CHARLES LECLERC

SINGAPORE — (AP) — Max Verstappen's Formula One title celebrations were put on hold after the Red Bull driver placed seventh at a chaotic Singapore Grand Prix, won by his teammate Sergio Perez on Sunday. Perez was being investigated for a potential safety car infringement. Verstappen made a mistake after the second safety car restart, following AlphaTauri driver Yuki Tsunoda's crash on Lap 36. Tricky conditions saw the virtual safety car deployed three times and DRS was allowed with about 30 minutes remaining. The first safety car was on Lap 8 when Zhou Guanyu's Alfa Romeo was cut off by Nicholas Latifi’s Williams.

SINGAPORE — (AP) — The start of the Singapore Grand Prix was delayed by more than one hour to clear water off the Formula One track following heavy rainfall on Sunday. The 8 p.m. (1200 GMT) start time was pushed back with the formation lap set to start at 9:05 p.m. (1305 GMT) local time. F1 said a full start procedure was expected, rather than starting behind a safety car. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was starting from pole position with runaway championship leader Max Verstappen going from eighth place after a team blunder in qualifying cost him pole. The 41-year-old Alonso has won two F1 titles and made his debut in 2001.

Max Verstappen’s Formula One title celebration was put on hold after the Red Bull driver placed seventh at a chaotic Singapore Grand Prix won by his teammate Sergio Perez.

F1 enters the "flyaway" section of its schedule, with the final six rounds to be contested off the European continent, starting with the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Racing would have returned a week earlier, but the FIA canceled the Russian Grand Prix (scheduled for Sept. 25) after that country's invasion of Ukraine in February. Only Verstappen (11 wins), Leclerc (3), Perez and Sainz (1 apiece) have stood atop the podium this season. While Verstappen has the race wins edge this year over Leclerc at 11-3, Leclerc has won the pole position battle 8-5. Singapore Grand Prix weekend forecastThe weather in Singapore looks to be hot and muggy with precipitation possible, most likely on race day.

Verstappen now has a 116-point lead over Charles Leclerc, who finished second after another questionable strategy decision from Ferrari on its home track. With just six races remaining, the Dutch driver could mathematically clinch the title in Singapore next month. It was the first time Verstappen has set foot on the iconic Monza podium, with his highest previous finish being fifth in 2018. Verstappen started seventh after he was among a number of drivers hit by grid penalties in Monza but made his way up to third by the first corner of the second lap. Ferrari decided to bring Leclerc in to change to medium tires, allowing Verstappen to take the lead.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen again made light work of starting down the grid as he won the Italian Grand Prix to leave him within touching distance of a second successive title.

Verstappen’s 10th win matched his tally from last year and the Red Bull driver extended his championship lead to 109 points. George Russell finished second for Mercedes ahead of Leclerc, with Lewis Hamilton dropping from first to fourth. Hamilton misjudged his restart and Verstappen overtook him straight away to bring a huge roar from the Orange Army. Hamilton appeared to brake late when Russell overtook him and they nearly collided. It got worse as Leclerc overtook Hamilton to move into third on an otherwise poor day for a Ferrari team unable to cut out the most basic errors.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen made quick work of a safety car restart to win the Dutch Grand Prix in front of 100,000 adoring fans, and make it four straight wins for the first time in his F1 career.

ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — (AP) — Max Verstappen produced a brilliant final lap to take pole position for Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix just ahead of Charles Leclerc. Leclerc had the leading time and went even faster on his final run to pressure Verstappen. Moments after Verstappen crossed the line, Perez spun off the track to bring a yellow flag for the closing seconds. Vettel looked good for Q2 but went wide into gravel near the end of his final run. Leclerc led Saturday's third and final practice by just .066 seconds from Russell and .161 ahead of Verstappen.

Max Verstappen produced a brilliant final lap to take the pole position for Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix just ahead of Charles Leclerc.

Max Verstappen produced a brilliant final lap to take pole position for Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix just ahead of Charles Leclerc. The Red Bull driver edged Leclerc's Ferrari by just .021 seconds on Saturday to huge roars from Verstappen's Orange Army of fans. The widespread use of flares from Verstappen’s fans has been a concern at some races, particularly at the Red Bull Ring in Austria in July and at last weekend's Belgian GP — both packed with Verstappen supporters.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium — (AP) — Formula One points champion Max Verstappen quickly carved his way through the field from 14th to win the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday and widen his lead in in the title race. Verstappen was leading the race by lap 12, and he earned a bonus point for fastest lap. His third straight win was his ninth this season and 29th overall. Leclerc started 15th and finished fifth behind the Mercedes of George Russell, but Leclerc dropped to sixth after he was handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane. As for his title race with Verstappen?

Formula One champion Max Verstappen quickly carved his way through the field from 14th to win the Belgian Grand Prix and widen his lead in the standings.

Carlos Sainz Jr. will start from the pole Sunday at the Belgian Grand Prix because runaway Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was among the many drivers to be hit with grid penalties.

Charles Leclerc really needed the Formula One break to clear his mind. Leclerc won two of the first three races for Ferrari as Verstappen's Red Bull had reliability woes. The mental strain built up before the summer break for Leclerc as he was confronted with confusing team calls, while also getting furious at some of his own driving errors.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen overcame a spin and his worst starting spot of the season to win the Hungarian Grand Prix and stretch his lead to to 80 points in the standings over Charles Leclerc.

The F1 circus is back after just one week for its final race before the traditional summer shutdown for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Here's everything you need to know about the Hungarian Grand Prix:Hungarian Grand Prix TV scheduleFans in the United States can watch practices, qualifying and the race on TV via the ABC/ESPN family of networks or stream it via ESPN or F1TV Pro. Despite the comparative lack of overtakes, the Hungaroring has a knack for producing the odd race winner. Leclerc is also the favorite for the race win at at +110 again ahead of Verstappen (+160) and Sainz (+600). Seven-time series champion Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time winner at the Hungaroring but clocks in at the fourth-best odds for pole (+800) and the race win (+1000).

Formula One champion Max Verstappen supports banning abusive fans from races but believes drivers have limited influence in curbing the boorish behavior seen at recent events.

France F1 GP Auto Racing Track marshals remove car of Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco after he crashed into the track wall during the French Formula One Grand Prix at Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet, southern France, Sunday, July 24, 2022. (Eric Gaillard/Pool via AP) (Eric Gaillard)LE CASTELLET, France — (AP) — Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen won the French Grand Prix on Sunday after Charles Leclerc crashed out as Ferrari's woes resurfaced, falling 63 points behind the Red Bull driver in the championship. “We’ll add things up at the end of the season, but if we’re 25 or 30 points short at the season I can only blame myself," Leclerc said. You just can’t put a car into the wall.”Perez finished fourth ahead of Sainz, who took a bonus point for fastest lap. Sainz had passed Russell and Perez when his team told him to pit for new tires with 10 laps left.

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen has won the French Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc crashed out as Ferrari’s woes resurfaced, falling 63 points behind the Red Bull driver in the championship.

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)Max Verstappen now has a 63-point lead over Charles Leclerc after winning the French Grand Prix. Verstappen took the checkered flag 10 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton after Leclerc crashed out of the race from the lead before his first pit stop. Leclerc had held off Verstappen over the race’s opening laps and Verstappen pitted first. But Sainz was on worn medium tires and Ferrari called him in for a second pit stop. He also had to serve a five-second penalty on the pit stop for an unsafe release from his first pit stop under the caution.

The French Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) (Manu Fernandez)LE CASTELLET, France — (AP) — Charles Leclerc used help from Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. to beat Formula One leader Max Verstappen and take pole position for the French Grand Prix on Saturday. Leclerc thanked Sainz on the team radio after his seventh pole of the season. Sainz's engine caught fire near the end of the last grand prix in Austria two weeks ago. Earlier Saturday, Verstappen comfortably led the third practice by .35 seconds from Sainz and .64 from Leclerc, with Hamilton fourth.

Charles Leclerc used help from Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. to beat Formula One leader Max Verstappen and take pole position for the French Grand Prix.

That’s a good problem for the "F1 22" and "F1 Manager 2022" video game designers.

(Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)After the standard fortnight break, F1 begins the second half of its season at Circuit Paul Ricard for the French Grand Prix. (ESPN2)Saturday, July 23Free Practice 3: 6:55 - 8 a.m. (ESPN2)Qualifying: 9:55 - 11 a.m. (ESPN2)Sunday, July 24Pre-show: 7:30 - 8:55 a.m. (ESPN)French Grand Prix: 8:55 - 11 a.m. (ESPN)Top drivers and best bets for the French Grand PrixIt's Max Verstappen on repeat. The next best moneyline belongs to 2018 and 2019 French Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton — making his 300th career start — at +650. Circuit Paul Ricard layout, what to expectThe first thing you notice about Paul Ricard are the blue and red striped run-off areas and myriad different configurations as it serves primarily as a test track. Forecast for the French Grand PrixHot with a chance of thunderstorms on Saturday.

After winning the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, Leclerc's beaming smile was back. Sainz won last weekend at the British GP, where Leclerc dropped from first to fourth. After missing out there, Leclerc bounced back to hold off Verstappen in Austria by 1.5 seconds for a third win this season. After second place at the United States GP in May, Leclerc's five races included two DNFs, two fourth places and one fifth. But with around 20 laps to go Verstappen led again after Ferrari pitted Leclerc and Sainz in quick succession.

Austria F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Sprint Race qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, July 9, 2022. The Austrian F1 Grand Prix will be held on Sunday July 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (Matthias Schrader)SPIELBERG, Austria — (AP) — Formula One drivers were quick to condemn the behavior of some abusive fans at the Austrian Grand Prix. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was upset when he heard about what had taken place at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. “These things shouldn't happen.

Charles Leclerc has revived his Formula One title challenge by holding on to win the Austrian Grand Prix for a third victory of the season.

Charles Leclerc had kept putting on a brave face as success escaped him and tensions mounted at Ferrari in a run of five F1 races without a podium spot for the driver. After winning the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, Leclerc's beaming smile was back. Leclerc faced a big challenge in the closing laps as his throttle was not working properly, making it more difficult to control his speed into turns.

Formula One drivers have condemned the behavior of some fans at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Verstappen's second sprint win of the season gave him an additional eight points. Leclerc picked up seven points for second place and Sainz got six for finishing third with the top eight scoring points. Verstappen improved to 189 points in the overall standings and leads his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez by 38 points and Leclerc by 44. Verstappen will start at the front as he aims for a fifth win at his team's home track in Spielberg. Earlier, British GP winner Sainz led the second practice ahead of Leclerc with Verstappen finishing third.

Austria F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the Sprint Race qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, July 9, 2022. Verstappen's second sprint win of the season gave him an additional eight points. Verstappen will start at the front as he aims for a fifth win at his team's home track in Spielberg. In the first sprint race of the season, Verstappen overtook Leclerc to win the Emilia-Romagna GP sprint in April, then won the GP race with a fastest lap bonus for a maximum of 34 points overall. Earlier, the British GP winner Sainz led second practice ahead of Leclerc with Verstappen finishing third.

Max Verstappen comfortably won the sprint race from pole at the Austrian Grand Prix while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. almost collided as they scrapped behind him.

Max Verstappen was untroubled as he won the sprint race from pole at the Austrian Grand Prix, his effort made easier by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. scrapping each other behind him for one meager point. The positions from the sprint set the grid for Sunday’s grand prix, so Verstappen starts at the front as he aims for a fifth win at his Formula One team’s home track in Spielberg.

Lewis Hamilton believes he is close to winning again while Carlos Sainz Jr. is hungry for another Formula One victory heading into this weekend’s Austrian Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both walked back to the paddock after separate crashes, while Formula One leader Max Verstappen narrowly won the pole for the sprint race ahead of both Ferraris. The sprint race sets the starting lineup for Sunday’s grand prix. Verstappen earned his third pole of the year, while Hamilton was chasing his first since the penultimate race of last season.

Britain F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain celebrates after winning the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, in Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (Matt Dunham)SILVERSTONE, England — (AP) — Carlos Sainz Jr. won his first career Formula One race on Sunday with a victory at the British Grand Prix — the most dramatic race so far this season. But a safety car came out and Ferrari brought Sainz into the pits for fresher, grippier soft tires. Sergio Pérez passed Hamilton and Leclerc after the restart and finished second behind Sainz. Speaking after the race, Hamilton signaled his support for the protesters.

Britain F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco steers his car during the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, in Silverstone, England, Sunday, July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (Frank Augstein)SILVERSTONE, England — (AP) — Carlos Sainz Jr. won his his first career Formula One race on Sunday with a victory at the British Grand Prix — the most dramatic race so far this season. But a safety car came out and Ferrari brought Sainz into the pits for fresher, grippier soft tires. Leclerc was left on older, hard tires and Sainz soon passed his teammate to regain the lead and pull away for his first victory in his 150th F1 start. Vamos!” Sainz radioed Ferrari.

Carlos Sainz Jr. has won his first career Formula One race with a victory in the British Grand Prix.

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (Frank Augstein)SILVERSTONE, England — (AP) — It took 151 attempts for Carlos Sainz to earn his first Formula One pole. Verstappen was booed by some in the crowd after Saturday's action-packed qualifying session in the rain, and said he could barely hear his on-track interview questions over the jeers. I don’t care.”Sainz set the fastest time late in the third qualifying session to edge Verstappen by just .072 seconds. “First pole position, it's always special, and especially to do it in Silverstone in the wet,” Sainz said. The incident further heightened their often-bitter rivalry in a title race ultimately won by Verstappen, and turned some British fans against Verstappen.

The British F1 Grand Prix is held on Sunday July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (Frank Augstein)SILVERSTONE, England — (AP) — Carlos Sainz was fastest in the rain in Saturday qualifying for the British Grand Prix to earn his first career pole position in his 150th start. "I don’t care.”Sainz set the fastest time late in the third qualifying session to edge Verstappen by just .072 seconds. “First pole position, it's always special, and especially to do it in Silverstone in the wet,” Sainz said. Verstappen and Hamilton collided in last year's race, with Verstappen hitting the wall while Hamilton overcame a penalty to win.

Britain F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain steers his car during the qualifying session for the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, in Silverstone, England, Saturday, July 2, 2022. The British F1 Grand Prix is held on Sunday July 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (Frank Augstein)SILVERSTONE, England — (AP) — Carlos Sainz was fastest in the rain at the British Grand Prix to earn his first career pole position in his 150th start in Saturday qualifying. It was the seventh pole in 10 races for Ferrari this season, though it was Sainz teammate Charles Leclerc on pole prior to Sainz's surprise run. “I didn’t expect that one,” Sainz told his team over the radio.

Carlos Sainz was fastest in the rain to take his first career pole position in his 150th start ahead of the British Grand Prix.

F1 Montreal GP Auto Racing Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, drives during the third practice session during the third practice session at the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press via AP) (Jacques Boissinot)MONTREAL — (AP) — Max Verstappen overcame slick conditions to win his second pole of the season, and Fernando Alonso used the wet track to earn his first front row start in a decade in rainy qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix. The Saturday run for Verstappen, the reigning Formula One champion and current points leader, was no surprise even though its the Dutchman's first career pole at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Instead, it was 40-year-old Alonso who brought the crowd to its feet with a thrilling run to qualify second. Sergio Perez crashed his Red Bull in the second session and wound up 13th — the first time he'll start lower than fifth this year.

Charles Leclerc received a 10-place grid penalty because Ferrari changed his engine ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. An engine failure knocked Leclerc out of last week's Azerbaijan Grand Prix while leading and Ferrari has since deemed the engine “beyond repair.” The FIA announced after Friday's second practice that Leclerc had taken his third fresh power plant of the year and would be penalized at the start of Sunday's race.

Azerbaijan F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands leads Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain during the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix at the Baku circuit, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sunday, June 12, 2022. Verstappen extended his Formula One championship lead by winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday after Leclerc retired from the lead with an engine failure. Leclerc started from pole but immediately lost the lead to Sergio Pérez, Verstappen's Red Bull teammate, in the first corner. The slump in Ferrari reliability comes as Red Bull seems to have solved its own issues. Verstappen leads the standings by 21 points over Pérez, while Leclerc dropped to third and is 34 points behind Verstappen.

Max Verstappen has extended his Formula One championship lead with victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc retired from the lead with an engine failure.

Azerbaijan F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco celebrates after setting the pole position in the qualifying session at the Baku circuit, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Saturday, June 11, 2022. (Hamad Mohammed, Pool Via AP) (Hamad Mohammed)BAKU, Azerbaijan — (AP) — Charles Leclerc is back on pole. Leclerc has been first or second in every qualifying session this year, but has failed to convert any into victories since the Australian Grand Prix in April. He was also on pole in Azerbaijan last year, when he finished fourth. Pérez was the winner in Azerbaijan last year and is coming off his victory in the Monaco Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc won the pole for the fourth consecutive Formula One race.

Azerbaijan F1 GP Auto Racing Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the first free practice at the Baku circuit, in Baku, Azerbaijan, Friday, June 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) (Sergei Grits)BAKU, Azerbaijan — (AP) — Lewis Hamilton is optimistic Mercedes has made progress toward challenging the Formula One leaders and said the “adversity” of struggling to keep up has brought the team closer together. No, but it is an experience and it's bringing the team closer," Hamilton said Friday, speaking before practice. “Obviously in Monaco there was plenty to analyze because we’ve done some mistakes," said Leclerc, who trails Verstappen by nine points. Now a title contender in his own right, 15 points off Verstappen, Pérez said the contract talks didn't define him as Verstappen's wingman.

Lewis Hamilton says he’s optimistic Mercedes has made progress toward challenging the Formula One leaders and the “adversity” of struggling to keep up has brought the team closer together.

Monaco F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico celebrates on the podium after winning the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix, at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Sunday, May 29, 2022. Verstappen now leads Leclerc by nine points in the standings; Leclerc has two wins this season, Verstappen and Perez have combined for five victories as Red Bull and Ferrari have claimed all seven races. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner patted Perez on the back as he walked alongside the driver following the race. Perez is in a contract year and both Red Bull and Perez have said discussions on an extension would ramp up over the summer months. When the rain subsided enough to start the race, Leclerc led the field on a rolling start and started clocking fastest laps.

Red Bull driver Sergio Perez held on to win Sunday’s rain-marred and chaotic Monaco Grand Prix.

Monaco F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco steers his car during qualifying session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Saturday, May 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) (Daniel Cole)MONACO — (AP) — Charles Leclerc positioned himself to reclaim the Formula One points lead from reigning champion Max Verstappen by winning the pole for the Monaco Grand Prix. Leclerc was already atop the leaderboard Saturday when a crash by Sergio Perez stopped the session with about 30 seconds remaining. Despite the contact with Perez, Sainz qualified second as Ferrari locked out the front row for Sunday's race. He won the pole a year ago but was unable to start the race because of damage to his Ferrari suffered in warmup.

Charles Leclerc positioned himself to reclaim the Formula One championship lead from reigning champion Max Verstappen by winning the pole for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton drove at the Monaco Grand Prix with his nose stud in after Formula One’s jewelry ban was put on hold.

Charles Leclerc was about to culminate the perfect weekend

Spain F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of the Netherlands, celebrates on the podium after winning the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Sunday, May 22, 2022. Then Verstappen's own Red Bull team intervened by ordering Sergio Pérez to get out of Verstappen's way. Then the Dutchman thanked Pérez, who might have won himself but settled for second when Red Bull issued team orders. But with 17 laps remaining, Red Bull told him to get out of Verstappen's way. “I am happy for the team, but we need to speak later,” Pérez told his team by radio after the 1-2 Red Bull finish.

Max Verstappen reclaimed the Formula One points lead as the reigning world champion won the Spanish Grand Prix for his third consecutive victory after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari broke down while he was comfortably in front.

Spain F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco waits in the pit during the third practice session at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Saturday, May 21, 2022. The Ferrari driver was just 0.072 seconds faster than Verstappen of Red Bull. Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, the best shot to win on home soil, was fifth-fastest Saturday morning in his Ferrari. He was 12th in Saturday morning practice for Alpine, accused the FIA of incompetence in race control, and was penalized during one of Friday's practices. Hamilton has won the Spanish GP six times, and for each of the past five years.

Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc has swept all three practices ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

APTOPIX F1 Miami Grand Prix Auto Racing Red Bull mechanics and crew cheer as Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands crosses the finish line to win the Formula One Miami Grand Prix auto race at the Miami International Autodrome, Sunday, May 8, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee)MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — (AP) — Max Verstappen used an aggressive early pass on Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc then controlled the inaugural Miami Grand Prix for his third victory of the season. The reigning world champion started third Sunday, but Red Bull quickly got the best of Ferrari for a second consecutive race. In Miami, Ferrari settled for second and third for Leclerc and Sainz. Perez was fourth for Red Bull and Mercedes showed much improvement with a fifth and sixth place finish for George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. Serena Williams ducked into Mercedes' hospitality and Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny arrived at the venue with Perez and spent most of pre-race at Red Bull with the Mexican driver.

Max Verstappen used an aggressive early pass on Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc then controlled the inaugural Miami Grand Prix to pick up his third win of the season.

It's the first front row this season for Sainz, who has been outqualified by Leclerc in all five sessions. The race marks the first of two this year in the U.S. — which has not hosted two F1 races in the same year since 1984. He'll start third on Sunday; Leclerc and Verstappen have split the first four races, two wins apiece. “I just don't think I have the confidence in the car today,” Russell radioed his Mercedes team. Michael Andretti failed last year to buy an existing F1 team and has since applied for expansion to start a new two-car team.

Ferrari stormed to the front of the grid for the inaugural Miami Grand Prix as Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. locked up the front row in Saturday qualifying.

Sergio Pérez looks around the top motor racing series in the world and sees a golden age for Mexican drivers.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen dominated at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix and Red Bull embarrassed Ferrari on its home soil.

Australia F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco steers his car out of pit lane after a tire change during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, April 10, 2022. (Simon Baker, Pool via AP) (Simon Baker)MELBOURNE, Australia — (AP) — Charles Leclerc has completed a dominant weekend in his Ferrari after converting his pole position into a comprehensive triumph in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. The 24-year-old Leclerc extended his lead in the drivers’ championship while claiming his second win of the season following victory in the season-opening race in Bahrain. But Verstappen never really challenged Leclerc, whose Ferrari was clearly the quicker car under race conditions in Melbourne. His teammate Carlos Sainz, who finished on the podium in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, had less luck in a testing weekend.

Charles Leclerc has completed a dominant weekend in his Ferrari after converting pole position into a comprehensive triumph at the Australian Grand Prix.

Riding high after a decisive victory for Ferrari in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, Charles Leclerc’s belief in the team's prospects are growing by the race. A grand prix billed as a showdown between Leclerc’s Ferrari and the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez finished with the Monaco driver as a one-sided winner. The 24-year-old Leclerc extended his lead in the drivers’ championship to 34 points while claiming his second win of the season after victory in the season-opening race in Bahrain.

Saudi F1 GP Auto Racing Second placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, left, and first placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands stand at the podium after the Formula One Grand Prix it in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, March 27, 2022. After coming close, Leclerc congratulated his rival on the radio and then gave him a thumbs-up afterward. But it was a clever dummy by Leclerc, who dived straight back inside Verstappen on Turn 1 of the next lap. Leclerc missed out on a fourth career win, as Verstappen edged him by half a second, but remains top of the standings after two races. Leclerc held off Verstappen when the race restarted on Lap 21.

Leclerc missed out on a fourth career win, as Verstappen edged him by half a second, but remains top of the standings after two races. Verstappen overtook on the outside at the end of Lap 42. But it was a clever dummy by Leclerc, who dived straight back inside Verstappen on Turn 1 of the next lap. Perez started ahead of Leclerc, Sainz and Verstappen on the Jiddah circuit, which is about 11 kilometers (seven miles) from Friday’s attack. Perez got away cleanly from pole and Verstappen snaked past Sainz on the outside to move into third behind Leclerc.

Formula One defending champion Max Verstappen overtook Charles Leclerc three laps from the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix for his first win of the season and 21st of his career.

Leclerc won last week's season-opening race in Bahrain in part by outlasting Verstappen in a wheel-to-wheel, back-and-forth passing battle in the early laps. Leclerc went on to win from the pole for Ferrari; Verstappen failed to finish as both Red Bull cars retired with fuel pump issues. Verstappen is 16 days older than Leclerc and the two began racing against each other in karts when they were just 12. He'd started from the pole and led 58 of the 71 laps until Verstappen ran him off course with three laps remaining. My opinion is not going to change.”So how does a new fan learn more about Verstappen, the son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen?

Formula One champion Max Verstappen says he has a good relationship with Charles Leclerc and expects a clean title fight against the Ferrari driver this season.

Max Verstappen loathes exaggerated rivalries and the Formula One champion won't be pulled into a manufactured feud with Charles Leclerc as he attempts to defend his title this season. Leclerc won last week's season-opening race in Bahrain in part by outlasting Verstappen in a wheel-to-wheel, back-and-forth passing battle in the early laps. Leclerc went on to win from the pole for Ferrari; Verstappen failed to finish as both Red Bull cars retired with fuel pump issues. Verstappen is 16 days older than Leclerc and the two began racing against each other in karts when they were just 12. Their relationship is just fine, Verstappen told The Associated Press on Thursday, debunking a report that Leclerc has “never forgiven” Verstappen for a 2019 incident in the Styrian Grand Prix.

It took three laps for Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc to show why he is a potential Formula One title contender, heading into this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Sure, the slick driver from Monaco won the season-opener in Bahrain last Sunday in style: from pole position and with the fastest lap. Verstappen overtook him three times on Laps 17-19, only for Leclerc to show poise, control and aggression to win his place back on each occasion.

The Bahrain Grand Prix attracted an average of 1.3 million viewers in the U.S. and peaked at 1.5 million viewers around 12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. ET.

Charles Leclerc let Max Verstappen pass him twice to gain an advantage later.

It was quite the weekend in motorsports, which is typically the bit player on the massive stick-and-ball sporting landscape so eager for its own time in the spotlight.

Bahrain F1 GP Auto Racing Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco makes a pit stop during the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix it in Sakhir, Bahrain, Sunday, March 20, 2022. Hamilton had been lagging way behind in fifth when late drama on Lap 46 changed the race. Leclerc was leading comfortably from Verstappen when the back of Pierre Gasly’s AlphaTauri car caught fire forcing him to park it on the side of the track. From the restart, Leclerc got away and Verstappen started complaining about steering problems. ___More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Formula One champion Max Verstappen’s title defense turned into a nightmare when the Red Bull star retired near the end of the Bahrain Grand Prix and Ferrari clinched a 1-2 with Charles Leclerc winning ahead of teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton took an unexpected third place after Sergio Perez’s Red Bull also retired with the finish line in sight as the race finished under a yellow flag.

Lewis Hamilton believes fans will be in for an unusual surprise when the Formula One season starts next weekend and he begins his quest to wrestle back the title he agonizingly lost to Max Verstappen.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has ended a turbulent weekend with a stunning victory.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas won the Turkish Grand Prix for his first victory of the season while Max Verstappen finished second to reclaim the overall lead from title rival Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton had the fastest qualifying time at the Turkish Grand Prix but a 10-place grid penalty prevented him from extending his record pole streak.

Lewis Hamilton roared back from a first-lap incident that sent championship leader Max Verstappen to the hospital and overcame a 10-second penalty to win the British Grand Prix and reignite his title defense.

(Maxim Shemetov, Pool via AP) (Maxim Shemetov)BAKU, Azerbaijan — (AP) — Charles Leclerc won his second consecutive pole position, again under the red flag because a crash stopped qualifying, to earn the top starting spot for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It brought an immediate end to the session and put Leclerc on pole for the second consecutive grand prix. “It feels very good, on the other hand it was with a red flag again, so I wish we had it under normal track, but at the end a pole is a pole," Leclerc said. Tsunoda's crash brought out the fourth red flag of the qualifying session and stopped any challenge to Leclerc. Lance Stroll and Antonio Giovinazzi both went off at the same corner in the first qualifying session before setting a time, and Daniel Ricciardo crashed in the second session.

Charles Leclerc will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on pole position after a crash by Yuki Tsunoda halted qualifying early and stopped rivals from challenging his time.

Max Verstappen won the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time to take the Formula One championship lead from Lewis Hamilton.

Charles Leclerc's chances of winning his home race from pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix are over after he pulled out shortly before the start because of a gearbox problem.

Lewis Hamilton was unhappy with his Mercedes team after a botched qualifying session at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc has won the first pole for Ferrari since 2019 despite crashing with 18 seconds remaining to end qualifying at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The race was effectively decided when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 53 of 56 but went too wide on a turn and off track limits. Verstappen still had a few laps to catch Hamilton and he almost did, finishing .74 seconds behind the Mercedes driver. Verstappen took a superb pole position on Saturday, the fourth of his career, and started immediately ahead of Hamilton under floodlights at the desert track. Hamilton was 1.5 seconds behind Verstappen when Mercedes took the bold strategy to switch him to hard tires on Lap 14. Bottas came in for the same tire change three laps after Hamilton, and Verstappen came in on Lap 18 but again for medium tires.

Hamilton now stands alongside F1 great Michael Schumacher on seven titles, having replaced the German driver at Mercedes in 2013. Vettel and Hamilton pitted for new tires on Lap 9, followed by Stroll, Perez and Verstappen three laps later. At the restart Hamilton tried to overtake Vettel but locked his tires, while Albon passed Hamilton and Vettel to move into fourth spot. Halfway through the race, Stroll and Perez were ahead of Hamilton but losing ground. Stroll came in for new tires on Lap 37 and Hamilton used DRS to get past Perez one lap later and take the lead.

Taylor was a Black emergency medical worker fatally shot by police serving a narcotics search warrant in her home on March 13. “Justice for Breonna Taylor,” Hamilton said during his interview after winning. The first F1 race on a Mugello track with super-fast corners usually used by MotoGP riders was incident-packed. Ferrari reverted back to an age-old burgundy livery for its 1,000th F1 race, reflecting the color first used by the famed Italian manufacturer. Verstappen, meanwhile, was angry with his team after a second straight retirement following the Italian GP last weekend, where Gasly won his first F1 race.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during the third practice session ahead of the Grand Prix of Tuscany, at the Mugello circuit in Scarperia, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020. The Formula One Grand Prix of Tuscany will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, Pool)MUGELLO – Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas completed a sweep at the Tuscan Grand Prix when he posted the fastest time in third and final practice ahead of qualifying later Saturday. But Bottas test drove here with Williams back in 2012 and so far has looked more assured than Hamilton, who hasn't driven here before. Hamilton looked set to beat Bottas when he led on the first time split, only to fall back in the second and third sectors.

AlfaTauri driver Pierre Gasly of France steers his car during the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Monza racetrack in Monza, Italy, Sunday Sept. 6, 2020. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, Pool)MONZA AlphaTauri driver Pierre Gasly claimed an unlikely victory at the Italian Grand Prix after a thrilling race which saw world champion Lewis Hamilton given a 10-second penalty and both Ferraris fail to finish at their home circuit on Sunday. The 24-year-old Frenchman finished 0.415 seconds ahead of McLaren driver Carlos Sainz and 3.358 ahead of Racing Point's Lance Stroll on a surreal-looking podium. All three drivers had never won a race and each had only one top-three finish to their name. Hamilton appeared on course for a comfortable victory from pole position but he was given the stop-go penalty for entering the pit lane when closed.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates after clocking the fastest time during the qualifying session for Sunday's Italian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Monza racetrack in Monza, Italy, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. (Jennifer Lorenzini/Pool via AP)Lewis Hamilton set the fastest Formula One lap ever to grab pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, nudging Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas into second place by just 0.069 seconds on Saturday. Defending champion Hamilton raced around the 3.54 miles (5.79 kilometers) of asphalt at the so-called Temple of Speed in the fastest lap recorded in the sport at 164.267 mph (264.362 kph). That eclipsed Kimi Raikkonens one-lap record of 163.785 mph, set by the former world champion on his way to pole at Monza two years ago. But its a reality at the moment for us unfortunately.Vettel finished 17th after being hampered by traffic on his final lap.

Race winner Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, right, speaks with second placed Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland after the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. (Stephanie Lecocq, Pool via AP)SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS SPA-Lewis Hamilton led from start to finish at the Belgian Grand Prix to clinch his 89th career win and move two behind Michael Schumacher's Formula One record on Sunday. I can imagine its definitely not the most exciting (race), Hamilton said. Hamilton is favorite to win a seventh title to tie Schumacher's record. When Hamilton crossed the line, the forest was eerily silent and the only sound was his engine.