F1 in Saudi Arabia shifts from human rights to rebel attacks
Hours after Formula One drivers voiced concerns about a race already dogged by human rights issues, Saudi Arabia’s war with Yemen landed on F1's doorstep when Houthi rebels attacked an oil depot near the glittering Saudi track where they were racing.
Bottas ahead of Verstappen in Brazil, Hamilton to start 10th
Verstappen finished the sprint race in second position and added two points in the standings. He leads Hamilton by 21 points in the standings, including the two from the sprint race, with four races left this season. Hamilton's disqualification put Verstappen in pole for the 24-lap sprint race, which offers three points to the winner. “(He takes) his gloves off and puts his right hand at the slot-gap of the rear wing of his car. The Brazilian GP is the third event of the season with a qualifying sprint race.
wftv.comVerstappen wins in Mexico, extends lead in F1 title chase
Verstappen, who started third after struggling in qualifying, now leads Hamilton by 19 points with four races left in the season. Verstappen earned his ninth win of the season, second in a row and third career victory in Mexico City. Bottas was on pole, Hamilton second and Verstappen and Perez in third and fourth. That made him the first Mexican driver to lead the Mexico grand prix in race history. Perez earned a third straight podium finish for the first time in his career.
wftv.comHamilton-Verstappen's Formula 1 duel hits the track in Texas
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings)AUSTIN, Texas — (AP) — Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were both quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen in Friday's first practice for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix. Bottas was fastest in the first session as Hamilton and Verstappen went 2-3. The Mercedes power surge on a track where its cars have dominated shows the work Verstappen must do Sunday to hold his slim championship lead. The Texas race is the first of a two-part swing in North America as the series heads next week to Mexico City. ___More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.
wftv.comBottas wins, frustrated Hamilton loses F1 lead to Verstappen
“It was frustrating at the time, because I could see second (place) and then I’m back in fifth,” Hamilton said about Mercedes' decision. Hamilton was fastest in Saturday qualifying but wasn't credited with the pole because of an engine change by his Mercedes team. “Why did you give up that place?” a frustrated Hamilton barked on team radio using an expletive. He clocked the fastest lap on the 5.3-kilometer (3.3-mile) Istanbul Park circuit beneath a grey sky amid persistent drizzle. As Sainz Jr. carved his way through the field, fastest laps switched between Bottas, Verstappen, Hamilton again, and Leclerc.
wftv.comF1: Bottas wins Turkish GP, Verstappen reclaims title lead
Turkey F1 GP Auto Racing Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland leads at the start of the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix at the Intercity Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) (Francisco Seco)ISTANBUL — (AP) — Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas won the Turkish Grand Prix for his first victory of the season on Sunday, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second to reclaim the overall lead from title rival Lewis Hamilton. He wiped away Hamilton's two-point lead and now leads the Mercedes driver by six points with six races left in a thrilling title battle that could go all the way to the final race in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton was getting increasingly agitated as he fell behind Leclerc and with Pierre Gasly's AlphaTauri gaining on him. “Haha, yes!” Bottas shouted after his 10th career win and a much-needed one during a frustrating last season with Mercedes before joining Alfa Romeo next year.
wftv.comF1 rivals Verstappen, Hamilton crash again at Italian GP
As both Hamilton and Verstappen fought for position midway through the race, their cars came together in a move that almost seriously injured Hamilton. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff went as far as describing it as “a tactical foul” by Verstappen. Verstappen maintained his championship lead, which he had slightly extended to five points by coming second in the sprint on Saturday. They clashed on the first lap of the British GP in what Red Bull called a “desperate” move by Mercedes driver Hamilton that saw him given a 10-second penalty and Verstappen hospitalized. Hamilton was then held up by Norris and could only watch in frustration as Ricciardo and Verstappen stretched their advantage lap by lap.
wftv.comVerstappen's like royalty as Dutch king watches home win
Netherlands F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix, at the Zandvoort racetrack, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. “Incredible feeling, of course, to win in front of the fans, because the king was watching with the royal family,” Verstappen said. The only thing missing from Verstappen's 17th career win was a bonus point for fastest lap, which went to Hamilton. With Red Bull having more pace, Mercedes exerted pressure with strategy. “It’s going to be critical to catch and pass (Bottas),” the Red Bull team told Verstappen on the radio.
wftv.comSuperb Verstappen thrills home crowd to win Netherlands GP
Netherlands F1 GP Auto Racing Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands leads at the start and followed by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain and Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland during the Formula One Dutch Grand Prix, at the Zandvoort racetrack, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) (Peter Dejong)ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — (AP) — Max Verstappen thrilled his home crowd by winning the Netherlands Grand Prix in style Sunday to reclaim the Formula One championship lead from Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas was third. A jubilant Verstappen grabbed a Dutch flag and lifted it high toward his adoring fans as they celebrated together. Verstappen made a great start to pull clear away from them on the speedy 4.3-kilometer (2.7-mile) Zandvoort with its high-banking corners.
wftv.comPérez wins Azerbaijan GP after Verstappen crashes from lead
Verstappen was fine but Red Bull was furious over a second Pirelli failure asked for a race stoppage to allow tire changes for safety reasons. Pérez was the leader but Hamilton shot past him in his attempt to win the race and reclaim the points lead from Verstappen. Verstappen retained a four-point lead over Hamilton in the standings; Pérez climbed to third. First of all I have to say I am very sorry for Max because he had a tremendous race," Pérez said. Kimi Raikkonen's 10th place for Alfa Romeo was his first points finish since Nov. 1.
wftv.comHamilton unhappy after poor qualifying effort at Monaco
Monaco F1 GP Auto Racing Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain walks near his team garage after the qualifying session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Saturday, May 22, 2021. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco in pole position. (Sebastien Nogier, Pool via AP) (Sebastian Nogier)MONACO — (AP) — Lewis Hamilton declined to publicly criticize Mercedes after a botched qualifying effort at the Monaco Grand Prix. Hamilton felt Mercedes struggled with tires. Mercedes tried to improve the car for qualifying but the effort did not work.
wftv.comHamilton wins Portuguese GP, extends lead over Verstappen
Portugal F1 GP Auto Racing Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland leads Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, left, during the Portugal Formula One Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit near Portimao, Portugal, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) (Manu Fernandez)PORTIMAO, Portugal — (AP) — Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton won the Portuguese Grand Prix for a 97th career win on Sunday and extended his championship lead over Max Verstappen to eight points. Hamilton and Verstappen have been in the top two in all three races, with Hamilton winning two of them heading into next Sunday's Spanish GP. Bottas took pole to deny Hamilton a record-extending 100th, making him the third different pole-sitter so far after Verstappen and Hamilton. He made a clean start to hold off Hamilton and Verstappen but then slipped behind.
wftv.comHamilton holds off Verstappen to win tense F1 season-opener
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 positive for COVID-19, will miss F1's Sakhir GP
World champion Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the Sakhir Grand Prix this weekend, his Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team said Tuesday Dec. 1, 2020. (Hamad Mohammed, Pool via AP, File)SAKHIR – Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss this weekend's Sakhir Grand Prix. But Hamilton woke up Monday morning with mild symptoms and was then informed that a contact prior to arrival in Bahrain had subsequently tested positive, his Mercedes team said Tuesday. This led to a subsequent test returning a positive result, and Hamilton says he has gone into self-isolation for 10 days. Hamilton is the third F1 driver to test positive for COVID-19 this season, following Sergio Perez at Silverstone and Lance Stroll in Germany.
Hamilton clinches record 7th F1 title with win at Turkish GP
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.
Hamilton wins Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for 93rd F1 win
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain holds up the trophy on the podium after winning the Emilia Romagna Formula One Grand Prix, at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack, in Imola, Italy, Sunday, Nov.1, 2020. (Miguel Medina, Pool via AP)IMOLA – Runaway championship leader Lewis Hamilton overcame a sluggish start to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday for a record-extending 93rd Formula One victory. “Seven times champs, something to tell my grandchildren,” said Hamilton, who also clinched an extra point for the fastest lap. The safety car remained on the track following another crash as George Russell lost control and slammed into the track barriers. “It was an exhausting race, the speed we were having to go after a poor start," Hamilton said.
Still rising: Lewis Hamilton makes F1 history with 92nd win
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates after winning the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. Observers questioned the move and in 2013 Hamilton won only one race while Vettel finished the season with 13. Hamilton was dominant in 2015, sealing his third F1 title at the U.S. Grand Prix with three races to spare. 2, Hamilton won the next two championships in 2017 and 2018 as Vettel blew midseason leads for Ferrari. Last year's title was emphatic as Hamilton won 11 races compared to three for Bottas, finishing 87 points clear of him.
Lewis Hamilton wins Portuguese GP for record 92nd F1 victory
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain, center, steers his car during the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020. (Jorge Guerrero, Pool via AP)PORTIMAO – British driver Lewis Hamilton made Formula One history on Sunday, winning the Portuguese Grand Prix for a 92nd career victory to move one ahead of German great Michael Schumacher. Hamilton has added five F1 titles and the runaway championship leader is now odds-on to equal Schumacher’s record of seven. Hamilton took a record-extending 97th career pole position, starting ahead of Bottas and Verstappen on a track being used for the first time in F1. McLaren's Carlos Sainz Jr. briefly held the race lead and then Bottas led until Hamilton passed him on Lap 20.
Hamilton wins his 91st F1 race to match Schumacher's record
Hamilton gets the helmet as a gift from Michael Schumacher's son Mick because he equals Schumacher's record of 91 wins in the Formula One. (Bryn Lennon, Pool via AP)NÜRBURG – NÜEven Lewis Hamilton once saw Michael Schumacher's record of 91 wins in Formula One as unbeatable. Hamilton took a big step closer to matching Schumacher's record of seven titles too after his teammate Valtteri Bottas failed to finish with an engine problem. Hamilton started faster than Bottas and had the inside line into the hairpin bend at turn one. After Hamilton matched Schumacher’s record in front of a German crowd at a track where Schumacher won five times, he can surpass it on a track where F1 has never raced before.
Hamilton chases F1 record again as Schumacher's son debuts
Officially, the German Grand Prix is on hiatus this year, and this race — a late replacement on the coronavirus-affected calendar — is called the Eifel Grand Prix after a nearby mountain range. As many as 20,000 fans could attend, making it the best attended race of the season apart from the Russian Grand Prix. NEW GENERATIONIt's been eight years since Michael Schumacher's last F1 race, and now his son will officially be part of an F1 race weekend for the first time. Michael Schumacher hit his head on a rock and sustained severe brain injuries which left him requiring constant care. When Hamilton and Michael Schumacher last raced together at the Nürburgring in 2011, there were six Germans on the grid including then-world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Bottas wins in Russia as Hamilton misses F1 win record
Hamilton's Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas cruised to the win Sunday after Hamilton, who was leading, was penalized 10 seconds for practicing his starts in the wrong place before the race. Hamilton came into the race looking to match Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 wins in Formula One but had to settle for third behind Bottas and Max Verstappen. Bottas built a sizeable lead over Verstappen with ease and eased to his first win since the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix. Hamilton had asked Mercedes over the radio if he could perform the starts at the pit exit, and was told he could. Albon has finished behind his teammate Verstappen every time they have both completed a race this season.
Hamilton wins hectic Tuscan GP, demands justice for Taylor
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.
Bottas fastest in final practice at Tuscan GP, Hamilton 3rd
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.
Hamilton sets fastest lap in F1 history to take Monza pole
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.
Hamilton wins Belgian GP, now 2 behind Schumacher's record
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.
Hamilton dedicates F1 pole position to Chadwick Boseman
Hamilton will start in pole position for race on Sunday. A superhero died last night so that was really weighing heavy on me today," Hamilton said. I woke up today to the saddest news of Chadwick passing away, Hamilton said. Hamilton, the only black driver in F1, explained the impact both Chadwick and his film character had on him. Ferraris lack of form was such that Leclerc, who won last year from pole position, was happy to qualify in 13th.
Verstappen leads 2nd practice at Belgian GP, Ricciardo 2nd
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the second practice session prior to the Formula One Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps racetrack in Spa, Belgium Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. (John Thys, Pool via AP)SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS SPA-Red Bull driver Max Verstappen posted the fastest time in the second practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix on Friday. Verstappen was .048 seconds ahead of Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo and .096 ahead of Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver has won four of the first six races and leads the championship by 37 points from second-placed Verstappen. Tuscany region president Enrico Rossi said Friday that local health authorities have approved 3,000 fans for the Tuscan Grand Prix on Sept. 13.
Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish GP for 88th career victory in F1
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain leads the pack out of the 1st curve during the Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020. The talk before the race was whether Mercedes' tires would be vulnerable in the searing summer heat of Spain, after experiencing problems in the past two races at Silverstone. After narrowly securing a record-extending 92nd career pole position Hamilton made a strong start on the long straight to the first corner. Track temperatures on the circuit were around 50 degrees C (122 F) and Mercedes was concerned about catching too much sun. These black overalls are hot, Bottas said during the race, throwing in an expletive for emphasis.
Bottas wins Japanese Grand Prix
Lars Baron/Getty Images(CNN) - Valtteri Bottas overtook pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel at the start and won the Japanese Grand Prix to help Mercedes clinch a record-tying sixth straight constructors' championship, a day after Typhoon Hagibis battered parts of the country. "I'm really proud to be part of the team, sixth title in a row is so impressive and proud of every team member here at the race. With the lack of pace, second is probably the maximum but I'm not happy with the very first start of the race. Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, features, and videos"I like hard racing but I don't think this was hard racing. Leclerc responded: "I don't know what happened from the full situation from the outside, and this I need to look at."
Charles Leclerc ends Ferrari's wait for home win at Italian Grand Prix
Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert died after a crash at the Belgian Grand Prix, the Fdration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has confirmed. (CNN) - Charles Leclerc ended Ferrari's nine-year wait for victory at the Italian Grand Prix as he led from pole to take his second win in as many weeks. The 21-year-old Monegasque driver held off fierce competition from Mercedes pair Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton to seal the win, backing up his first Formula 1 victory at the Belgian Grand Prix. I've never been so tired," Leclerc told Sky after the win. "Congratulations to Ferrari and Charles, he did a great job," Hamilton told Sky after the race.
Max Verstappen claims his first-ever pole position in Formula One
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Aston Martin Red Bull Racing RB15 leaves the garage during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on Aug. 3 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)(CNN) - Max Verstappen secured his first-ever pole position in Formula One with a scintillating performance to qualify for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix. READ: Max Verstappen wins chaotic, rain-hit German GPIt was a landmark achievement in the sport as Verstappen becomes the 100th different driver to secure a pole position in Formula One. It briefly looked as though Bottas -- who finished just 0.018 seconds back -- would steal pole position, but Verstappen nailed his final few corners, much to the delight of the thousands of traveling fans in orange. "The margins are so tight around here, but Max was on fire," Christian Horner, Red Bull team principle, told Sky Sports.