Lewis Hamilton revived his bid for a fourth driver&#39;s world title when he cruised to victory in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

It was the three-time champion&#39;s sixth victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve -- where he claimed his maiden triumph in 2007 -- as well as his third this season and the 56th of his career.

Hamilton took full advantage of his 65th pole position and led from lights to flag to finish 15 seconds clear of Finn Bottas who, in turn, was 15 seconds ahead of third-placed Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull.

&quot;A big thank you to this crowd,&quot; said Hamilton from the podium where the actor Patrick Stewart served as interviewer. &quot;Every year the energy grows! I had my first pole here and my first win here and to repeat it is incredibly special.

&quot;It was a great team performance and a Valtteri did a great job. I am just over the moon.&quot;

It was the Mercedes team&#39;s first one-two finish of the year and clear proof of their recovery after a disappointing weekend at last month&#39;s Monaco Grand Prix.

Bottas said: &quot;As a team we really needed this one-two to get the points and I am very proud of this team and what they have done since Monaco... I knew what I had to do today.&quot;

Hamilton&#39;s win cut championship leader and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel&#39;s advantage to 12 points after the Ferrari man lost out at the start and, after an early pit stop for repairs, fought back to finish fourth.

Vettel&#39;s front wing was damaged when he was passed by Max Verstappen of Red Bull at the start, the Dutchman running in a strong second place until he retired with electrical problems after 11 laps. &nbsp;

Mexican Sergio Perez finished fifth after a bruising battle with his Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon of France, who was sixth.

Finn Kimi Raikkonen finished seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of German Nico Huelkenberg of Renault, with local hero and teenage rookie Lance Stroll of Canada taking ninth for Williams and Frenchman Romain Grosjean 10th for Haas.

Immediate drama

The race delivered immediate drama.

Hamilton led cleanly off the grid as, behind him, Verstappen attacked and swept around the outside into Turn One to take second place from Vettel, apparently clipping the front wing of the Ferrari in the process.

Behind them, Sainz collided with Frenchman Romain Grosjean&rsquo;s Haas and then spun and crashed into the barriers, collecting Brazilian Felipe Massa&#39;s Williams along the way.

Both drivers were unhurt, but they were forced to retire as a Safety Car was deployed for three laps as the debris was cleared.

Hamilton made the most of the re-start and resisted another Verstappen attack before Vettel, his front wing clearly damaged, pitted for repairs.

The German rejoined at the back of the field -&ndash; exactly where Hamilton may have hoped &ndash;- and began his recovery drive by swiftly climbing to 17th.

On lap 11, the action was paused again when Verstappen pulled over and retired between Turns Two and Three, his engine having cut out. This saw a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) signalled until lap 14 when the racing resumed with the two Mercedes in control.

A mistake by Raikkonen let Vettel through to sixth and a chance to attack, which produced a thrilling battle as the Force India men, engaged in their own scrap, resisted.

Vettel finally claimed fifth when Ocon ran off at Turn One, after being blocked by Perez, and the German then ran off again himself and recovered.

With two laps to go, Vettel, a man inspired, passed Perez at the final chicane to snatch fourth.

Hamilton took full advantage of his 65th pole position and led from lights to flag to finish 15 seconds clear of Finn Bottas

Lewis Hamilton revived his bid for a fourth driver's world title when he cruised to victory in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. It was the three-time champion's sixth victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve -- where he claimed his maiden triumph in 2007 -- as well as his third this season and the 56th of his career. Hamilton took full advantage of his 65th pole position and led from lights to flag to finish 15 seconds clear of Finn Bottas who, in turn, was 15 seconds ahead of third-placed Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull. "A big thank you to this crowd," said Hamilton from the podium where the actor Patrick Stewart served as interviewer. "Every year the energy grows! I had my first pole here and my first win here and to repeat it is incredibly special. "It was a great team performance and a Valtteri did a great job. I am just over the moon." It was the Mercedes team's first one-two finish of the year and clear proof of their recovery after a disappointing weekend at last month's Monaco Grand Prix. Bottas said: "As a team we really needed this one-two to get the points and I am very proud of this team and what they have done since Monaco... I knew what I had to do today." Hamilton's win cut championship leader and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel's advantage to 12 points after the Ferrari man lost out at the start and, after an early pit stop for repairs, fought back to finish fourth. Vettel's front wing was damaged when he was passed by Max Verstappen of Red Bull at the start, the Dutchman running in a strong second place until he retired with electrical problems after 11 laps. Mexican Sergio Perez finished fifth after a bruising battle with his Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon of France, who was sixth. Finn Kimi Raikkonen finished seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of German Nico Huelkenberg of Renault, with local hero and teenage rookie Lance Stroll of Canada taking ninth for Williams and Frenchman Romain Grosjean 10th for Haas. Immediate drama The race delivered immediate drama. Hamilton led cleanly off the grid as, behind him, Verstappen attacked and swept around the outside into Turn One to take second place from Vettel, apparently clipping the front wing of the Ferrari in the process. Behind them, Sainz collided with Frenchman Romain Grosjean’s Haas and then spun and crashed into the barriers, collecting Brazilian Felipe Massa's Williams along the way. Both drivers were unhurt, but they were forced to retire as a Safety Car was deployed for three laps as the debris was cleared. Hamilton made the most of the re-start and resisted another Verstappen attack before Vettel, his front wing clearly damaged, pitted for repairs. The German rejoined at the back of the field -– exactly where Hamilton may have hoped –- and began his recovery drive by swiftly climbing to 17th. On lap 11, the action was paused again when Verstappen pulled over and retired between Turns Two and Three, his engine having cut out. This saw a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) signalled until lap 14 when the racing resumed with the two Mercedes in control. A mistake by Raikkonen let Vettel through to sixth and a chance to attack, which produced a thrilling battle as the Force India men, engaged in their own scrap, resisted. Vettel finally claimed fifth when Ocon ran off at Turn One, after being blocked by Perez, and the German then ran off again himself and recovered. With two laps to go, Vettel, a man inspired, passed Perez at the final chicane to snatch fourth.

Formula One: Lewis Hamilton wins Canadian Grand Prix

Kimi Raikkonen secured his first pole for nine years and Ferrari a first front row lockout at the Monaco Grand Prix since 2008 after qualifying for Formula One&#39;s glamour race on Saturday.&nbsp;

The Italian team&#39;s domination that left Lewis Hamilton struggling to take 14th for Mercedes sparked celebration from the tifosi perched on terraces below the Monegasque palace.

As softly-spoken Raikkonen savoured his first pole since the 2008 French Grand Prix, just weeks after he had been second behind Felipe Massa on the Monte Carlo grid, Hamilton knew he faced a daunting challenge in Sunday&rsquo;s classic 78-laps race around the Mediterranean street circuit.

The 37-year-old Finn had not taken pole for 128 races, but dominated the afternoon&rsquo;s action to clock a fastest lap of one minute and 12.178 seconds, a new record for the circuit and an endorsement of the speed of this season&rsquo;s new era machines.&nbsp; &nbsp;

That left him 0.043 seconds ahead of the world championship leader and three-time champion Vettel who in turn was just two-thousandths of a second faster than third-placed Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes.

The Finn&rsquo;s Mercedes team-mate, three-time champion Hamilton, who is six points behind Vettel in the title race, failed to make the cut for the top ten shootout, qualifying 14th after a miserable afternoon.

&quot;Obviously, it&rsquo;s great,&quot; said a mumbling and taciturn Raikkonen afterwards, showing little emotion.&nbsp;

&quot;We&rsquo;ll try to make the best of it tomorrow&hellip; Yes, of course it is good, but here it is all about the fine details.&rdquo;

&quot;I don&rsquo;t know what was wrong there,&quot; said Vettel of Mercedes&rsquo; problems. &ldquo;But this is one of my highlights of the season &ndash; to race at Monaco. It is a difficult one to get right, but if you do, it is great&hellip;&rdquo;

&#39;Yes, toasted&#39;&nbsp;

Like Raikkonen, Vettel stressed that he and the &lsquo;iceman&rsquo; would be free to race and not constrained by team orders, in advance, at the first corner. &ldquo;We are here to race,&rdquo; said the German. Raikkonen, obediently, reminded reporters that both men raced for the same team &ndash; Ferrari.

Hamilton was crestfallen. &ldquo;The opportunity was not there for me today,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I just struggled with the car.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t really know what to say at the moment. I&#39;m deflated, but will keep pushing tomorrow.

&ldquo;That&#39;s pretty much the weekend done. Tomorrow I will just be driving around in whatever position. I will try to get into the top 10, but it will be a nice Sunday drive I imagine.&rdquo;

History may encourage Hamilton, but it is unlikely.

Frenchman Olivier Panis&rsquo;s 1996 victory from 14th on the grid for Ligier came in a madcap race run in a deluge and not under the blue skies forecast here for Sunday.

Bottas, who will carry Mercedes hopes of preventing a Ferrari triumph, added: &ldquo;It was a really good lap for me. This is one of the most mentally-demanding circuits and am glad I felt support from the fans and appreciated it.

&ldquo;It has been a tricky weekend for us. We lost some valuable practice on Thursday, in FP2, and it was difficult to get a lap time -- and Lewis had problems with traffic.&rdquo;

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen took fourth place ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso, Sergio Perez of Force India and Romain Grosjean of Haas.

Briton Jenson Button, back from retirement to replace Fernando Alonso who is racing in the Indianapolis 500, was ninth for McLaren ahead of his team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne.

Button has a 15-place grid penalty for engine replacements and that is expected to lift Hamilton up to 13th.

&quot;I&rsquo;m happy enough with that,&quot; said Button.&nbsp;

&quot;My one and only qualifying session this year and I&rsquo;m ninth &ndash; but I start 20th!&rdquo;

Hamilton failed to make it out of Q2 when he was deprived of a late clean lap in the dying seconds.

Hamilton&rsquo;s hopes were ruined when Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne went into the barriers at the Swimming Pool exit, yellow flags flying.

&ldquo;That&rsquo;s me out, right?&rdquo; said Hamilton, deprived of a clean lap and condemned to qualify 14th, one of five men eliminated.

&quot;Yes, toasted,&quot; came the reply as he pulled in to the pits, his chest heaving and hands waving with frustration.

(AFP)

Kimi Raikkonen bagged his first pole position since 2009

Kimi Raikkonen secured his first pole for nine years and Ferrari a first front row lockout at the Monaco Grand Prix since 2008 after qualifying for Formula One's glamour race on Saturday. The Italian team's domination that left Lewis Hamilton struggling to take 14th for Mercedes sparked celebration from the tifosi perched on terraces below the Monegasque palace. As softly-spoken Raikkonen savoured his first pole since the 2008 French Grand Prix, just weeks after he had been second behind Felipe Massa on the Monte Carlo grid, Hamilton knew he faced a daunting challenge in Sunday’s classic 78-laps race around the Mediterranean street circuit. The 37-year-old Finn had not taken pole for 128 races, but dominated the afternoon’s action to clock a fastest lap of one minute and 12.178 seconds, a new record for the circuit and an endorsement of the speed of this season’s new era machines. That left him 0.043 seconds ahead of the world championship leader and three-time champion Vettel who in turn was just two-thousandths of a second faster than third-placed Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes. The Finn’s Mercedes team-mate, three-time champion Hamilton, who is six points behind Vettel in the title race, failed to make the cut for the top ten shootout, qualifying 14th after a miserable afternoon. "Obviously, it’s great," said a mumbling and taciturn Raikkonen afterwards, showing little emotion. "We’ll try to make the best of it tomorrow… Yes, of course it is good, but here it is all about the fine details.” "I don’t know what was wrong there," said Vettel of Mercedes’ problems. “But this is one of my highlights of the season – to race at Monaco. It is a difficult one to get right, but if you do, it is great…” 'Yes, toasted' Like Raikkonen, Vettel stressed that he and the ‘iceman’ would be free to race and not constrained by team orders, in advance, at the first corner. “We are here to race,” said the German. Raikkonen, obediently, reminded reporters that both men raced for the same team – Ferrari. Hamilton was crestfallen. “The opportunity was not there for me today,” he said. “I just struggled with the car. "I don't really know what to say at the moment. I'm deflated, but will keep pushing tomorrow. “That's pretty much the weekend done. Tomorrow I will just be driving around in whatever position. I will try to get into the top 10, but it will be a nice Sunday drive I imagine.” History may encourage Hamilton, but it is unlikely. Frenchman Olivier Panis’s 1996 victory from 14th on the grid for Ligier came in a madcap race run in a deluge and not under the blue skies forecast here for Sunday. Bottas, who will carry Mercedes hopes of preventing a Ferrari triumph, added: “It was a really good lap for me. This is one of the most mentally-demanding circuits and am glad I felt support from the fans and appreciated it. “It has been a tricky weekend for us. We lost some valuable practice on Thursday, in FP2, and it was difficult to get a lap time -- and Lewis had problems with traffic.” Dutch teenager Max Verstappen took fourth place ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso, Sergio Perez of Force India and Romain Grosjean of Haas. Briton Jenson Button, back from retirement to replace Fernando Alonso who is racing in the Indianapolis 500, was ninth for McLaren ahead of his team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne. Button has a 15-place grid penalty for engine replacements and that is expected to lift Hamilton up to 13th. "I’m happy enough with that," said Button. "My one and only qualifying session this year and I’m ninth – but I start 20th!” Hamilton failed to make it out of Q2 when he was deprived of a late clean lap in the dying seconds. Hamilton’s hopes were ruined when Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne went into the barriers at the Swimming Pool exit, yellow flags flying. “That’s me out, right?” said Hamilton, deprived of a clean lap and condemned to qualify 14th, one of five men eliminated. "Yes, toasted," came the reply as he pulled in to the pits, his chest heaving and hands waving with frustration. (AFP)

Monaco GP qualifying: Raikkonen heads Ferrari's front-row lockout, Hamilton 14th

South Korean car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia were <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/hyundai-kia-ordered-to-recall-vehicles-after-whistleblower-report-15490">ordered by authorities to recall</a> 240,000 vehicles in South Korea. This was a result of several defects discovered, including issues with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/hyundai-kia-ordered-to-recall-vehicles-after-whistleblower-report-15490">parking brake lights</a> and fuel hoses, and would affect models such as the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata.

This recall, though pales in comparison to a recall last month for 1.5 million cars in the US and South Korea from the same manufacturers. This was for 5 models including Hyundai&#39;s Sonata and Grandeur and was done because of potential engine stalling.

Here&#39;s a look at the various recalls that have been issued this year, compiled from news reports.

<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="600" id="datawrapper-chart-NFWbd" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" msallowfullscreen="msallowfullscreen" oallowfullscreen="oallowfullscreen" scrolling="no" src="//datawrapper.dwcdn.net/NFWbd/1/" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="100%"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">if("undefined"==typeof window.datawrapper)window.datawrapper={};window.datawrapper["NFWbd"]={},window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].embedDeltas={"100":652,"200":626,"300":600,"400":600,"500":600,"600":600,"700":600,"800":600,"900":600,"1000":600},window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-NFWbd"),window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe.style.height=window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].embedDeltas[Math.min(1e3,Math.max(100*Math.floor(window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe.offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"!=typeof a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a.data["datawrapper-height"])if("NFWbd"==b)window.datawrapper["NFWbd"].iframe.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"});</script>

If you look at the table above, you will see that several recalls have to do with airbags, especially those made by Takata. 13 carmakers issued a recall for <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/over-652k-vehicles-involved-latest-takata-airbag-recall-n708811">652,000 cars</a> in the US in March, cars which were fitted with the Takata airbags.

This is actually part of the world&#39;s largest recall, which started <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-06-02/sixty-million-car-bombs-inside-takata-s-air-bag-crisis">first in 2008</a> and could potentially affect over 100 million vehicles from several manufacturers. The issue was that because of a volatile chemical in the airbags, it could suddenly explode and send metal shrapnel into passengers. At least<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/majority-of-money-in-airbag-fraud-settlement-slated-for-automakers-not-actual-victims_us_58b3884ce4b060480e090796"> 11 have died and 200 hurt</a> in the US because of these exploding Takata airbags.

Car owners in India have been affected by the Takata recall too in 2017 with <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/honda-recalls-41850-units-of-jazz-city-accord-and-civic-over-airbag-failure/532163/">Honda recalling</a> around 42,000 cars&mdash;including models such as the City, Accord and Civic&mdash;and Toyota recalling 23,000 units of the <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/toyota-to-recall-over-23000-units-of-corolla-altis-in-india-over-faulty-takata-airbags/618968/">Corolla Altis</a>.

Because there is no official policy on car recalls in India, presently any such recall is <a href="http://pibregional.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1487569">voluntarily done</a> by the manufacturer.

Carmakers Hyundai and Kia recalled 240,000 cars this week. So who else has recalled their cars this year?

South Korean car manufacturers Hyundai and Kia were ordered by authorities to recall 240,000 vehicles in South Korea. This was a result of several defects discovered, including issues with the parking brake lights and fuel hoses, and would affect models such as the Hyundai Elantra and Sonata. This recall, though pales in comparison to a recall last month for 1.5 million cars in the US and South Korea from the same manufacturers. This was for 5 models including Hyundai's Sonata and Grandeur and was done because of potential engine stalling. Here's a look at the various recalls that have been issued this year, compiled from news reports. If you look at the table above, you will see that several recalls have to do with airbags, especially those made by Takata. 13 carmakers issued a recall for 652,000 cars in the US in March, cars which were fitted with the Takata airbags. This is actually part of the world's largest recall, which started first in 2008 and could potentially affect over 100 million vehicles from several manufacturers. The issue was that because of a volatile chemical in the airbags, it could suddenly explode and send metal shrapnel into passengers. At least 11 have died and 200 hurt in the US because of these exploding Takata airbags. Car owners in India have been affected by the Takata recall too in 2017 with Honda recalling around 42,000 cars—including models such as the City, Accord and Civic—and Toyota recalling 23,000 units of the Corolla Altis. Because there is no official policy on car recalls in India, presently any such recall is voluntarily done by the manufacturer.

Analysis: Cars recalled worldwide in 2017

Sebastian Vettel out-manoeuvred Lewis Hamilton and the world champion Mercedes team with a stunning victory in the season-opening Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday.

Vettel won by almost 10 seconds from Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in a commanding victory of tactics and speed around the Albert Street circuit.

It was Ferrari&#39;s first win in Melbourne since Kimi Raikkonen&#39;s victory in 2007 and Vettel&#39;s second in Australia after winning the 2011 race with Red Bull.

It was a major fillip for the new season after Ferrari&#39;s superior pre-season test times as they chase their first world constructors&#39; title since 2008.

It was the German four-time world champion&#39;s fourth win for Ferrari and his first since Singapore in 2015 and his 43rd career win.

Ferrari got the better of Mercedes in the sole round of tyre changes which ultimately decided the race.

Hamilton&#39;s early stop meant he rejoined behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen which allowed Vettel to open up&nbsp;decisive gap at the head of the field.

Ferrari&#39;s Kimi Raikkonen was fourth with Verstappen &nbsp;fifth ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa in the Williams.

Australia&#39;s big hope Daniel Ricciardo had a heartbreaking day with gear box problems ending his race on the 29th lap after he was forced to start from pit lane when his Red Bull car broke down on the warm-up lap.

(AFP)

Finland?s Valtteri Bottas completed the podium on his debut for Mercedes

Sebastian Vettel out-manoeuvred Lewis Hamilton and the world champion Mercedes team with a stunning victory in the season-opening Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday. Vettel won by almost 10 seconds from Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in a commanding victory of tactics and speed around the Albert Street circuit. It was Ferrari's first win in Melbourne since Kimi Raikkonen's victory in 2007 and Vettel's second in Australia after winning the 2011 race with Red Bull. It was a major fillip for the new season after Ferrari's superior pre-season test times as they chase their first world constructors' title since 2008. It was the German four-time world champion's fourth win for Ferrari and his first since Singapore in 2015 and his 43rd career win. Ferrari got the better of Mercedes in the sole round of tyre changes which ultimately decided the race. Hamilton's early stop meant he rejoined behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen which allowed Vettel to open up decisive gap at the head of the field. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was fourth with Verstappen fifth ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa in the Williams. Australia's big hope Daniel Ricciardo had a heartbreaking day with gear box problems ending his race on the 29th lap after he was forced to start from pit lane when his Red Bull car broke down on the warm-up lap. (AFP)

Vettel beats Hamilton to win Australian GP

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton will start off the pole in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after winning qualifying on Saturday.

Hamilton in a Mercedes clocked a record lap of one minute 22.188 seconds to take his 62nd career pole and sixth in Australia into Sunday&#39;s race in Melbourne.

Ferrari&#39;s Sebastian Vettel was second with Hamilton&#39;s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas third.

Hamilton has been on pole in Melbourne in each of the last four seasons, and in five out the last six Australian GPs.

&quot;It&#39;s been a fantastic weekend so far. I&#39;m incredibly proud of my team,&quot; Hamilton said.

&quot;Valtteri did a great job and it&#39;s great for us as Mercedes. It&#39;s going to be a tight race.

&quot;Tomorrow is about putting all the work together and making sure I come back stronger than ever.&quot;

He was pushed in the final Q3 stage first by Bottas and then by Vettel before clinching the fastest lap.

&quot;I lost a bit in turn one and in turn nine I tried a bit too much, but I don&#39;t think it would have been enough,&quot; said Vettel, who&nbsp;claimed Ferrari&#39;s first front row since 2015 in knocking Bottas&nbsp;out of second place.

Hamilton&#39;s pole time was 1.7 seconds quicker than his qualifying time last year.

&quot;Third position is not ideal,&quot; Bottas said.

&quot;In general I&#39;m not happy for the result. But I&#39;m proud of what the team has done.

&quot;I only saw a very small part of the preparation and it&#39;s nice to see the work has pulled off and we&#39;re fighting at the front.&quot;

Australia&#39;s big hope Daniel Ricciardo crashed his Red Bull at turn 14 looking to post a good time in Q3 and will start 10th off the grid.

Ricciardo damaged the rear of his RB13 car and was heard over the team radio as saying: &quot;I&#39;m alright... sorry guys.&quot;

The final session of qualifying was suspended while Ricciardo&#39;s car was removed from the gravel alongside the track.

&quot;He&#39;s absolutely fine. It&#39;s a shame. He&#39;s lost the rear of the car at turn 14. He&#39;s come on the radio and apologised. Just pushing a bit too hard in that corner,&quot; team principal Christian Horner said.

Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon and Marcus Ericsson all failed to make it through the top ten shootout.

Red Bull&#39;s Max Verstappen had a lock-up into turn six on ultrasoft tyres before he posted a time to stay alive into Q2.

McLaren&#39;s Stoffel Vandoorne had a fuel-flow issue which sent the Belgian to the pits and knocked out in Q1.

Vandoorne was joined by Antonio Giovinazzi, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll and Jolyon Palmer to be eliminated in the first session of qualifying.

Giovinazzi is making his F1 debut after replacing Williams team-mate Pascal Wehrlein, who has not sufficiently recovered from a back injury sustained in a pre-season crash.

(AFP)

Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Bottas came third followed by Raikkonen

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton will start off the pole in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after winning qualifying on Saturday. Hamilton in a Mercedes clocked a record lap of one minute 22.188 seconds to take his 62nd career pole and sixth in Australia into Sunday's race in Melbourne. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was second with Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas third. Hamilton has been on pole in Melbourne in each of the last four seasons, and in five out the last six Australian GPs. "It's been a fantastic weekend so far. I'm incredibly proud of my team," Hamilton said. "Valtteri did a great job and it's great for us as Mercedes. It's going to be a tight race. "Tomorrow is about putting all the work together and making sure I come back stronger than ever." He was pushed in the final Q3 stage first by Bottas and then by Vettel before clinching the fastest lap. "I lost a bit in turn one and in turn nine I tried a bit too much, but I don't think it would have been enough," said Vettel, who claimed Ferrari's first front row since 2015 in knocking Bottas out of second place. Hamilton's pole time was 1.7 seconds quicker than his qualifying time last year. "Third position is not ideal," Bottas said. "In general I'm not happy for the result. But I'm proud of what the team has done. "I only saw a very small part of the preparation and it's nice to see the work has pulled off and we're fighting at the front." Australia's big hope Daniel Ricciardo crashed his Red Bull at turn 14 looking to post a good time in Q3 and will start 10th off the grid. Ricciardo damaged the rear of his RB13 car and was heard over the team radio as saying: "I'm alright... sorry guys." The final session of qualifying was suspended while Ricciardo's car was removed from the gravel alongside the track. "He's absolutely fine. It's a shame. He's lost the rear of the car at turn 14. He's come on the radio and apologised. Just pushing a bit too hard in that corner," team principal Christian Horner said. Sergio Perez, Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon and Marcus Ericsson all failed to make it through the top ten shootout. Red Bull's Max Verstappen had a lock-up into turn six on ultrasoft tyres before he posted a time to stay alive into Q2. McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne had a fuel-flow issue which sent the Belgian to the pits and knocked out in Q1. Vandoorne was joined by Antonio Giovinazzi, Kevin Magnussen, Lance Stroll and Jolyon Palmer to be eliminated in the first session of qualifying. Giovinazzi is making his F1 debut after replacing Williams team-mate Pascal Wehrlein, who has not sufficiently recovered from a back injury sustained in a pre-season crash. (AFP)

Australian GP: Hamilton secures pole, Vettel second

Lewis Hamilton sizzled in the opening practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix as he sent an ominous message to his rivals for the new Formula One season on Friday.

The triple world champion&nbsp;bossed the field in the afternoon run to hold a half-second gap over Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel and his new Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Hamilton followed up his field-leading fastest lap of 1:24.220 in the first session with a blistering 1:23.620 around Albert Park in the late afternoon.

It was around one-tenth of a second off Vettel&#39;s record lap in Melbourne of 1:23.529, posted for Red Bull in qualifying ahead of his 2011 race victory.

Ferrari were expected to press Hamilton and the Mercedes team after superior times in pre-season testing, but on the evidence of the opening two sessions Hamilton again looked the driver to beat in Sunday&#39;s race.

Hamilton&#39;s time was more than three seconds faster than his best lap in last year&#39;s corresponding free practice in Melbourne.

Finland&#39;s Bottas slotted smoothly into the Mercedes team environment with a best lap of&nbsp;1:24.176.

Ferrari improved on their opening practice with Vettel unleashing the second best lap time in FP2 with 1:24.167 while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth with 1:24.525.

The Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo&nbsp;and&nbsp;Max Verstappen&nbsp;were over a second behind Hamilton and half-a-second off Vettel&#39;s Ferrari.

&quot;Daniel&#39;s not quite got the balance that he wants. I think a couple of changes we&#39;ve made on the car over lunch he&#39;s not liked so we&#39;re going back on them now,&quot; team boss Christian Horner said.

&quot;Hopefully we can get a sensible long run-in.&nbsp;You can see Lewis has probably got four or five-tenths on the field but after that it could be pretty tight.

&quot;We know Ferrari have had a good winter but we&#39;re hopeful we can close that overnight. We&#39;ll get a better indication tomorrow but we&#39;ve got some work to do tonight.&quot;

The second session was stopped after a big crash for Renault&#39;s Jolyon Palmer, who lost the rear of his car on the last corner and spun into the barriers.

&quot;I&#39;m fine,&quot; Palmer told his team over the radio. The shunt damaged the car&#39;s rear suspension, while the rear wing was detached.

Palmer missed the remainder of the session, in a blow to his preparations for the weekend race.

Brazilian Felipe Massa&nbsp;stopped his&nbsp;Williams&nbsp;car at Turn 11 after reporting he could not engage gears, and walked back to the team garage.

The troubled McLaren team had no on-track breakdowns on the opening day with Fernando Alonso finishing in a respectable 12th place.

(AFP)

The triple world champion?bossed the field in the afternoon run to hold a half-second gap over Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel

Lewis Hamilton sizzled in the opening practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix as he sent an ominous message to his rivals for the new Formula One season on Friday. The triple world champion bossed the field in the afternoon run to hold a half-second gap over Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel and his new Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Hamilton followed up his field-leading fastest lap of 1:24.220 in the first session with a blistering 1:23.620 around Albert Park in the late afternoon. It was around one-tenth of a second off Vettel's record lap in Melbourne of 1:23.529, posted for Red Bull in qualifying ahead of his 2011 race victory. Ferrari were expected to press Hamilton and the Mercedes team after superior times in pre-season testing, but on the evidence of the opening two sessions Hamilton again looked the driver to beat in Sunday's race. Hamilton's time was more than three seconds faster than his best lap in last year's corresponding free practice in Melbourne. Finland's Bottas slotted smoothly into the Mercedes team environment with a best lap of 1:24.176. Ferrari improved on their opening practice with Vettel unleashing the second best lap time in FP2 with 1:24.167 while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth with 1:24.525. The Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were over a second behind Hamilton and half-a-second off Vettel's Ferrari. "Daniel's not quite got the balance that he wants. I think a couple of changes we've made on the car over lunch he's not liked so we're going back on them now," team boss Christian Horner said. "Hopefully we can get a sensible long run-in. You can see Lewis has probably got four or five-tenths on the field but after that it could be pretty tight. "We know Ferrari have had a good winter but we're hopeful we can close that overnight. We'll get a better indication tomorrow but we've got some work to do tonight." The second session was stopped after a big crash for Renault's Jolyon Palmer, who lost the rear of his car on the last corner and spun into the barriers. "I'm fine," Palmer told his team over the radio. The shunt damaged the car's rear suspension, while the rear wing was detached. Palmer missed the remainder of the session, in a blow to his preparations for the weekend race. Brazilian Felipe Massa stopped his Williams car at Turn 11 after reporting he could not engage gears, and walked back to the team garage. The troubled McLaren team had no on-track breakdowns on the opening day with Fernando Alonso finishing in a respectable 12th place. (AFP)

Australian GP: Hamilton sizzles in practice sessions

Mercedes will not name Nico Rosberg&#39;s replacement until January, the team said on Thursday, amid reports they are chasing Valtteri Bottas from Williams.

It comes with French media saying that Felipe Massa is in talks with Williams about reversing his decision to retire, which would free up Bottas to switch to Mercedes.

&quot;There will be no announcements from us until next year and nothing is planned for the period between now and our return to work on January 3,&quot; Bradley Lord, head of the Mercedes team communications, said in a WhatsApp message to reporters.

The delay will ramp up speculation about who will take the vacant seat alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes following world champion Rosberg&#39;s shock retirement earlier this month.

Reports in Britain and elsewhere say Mercedes want the flying Finn Bottas to step into Rosberg&#39;s racing boots.

Massa, 35, retired from Formula One at the end of the season last month, but French sports daily &nbsp;L&#39;Equipe on Thursday said he was in talks for another year with Williams.

One of the two seats at Williams has already been taken by rookie Lance Stroll, 18.

(AFP)

Williams' Valtteri Bottas is the favourite to take over from the now-retired reigning world champion

Mercedes will not name Nico Rosberg's replacement until January, the team said on Thursday, amid reports they are chasing Valtteri Bottas from Williams. It comes with French media saying that Felipe Massa is in talks with Williams about reversing his decision to retire, which would free up Bottas to switch to Mercedes. "There will be no announcements from us until next year and nothing is planned for the period between now and our return to work on January 3," Bradley Lord, head of the Mercedes team communications, said in a WhatsApp message to reporters. The delay will ramp up speculation about who will take the vacant seat alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes following world champion Rosberg's shock retirement earlier this month. Reports in Britain and elsewhere say Mercedes want the flying Finn Bottas to step into Rosberg's racing boots. Massa, 35, retired from Formula One at the end of the season last month, but French sports daily L'Equipe on Thursday said he was in talks for another year with Williams. One of the two seats at Williams has already been taken by rookie Lance Stroll, 18. (AFP)

Mercedes will not name Rosberg's successor until January

Nico Rosberg set a scorching pace under pressure today to seize pole position, ahead of Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton, in qualifying for his home German Formula One Grand Prix. 
 
Rosberg, determined to take back the championship lead from Hamilton on Sunday after losing it in last weekend&#39;s race in Hungary, lapped the 4.5-km Hockenheim track in one minute 14.363 seconds. 
 
The German had only one flying lap to set his time, however, after being forced to abandon his first attempt in the final pole-position phase of qualifying due to an electronics problem. 
 
&quot;It was a great feeling and just a great lap,&quot; Rosberg said. &quot;I also had extra fuel to make sure that I do have another shot if a mistake or something happens... so I was really satisfied with that one, that was cool.&quot; 
 
Today&#39;s pole was the 27th of Rosberg&#39;s career and fifth of the season. It was also Mercedes&#39;s 47th in the last 50 races. The German team have started all but one race this year from the front. 
 
Hamilton, who escaped a penalty for an unsafe release in the final practice session, was 0.107 seconds slower than Rosberg. 
 
The Briton had trailed the German in each of the three practice sessions in the build-up to qualifying but was quickest in Sunday&#39;s opening two phases before locking up on his final lap. 
 
&quot;I had the pace today, I just didn&#39;t finish it off in the last lap,&quot; said Hamilton, who leads Rosberg by six points heading into Sunday&#39;s race. 
 
Daniel Ricciardo will head an all-Red Bull second row after going third-fastest ahead of 18-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen. 
 
The Australian, who finished third in Hungary, was 0.363 seconds behind Rosberg&#39;s benchmark but was optimistic that a different tyre strategy to the Mercedes pair could put him in the mix. 
 
Kimi Raikkonen was fifth for Ferrari, beating team mate Sebastian Vettel who was a disappointing sixth on his first appearance on home soil in the Italian team&#39;s scarlet colours. 
 
Nico Hulkenberg was seventh ahead of Williams driver Valtteri Bottas and Force India team mate Sergio Perez. Felipe Massa, in the second Williams, was 10th. 
 
Rosberg won at Hockenheim in 2014 and a repeat would allow him to put the brakes on Hamilton, who has won five of the last six races. 
 
(Reuters)

Saturday's pole was the 27th of Nico Rosberg's career and fifth of the season

Nico Rosberg set a scorching pace under pressure today to seize pole position, ahead of Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton, in qualifying for his home German Formula One Grand Prix. Rosberg, determined to take back the championship lead from Hamilton on Sunday after losing it in last weekend's race in Hungary, lapped the 4.5-km Hockenheim track in one minute 14.363 seconds. The German had only one flying lap to set his time, however, after being forced to abandon his first attempt in the final pole-position phase of qualifying due to an electronics problem. "It was a great feeling and just a great lap," Rosberg said. "I also had extra fuel to make sure that I do have another shot if a mistake or something happens... so I was really satisfied with that one, that was cool." Today's pole was the 27th of Rosberg's career and fifth of the season. It was also Mercedes's 47th in the last 50 races. The German team have started all but one race this year from the front. Hamilton, who escaped a penalty for an unsafe release in the final practice session, was 0.107 seconds slower than Rosberg. The Briton had trailed the German in each of the three practice sessions in the build-up to qualifying but was quickest in Sunday's opening two phases before locking up on his final lap. "I had the pace today, I just didn't finish it off in the last lap," said Hamilton, who leads Rosberg by six points heading into Sunday's race. Daniel Ricciardo will head an all-Red Bull second row after going third-fastest ahead of 18-year-old Dutch team mate Max Verstappen. The Australian, who finished third in Hungary, was 0.363 seconds behind Rosberg's benchmark but was optimistic that a different tyre strategy to the Mercedes pair could put him in the mix. Kimi Raikkonen was fifth for Ferrari, beating team mate Sebastian Vettel who was a disappointing sixth on his first appearance on home soil in the Italian team's scarlet colours. Nico Hulkenberg was seventh ahead of Williams driver Valtteri Bottas and Force India team mate Sergio Perez. Felipe Massa, in the second Williams, was 10th. Rosberg won at Hockenheim in 2014 and a repeat would allow him to put the brakes on Hamilton, who has won five of the last six races. (Reuters)

Rosberg on pole for home German grand prix

Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg has signed a new contract that will keep him at Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton until the end of the 2018 season, the team said today. 
 
The team tweeted video of the 31-year-old German, runner up to Briton Hamilton in the championship for the last two years, signing the contract to race for the team in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. 
 
&quot;We are delighted to announce that the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team has signed a two-year contract extension with Nico Rosberg for the 2017 and 2018 Formula One seasons,&quot; Mercedes later confirmed in a statement. 
 
&quot;Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team&#39;s success in that time.&quot; 
 
Rosberg joined Mercedes from Williams in 2010 and has won 19 grand prix for the team, including five this year. He has helped Mercedes to the manufacturers title for the last two seasons.&nbsp;Three-times Formula One champion Hamilton signed a three-year deal with the team through to the end of the 2018 season in May last year.&nbsp;Rosberg holds a one-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers standings heading into this weekend&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix, down from an imposing 43 points in May. 
 
The pair have exasperated team bosses with their on-track rivalry at times this season, particularly after they collided on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with the result that Rosberg finished fourth in a damaged car.&nbsp;The team said before the British Grand Prix earlier this month, however, that they would not impose &quot;team orders&quot; on their drivers. 
 
(Reuters)

Rosberg joined Mercedes from Williams in 2010 and has won 19 grands prix for the team, including five this year

Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg has signed a new contract that will keep him at Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton until the end of the 2018 season, the team said today. The team tweeted video of the 31-year-old German, runner up to Briton Hamilton in the championship for the last two years, signing the contract to race for the team in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. "We are delighted to announce that the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team has signed a two-year contract extension with Nico Rosberg for the 2017 and 2018 Formula One seasons," Mercedes later confirmed in a statement. "Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team's success in that time." Rosberg joined Mercedes from Williams in 2010 and has won 19 grand prix for the team, including five this year. He has helped Mercedes to the manufacturers title for the last two seasons. Three-times Formula One champion Hamilton signed a three-year deal with the team through to the end of the 2018 season in May last year. Rosberg holds a one-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers standings heading into this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, down from an imposing 43 points in May. The pair have exasperated team bosses with their on-track rivalry at times this season, particularly after they collided on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with the result that Rosberg finished fourth in a damaged car. The team said before the British Grand Prix earlier this month, however, that they would not impose "team orders" on their drivers. (Reuters)

Nico Rosberg signs deal to stay at Mercedes until 2018

Championship leader Nico Rosberg on Friday signed a new two year deal with Mercedes, the contract extending his fractious relationship with teammate Lewis Hamilton until 2018. 
 
The Formula One world champions posted a video of Rosberg and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff signing the new contract with the caption &quot;It is done...&quot; on their official Twitter page. 
 
In it, Rosberg clenched his fist and gave a thumbs-up sign. 
 
Another post, a photograph of the contract, was accompanied by the message: &quot;signed, sealed, delivered&quot;. 
 
Rosberg leads defending three-time champion Hamilton, who is also under contract with Mercedes until 2018, by one point ahead of Sunday&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix. 
 
Rosberg and Mercedes had been in discussions about a new contract for several months and the driver had recruited former Formula One driver Austrian Gerhard Berger to represent him, allowing him to concentrate on his own racing. 
 
&quot;Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team&#39;s success in that time,&quot; said a team statement. 
 
Rosberg has won 19 races with the team since he joined in 2010. 
 
Mercedes&#39; confirmation of Rosberg signals that all three leading teams, including Ferrari and Red Bull, have retained their drivers for next year. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Nico Rosberg leads defending three-time champion and Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton by one point ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix

Championship leader Nico Rosberg on Friday signed a new two year deal with Mercedes, the contract extending his fractious relationship with teammate Lewis Hamilton until 2018. The Formula One world champions posted a video of Rosberg and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff signing the new contract with the caption "It is done..." on their official Twitter page. In it, Rosberg clenched his fist and gave a thumbs-up sign. Another post, a photograph of the contract, was accompanied by the message: "signed, sealed, delivered". Rosberg leads defending three-time champion Hamilton, who is also under contract with Mercedes until 2018, by one point ahead of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix. Rosberg and Mercedes had been in discussions about a new contract for several months and the driver had recruited former Formula One driver Austrian Gerhard Berger to represent him, allowing him to concentrate on his own racing. "Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team's success in that time," said a team statement. Rosberg has won 19 races with the team since he joined in 2010. Mercedes' confirmation of Rosberg signals that all three leading teams, including Ferrari and Red Bull, have retained their drivers for next year. (AFP)

Nico Rosberg signs new two-year deal with Mercedes

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

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

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

Lewis Hamilton wins fourth British Grand Prix

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

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

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

Hamilton on top, Vettel raises gearbox fear

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has expressed his desire to continue with the team for many more years, saying that he is not at all thinking about his 2017 contract negotiations. 
 
Despite being linked with a move to the team&#39;s rivals Ferrari, Rosberg remained adamant about his desire to be in the club for a long time. Besides the Formula One races in Spain and Monaco, the German driver has had a promising start to the season claiming victory in the first four races of the year. 
 
The 30-year-old insisted that he is extremely happy with his current team and that he is not at all planning to leave any time soon, Sport24 reported. 
 
Following Rosberg&#39;s current run of form, Mercedes has been mulling finalizing a long term contract with the German. Rosberg is currently leading the F1 table, maintaining a lead of 24 points from reigning world champion Hamilton.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has expressed his desire to continue with the team for many more years, saying that he is not at all thinking about his 2017 contract negotiations. Despite being linked with a move to the team's rivals Ferrari, Rosberg remained adamant about his desire to be in the club for a long time. Besides the Formula One races in Spain and Monaco, the German driver has had a promising start to the season claiming victory in the first four races of the year. The 30-year-old insisted that he is extremely happy with his current team and that he is not at all planning to leave any time soon, Sport24 reported. Following Rosberg's current run of form, Mercedes has been mulling finalizing a long term contract with the German. Rosberg is currently leading the F1 table, maintaining a lead of 24 points from reigning world champion Hamilton.

Rosberg keen on sticking with Mercedes

mercedes

Mercedes, News on Mercedes, stories on Mercedes, articles on Mercedes, Mercedes stories at Wion, Mercedes news, Mercedes latest news