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.
Hamilton holds off Verstappen to win tense F1 season-opener
(AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)SAKHIR – World champion Lewis Hamilton just managed to hold off Max Verstappen to win the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and clinch the 96th Formula One win of his career on Sunday. 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. He was told by his team to give Hamilton the position back, as he risked a time penalty. Verstappen still had a few laps to catch Hamilton and he almost did, finishing just .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 positive for COVID-19, will miss F1's Sakhir GP
FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 file photo Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gestures after taking the pole position after the qualifying session at the Formula One Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain. 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. The Mercedes team said it would announce a replacement driver later in the week. 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. The safety car remained on the track following another crash as George Russell lost control and slammed into the track barriers. This gave Bottas a chance to pressure Hamilton with six laps left, but Hamilton got away cleanly after the re-start and clocked fastest laps on his way to another comfortable win. “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
(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 added five more F1 titles and the runaway championship leader is now set 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. Kimi Raikkonen went from 16th to sixth with some typically daring moves but the 41-year-old Finn started to drift back while, up ahead, Bottas led until Hamilton overtook him.
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.
Spanish GP: Bottas fastest ahead of Hamilton in 1st practice
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.
Verstappen storms to unlikely victory over Mercedes duo
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.
Bottas on pole for Silverstone GP ahead of teammate Hamilton
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.
Hamilton wins British GP to close in on Schumacher's record
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.
Hamilton takes pole position for British GP ahead of Bottas
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.
Stroll quickest at 2nd British GP practice; Vettel struggles
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.
Hamilton wins 8th Hungarian GP to equal Schumacher F1 record
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.
Hamilton takes Hungarian GP pole position ahead of Bottas
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.
Hamilton wins Styrian GP ahead of Mercedes teammate Bottas
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.
F1 star Hamilton raises right fist in fight against racism
(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.
Driving rain delays final practice for F1's Styrian GP
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.
Pressure is mounting on Ferrari after one race of F1 season
(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.
Hamilton starts Austrian GP from 5th after grid penalty
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
Formula 1 season starts 4 months later in a different world
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.
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.