VALTTERI BOTTAS

Max Verstappen has already won the Formula 1 season championship.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Max Verstappen overcame a mistake in qualifying to grab the pole for the Formula One title-deciding Abu Dhabi GP.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have qualified 1-2 for the inaugural Qatar Grand Prix, setting up a showdown between the Formula One championship contenders at the very start of Sunday’s race.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton says Formula One is “duty bound” to raise awareness of human rights issues as the series closes its season in the Middle East.

Mercedes will argue for a review of the decision to not penalize Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Jimmie Johnson and Travis Pastrana will represent the United States in the upcoming Race of Champions international event.

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

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has won the sprint race to take pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen stretched his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the Formula One season championship with a dominant victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas has won pole position for the Mexico City Grand Prix and Mercedes earned its first front-row lockout of the season as Lewis Hamilton will start second.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen dominated the second practice for Mexican Grand Prix with enough speed that he should be the race favorite.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen edged championship rival Lewis Hamilton for pole position in qualifying Saturday at the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix.

Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were both quicker than Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the first practice session of the U.S. Grand Prix in Texas.

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.

Championship leader Max Verstappen and defending champion Lewis Hamilton have crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen thrilled his home crowd by winning the Netherlands Grand Prix in style to reclaim the Formula One championship lead from Lewis Hamilton.

Frenchman Esteban Ocon has won a chaotic Hungarian Grand Prix while an exhausted Lewis Hamilton moved up from third to second in the race after Sebastian Vettel’s disqualification.

Max Verstappen out-dragged Lewis Hamilton at the start of Formula One’s experimental first sprint qualifying race to take the pole for the British Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell thrilled their home crowd Friday night as the British drivers dazzled in Formula One’s first attempt at a new sprint qualifying format.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position to clinch a third straight victory and extend his lead over title rival Lewis Hamilton to 32 points after nine races.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen has dominated the Styrian Grand Prix to win back-to-back races for the first time in his career.

Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap to win the French Grand Prix and extend his lead over his title rival to 12 points.

Sergio Perez won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a two-lap shootout after championship leader Max Verstappen crashed while leading with a tire failure and Lewis Hamilton went off at the restart.

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.

Red Bull wants to find more race pace to keep contending with Mercedes for the Formula One title.

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes has beaten Max Verstappen in a thrilling duel to win the Spanish Grand Prix and increase his lead in the Formula One standings over his top rival.

Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton won the Portuguese Grand Prix for a 97th career victory and extended his championship lead over Max Verstappen to eight points.

Max Verstappen has won a dramatic Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix after world champion Lewis Hamilton hit a wall and the race was temporarily suspended following a separate incident involving Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during a practice session prior to the Formula One Grand Prix at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, Spain, Friday, Aug. 14, 2020. (Bryn Lennon, Pool via AP)MONTMELO Valtteri Bottas posted the fastest time in the first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton on Friday. The Finnish driver was .039 quicker than championship leader Hamilton and about 1 second ahead of Max Verstappen, who leapfrogged Bottas into second place in the standings after winning last Sunday's race at Silverstone. The virus forced him to miss the last two races at Silverstone in England after he contracted it last month. There is a second practice session later Friday, where conditions are expected to be even warmer on the circuit located just outside Barcelona.

But both Hamilton and Bottas struggled with their tires to clear the way for Verstappen to take an unlikely win. Both Mercedes cars started on the medium tires, with Verstappen on the more durable hard tire. Verstappen sensed that the Mercedes cars were struggling and was soon hunting down Hamilton. Both Verstappen and Bottas came in with 20 laps remaining for a second time, while Hamilton remained out on wearing tires until lap 41 of 52. After Verstappen cruised to victory, Nico Hulkenberg finished seventh, while Sebastian Vettel was outside the points in 12th following an opening-lap spin.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during the qualifying session at the 70th Anniversary Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, Silverstone, England, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein,Pool)SILVERSTONE Valtteri Bottas edged out Mercedes teammate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton to claim pole position Saturday for Formula One's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix. It gave Bottas his first pole since the opening race of the pandemic-delayed season in Austria, which he went on to win. Hamilton won the next three races from pole, including last weekend in the British GP, to extend his championship lead over Bottas to 30 points in his quest for a record-equaling seventh world title. Giuseppe Farina drove an Alfa Romeo to victory at Formula Ones first world championship race, here at Silverstone 70 years ago.

When I heard his (Bottas' tire) went I looked at mine and it seemed fine.Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari with Daniel Ricciardo fourth for improving Renault and British driver Lando Norris fifth for McLaren. Hamilton set a track record and secured a record-extending 91st career pole and a record seventh at Silverstone on Saturday. Bottas qualified second ahead of Verstappen, who was racing in his 106th GP to equal his father Jos Verstappen's tally. Halfway through the race, Hamilton led Bottas by about two seconds and the British driver extended his lead comfortably as another Mercedes 1-2 finish looked certain. As he was last season, Verstappen looks the only driver capable of genuinely challenging Hamilton.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates after he clocked the fastest time during the qualifying session for the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone racetrack, Silverstone, England, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020. (Will Oliver/Poolvia AP)SILVERSTONE Lewis Hamilton set a new track record at the British Grand Prix and clinched a record-extending 91st pole position on Saturday. He was .313 seconds ahead of Bottas and about 1 second faster than Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Earlier, Bottas posted the fastest time in third and final practice ahead of Hamilton and Verstappen in somewhat cooler conditions following Fridays stifling heat. We definitely miss the fans.Mercedes won the first three races, Bottas clinching the season-opener in Austria and Hamilton winning the next two in Austria and Hungary.

Racing Point driver Lance Stroll of Canada steers his car during the second practice session for the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit in Silverstone, England, Friday, July 31, 2020. (Bryn Lennon/Pool via AP)SILVERSTONE Lance Stroll led the second practice for the British Grand Prix on Friday while struggling Ferrari had another bad day, with Sebastian Vettel spending most of it stuck in the team garage. Stroll finished fourth at the Hungarian GP two weeks ago for Racing Point, which uses Mercedes engines and has been showing good pace this season. There's a lot of heat coming from the cockpit, the championship leader Hamilton said right at the end of a session held amid hot and humid conditions. The second session was interrupted half way through when Albon span off the track and slammed backward into the crash barrier.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Sunday, July 19, 2020. (Leonhard Foeger/Pool via AP)BUDAPEST Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the eighth time to equal Michael Schumacher's single-venue record and take the championship lead on Sunday. Hamilton's latest victory from pole position was as comfortable as the nearly 9-second margin over second-place Max Verstappen suggested. The British driver's 86th GP win moved him just five behind the German great Schumacher's F1 record of 91. Hamilton took a record-extending 90th career pole on Saturday to match Schumacher's record for seven poles on the 4.4-kilometer (2.7-mile) track nestled among rolling hills outside of Budapest.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain reacts after winning the qualifying for the Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, Hungary, Saturday, July 18, 2020. The Hungarian F1 Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (Mark Thompson/Pool via AP)BUDAPEST Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton beat Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas on Saturday to take pole position for the seventh time at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Earlier, Bottas led Hamilton by .042 seconds in overcast conditions for the third and final practice. Bottas won the season-opening Austrian GP and six-time F1 champion Hamilton clinched the Styrian GP the following week in Austria after a brilliant pole position in teeming rain.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the Styrian Formula One Grand Prix race at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Sunday, July 12, 2020. (Mark Thompson/Pool via AP)SPIELBERG Lewis Hamilton won the Styrian Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to clinch an 85th career win and move within six of Michael Schumacher's Formula One record. Most of Schumacher's wins were during a dominant spell with Ferrari, but his old team is struggling badly. For the second time in the past four races, Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel crashed into each other and went out. Bottas won last weekend's season-opening Austrian GP on the same Red Bull Ring track in Spielberg at the foot of the Styrian mountains hence the name change.

(Joe Klamar/Pool via AP)SPIELBERG Standing on the podium to celebrate his latest win, Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton raised a clenched right fist and then delivered a message to his fellow drivers not to slow down in the fight against racism. On Sunday Hamilton and the other 19 F1 drivers wore black T-shirts with End Racism on them, as they had done at last weekend's season-opening Austrian GP. Williams and Hamilton have both referenced the Black Lives Matter movement, which Hamilton wore on the front of his T-shirt on Sunday. Hamilton attended a Black Lives Matter march in London and is setting up a commission to increase diversity in motorsport. Although he also praised F1 chairman Chase Carey and governing body FIA for donating money to help promote more equality and diversity in F1, Hamilton clearly feels there is still a long way to go.

The Styrian F1 Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (Leonhard Foeger/Pool via AP)SPIELBERG Driving rain delayed the start of the final practice session for Formula One's Styrian Grand Prix and threatened qualifying later Saturday. With the Red Bull Ring track drenched amid the incessant downpour, cars were unable to start third practice at the scheduled 12 p.m. local time. The rain fell so heavily that firefighters had to remove excess water from the roof of one empty hospitality building. If third practice and qualifying are unable to be held on Sunday morning, the starting grid would be taken from the positions in Friday's second practice.

(Joe Klamar/Pool via AP)SPIELBERG Ferrari is under pressure after just one race of the Formula One season and scrambling to push through aerodynamic improvements in time for Sunday's Styrian Grand Prix. Leclerc's second-place finish in that race was more about his composure amid crashes than the car's speed. It means that Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is facing increasing pressure, given that the team was already way behind Mercedes in the drivers' and constructors' titles in 2019. This is certainly not the grid position that a team like Ferrari should have and we have to respond immediately," Camilleri said. Albon was frustrated after Sunday's race, which proved doubly disheartening for Red Bull as Max Verstappen retired early when in second place.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session at the Red Bull Ring racetrack in Spielberg, Austria, Saturday, July 4, 2020. The Austrian Formula One Grand Prix will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)SPIELBERG Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday's season-opening Austrian Grand Prix from fifth spot, after stewards gave him a three-place grid penalty following an incident in Saturday's qualifying. No action was taken when stewards reviewed the incident on Saturday evening but Red Bull asked for another review and presented video footage. Taking into account these facts, the stewards determine that (the) decision will be reversed and the above mentioned penalty is being imposed.___More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Four months after the opening race was called off amid last-minute pandemonium the Formula One season finally gets underway this weekend in Austria. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)SPIELBERG Four months after the opening race was called off at the last minute, the Formula One season finally gets underway this weekend on another continent and in a different-looking world. It is so important that we seize this moment, said Hamilton, the only Black driver to become F1 champion. F1 still hopes to rearrange some of the postponed races in order to finish the season with 15-18 of the scheduled 22. The 22-year-old Verstappen showed last season that he is closing the gap to Hamilton in terms of wheel-to-wheel driving.

Only Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas' third-place finish denied Hamilton the season championship by the slimmest of margins. Drivers call the Mexico City winners' celebration the biggest and wildest of the season, and Hamilton hadn't stood there since his victory in 2016. "You could see someone else on the podium celebrating the win and you wanted to do that," Hamilton said. That penalty also let Hamilton start third with a chance to chase a win and the championship. Ferrari protected the lead from the start as Vettel moved to edge out Hamilton on the long opening straight.