List of All Articles with Tag 'f1'

The 2023 Formula 1 season is heading into its final stretch of races and Red Bull have dominated throughout much like they did in the back end of 2022. This year sees 23 races held in a record-breaking calendar, as Max Verstappen is on the verge of three in a row following back-to-back World Championship triumphs. Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team have found further improvements so far this year following a disappointing 2022 season. Meanwhile Ferrari are struggling to match their strong start to 2022. There are new faces on the grid too - such as Oscar Piastri and Logan Sargeant - and all 20 drivers will be itching to get back on track after a three-month break with the official pre-season test in Bahrain before the first race of the season a week later. This year’s biggest shake-up so far came mid-season when AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries was dropped almost immediately after Silverstone as he failed to impress the higher-ups at Red Bull. He has been replaced by returning favourite Daniel Ricciardo. Here is everything you need to know. What is the 2023 F1 calendar? ROUND 1 —BAHRAIN Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir - 3-5 March ROUND 2 - SAUDI ARABIA Jeddah Corniche Circuit - 17-19 March ROUND 3 - AUSTRALIA Albert Park, Melbourne - 31 March-2 April ROUND 4 - AZERBAIJAN (sprint weekend) Baku City Circuit - 28-30 April ROUND 5 - MIAMI Miami International Autodrome, Hard Rock Stadium - 5-7 May ROUND 6 - EMILIA ROMAGNA CANCELLED Imola Circuit - 19-21 May ROUND 7 - MONACO Circuit de Monaco - 26-28 May ROUND 8 - SPAIN Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - 2-4 June ROUND 9 - CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - 16-18 June ROUND 10 - AUSTRIA (sprint weekend) Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - 30 June-2 July ROUND 11 - GREAT BRITAIN Silverstone Circuit - 7-9 July ROUND 12 - HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest - 21-23 July ROUND 13 - BELGIUM (sprint weekend) Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 28-30 July ROUND 14 - NETHERLANDS Circuit Zandvoort - 25-27 August ROUND 15 - ITALY Monza Circuit - 1-3 September ROUND 16 - SINGAPORE Marina Bay Street Circuit - 15-17 September ROUND 17 - JAPAN Suzuka International Racing Course - 22-24 September ROUND 18 - QATAR (sprint weekend) Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 6-8 October ROUND 19 - UNITED STATES (sprint weekend) Circuit of the Americas, Austin - 20-22 October ROUND 20 - MEXICO Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 27-29 October ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint weekend) Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 3-5 November ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS Las Vegas Street Circuit - 16-18 November ROUND 23 - ABU DHABI Yas Marina Circuit - 24-26 November When and where does the 2023 F1 season start? The first race of the season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, takes place from Friday 3 March - Sunday 5 March at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Qualifying on Saturday 4 March starts at 3pm (GMT) with the race on Sunday also at 3pm (GMT). When is pre-season testing? Pre-season testing takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit the week before the first race, from Thursday 23 February - Saturday 25 February. Running will take place between 7am and 4:30pm (GMT) on each of the three days. There will be an hour’s break midway through each session for lunch. Each driver will have one-and-a-half days worth of time in the car. How can I watch it online and on TV? The Bahrain Grand Prix, as well as pre-season testing, will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Sky Sports subscribers can watch pre-season testing on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. What has been said? Max Verstappen has challenged Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to raise their game and provide him with the championship battle that Formula One needs. Verstappen ran away with last season’s title, winning 15 of the 22 races, to secure his second championship with four rounds to spare. In contrast, Hamilton, in his under-performing Mercedes, endured the worst year of his career as he failed to win a race and finished 214 points adrift. But when addressing the prospect of renewing his rivalry with Hamilton at Red Bull’s season launch in New York, Verstappen, 25, said: “In the interest of the sport you always want the teams to be super-close. “I do think it was close last year, but as a team we executed a lot of things better than the others and that was why the points gap was so big. I never felt, apart from two or three races, that we absolutely dominated. But for the general interest of Formula One, everyone wants a title battle with multiple teams involved.” What are the driver line-ups for 2023? RED BULL Max Verstappen Sergio Perez FERRARI Charles Leclerc Carlos Sainz MERCEDES Lewis Hamilton George Russell ALPINE Esteban Ocon Pierre Gasly McLAREN Lando Norris Oscar Piastri ALFA ROMEO Valtteri Bottas Zhou Guanyu ASTON MARTIN Fernando Alonso Lance Stroll HAAS Kevin Magnussen Nico Hulkenberg ALPHATAURI Yuki Tsunoda Daniel Ricciardo/Liam Lawson WILLIAMS Alex Albon Logan Sargeant *italics represents new addition to the grid/change of team Read More The rise of Oscar Piastri: A genuine rival for Lando Norris at last Daniel Ricciardo ruled out of Qatar Grand Prix Andretti F1 team entry bid accepted by FIA Poignant Netflix film captures the many facets of legendary Schumacher What happened to Michael Schumacher and what’s latest health update? Schumacher’s F1 career highlights as Netflix documentary is released

Max Verstappen has beefed up his personal security as he prepares for a hostile reception at Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez’s home race in Mexico. Verstappen was jeered by Perez’s supporters at last weekend’s podium presentation in Austin as the triple world champion celebrated his 15th win of the season. Chants of “Checo, Checo” – in support of Perez – were also audible during the Dutch national anthem. A crowd of nearly 400,000 are expected at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez over the course of the weekend, with practice starting on Friday and it is understood Verstappen will be flanked by multiple security guards in the paddock. Perez’s fans are unhappy Verstappen did not help the Mexican secure second place in last season’s championship after he ignored a team order at the penultimate round in Brazil. Perez has won only twice this season – his last victory in Azerbaijan on April 30 – with Verstappen racing to his third title in as many years. The paddock in Mexico City has become one of the most manic on the calendar, with drivers mobbed as they make their way from the motorhome to the garage. And Perez is also expected to have a bigger entourage than normal to cover-off his enthusiastic fanbase. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and the team’s motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko will also be accompanied by security guards. Speaking after last weekend’s race in Austin, Horner said: “I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico, but that is water off a duck’s back to him. “One year you are the villain and the next year you are the hero.” Perez heads into this weekend’s round 206 points behind Verstappen. However, he is 39 points clear of third-placed Lewis Hamilton, who was disqualified from second at the Circuit of the Americas for running an illegal floor on his Mercedes.

Sergio Perez will be eyeing a dream victory on home soil at the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend. The Red Bull driver has endured a difficult few months and has not won since Azerbaijan in April. His team-mate Max Verstappen, however, has won 15 races this season and has already sealed his third world title. Verstappen was triumphant last week at the US Grand Prix in Austin where Lewis Hamilton - who finished second - was disqualified alongside Charles Leclerc for an illegal floor. Lando Norris came home third, but was promoted to second after Hamilton’s DSQ, for his 12th podium in F1 but the McLaren driver is still chasing his first win. Verstappen won last year’s race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Here is everything you need to know. What is the race schedule? (All times BST/GMT) Friday 27 October Free practice 1: 7:30pm Free practice 2: 11pm Saturday 28 October Free practice 3: 6:30pm Qualifying: 10pm Sunday 29 October Race: 8pm How can I watch it online and on TV? The entire race schedule from Mexico will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event in the UK and Ireland. Sky’s coverage of the race on Sunday starts at 6:30pm (GMT). The weekend’s action will be broadcast on ESPN in the United States. Free-to-air highlights in the UK will be aired on Channel 4; for qualifying at 8:30am (GMT) on Sunday morning and the grand prix early on Monday morning at 1am. Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action in Mexico on the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription. Driver Standings 1) Max Verstappen - 466 points (champion) 2) Sergio Perez - 240 points 3) Lewis Hamilton - 201 points 4) Fernando Alonso - 183 points 5) Carlos Sainz - 171 points 6) Lando Norris - 159 points 7) Charles Leclerc - 151 points 8) George Russell - 143 points 9) Oscar Piastri - 83 points 10) Pierre Gasly - 56 points 11) Lance Stroll - 53 points 12) Esteban Ocon - 44 points 13) Alex Albon - 25 points 14) Valtteri Bottas - 10 points 15) Nico Hulkenberg - 9 points 16) Yuki Tsunoda - 8 points 17) Zhou Guanyu - 6 points 18) Kevin Magnussen - 3 points 19) Liam Lawson - 2 points 20) Logan Sargeant - 1 point 21) Nyck de Vries - 0 points 22) Daniel Ricciardo - 0 points Constructors’ Championship 1) Red Bull - 706 points (champions) 2) Mercedes - 344 points 3) Ferrari - 322 points 4) McLaren - 242 points 5) Aston Martin - 236 points 6) Alpine - 100 points 7) Williams - 26 points 8) Alfa Romeo - 16 points 9) Haas - 12 points 10) AlphaTauri - 10 points What is the 2023 F1 calendar? ROUND 20 - MEXICO Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 27-29 October ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint weekend) Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 3-5 November ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS Las Vegas Street Circuit - 16-18 November ROUND 23 - ABU DHABI Yas Marina Circuit - 24-26 November Read More Red Bull hire bodyguards for Max Verstappen over safety concerns at Mexico GP Willy T Ribbs: ‘There were death threats – but I was never going to play the victim’ Mercedes chief admits ‘embarrassment’ after Lewis Hamilton disqualification Nicolas Hamilton: ‘Lewis has never put a penny into my racing... it’s not easy being related to him’ Zhou Guanyu interview: ‘There is a lot of pressure in F1 – only winners stay in this sport’ Daniel Ricciardo is back - and this time he wants to go out on top

Max Verstappen will be accompanied by two bodyguards at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix amid safety concerns. Red Bull have decided to act after the Dutchman was booed by a section of Mexican fans at the US Grand Prix in Austin last Sunday, while there was also chanting of “Checo” during the Dutch national anthem. Social media threats have also been made against the three-time F1 world champion. Verstappen and his Mexican team-mate Sergio Perez have endured a topsy-turvy relationship, with a significant low in Brazil last year when Verstappen ignored a team order to let Perez pass him. And while Verstappen did not ask for protection in the Mexico City paddock, Red Bull special advisor Helmut Marko revealed the team are not taking any chances. “Max doesn’t really want that [bodyguards] and is relaxed,” Marko told F1-Insider.com. “But we have responsibility for him. That’s why we just want to play it safe.” World champion Verstappen is 226 points clear of Perez in the championship standings, with 15 wins compared to two. Perez has not won since Azerbaijan in April and has endured a dismal few months despite being in the quickest car on the grid. It has resulted in speculation that the Mexican will lose his seat for 2024, a year before his contract runs out. But team boss Christian Horner has repeatedly insisted Perez will be their driver next year. Perez will be eyeing a historic victory at his home race this weekend, where he has been on the podium twice. Read More Willy T Ribbs: ‘There were death threats – but I was never going to play the victim’ Mercedes chief admits ‘embarrassment’ after Lewis Hamilton disqualification Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ

As often was the case amid an American society embedded in racism in the 1980s, Muhammed Ali put it best. Advising black racing driver Willy T. Ribbs, the people’s champion made his point in no uncertain terms: “There are Blacks in my sport. But there are no Blacks in your sport. “They’re going to want to kill you.” Yet for all the death threats, discrimination and abuse, Ribbs had long decided that the only option was to meet the uphill battle head-on. He made history in 1986 when he became the first Black driver to test an F1 car. Five years later, he was the first to race in the Indy 500, one of the world’s most famous events. But on the course to that journey, Ribbs faced it all. Don’t let me tell you though; let the man himself. “Of course, there were death threats, the n-word,” he reflects, in a slow but dead-pan fashion that tells you the wounds have long since healed. Instead, the metaphorical bruises are worn with pride. “But I enjoyed it. It didn’t make me mad, it was fun. I was going to dish out what they were dishing out to me, it never scared or intimidated me. I actually enjoyed it because it was motivating. I was never going to play the victim, that was not Willy T. Ribbs.” Now 68, Ribbs is an ambassador for Formula 1, raising awareness for diversity and equality. A role given a matter of months after his riveting biopic movie, Uppity, was released in 2020. So titled because that was his nickname in motorsport circles – “and he loved it.” But to this interview, he’s late. And he apologises, quipping: “Race drivers are never late, you know! Or they’re not supposed to be…” Son to William ‘Bunny’ Ribbs, an amateur racer himself, Willy’s career path was set in stone from day-dot it seems. It was the racing way or the highway. “I was born in this sport,” he tells The Independent, from his home in Texas. “I watched it from three years old when my Dad was racing, watching the likes of Jim Clark and Graham Hill. That’s all that was discussed in the family. We didn’t discuss any other sport. “I was lucky, I think. At nine years old, I knew what I wanted to do and I knew what my career path was going to be. Most kids that age don’t know what the hell they’re going to do, but I did. And I didn’t want to be an amateur at it – I wanted it to be a profession and I wanted it to be Formula 1.” He learned his craft, in the UK, racing alongside future F1 world champion Nigel Mansell in Formula Ford in the mid-1970s. He raced in NASCAR and the Trans-Am Series, later on, too. But his F1 calling, in ’86, came in the Portuguese town of Estoril. Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team – “Bernie has always been good to Willy T. Ribbs” – gave the American the chance to buck the trend and become a true trailblazer. But the tag was not something he felt comfortable with at the time. “All that mattered was I thought of myself as a race driver,” he says. “I had two responsibilities: to myself and to my team. For those who record social history, that’s their job [to say trailblazer] – but I’m not going to carry that weight on my shoulders. “Sure. I was a role model because I was doing something no other Black kid had done. And great, if that’s the category they want to put me in and how they want to document it. But for me? It was about going fast.” It was a mindset of not bowing to the status quo, embodied most especially in the late 20th century by Ali. “What I admired about him the most was not his boxing skills,” Ribbs says of Ali. “What I admired about him was his resolve as a man, not to be squashed, manipulated or controlled. Ali said ‘you have to let them know that you can’t be killed, there’s nothing they can do to you and then they’ll leave you alone for a while.’” Now in motor racing, the baton has been passed on to seven-time Formula 1 world champion and the sport’s only Black driver Lewis Hamilton, whom Ribbs is full of praise about. “Lewis Hamilton, after seven world titles and more victories than any other human being, gets unfairly targeted,” insists Ribbs. “If you can equate it to Tiger Woods, what did Tiger Woods do for golf? He broadened the audience. The attention went off the chart. That’s exactly what happened in F1 – Lewis Hamilton has been Formula 1’s Tiger Woods. “He’s a very kind man. He’ll let it roll off, turn the other cheek – I wasn’t that way. He deals with it and in a lot of cases it’s unfair. Then again, he is in an environment which was not nearly as brutal as I was dealing with. Willy T. Ribbs was treated differently.” The third-person references point to a man who is now comfortable in his own skin; in the significance of the struggle – and what it means to many around the world. And despite a sport notoriously still dominated by white men, progress is being made. “One thing I love about Formula 1 is not only is it evolving commercially around the world, it’s evolving socially,” he says. “When F1 hired me, I asked them ‘what made you make this call?’ “They said: ‘We watched your film and we thought you’d be the perfect person for inclusion and equality in Formula 1.’ “I said: ‘Well, you called the right guy’.’” Read More Mercedes chief admits ‘embarrassment’ after Lewis Hamilton disqualification Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ Red Bull chief condemns Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP

Mercedes chief James Allison says Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification is an “embarrassment” and “significant blow” for the team as the 2023 F1 season draws to a close. Hamilton finished the US Grand Prix in second, behind race winner Max Verstappen, but was disqualified by the FIA following a technical inspection of the plank underneath his Mercedes car was found to have exceeded the limits in the regulations. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same reason. Mercedes’ technical director Allison, who earlier in the season came back into the fold on-site in the Mercedes garage after an effective job swap with Mike Elliott, did not mince his words when speaking in the team’s post-race debrief video. “Of course the disqualification is a significant blow,” he said. “It’s a miserable feeling. It hurts and, everybody here feels it. "Everybody is upset, embarrassed to a degree as well because we absolutely don’t like being on the wrong side of the rules, and just lamenting the lost points." Hamilton was set to close to within 19 points of Sergio Perez in the battle for the second in the world championship but, instead, the deficit is now 39 points ahead of the Mexican’s home race in Mexico City this weekend. However, Allison was also keen to stress the uplift provided by Mercedes’ upgrade in Austin, which brought an improvement in pace for Hamilton and his team-mate George Russell. "Give it a day or two and that will start to wane and be replaced by the much happier feeling, which is we moved our car forward this weekend and that it’s hard to do that,” he added. "But we did it and we did it by a decent amount. And with four races left in the championship, four races where I am pretty sure we will stay on the right side of the skid block rules. "The initial feeling of hurt, and disappointment and frustration of ourselves will pass to be replaced by the sunny optimism of knowing that the car looked bright on this upgrade package and we’ve got four more races to show what we can do with it." Hamilton is a two-time winner at the Mexican Grand Prix but was booed after finishing runner-up to Verstappen last year. Read More Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc post amusing joint Instagram after DSQ Red Bull chief condemns Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin

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Lewis Hamilton was crowned Formula One world champion for the third time after winning the United States Grand Prix, on this day in 2015. Hamilton, then 30, became only the second British driver after Sir Jackie Stewart to achieve the feat after edging Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg in a thrilling race. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who would have kept the title race alive with three grand prix remaining had he finished second in Austin, came third. Hamilton also became the 10th Formula One driver to win at least three world titles and went on to win his seventh in 2020 and joined Michael Schumacher at the top of the all-time list. On a wet track in Austin, Hamilton started second on the grid behind Rosberg and made an aggressive start by pushing the German wide at the first corner to take the lead. Rosberg slipped to fourth behind Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo, but – as the track dried – the Red Bull pair lacked the pace to challenge and the race developed into a battle between the two Mercedes team-mates. Hamilton trailed with eight laps to go, only to pounce on a mistake by Rosberg, who ran wide after losing traction out of a hairpin on turn 12, allowing the Briton to retake the lead and comfortably hold on for victory. It was his 10th win of the season and sealed his third drivers’ title after previous successes in 2008 and 2014. Hamilton went on to equal Schumacher’s Formula One record by winning four consecutive world titles in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Read More Mercedes ‘need to take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification on the chin’ Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory I can do something wiser with my time – George Russell stops using social media

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc posted a hilarious joint Instagram on Monday in wake of their disqualification from the United States Grand Prix. The pair were punished after their Mercedes and Ferrari cars fell foul of rules governing the underside of F1 cars. Hamilton had finished on the podium in second, coming home two seconds shy of race winner Max Verstappen, while pole-sitter Leclerc finished sixth. As a result of their DSQ, Hamilton’s 18 points earned are wiped from his season’s total as are the eight points Leclerc earned, with both unlikely to appeal the decision. And following the ruling, the pair posted a joint photo on Instagram of both sat in a weekend press conference in Austin with glum expressions. The caption, meanwhile, simply read: “Mood.” Hamilton and Leclerc were investigated by the stewards following a plank wear inspection in Austin. Personnel from both Mercedes and Ferrari were summoned to see the stewards and, just after 7pm local time in Austin and more than three hours after the race finished, their disqualification from the race was confirmed. In a Mercedes press release, Hamilton stated he was simply “disappointed” with the penalty, while team boss Toto Wolff admitted “we got it wrong.” The FIA note reveals that the cars of Verstappen and Lando Norris (who now moves up to second from third in the final classification) were also inspected, but passed the checks. Breaches of technical checks of the car often result in disqualification, with a recent example being Hamilton from qualifying in Brazil in 2021. Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the 1994 Belgian Grand Prix for an illegal floor, allowing Damon Hill to win the race. In a Mercedes press release, Wolff explained how Mercedes fell foul of the rules. “Turning to the race result and the disqualification, set-up choices on a sprint weekend are always a challenge with just one hour of free practice – and even more so at a bumpy circuit like COTA and running a new package,” he said. “In the end, all of that doesn’t matter; others got it right where we got it wrong and there’s no wiggle room in the rules. “We need to take it on the chin, do the learning, and come back stronger next weekend.” The ruling meant Williams driver Logan Sargeant earned his first F1 point in bizarre circumstances at his home race. Read More Red Bull chief condemns Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix

Toto Wolff said Mercedes must take Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from the United States Grand Prix on the chin – and make sure it does not happen again. Nearly four hours after Hamilton finished second in his most competitive race of the season – one he could have won if Mercedes did not fluff their strategy lines – the stewards declared his car did not comply with the regulations. The depth of the new floor on Hamilton’s upgraded Mercedes was adjudged to be “outside the thresholds outlined in Article 3.5.9 e).” – which states that the plank cannot wear to below 9mm thickness. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was disqualified for the same breach following Sunday’s 56-lap race at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. Mercedes said the sprint format – which allows for just one hour of practice before parc ferme rules heavily constrict changes to the cars – had a bearing on Hamilton’s disqualification. But team principal Wolff said: “In the end, all of that doesn’t matter. Others got it right where we got it wrong and there’s no wiggle room in the rules. “We need to take it on the chin, do the learning and come back stronger next weekend in Mexico.” Four cars were chosen at random following the race. Both winner Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and Lando Norris’ McLaren passed the scrutineering checks. Hamilton’s demise elevated Norris to runner-up behind Verstappen, who claimed the 50th win of his career and 15th from 18 this season, and Carlos Sainz to third. Sergio Perez was promoted to fourth to extend his lead over Hamilton in the fight for second place in the championship from 27 points to 39. Hamilton crossed the line just 2.2 seconds adrift of Verstappen after Mercedes’ move to attempt a one-stop strategy backfired and probably denied the seven-time world champion his first victory in 686 days. But despite expressing frustration at his team’s strategy, Hamilton was asked if he has been provided hope that he could taste victory before the season is out. “Yes, definitely,” replied the 38-year-old. “The steps that we were able to take this weekend has given me a little bit more confidence to throw the car into the corners. “There are still some of the fundamental issues that we’re having with the car, which won’t change until next year. But it was really positive to feel that the decisions we are taking are the right ones.” Hamilton will be back in action at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix with rounds to follow in Brazil and Las Vegas before the campaign concludes in Abu Dhabi on November 26. Read More Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory I can do something wiser with my time – George Russell stops using social media Charles Leclerc snatches pole position after Max Verstappen’s lap was deleted Daniel Ricciardo ready for AlphaTauri return at United States Grand Prix On this day in 2009: Jenson Button crowned Formula One world champion in Brazil FIA to review Qatar GP as ‘dangerous’ temperatures prompt driver complaints

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was critical of an “enthusiastic” section of Mexican fans who booed Max Verstappen after Sunday’s United States Grand Prix. Race winner Verstappen, who saw off a late challenge from Lewis Hamilton though the Brit was later disqualified alongside Charles Leclerc, was jeered as he walked onto the podium in Austin. Then chants of “Checo” for Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez were audible during the Dutch national anthem. Verstappen and Perez have endured a topsy-turvy relationship as team-mates, most notably clashing in Brazil last year when the Dutchman rebuked a team order to let the Mexican pass. F1 returns to Mexico City this weekend and Marko, who has previously apologised after referring to Perez’s ethnicity as a reason for his struggles this season, suggested it was only a particularly keen group of fans who were jeering. “We are in contact with a lot of Mexicans,” said Marko. “The majority are very friendly and fair, but there are always some let’s say enthusiastic people who don’t maintain the fair sporting standard. “But we have no concerns and are happy to go to Mexico.” Red Bull boss Christian Horner added: "I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! “But that’s water off a duck’s back. One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero." Verstappen himself was unfazed by the boos, telling Dutch media: “In the end, I’m the one who takes the silverware home, so all fine by me.” Following Hamilton’s disqualification, Perez now has a 39-point lead over the Brit in the battle for second place in the world championship with four races to go. Read More Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes react to shock disqualification from United States GP Chaos as Lewis Hamilton disqualified four hours after finishing second in US GP

Lewis Hamilton said he was “disappointed” after his shock disqualification from the United States Grand Prix – while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted “we got it wrong.” Hamilton finished the race in second, behind race winner Max Verstappen, but was later disqualified alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for breaching the rules governing the floor of their cars. Hamilton therefore loses the 18 points earned from his second-place finish, while Leclerc loses eight points. It is thought Mercedes won’t be appealing the decision. In a Mercedes press release, Wolff explained how Mercedes fell foul of the rules. “Turning to the race result and the disqualification, set-up choices on a sprint weekend are always a challenge with just one hour of free practice - and even more so at a bumpy circuit like COTA and running a new package,” he said. “In the end, all of that doesn’t matter; others got it right where we got it wrong and there’s no wiggle room in the rules. “We need to take it on the chin, do the learning, and come back stronger next weekend.” Hamilton said: “It is of course disappointing to be disqualified post-race but that doesn’t take away from the progress we’ve made this weekend.” Mercedes chief Andrew Shovlin admitted the team need to “go away and learn from this.” “We are of course naturally very disappointed to lose our podium finish,” he said. “Unfortunately, it is one of the pitfalls of the sprint format where we have a solitary hour of running before parc fermé. “Without running at a race fuel load in FP1, combined with a circuit as bumpy as this and the parts of the track where the drivers have to put the car during the Grand Prix, have contributed to the higher than expected wear levels. “We will go away and learn from this but also take the positives from our experience as a whole.” Read More Logan Sargeant earns first F1 point in bizarre circumstances Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc disqualified from United States GP Lando Norris reflects on 2023 win prospects after another near-miss in Austin Lewis Hamilton rues Mercedes error which cost him victory at US Grand Prix Max Verstappen booed by American fans on podium after victory Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States Grand Prix victory