercedes announces surprise departure of technical officer Mike Elliott

Lewis Hamilton has admitted to moments of self-doubt after the 38-year-old Mercedes driver's second successive&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;season without a win. Speaking to the BBC and others in an interview published on Wednesday, the seven-times world champion and most successful driver in the sport's history with a record 103 wins said it was normal to ask such questions. "When you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you're like: 'Is it me, or is it the car? Do you still have it? Has it gone?'," said the Briton, who ended the season third overall.

"Because you're missing that, you know... when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you, and that spark, it's extraordinary. And that's what you're in the search for. "I'm only human," he added. "If anyone&nbsp;in the world tells you they don't have those things, they're in denial. We're all human beings."

Hamilton last won a race in Saudi Arabia in December 2021 when he was battling Red Bull's Max Verstappen for the title, with the Dutch driver ultimately prevailing in controversial circumstances in Abu Dhabi. Verstappen and his team won both titles last year and have enjoyed the most dominant season ever this season, Red Bull winning 21 of 22 races and the now triple champion a record 19 of them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indianapolis-colts-star-running-back-jonathan-taylor-to-undergo-thumb-surgery-confirms-owner-664271">Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor to undergo thumb surgery, confirms owner</a>

Hamilton said he knew it would be another tough year before it had even started when he tested the car and it felt no different. The Briton was complaining already at the opening race in Bahrain that Mercedes were on the wrong track and had not listened to him. The team, who still ended the year second overall, have since changed concept for 2024 with team boss Toto Wolff saying in Abu Dhabi last weekend that almost every component was being changed.

"I do believe we have a North Star now, which I don't think we've had for two years. But still getting there is not a straight line," said Hamilton. "I think we understand the car so much better. They have developed great tools in the background. So, naturally, I'm hopeful. But I'm not going to hold my breath."

Hamilton signed a new contract in August and running to the end of 2025, meaning he will race on into his 40s if he sees it out.

Lewis Hamilton has admitted to moments of self-doubt after the 38-year-old Mercedes driver's second successive Formula One season without a win. Speaking to the BBC and others in an interview published on Wednesday, the seven-times world champion and most successful driver in the sport's history with a record 103 wins said it was normal to ask such questions.

Lewis Hamilton has admitted to moments of self-doubt after the 38-year-old Mercedes driver's second successive Formula One season without a win. Speaking to the BBC and others in an interview published on Wednesday, the seven-times world champion and most successful driver in the sport's history with a record 103 wins said it was normal to ask such questions. "When you have difficult seasons like this, there are always going to be moments when you're like: 'Is it me, or is it the car? Do you still have it? Has it gone?'," said the Briton, who ended the season third overall. "Because you're missing that, you know... when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you, and that spark, it's extraordinary. And that's what you're in the search for. "I'm only human," he added. "If anyone in the world tells you they don't have those things, they're in denial. We're all human beings." Hamilton last won a race in Saudi Arabia in December 2021 when he was battling Red Bull's Max Verstappen for the title, with the Dutch driver ultimately prevailing in controversial circumstances in Abu Dhabi. Verstappen and his team won both titles last year and have enjoyed the most dominant season ever this season, Red Bull winning 21 of 22 races and the now triple champion a record 19 of them. Also read: Indianapolis Colts star running back Jonathan Taylor to undergo thumb surgery, confirms owner Hamilton said he knew it would be another tough year before it had even started when he tested the car and it felt no different. The Briton was complaining already at the opening race in Bahrain that Mercedes were on the wrong track and had not listened to him. The team, who still ended the year second overall, have since changed concept for 2024 with team boss Toto Wolff saying in Abu Dhabi last weekend that almost every component was being changed. "I do believe we have a North Star now, which I don't think we've had for two years. But still getting there is not a straight line," said Hamilton. "I think we understand the car so much better. They have developed great tools in the background. So, naturally, I'm hopeful. But I'm not going to hold my breath." Hamilton signed a new contract in August and running to the end of 2025, meaning he will race on into his 40s if he sees it out.

Lewis Hamilton admits to moments of self-doubt after second successive winless Formula One season

George Russell topped the times for Mercedes in Friday's opening practice at this weekend's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, outpacing nearest rival Felipe Drugovich of Aston Martin by 0.288 seconds.&nbsp;Brazilian Drugovich was the outstanding one of the 'rookies' involved as most teams obeyed mandatory guidance to deploy young drivers.

Daniel Ricciardo was third for Alpha Tauri, a tenth adrift, ahead of Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll, in the second Aston Martin, and McLaren's Oscar Piastri.&nbsp;The session was run in hot conditions with an air temperature of 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and the track at 42, near perfect for the final event of an exhausting 22-race season following last weekend's race in Las Vegas.&nbsp;

Ten aspiring young drivers, with minimal Formula One experience, were given their chance to step into cars normally occupied by established drivers. It was a switch that left three-time champion Max Verstappen, his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes among those obliged to sit the session out.&nbsp;

Practice was preceded by confirmation that McLaren have extended their contract to use Mercedes power units until 2030.&nbsp;"It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff in a statement.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/former-england-and-barcelona-manager-terry-venables-dies-at-80-due-to-illness-663136">Former England and Barcelona manager Terry Venables dies at 80 due to illness</a>

"This has many advantages -- it gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning and strengthens the overall F1 business case for Mercedes-Benz." Mercedes also supply rivals Aston Martin, who plan to switch to Honda engines in 2026, and Williams.&nbsp;

It was also clarified by Red Bull that it was Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony who had contacted Christian Horner earlier this year and not any member of the Mercedes' driver's management team.&nbsp; "It's a non-story," Horner told SkySports F1.

"Anthony is a nice chap and I have text messages from a lot of people."Hamilton had denied he or his management spoke to Horner about joining Red Bull alongside Verstappen, suggesting the Red Bull chief had been 'stirring things up' with comments made before arriving in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;

George Russell topped the times for Mercedes in Friday's opening practice at this weekend's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, outpacing nearest rival Felipe Drugovich of Aston Martin by 0.

George Russell topped the times for Mercedes in Friday's opening practice at this weekend's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, outpacing nearest rival Felipe Drugovich of Aston Martin by 0.288 seconds. Brazilian Drugovich was the outstanding one of the 'rookies' involved as most teams obeyed mandatory guidance to deploy young drivers. Daniel Ricciardo was third for Alpha Tauri, a tenth adrift, ahead of Alfa Romeo's Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll, in the second Aston Martin, and McLaren's Oscar Piastri. The session was run in hot conditions with an air temperature of 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and the track at 42, near perfect for the final event of an exhausting 22-race season following last weekend's race in Las Vegas. Ten aspiring young drivers, with minimal Formula One experience, were given their chance to step into cars normally occupied by established drivers. It was a switch that left three-time champion Max Verstappen, his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes among those obliged to sit the session out. Practice was preceded by confirmation that McLaren have extended their contract to use Mercedes power units until 2030. "It has been a cornerstone of our motorsport strategy to work with strong customer teams," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff in a statement. Also Read: Former England and Barcelona manager Terry Venables dies at 80 due to illness "This has many advantages -- it gives a clear competitive benchmark, accelerates our technical learning and strengthens the overall F1 business case for Mercedes-Benz." Mercedes also supply rivals Aston Martin, who plan to switch to Honda engines in 2026, and Williams. It was also clarified by Red Bull that it was Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony who had contacted Christian Horner earlier this year and not any member of the Mercedes' driver's management team. "It's a non-story," Horner told SkySports F1. "Anthony is a nice chap and I have text messages from a lot of people."Hamilton had denied he or his management spoke to Horner about joining Red Bull alongside Verstappen, suggesting the Red Bull chief had been 'stirring things up' with comments made before arriving in Abu Dhabi.

F1: Mercedes' George Russell tops in opening practice at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Legendary Mercedes Formula One driver and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up on his unlikely Red Bull switch as he aimed at defending champions Max Verstappen before the Abu Dhabi GP. In news recently for an unlikely switch, Hamilton has been linked with several teams including Verstappen’s Red Bull. However, after his latest remarks on Thursday against Verstappen, both legends likely stay divided and not united before the 2024 Formula One season takes center stage.

<h2>Hamilton aims at Verstappen</h2>

"I 100 per cent would be more than happy to race against him (Verstappen) in an equal car," Hamilton told Sky Sports.

"For me, Red Bull has done an amazing job and it is an incredible team. And any driver would love to drive for such a great group of people.

"I think moving from a car that's not so great to a winning car, from my perspective, that's not a dream. The dream is always to start where we kind of are and build up to then winning. That's why I've stayed with Mercedes."

He concluded to the written press in Abu Dhabi: "I don't think he wants me to be his team-mate."

The Verstappen-Hamilton rivalry has been the recent big thing in Formula One, but 2023 was no- nonsense for the former as he won the Championship with four races to spare. The two were closet in 2021 fighting until the last turn when Verstappen piped Hamilton to clinch the Formula One World Championship.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/record-breaking-300-million-fans-watch-india-vs-australia-odi-world-cup-final-on-tv-posts-jay-shah-662007">RECORD-BREAKING 300 million fans watched India vs Australia ODI World Cup final on TV, says Jay Shah</a>

<h2>Hamilton in 2023</h2>

On Sunday both Hamilton and Verstappen will race on the same circuit of Abu Dhabi where they tussled for the championship. Compared to recent seasons, Hamilton has been below-par this campaign with just six podium finishes with his best coming at the Australian GP, Spanish GP and Mexican GP where he finished second. At the Hungarian GP, he ended a spell of 33 races without a pole position, his first since the 2021 Saudi Arabia GP and his record-extending 104th of his illustrious career. Currently, he has guaranteed a third-place finish with 232 points with one final race to go on Sunday.

Legendary Mercedes Formula One driver and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up on his unlikely Red Bull switch as he aimed at defending champions Max Verstappen before the Abu Dhabi GP.

Legendary Mercedes Formula One driver and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has opened up on his unlikely Red Bull switch as he aimed at defending champions Max Verstappen before the Abu Dhabi GP. In news recently for an unlikely switch, Hamilton has been linked with several teams including Verstappen’s Red Bull. However, after his latest remarks on Thursday against Verstappen, both legends likely stay divided and not united before the 2024 Formula One season takes center stage. Hamilton aims at Verstappen "I 100 per cent would be more than happy to race against him (Verstappen) in an equal car," Hamilton told Sky Sports. "For me, Red Bull has done an amazing job and it is an incredible team. And any driver would love to drive for such a great group of people. "I think moving from a car that's not so great to a winning car, from my perspective, that's not a dream. The dream is always to start where we kind of are and build up to then winning. That's why I've stayed with Mercedes." He concluded to the written press in Abu Dhabi: "I don't think he wants me to be his team-mate." The Verstappen-Hamilton rivalry has been the recent big thing in Formula One, but 2023 was no- nonsense for the former as he won the Championship with four races to spare. The two were closet in 2021 fighting until the last turn when Verstappen piped Hamilton to clinch the Formula One World Championship. ALSO READ | RECORD-BREAKING 300 million fans watched India vs Australia ODI World Cup final on TV, says Jay Shah Hamilton in 2023 On Sunday both Hamilton and Verstappen will race on the same circuit of Abu Dhabi where they tussled for the championship. Compared to recent seasons, Hamilton has been below-par this campaign with just six podium finishes with his best coming at the Australian GP, Spanish GP and Mexican GP where he finished second. At the Hungarian GP, he ended a spell of 33 races without a pole position, his first since the 2021 Saudi Arabia GP and his record-extending 104th of his illustrious career. Currently, he has guaranteed a third-place finish with 232 points with one final race to go on Sunday.

F1: Max Verstappen doesn't want me to be his teammate - Lewis Hamilton opens up on unlikely Red Bull switch

Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix where Max Verstappen might be crowned world champion for a third consecutive time, Mercedes has already conceded defeat and set sights on the 2024 season.&nbsp;Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' trackside engineering director told Sky that the car will have considerable changes next year.&nbsp;

Despite the hype at the beginning of the season, Mercedes performed rather underwhelmingly as both Lewis Hamilton and George Russel struggled with the W14.&nbsp;Shovlin admitted that W14 did not have enough stability as both drivers remained reluctant to attack high-speed corners, throughout the season.

However, the Mercedes backroom staff is confident of next year and has already set themselves "very ambitious targets" to improve things for 2024.&nbsp;

"We are changing the car quite considerably for next year.&nbsp;Whether or not we can solve all the issues that we've got on the handling, that will depend on a number of projects delivering," said&nbsp;Shovlin.&nbsp;

"Those projects are underway. They are not complete, but we have got some good directions to try and improve that."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-one-max-verstappen-slams-mercedes-team-boss-toto-wolff-over-wikipedia-remark-636096">Also read |&nbsp;Formula One: Max Verstappen slams Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff over 'Wikipedia' remark</a>

Reflecting on the seasons when Mercedes produced its best cars, Shovlin said&nbsp;that even then the team engineers remained oblivious to the fate of the car.&nbsp;

"When we launched our best cars, 2015 or 2019, those years, we didn't know they were going to be great cars when we developed them, you are just working as hard as you can trying to find as much performance as you can."

Despite looking forward to the 2024 car, Shovlin maintains that the eight-time constructor champions are pushing to keep Ferrari at bay whilst occupying the second position on the table,&nbsp;

Currently, Mercedes' advantage over Ferrari is 20 points but the Scuderia have more than halved their deficit to their rivals in the four races since the summer break.

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After the Suzuka race,&nbsp;Rosie Wait, the team's head of race strategy during a debrief said the team hoped that the new parts installed in the car could show the desired performance, going into the fag end of the season.&nbsp;

"The new parts we bring to the track do both; hopefully they add performance and make the current car go faster, but they are all specifically targeted around areas where we need to further our understanding,:" said Wait.&nbsp;

Notably, Red Bull driver Verstappen only needs to finish in the top six in this week's sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix to secure the 2023 F1 drivers' title. The Dutch has already won 13 of the 15 races as well as two of three sprints this season.&nbsp;

Barring the aberration at Singapore, where Verstappen had a drop in performance, he has been truly consistent - often pulling away from the rest of the grid, without breaking any sweat.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix where Max Verstappen might be crowned world champion for a third consecutive time, Mercedes has already conceded defeat and set sights on the 2024 season.

Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix where Max Verstappen might be crowned world champion for a third consecutive time, Mercedes has already conceded defeat and set sights on the 2024 season. Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes' trackside engineering director told Sky that the car will have considerable changes next year. Despite the hype at the beginning of the season, Mercedes performed rather underwhelmingly as both Lewis Hamilton and George Russel struggled with the W14. Shovlin admitted that W14 did not have enough stability as both drivers remained reluctant to attack high-speed corners, throughout the season. However, the Mercedes backroom staff is confident of next year and has already set themselves "very ambitious targets" to improve things for 2024. "We are changing the car quite considerably for next year. Whether or not we can solve all the issues that we've got on the handling, that will depend on a number of projects delivering," said Shovlin. "Those projects are underway. They are not complete, but we have got some good directions to try and improve that." Also read | Formula One: Max Verstappen slams Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff over 'Wikipedia' remark Reflecting on the seasons when Mercedes produced its best cars, Shovlin said that even then the team engineers remained oblivious to the fate of the car. "When we launched our best cars, 2015 or 2019, those years, we didn't know they were going to be great cars when we developed them, you are just working as hard as you can trying to find as much performance as you can." Despite looking forward to the 2024 car, Shovlin maintains that the eight-time constructor champions are pushing to keep Ferrari at bay whilst occupying the second position on the table, Currently, Mercedes' advantage over Ferrari is 20 points but the Scuderia have more than halved their deficit to their rivals in the four races since the summer break. Watch | WION Exclusive: David Coulthard on India's F1 journey × After the Suzuka race, Rosie Wait, the team's head of race strategy during a debrief said the team hoped that the new parts installed in the car could show the desired performance, going into the fag end of the season. "The new parts we bring to the track do both; hopefully they add performance and make the current car go faster, but they are all specifically targeted around areas where we need to further our understanding,:" said Wait. Notably, Red Bull driver Verstappen only needs to finish in the top six in this week's sprint race at the Qatar Grand Prix to secure the 2023 F1 drivers' title. The Dutch has already won 13 of the 15 races as well as two of three sprints this season. Barring the aberration at Singapore, where Verstappen had a drop in performance, he has been truly consistent - often pulling away from the rest of the grid, without breaking any sweat. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Changing the car considerably...': Mercedes sets 2024 plans as Verstappen closes in on third title

Ola Kaellenius, the chief executive of Mercedes-Benz made a prediction on Sunday (September 9) and said that costs for making electric vehicles will remain high compared to combustion engine models for the foreseeable future. He added that this would continue to give rise to intense competition.

His comments came as Mercedes-Benz released more details about the architecture of its newest vehicle, the CLA compact electric sedan. The car is due to launch next year.

"The variable costs for an electric car are higher. It will remain that way for the foreseeable future," Kaellenius told journalists at the IAA car show in Munich. He added that higher costs could not be passed on to customers on a like-for-like basis.

Variable costs that weigh on the price of production of electric vehicles include raw materials for batteries, software development, and electricity prices.

Kaellenius said this was the reason why the group was working to optimise fixed costs and resource allocation to reach the same profitability with electric cars as it could with combustion engines.

The new CLA is targeting power use of 12 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres, and 750 km of driving range, which compares to the 17 to 18 kWh per 100 km in an EQA 350 compact SUV model Mercedes offers today.

When he was asked how much the new CLA class reduced cost from cars in the previous generation, Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer Markus Schaefer said they were moving towards a level of 50% cost reduction.

CATL and ACC will produce batteries for the CLA class. Mercedes owns a third in ACC.

The CLA will go into production next year. It will be available in the market from 2025. The car is an attempt to reduce complexity in the development of the model, said Schaefer.

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Ola Kaellenius, the chief executive of Mercedes-Benz made a prediction on Sunday (September 9) and said that costs for making electric vehicles will remain high compared to combustion engine models for the foreseeable future.

Ola Kaellenius, the chief executive of Mercedes-Benz made a prediction on Sunday (September 9) and said that costs for making electric vehicles will remain high compared to combustion engine models for the foreseeable future. He added that this would continue to give rise to intense competition. His comments came as Mercedes-Benz released more details about the architecture of its newest vehicle, the CLA compact electric sedan. The car is due to launch next year. "The variable costs for an electric car are higher. It will remain that way for the foreseeable future," Kaellenius told journalists at the IAA car show in Munich. He added that higher costs could not be passed on to customers on a like-for-like basis. Variable costs that weigh on the price of production of electric vehicles include raw materials for batteries, software development, and electricity prices. Kaellenius said this was the reason why the group was working to optimise fixed costs and resource allocation to reach the same profitability with electric cars as it could with combustion engines. The new CLA is targeting power use of 12 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres, and 750 km of driving range, which compares to the 17 to 18 kWh per 100 km in an EQA 350 compact SUV model Mercedes offers today. When he was asked how much the new CLA class reduced cost from cars in the previous generation, Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer Markus Schaefer said they were moving towards a level of 50% cost reduction. CATL and ACC will produce batteries for the CLA class. Mercedes owns a third in ACC. The CLA will go into production next year. It will be available in the market from 2025. The car is an attempt to reduce complexity in the development of the model, said Schaefer. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Mercedes boss says EV costs may remain high in foreseeable future

Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;championship leader Max Verstappen dismissed on Thursday the suggestion that his Red Bull car was designed to suit his driving style more than the team mates he has "destroyed". Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at last weekend's Dutch Grand Prix that he struggled to understand the single lap gap between Verstappen and his team mate Sergio Perez.

Verstappen is heading for his third world title and leads the Mexican, his closest rival, by a hefty 138 points after 13 races. "We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team mate that was with him," said Wolff after Verstappen qualified on pole position with a lap 1.313 seconds faster than Perez. "Whether or not it's his ability to create a car around himself that is just very tricky to control, but fast when you can, and that creates those gaps. But 1.3?"

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hockey-mens-asian-5s-wc-qualifiers-india-thrash-malaysia-7-5-humiliate-japan-35-1-to-enter-semifinals-631099">Hockey: Men’s Asian 5s WC Qualifiers - India thrash Malaysia 7-5, humiliate Japan 35-1 to enter semifinals</a>

Verstappen, chasing a record 10th win in a row in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, dismissed the comments when asked about them at Monza. "I just drive the car the fastest way possible. I’m not there to tell the guys to give me more front end because that’s how I like it," he said. "I just say ‘Design me the fastest car and I’ll drive around that’ because every single year, every car drives a little bit different. "People ask ‘What is your driving style?’ My driving style is not something particular. I adapt to what I need for the car to go quick."

Red Bull have won every race this season and 14 in a row in total. Perez has won twice this year. Verstappen said he just trying to do the best he could and win as much as possible while he had the opportunity, rather than being driven by records. "It's for sure a very enjoyable time to be driving the car. But every single weekend there are always a lot of things that come up, and you have to optimise," he added. "It's never a straightforward weekend."

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Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen dismissed on Thursday the suggestion that his Red Bull car was designed to suit his driving style more than the team mates he has "destroyed".

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen dismissed on Thursday the suggestion that his Red Bull car was designed to suit his driving style more than the team mates he has "destroyed". Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff told reporters at last weekend's Dutch Grand Prix that he struggled to understand the single lap gap between Verstappen and his team mate Sergio Perez. Verstappen is heading for his third world title and leads the Mexican, his closest rival, by a hefty 138 points after 13 races. "We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team mate that was with him," said Wolff after Verstappen qualified on pole position with a lap 1.313 seconds faster than Perez. "Whether or not it's his ability to create a car around himself that is just very tricky to control, but fast when you can, and that creates those gaps. But 1.3?" Also read: Hockey: Men’s Asian 5s WC Qualifiers - India thrash Malaysia 7-5, humiliate Japan 35-1 to enter semifinals Verstappen, chasing a record 10th win in a row in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, dismissed the comments when asked about them at Monza. "I just drive the car the fastest way possible. I’m not there to tell the guys to give me more front end because that’s how I like it," he said. "I just say ‘Design me the fastest car and I’ll drive around that’ because every single year, every car drives a little bit different. "People ask ‘What is your driving style?’ My driving style is not something particular. I adapt to what I need for the car to go quick." Red Bull have won every race this season and 14 in a row in total. Perez has won twice this year. Verstappen said he just trying to do the best he could and win as much as possible while he had the opportunity, rather than being driven by records. "It's for sure a very enjoyable time to be driving the car. But every single weekend there are always a lot of things that come up, and you have to optimise," he added. "It's never a straightforward weekend." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen denies his car is designed to suit his style

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a new contract with Mercedes and will continue to partner compatriot George Russell in 2024 and 2025, the team said on Thursday. No financial details were given, although media reports have suggested the deal could be worth 50 million pounds a year ($63.41 million) for Hamilton.

The 38-year-old Briton last won a race in 2021, with Red Bull and double world champion Max Verstappen now dominant after ending Mercedes's record run of eight successive constructors' world titles.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-to-snub-premier-league-adopted-absurd-new-stoppage-time-rules-in-european-competitions-officials-630862">UEFA to snub Premier League-adopted 'absurd' new stoppage-time rules in European competitions - Officials</a>

Hamilton, the sport's most successful driver, joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013 and has taken six titles and 82 of his 103 career victories with the team.

The announcement came as no surprise, with both sides keen to continue, although the contract negotiations dragged on longer than expected.

"We have never been hungrier to win," said Hamilton in a team statement. "We have learnt from every success but also every setback. We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again.

"I'm grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn't finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won't stop until we do."

Russell joined the Mercedes lineup last season as replacement for Valtteri Bottas and took his first victory in Brazil -- the last time Red Bull were beaten.

<h2>'Strongest pairing'</h2>

"Continuing with our current driver lineup was a straightforward decision," said team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff. "We have the strongest pairing on the grid and both drivers are playing a crucial role in the team to move us forward. The strength and stability they provide will be key building blocks for our future success.

"Our partnership with Lewis is one of the most successful in the sport's history. It was always a formality that we would continue together, and it's energising for us all to be confirming that publicly."

The Austrian said Hamilton's leadership qualities would be crucial for Mercedes but his influence went well beyond the sporting arena.

"As F1's biggest global star he has also played a key role in shaping our commitments to diversity, inclusion and sustainability that will be foundations for our success in the years ahead," said Wolff.

The team boss praised Russell, 25, for his speed and tenacity

"He brings, too, an intelligence and attention to detail that will help him to continue to grow, develop and improve further. He is a natural fit to the team and we are delighted to have extended the relationship for the coming years."

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Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a new contract with Mercedes and will continue to partner compatriot George Russell in 2024 and 2025, the team said on Thursday.

Seven times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a new contract with Mercedes and will continue to partner compatriot George Russell in 2024 and 2025, the team said on Thursday. No financial details were given, although media reports have suggested the deal could be worth 50 million pounds a year ($63.41 million) for Hamilton. The 38-year-old Briton last won a race in 2021, with Red Bull and double world champion Max Verstappen now dominant after ending Mercedes's record run of eight successive constructors' world titles. ALSO READ: UEFA to snub Premier League-adopted 'absurd' new stoppage-time rules in European competitions - Officials Hamilton, the sport's most successful driver, joined Mercedes from McLaren in 2013 and has taken six titles and 82 of his 103 career victories with the team. The announcement came as no surprise, with both sides keen to continue, although the contract negotiations dragged on longer than expected. "We have never been hungrier to win," said Hamilton in a team statement. "We have learnt from every success but also every setback. We continue to chase our dreams, we continue to fight no matter the challenge and we will win again. "I'm grateful to the team who have supported me both on and off the track. Our story isn't finished, we are determined to achieve more together and we won't stop until we do." Russell joined the Mercedes lineup last season as replacement for Valtteri Bottas and took his first victory in Brazil -- the last time Red Bull were beaten. 'Strongest pairing' "Continuing with our current driver lineup was a straightforward decision," said team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff. "We have the strongest pairing on the grid and both drivers are playing a crucial role in the team to move us forward. The strength and stability they provide will be key building blocks for our future success. "Our partnership with Lewis is one of the most successful in the sport's history. It was always a formality that we would continue together, and it's energising for us all to be confirming that publicly." The Austrian said Hamilton's leadership qualities would be crucial for Mercedes but his influence went well beyond the sporting arena. "As F1's biggest global star he has also played a key role in shaping our commitments to diversity, inclusion and sustainability that will be foundations for our success in the years ahead," said Wolff. The team boss praised Russell, 25, for his speed and tenacity "He brings, too, an intelligence and attention to detail that will help him to continue to grow, develop and improve further. He is a natural fit to the team and we are delighted to have extended the relationship for the coming years." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Formula One: Lewis Hamilton signs new two-year deal with Mercedes

Seven-time Formula One champion and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said that McLaren finishing on the podium at two and three at the British Grand Prix qualifying is a 'wake-up call' for his team.

Notably, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are behind F1 drivers' leader and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen for the Sunday, July 9 British GP start at Silverstone.

Mercedes, on the other hand, will start sixth and seventh, with Hamilton taking seventh place. Mercedes' other driver George Russell is in sixth position. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are fourth and fifth, respectively. Williams driver Alex Albon, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Alpine's Pierre Gasly round the grid for the top 10.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-coach-gregg-popovich-signs-five-year-extension-deal-with-san-antonio-spurs-613582">NBA: Coach Gregg Popovich signs five-year extension deal with San Antonio Spurs</a>

Hamilton's comments came after the qualifying on Saturday on the Silverstone track which was expected to suit his Mercedes car better. "It's not a blow, it's just a wake-up call for us," he said.

"Others are overtaking us. We need to do more.

"If you look at the car it makes sense. If you put it alongside a Red Bull it looks very, very similar down the sides," he added.

"And it's working, and that's great, to have them up in the mix, which is what we want to see in this sport. I'm really happy for them, they've had a bad run for so long. To be back up there is really, really great to see," said Hamilton further.

Notably, McLaren upgraded their car at Austrian Grand Prix during the last race and the efforts have clearly paid off. Hamilton, who is struggling this season in Mercedes, also said that his home race is going to be a tough one.

“They had the edge on us last race so I anticipate tomorrow will be the same … Of course, I’ll try and be optimistic and do our best, but realistically I’m not sure how… We’ll find out. It was difficult to get past the two Ferraris and we’ve got two McLarens now there. Gonna be a tough race," said Hamilton.

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Seven-time Formula One champion and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said that McLaren finishing on the podium at two and three at the British Grand Prix qualifying is a 'wake-up call' for his team.

Seven-time Formula One champion and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said that McLaren finishing on the podium at two and three at the British Grand Prix qualifying is a 'wake-up call' for his team. Notably, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are behind F1 drivers' leader and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen for the Sunday, July 9 British GP start at Silverstone. Mercedes, on the other hand, will start sixth and seventh, with Hamilton taking seventh place. Mercedes' other driver George Russell is in sixth position. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are fourth and fifth, respectively. Williams driver Alex Albon, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and Alpine's Pierre Gasly round the grid for the top 10. Also Read: NBA: Coach Gregg Popovich signs five-year extension deal with San Antonio Spurs Hamilton's comments came after the qualifying on Saturday on the Silverstone track which was expected to suit his Mercedes car better. "It's not a blow, it's just a wake-up call for us," he said. "Others are overtaking us. We need to do more. "If you look at the car it makes sense. If you put it alongside a Red Bull it looks very, very similar down the sides," he added. "And it's working, and that's great, to have them up in the mix, which is what we want to see in this sport. I'm really happy for them, they've had a bad run for so long. To be back up there is really, really great to see," said Hamilton further. Notably, McLaren upgraded their car at Austrian Grand Prix during the last race and the efforts have clearly paid off. Hamilton, who is struggling this season in Mercedes, also said that his home race is going to be a tough one. “They had the edge on us last race so I anticipate tomorrow will be the same … Of course, I’ll try and be optimistic and do our best, but realistically I’m not sure how… We’ll find out. It was difficult to get past the two Ferraris and we’ve got two McLarens now there. Gonna be a tough race," said Hamilton. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Formula One: Mercedes driver Hamilton braces for 'tough' British GP after McLaren's wake-up call in qualifying

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly creeping into our lives and now it will into the cars of some Mercedes owners as well. Mercedes-Benz on Thursday (June 15) said that drivers of some of their luxury vehicles would be able to power their cars with ChatGPT. A test programme is starting on June 16.

The company said that ChatGPT is compatible with about 900,000 vehicles which have 'MBUX' systems. The users will be able to download ChatGPT over the air after the opt-in via the Mercedes app or by voice command. During the three-month test, Mercedes will see how drivers use the technology.

The automaker has said ChatGPT will make its car system's answers sound more natural. The improvement would enable drivers to ask for destination information. It will also allow them to address queries such as what to cook for dinner.

Watch | Self-driving race: Mercedes takes the lead | World DNA

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Mercedes cars are already receptive to a range of voice commands such as turning on seat heaters.

<h2>Moolah for Microsoft</h2>

The ChatGPT deal spells business for Microsoft, which is providing a version of the popular chatbot through its cloud.

Rival Amazon.com has long worked to install its voice aide Alexa in more cars, and now Microsoft has an answer through its investment in ChatGPT's creator, OpenAI.

Mercedes said in a press release that the drivers not only will be able to give commands with phrase "Hey Mercedes," but even a conversation with the car would be possible.

Microsoft said in a separate blog post that current integrations which are known as plug-ins could one day let drivers even make restaurant reservations, book movie tickets and carry out more tasks from behind the steering wheel.

The test programme's findings will enable Mercedes to design future plans about adding artificial intelligence to other countries and in other languages, said the company. The company added that the voice data is stored anonymised and analysed in the Mercedes cloud.

Rival General Motors said in March it was exploring uses for ChatGPT in vehicles as part of its broader collaboration with Microsoft.

ChatGPT is the blockbuster generative AI that was open for public use last year. The AI gives human-like, nuanced responses when asked questions or given verbal tasks. ChatGPT also has the ability to generate code. Its launch started a fierce global debate about AI and humanity's future. ChatGPT's release started a frenzy in global tech circles to develop more generative AIs.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly creeping into our lives and now it will into the cars of some Mercedes owners as well. Mercedes-Benz on Thursday (June 15) said that drivers of some of their luxury vehicles would be able to power their cars with ChatGPT.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly creeping into our lives and now it will into the cars of some Mercedes owners as well. Mercedes-Benz on Thursday (June 15) said that drivers of some of their luxury vehicles would be able to power their cars with ChatGPT. A test programme is starting on June 16. The company said that ChatGPT is compatible with about 900,000 vehicles which have 'MBUX' systems. The users will be able to download ChatGPT over the air after the opt-in via the Mercedes app or by voice command. During the three-month test, Mercedes will see how drivers use the technology. The automaker has said ChatGPT will make its car system's answers sound more natural. The improvement would enable drivers to ask for destination information. It will also allow them to address queries such as what to cook for dinner. Watch | Self-driving race: Mercedes takes the lead | World DNA × Mercedes cars are already receptive to a range of voice commands such as turning on seat heaters. Moolah for Microsoft The ChatGPT deal spells business for Microsoft, which is providing a version of the popular chatbot through its cloud. Rival Amazon.com has long worked to install its voice aide Alexa in more cars, and now Microsoft has an answer through its investment in ChatGPT's creator, OpenAI. Mercedes said in a press release that the drivers not only will be able to give commands with phrase "Hey Mercedes," but even a conversation with the car would be possible. Microsoft said in a separate blog post that current integrations which are known as plug-ins could one day let drivers even make restaurant reservations, book movie tickets and carry out more tasks from behind the steering wheel. The test programme's findings will enable Mercedes to design future plans about adding artificial intelligence to other countries and in other languages, said the company. The company added that the voice data is stored anonymised and analysed in the Mercedes cloud. Rival General Motors said in March it was exploring uses for ChatGPT in vehicles as part of its broader collaboration with Microsoft. ChatGPT is the blockbuster generative AI that was open for public use last year. The AI gives human-like, nuanced responses when asked questions or given verbal tasks. ChatGPT also has the ability to generate code. Its launch started a fierce global debate about AI and humanity's future. ChatGPT's release started a frenzy in global tech circles to develop more generative AIs. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

AI on the road: Mercedes drivers may soon have ChatGPT in their cars

Mercedes-Benz has made a big breakthrough in California, its automated driving technology has received the green light from the Department of Motor Vehicles and this means that Mercedes cars can now drive themselves on certain highways without the driver's assisstance.

Self-driving race: Mercedes takes the lead | World DNA

There has been a lot of speculations regarding Lewis Hamilton's next move as his contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of this season. There were strong rumours that the&nbsp;seven-time&nbsp;world champion is likely to move to Ferrari in a whopping deal.&nbsp;Since then, a&nbsp;lot has been said and written about it. Nonetheless, Ferrari team boss has denied all such claims.

It was reported earlier this week that Ferrari made a whopping £40 million offer to acquire the services of Hamilton. However, Ferrari team boss Fred&nbsp;Vasseur cleared the air ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

<h2>'We are not sending an offer to Lewis Hamilton'</h2>

"As a joke I could say that two weeks ago you were sending Sainz to Audi, one week ago you sent Leclerc to Mercedes - now I am alone," said Vasseur as per a report in Sky Sport.&nbsp;

He further asserted, "You know perfectly that at this stage of the season each week you will have a different story and we are not sending an offer to Lewis Hamilton, we didn't do it."

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-one-with-lewis-hamiltons-mercedes-contract-over-is-he-moving-to-ferrari-596070">Formula One: With Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes contract over, is he moving to Ferrari?</a>

On being asked if he had talked with Hamilton, or if he is planning to, Vasseur replied,&nbsp;"We didn't have discussions. I think every single team on the grid would like to have Hamilton at one stage, it would be bull**** to not say something like this.

"If I discuss with Hamilton, the last 20 years I discussed almost every single weekend with Hamilton, I don't want to have to stop to discuss with him because you are chasing me."

It is to be noted that Britain's Hamilton has not won a race since 2021, with Max Versteppen ruling every circuit since then. He desperately needs a winning car to challenge for a record eighth title. Thus, the upcoming races are very crucial for him and the veteran will surely analyse if Mercedes can provide him his next title or whether it is wise for him to have a last shot at somewhere else.&nbsp;

Interesting times ahead for Hamilton as he remains adamant to bounce back to winning ways and add more titles to his illustrious career.

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There has been a lot of speculations regarding Lewis Hamilton's next move as his contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of this season. There were strong rumours that the seven-time world champion is likely to move to Ferrari in a whopping deal.

There has been a lot of speculations regarding Lewis Hamilton's next move as his contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of this season. There were strong rumours that the seven-time world champion is likely to move to Ferrari in a whopping deal. Since then, a lot has been said and written about it. Nonetheless, Ferrari team boss has denied all such claims. It was reported earlier this week that Ferrari made a whopping £40 million offer to acquire the services of Hamilton. However, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur cleared the air ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. 'We are not sending an offer to Lewis Hamilton' "As a joke I could say that two weeks ago you were sending Sainz to Audi, one week ago you sent Leclerc to Mercedes - now I am alone," said Vasseur as per a report in Sky Sport. He further asserted, "You know perfectly that at this stage of the season each week you will have a different story and we are not sending an offer to Lewis Hamilton, we didn't do it." Also Read: Formula One: With Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes contract over, is he moving to Ferrari? On being asked if he had talked with Hamilton, or if he is planning to, Vasseur replied, "We didn't have discussions. I think every single team on the grid would like to have Hamilton at one stage, it would be bull**** to not say something like this. "If I discuss with Hamilton, the last 20 years I discussed almost every single weekend with Hamilton, I don't want to have to stop to discuss with him because you are chasing me." It is to be noted that Britain's Hamilton has not won a race since 2021, with Max Versteppen ruling every circuit since then. He desperately needs a winning car to challenge for a record eighth title. Thus, the upcoming races are very crucial for him and the veteran will surely analyse if Mercedes can provide him his next title or whether it is wise for him to have a last shot at somewhere else. Interesting times ahead for Hamilton as he remains adamant to bounce back to winning ways and add more titles to his illustrious career. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Ferrari have not made any contract offer to Lewis Hamilton, reveals team boss Fred Vasseur

Lewis Hamilton denied talking to Ferrari about a move to the Italian Formula One team and said on Thursday he was close to agreeing a new contract with Mercedes. The seven times world champion, the sport's most successful driver of all time, is out of contract at the end of the season and there has been speculation the 38-year-old could join Ferrari.

"My team is working closely behind the scenes with (team boss) Toto (Wolff), we are almost at the end of having a contract ready," the Briton told reporters ahead of the weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. "Having a team focus on that so I can just do my job, it's a much better position than I was in before because I remember I used to do all my negotiations on my own and it was very stressful. I don't have to do that any more."

Asked directly whether Ferrari had been in touch, Hamilton replied "no". Separately, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur said the team had not made any offer. "We didn't have discussions. I think every single team on the grid would like to have Hamilton at one stage. It would be rubbish to not say something like this," added the Frenchman.

Hamilton hoped the talks with Mercedes would be wrapped up "in the coming weeks". The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Ferrari were set to offer Hamilton a 40 million pound ($50.48 million) deal to partner Charles Leclerc.

Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said there appeared to be a "foundation of truth" to the story. "When you are in contract negotiations there's always going to be speculation and I think ultimately unless you hear it from me, then that's all it is," said Hamilton. He suggested maybe the media had "just got bored" after last weekend's scheduled Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola was cancelled due to flooding.

Hamilton said Mercedes' current lack of form had not affected his decision. "It doesn't have a bearing because we're still a championship-winning team," he said. "It's just we've had the wrong car, there have been some decisions that have been made over the last two years that have not been ideal. "We are working our way through that... we have a new upgrade this weekend, the team have worked incredibly hard to bring this upgrade."

Leclerc appeared in the same session with Hamilton and winced when asked if he would welcome Hamilton as a team mate. "If I say yes, I imagine it being the title of every newspaper," he said. "I think anybody on the grid would love to have Lewis as a team mate as everybody will learn a lot from him," he added. "But I'm happy where I am and with Carlos it's a great relationship too."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ferrari-have-not-made-any-contract-offer-to-lewis-hamilton-reveals-team-boss-fred-vasseur-596455">Ferrari have not made any contract offer to Lewis Hamilton, reveals team boss Fred Vasseur</a>

<h2>HAMILTON HAILS VINICIUS JR ON RACISM CASE</h2>

Hamilton hailed Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr as 'incredibly brave' for his response to racist insults in Spain and said the incidents brought back painful memories from his own career in motor racing. Brazilian forward Vinicius called LaLiga and Spain racist when he took to social media to complain about the abuse he suffered from the crowd during a match in Valencia on Sunday.

"It's devastating to think that in 2023 we're still seeing these things and hearing these things," seven-times world champion Hamilton, the sport's only Black driver, said at the Monaco Grand Prix. "It really hits home for me, it really brings up emotions about things that I experienced, whether it's back in the UK or when I was racing in Italy or in France or in Spain. It can be so hurtful the things that people say. I think he's been incredibly brave.

"I think it's amazing what so many of these that are experiencing that on the pitch are doing in terms of standing tall, standing strong, continuing to be humble in their approach, not being reactive but being responsible when they are moving forwards because they know there's lots of young kids that are watching."

Mercedes driver Hamilton was granted honorary Brazilian citizenship last year, with the country's parliament highlighting his deep connection with the country where he won his first title in 2008. The Briton, who was team mate to Spaniard Fernando Alonso at McLaren in a tumultuous 2007 debut season, also experienced racist abuse in Spain when testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya in 2008.

Hamilton said sports needed to do more to tackle the problem. "We all need to continue to do more and if we see it, hear it, we need to do something about it," he said.

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Lewis Hamilton denied talking to Ferrari about a move to the Italian Formula One team and said on Thursday he was close to agreeing a new contract with Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton denied talking to Ferrari about a move to the Italian Formula One team and said on Thursday he was close to agreeing a new contract with Mercedes. The seven times world champion, the sport's most successful driver of all time, is out of contract at the end of the season and there has been speculation the 38-year-old could join Ferrari. "My team is working closely behind the scenes with (team boss) Toto (Wolff), we are almost at the end of having a contract ready," the Briton told reporters ahead of the weekend's Monaco Grand Prix. "Having a team focus on that so I can just do my job, it's a much better position than I was in before because I remember I used to do all my negotiations on my own and it was very stressful. I don't have to do that any more." Asked directly whether Ferrari had been in touch, Hamilton replied "no". Separately, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur said the team had not made any offer. "We didn't have discussions. I think every single team on the grid would like to have Hamilton at one stage. It would be rubbish to not say something like this," added the Frenchman. Hamilton hoped the talks with Mercedes would be wrapped up "in the coming weeks". The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Ferrari were set to offer Hamilton a 40 million pound ($50.48 million) deal to partner Charles Leclerc. Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said there appeared to be a "foundation of truth" to the story. "When you are in contract negotiations there's always going to be speculation and I think ultimately unless you hear it from me, then that's all it is," said Hamilton. He suggested maybe the media had "just got bored" after last weekend's scheduled Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola was cancelled due to flooding. Hamilton said Mercedes' current lack of form had not affected his decision. "It doesn't have a bearing because we're still a championship-winning team," he said. "It's just we've had the wrong car, there have been some decisions that have been made over the last two years that have not been ideal. "We are working our way through that... we have a new upgrade this weekend, the team have worked incredibly hard to bring this upgrade." Leclerc appeared in the same session with Hamilton and winced when asked if he would welcome Hamilton as a team mate. "If I say yes, I imagine it being the title of every newspaper," he said. "I think anybody on the grid would love to have Lewis as a team mate as everybody will learn a lot from him," he added. "But I'm happy where I am and with Carlos it's a great relationship too." Also Read: Ferrari have not made any contract offer to Lewis Hamilton, reveals team boss Fred Vasseur HAMILTON HAILS VINICIUS JR ON RACISM CASE Hamilton hailed Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr as 'incredibly brave' for his response to racist insults in Spain and said the incidents brought back painful memories from his own career in motor racing. Brazilian forward Vinicius called LaLiga and Spain racist when he took to social media to complain about the abuse he suffered from the crowd during a match in Valencia on Sunday. "It's devastating to think that in 2023 we're still seeing these things and hearing these things," seven-times world champion Hamilton, the sport's only Black driver, said at the Monaco Grand Prix. "It really hits home for me, it really brings up emotions about things that I experienced, whether it's back in the UK or when I was racing in Italy or in France or in Spain. It can be so hurtful the things that people say. I think he's been incredibly brave. "I think it's amazing what so many of these that are experiencing that on the pitch are doing in terms of standing tall, standing strong, continuing to be humble in their approach, not being reactive but being responsible when they are moving forwards because they know there's lots of young kids that are watching." Mercedes driver Hamilton was granted honorary Brazilian citizenship last year, with the country's parliament highlighting his deep connection with the country where he won his first title in 2008. The Briton, who was team mate to Spaniard Fernando Alonso at McLaren in a tumultuous 2007 debut season, also experienced racist abuse in Spain when testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya in 2008. Hamilton said sports needed to do more to tackle the problem. "We all need to continue to do more and if we see it, hear it, we need to do something about it," he said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Monaco GP: Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes deal is close, no Ferrari talks; opines on Vinicius Jr's racism case

Lewis Hamilton is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of the Formula One season and, inevitably, speculation that the seven-times world champion could move to&nbsp;Ferrari&nbsp;is again picking up speed. The Daily Mail reported on Monday that&nbsp;Ferrari&nbsp;were set to offer the 38-year-old Briton a 40 million pound ($50.48 million)deal to race in red as team mate to Charles Leclerc, with company president John Elkann making the approach.

Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said the speculation "would apparently have a foundation of truth" but could not confirm the figures. There was no comment from Mercedes or&nbsp;Ferrari&nbsp;but social media was buzzing. Hamilton has been linked to the Italian team before -- he has at least one of their luxury sportscars in his private car collection -- and in 2019 twice met Elkann socially.

Speculation that he might replace now-retired four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel alongside Leclerc came to nothing then, although the German was replaced by Spaniard Carlos Sainz at the end of 2020. The situation is different now, and there are also a number of reasons why certain parties might want to give the rumour mill an extra shove with this weekend's showcase Monaco Grand Prix looming.

Hamilton has not won a race since 2021, with George Russell a rising talent within the team, but such speculation emphasises his continuing superstar status and boosts his bargaining position -- even if Mercedes need no reminding. On&nbsp;Ferrari's side, Leclerc is a firm favourite but the Monegasque is out of contract at the end of 2024 and, with his patience at times wearing thin, has also been linked to Mercedes.

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Asked in April whether he had any conversations with the former champions, Leclerc replied: "Not yet, not for the moment." A move for Hamilton would be a timely reminder from&nbsp;Ferrari&nbsp;that they are not sitting still, although Sainz would not be impressed.

Hamilton needs a winning car to challenge for a record eighth title and the coming races will be crucial in helping him assess whether Mercedes can provide it, or whether to have a last shot at somewhere else. Red Bull have won everything so far in 2023 with double champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, but they are not an option.

The champions do, however, stand to gain from anything that distracts their rivals. Just how seriously Hamilton might consider a move to Maranello remains to be seen, and the championship's second oldest driver has in recent months pointed firmly to racing on with Mercedes.

The manufacturer has supported him throughout his career and allows considerable personal and commercial freedom that might not be available at&nbsp;Ferrari. "I continue to feel very much at home in this family," Hamilton said at the Australian Grand Prix in April. "I see myself with Mercedes until my last days, to be honest. I have amazing allies within the team, great relationships here." While Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said in March he would have 'no grouch' if Hamilton felt a need to look elsewhere, he also doubted the driver would leave.

Lewis Hamilton is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of the Formula One season and, inevitably, speculation that the seven-times world champion could move to Ferrari is again picking up speed.

Lewis Hamilton is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of the Formula One season and, inevitably, speculation that the seven-times world champion could move to Ferrari is again picking up speed. The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Ferrari were set to offer the 38-year-old Briton a 40 million pound ($50.48 million)deal to race in red as team mate to Charles Leclerc, with company president John Elkann making the approach. Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport said the speculation "would apparently have a foundation of truth" but could not confirm the figures. There was no comment from Mercedes or Ferrari but social media was buzzing. Hamilton has been linked to the Italian team before -- he has at least one of their luxury sportscars in his private car collection -- and in 2019 twice met Elkann socially. Speculation that he might replace now-retired four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel alongside Leclerc came to nothing then, although the German was replaced by Spaniard Carlos Sainz at the end of 2020. The situation is different now, and there are also a number of reasons why certain parties might want to give the rumour mill an extra shove with this weekend's showcase Monaco Grand Prix looming. Hamilton has not won a race since 2021, with George Russell a rising talent within the team, but such speculation emphasises his continuing superstar status and boosts his bargaining position -- even if Mercedes need no reminding. On Ferrari's side, Leclerc is a firm favourite but the Monegasque is out of contract at the end of 2024 and, with his patience at times wearing thin, has also been linked to Mercedes. Also Read: Formula One: Honda engines to power Aston Martin from 2026 Asked in April whether he had any conversations with the former champions, Leclerc replied: "Not yet, not for the moment." A move for Hamilton would be a timely reminder from Ferrari that they are not sitting still, although Sainz would not be impressed. Hamilton needs a winning car to challenge for a record eighth title and the coming races will be crucial in helping him assess whether Mercedes can provide it, or whether to have a last shot at somewhere else. Red Bull have won everything so far in 2023 with double champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, but they are not an option. The champions do, however, stand to gain from anything that distracts their rivals. Just how seriously Hamilton might consider a move to Maranello remains to be seen, and the championship's second oldest driver has in recent months pointed firmly to racing on with Mercedes. The manufacturer has supported him throughout his career and allows considerable personal and commercial freedom that might not be available at Ferrari. "I continue to feel very much at home in this family," Hamilton said at the Australian Grand Prix in April. "I see myself with Mercedes until my last days, to be honest. I have amazing allies within the team, great relationships here." While Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said in March he would have 'no grouch' if Hamilton felt a need to look elsewhere, he also doubted the driver would leave.

Formula One: With Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes contract over, is he moving to Ferrari?

Police detained a suspect after a shootout took place at a Mercedes-Benz plant located in southwestern Germany on Thursday in which two people died.

The latest shooting incident increased pressure on Germany's government to further tighten its gun laws. The police have identified the suspect as a 53-year-old man.

Mercedes-Benz stated that two people have been killed in the unfortunate incident. The Stuttgart prosecutor also confirmed the death of the second person and added that no one else suffered injuries.

"One person is in police custody. The persons are employees of an external service provider," said Mercedes in a statement.

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A spokesperson from the prosecutor's office stated that investigators have been working with the assumption that the shootout has been carried out by a single perpetrator and that it had no involvement of individuals from outside the factory.

The shooting incident was the latest in the various mass shootouts carried out in Germany in recent years, many connected to extremism.

The government of Germany had vowed to further tighten the country's gun laws after a gunman carried out an open firing on the people who had gathered in a Jehovah's Witnesses hall in Hamburg in March, in which six had died.

Certain big magazines were outlawed by Germany in 2020 and five-yearly checks are conducted on gun owners to ascertain whether the possession of a weapon by them is justified.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had stated that after the attack took place,&nbsp;the government will&nbsp;revisit the arms laws.

WATCH | 6 Killed In German Church Shooting, Police issue "Extreme Danger" warning

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Social Democrats, Faeser's party and the party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz have been supporting the need for tougher restrictions, and the police union of Germany also called for a swift legislative response to restrict the number of guns available.

Mercedes-Benz's flagship S-Class luxury sedan is produced at the location in Sindelfingen which is around 17 kilometres southwest of Stuttgart. About 35,000 people work at the site.

Mercedes said that the locals or colleagues working in Sindelfingen were not facing any danger now. "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news from Sindelfingen this morning. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues on site," the company said in a statement.

Emergency responders and police remained at the scene of the incident. The emergency services were first informed about the shootout at 7:45 am (0545 GMT). In 2012, a shootout happened at a factory site which belonged to technology firm 3M. The site was located in the western German town of Hilden and one person was killed and four others were injured in the shooting.

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Police detained a suspect after a shootout took place at a Mercedes-Benz plant located in southwestern Germany on Thursday in which two people died. The latest shooting incident increased pressure on Germany's government to further tighten its gun laws.

Police detained a suspect after a shootout took place at a Mercedes-Benz plant located in southwestern Germany on Thursday in which two people died. The latest shooting incident increased pressure on Germany's government to further tighten its gun laws. The police have identified the suspect as a 53-year-old man. Mercedes-Benz stated that two people have been killed in the unfortunate incident. The Stuttgart prosecutor also confirmed the death of the second person and added that no one else suffered injuries. "One person is in police custody. The persons are employees of an external service provider," said Mercedes in a statement. ALSO READ | Hamburg church shooting leaves 8 dead, including unborn child A spokesperson from the prosecutor's office stated that investigators have been working with the assumption that the shootout has been carried out by a single perpetrator and that it had no involvement of individuals from outside the factory. The shooting incident was the latest in the various mass shootouts carried out in Germany in recent years, many connected to extremism. The government of Germany had vowed to further tighten the country's gun laws after a gunman carried out an open firing on the people who had gathered in a Jehovah's Witnesses hall in Hamburg in March, in which six had died. Certain big magazines were outlawed by Germany in 2020 and five-yearly checks are conducted on gun owners to ascertain whether the possession of a weapon by them is justified. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had stated that after the attack took place, the government will revisit the arms laws. WATCH | 6 Killed In German Church Shooting, Police issue "Extreme Danger" warning Social Democrats, Faeser's party and the party of Chancellor Olaf Scholz have been supporting the need for tougher restrictions, and the police union of Germany also called for a swift legislative response to restrict the number of guns available. Mercedes-Benz's flagship S-Class luxury sedan is produced at the location in Sindelfingen which is around 17 kilometres southwest of Stuttgart. About 35,000 people work at the site. Mercedes said that the locals or colleagues working in Sindelfingen were not facing any danger now. "We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news from Sindelfingen this morning. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues on site," the company said in a statement. Emergency responders and police remained at the scene of the incident. The emergency services were first informed about the shootout at 7:45 am (0545 GMT). In 2012, a shootout happened at a factory site which belonged to technology firm 3M. The site was located in the western German town of Hilden and one person was killed and four others were injured in the shooting. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Two killed, suspect detained in German Mercedes plant shootout

Globally renowned for handcrafting some of the most luxurious vehicles on the planet, Mercedes-Maybach revealed its first-ever electric offering, the EQS 680 SUV, at Shanghai Auto Show 2023. Powering the EQS 680 SUV is a 400V dual-motor powertrain that develops 649 horsepower and 950 Newton-metres of torque. Fitted with Mercedes’ 4-Matic all-wheel-drive as standard, the luxury behemoth can crack the 0 – 100 kilometres an hour run in 4.4 seconds, with a top speed of 210 kilometres an hour. Mercedes also claims a provisional driving range of up to 600 kilometres.

2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV: First electric Maybach arrives with debatable styling

The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance has been launched in India at a whopping price of INR 33 million (ex-showroom). It is not only the first plug-in hybrid AMG model but also the most powerful production AMG car to date! We tell you everything about this 843-horsepower Porsche Panamera Turbo S rival in our detailed walkaround video.

INR 33 Million Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance Launched | WION Pitstop

Mercedes will invest billions of dollars to modernise its plants in China, Germany and Hungary over the coming years, as the carmaker prepares to switch to electric vehicles and cut emissions. Mercedes has said it will be ready to go electric by the end of this decade, where market conditions allow.

Mercedes all set to invest billions in e-vehicles plants

Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton has said his Mercedes team did not listen to him in developing their 2023&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;car. The Briton told reporters last week that Mercedes were on the wrong track before he finished fifth in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix opener. "Last year, there were things I told them. I said the issues that are with the car," Hamilton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Chequered Flag podcast.

"I've driven so many cars in my life so I know what a car needs. I know what a car doesn't need. I think it's really about accountability. "It's about owning up and saying, 'Yeah, you know what? We didn't listen to you. It's not where it needs to be and we've got to work'," he said. "We've got to look into the balance through the corners, look at all the weak points, and just huddle up as a team. That's what we do."

Hamilton is&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One's most successful driver of all time, with a record 103 wins, but is out of contract at the end of the season. The 38-year-old failed to win a race last year, a career first for a season, but has dismissed suggestions he might be holding off on a new deal until he knew how competitive his car was.

He told the BBC that there was still time for Mercedes, whose run of eight successive constructors' titles ended last year, to turn the situation around. "We're still multi world champions, you know? It's just we haven't got it right this time. We didn't get it right last year. But that doesn't mean we can't get it right moving forwards," he said.

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Team boss Toto Wolff acknowledged in Bahrain that Mercedes needed to rethink the car. "I don't think this package is going to be competitive eventually," said the Austrian of a car that stands out for its slimmed-down sidepods in marked contrast to Red Bull's solution. "We got it wrong last year, we thought we could fix it by sticking to this concept of car and it didn't work out," he added.

Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen won in Bahrain with Mexican Sergio Perez securing the&nbsp;one-two finish. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was third in a car powered by a Mercedes engine.

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Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton has said his Mercedes team did not listen to him in developing their 2023 Formula One car. The Briton told reporters last week that Mercedes were on the wrong track before he finished fifth in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix opener.

Seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton has said his Mercedes team did not listen to him in developing their 2023 Formula One car. The Briton told reporters last week that Mercedes were on the wrong track before he finished fifth in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix opener. "Last year, there were things I told them. I said the issues that are with the car," Hamilton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Chequered Flag podcast. "I've driven so many cars in my life so I know what a car needs. I know what a car doesn't need. I think it's really about accountability. "It's about owning up and saying, 'Yeah, you know what? We didn't listen to you. It's not where it needs to be and we've got to work'," he said. "We've got to look into the balance through the corners, look at all the weak points, and just huddle up as a team. That's what we do." Hamilton is Formula One's most successful driver of all time, with a record 103 wins, but is out of contract at the end of the season. The 38-year-old failed to win a race last year, a career first for a season, but has dismissed suggestions he might be holding off on a new deal until he knew how competitive his car was. He told the BBC that there was still time for Mercedes, whose run of eight successive constructors' titles ended last year, to turn the situation around. "We're still multi world champions, you know? It's just we haven't got it right this time. We didn't get it right last year. But that doesn't mean we can't get it right moving forwards," he said. Also Read: Indonesian court sentence two officials for negligence during a stampede that killed 135 people Team boss Toto Wolff acknowledged in Bahrain that Mercedes needed to rethink the car. "I don't think this package is going to be competitive eventually," said the Austrian of a car that stands out for its slimmed-down sidepods in marked contrast to Red Bull's solution. "We got it wrong last year, we thought we could fix it by sticking to this concept of car and it didn't work out," he added. Red Bull's double world champion Max Verstappen won in Bahrain with Mexican Sergio Perez securing the one-two finish. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was third in a car powered by a Mercedes engine. ×

Lewis Hamilton claims Mercedes did not listen to him in developing their 2023 Formula One car

Launched in India in January 2023, the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Cabriolet presents an ideal combination of pleasurable open-top motoring and blistering AMG performance. Armed with a 451bhp and 770Nm 3.0-litre inline-six powertrain and fantastic visual appeal, how does it perform in everyday driving conditions? Well, here's our take on it.

Mercedes-AMG E 53 Cabriolet Review: Perfect Everyday Companion?

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed that growing up, he was routinely called the 'N-word' and that bananas were thrown at him by the bullies.

Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed that growing up, he was routinely called the 'N-word' and that bananas were thrown at him by the bullies. “For me, school was probably the most traumatising and mostcolo difficult part of my life.I already was being bullied at the age of 6," said Hamilton in an interview for the On Purpose podcast. "I think at the time, (at) that particular school, I was probably one of three kids of colour and just bigger, stronger, bullying kids were throwing me around a lot of the time." “And then constant jabs (jibes), the things that are thrown at you, like bananas, people that would use the N-word just so relaxed. People calling you half-caste and just really not knowing where you fit in." Hamilton added that the lack of representation in history books took him by surprise. "That for me was difficult, and then when you go into history class and everything you learn in history there are no people of colour in the history they were teaching us. So I was thinking, ‘Where are the people who look like me?’” Read more: 'Hard some days to stay positive': Lewis Hamilton reveals he struggled mentally and emotionally Being the only driver of colour on the grid, Hamilton has been one of the fiercest advocates of equality in the F1 paddock. He wore a rainbow-coloured helmet in Saudi Arabia Grand Prix to bring visibility to the host country's anti-LGBTQ laws. He set up 'The Hamilton Commission' to improve F1's diversity and has frequently employed people of colour to bring them on par with their 'privileged' peers. Hamilton's F1 season Hamilton had a difficult season last year after narrowly missing out on a record eighth F1 championship trophy in 2021. Mercedes were not up to the mark as the car lagged in pace behind Ferarri and Red Bull. However, midway through the season, Hamilton and Mercedes picked up the pace and managed to make improvements. After a sedate season, it is expected that Hamilton will once again charge for the championship. Read more: ‘I find it stressful’: Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton reveals he is terrified driving on normal roads (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'People threw bananas at me, used the N-word': Lewis Hamilton opens up about racial abuse at school

The Mercedes-Benz EQS is the S-Class of electric cars. AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ is its performance version with supercar-equivalent power and torque figures. The S-Class luxury and AMG tuned electric drivetrain together cost about INR 24.5 Million (ex-showroom) in India. But does it worth that much? Let's find out.

WION Pitstop | Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ review

Mercedes announced former Haas driver Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, on Thursday as their&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;reserve for next season. Schumacher, whose Ferrari great-father also raced for Mercedes from 2010-12, will attend every Grand Prix as back up for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. "Mick is a talented young driver and we're delighted to have him join the team. He is a hard worker, has a calm and methodical approach and is still hungry to learn and improve as a driver," said team boss Toto Wolff in a statement. "We also know that with two years of experience racing in&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;under his belt, he will be ready to step into the car at short notice to replace either Lewis or George, should that need arise."

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Ferrari earlier announced they had mutually decided not to extend their relationship after four years together. Schumacher won the&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;Two title in 2020 after joining the Ferrari young driver programme in 2019. He debuted with Ferrari-powered Haas in 2021 and was also a Ferrari reserve last season. He left&nbsp;Formula&nbsp;One&nbsp;with 12 points and the highest finish of sixth after 43 starts. "I take this as a new start, and I am just excited and grateful to Toto and everybody involved for putting their trust in me," said Schumacher. "F1 is such a fascinating world, and you never stop learning, so I look forward to absorbing more knowledge and putting in all my efforts for the benefit of the Mercedes team."

Mercedes announced former Haas driver Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, on Thursday as their Formula One reserve for next season. Schumacher, whose Ferrari great-father also raced for Mercedes from 2010-12, will attend every Grand Prix as back up for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

Mercedes announced former Haas driver Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, on Thursday as their Formula One reserve for next season. Schumacher, whose Ferrari great-father also raced for Mercedes from 2010-12, will attend every Grand Prix as back up for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. "Mick is a talented young driver and we're delighted to have him join the team. He is a hard worker, has a calm and methodical approach and is still hungry to learn and improve as a driver," said team boss Toto Wolff in a statement. "We also know that with two years of experience racing in Formula One under his belt, he will be ready to step into the car at short notice to replace either Lewis or George, should that need arise." Also read: Australia extends Formula 1 deal, Saudi Arabia to kickoff 2024 season Ferrari earlier announced they had mutually decided not to extend their relationship after four years together. Schumacher won the Formula Two title in 2020 after joining the Ferrari young driver programme in 2019. He debuted with Ferrari-powered Haas in 2021 and was also a Ferrari reserve last season. He left Formula One with 12 points and the highest finish of sixth after 43 starts. "I take this as a new start, and I am just excited and grateful to Toto and everybody involved for putting their trust in me," said Schumacher. "F1 is such a fascinating world, and you never stop learning, so I look forward to absorbing more knowledge and putting in all my efforts for the benefit of the Mercedes team."

Mick Schumacher becomes part of Mercedes as Formula One reserve driver

Mercedes feels SIP’s are giving the luxury car-maker a run for its money! India’s youth would rather invest than buy luxury cars. Is India’s youth wrong for investing?

Mercedes, no thanks. India's youth would rather invest in SIPs

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