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Lewis Hamilton has admitted that Mercedes’ upgrade is “definitely not the step forward” he was hoping for ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion said after May’s Miami Grand Prix he was “counting down the days” for the upgrade he hoped would propel him back to the front, and he was given his first taste of Mercedes’ revamped machine at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. Hamilton qualified sixth in Monte Carlo before making up two places in the rain-hit race. Team-mate George Russell finished one spot behind Hamilton in fifth, while Max Verstappen raced to his fourth win of the season. The Monte Carlo layout has been among Mercedes’ worst tracks and Sunday’s race here at the Circuit de Catalunya on the outskirts of Barcelona is set to represent a truer reflection of the team’s outright speed. But addressing Mercedes’ upgrade on the eve of the seventh round, Hamilton said: “It is definitely not the step forward that we were hoping for. “The true step forward we were hoping for was to [overturn] a one-second delta [to Red Bull] in race trim, and we have not covered that with this step. “When you bring upgrades, naturally you should be progressing forwards, and the fact is that it is an improvement, but it just not the improvement we had dreamed of. “It is one step at a time. I don’t feel negative towards it, I am grateful we have it, and I understand how much work has gone into making these parts, the rush that has gone on, and the amount of flat-out work by the team. “We are hugely hungry to move in the right direction so I would say that I am just hopeful that it puts us on a better track. “We have taken account of where we are, where we have gone wrong, and now we are slowly chipping away and navigating our way back to the front but unfortunately it is just a long process.” Hamilton finished 39 seconds behind Verstappen on Sunday as the Dutchman extended his championship lead over team-mate Sergio Perez to 39 points. Red Bull have won 16 of the last 17 grands prix, with Verstappen firmly on course to secure his third world title in as many years. And Verstappen said his team – which has dominated the sport since a major overhaul of the regulations at the beginning of last season – has the speed to win all 22 races. “I would say at the moment, that we can,” said Verstappen. “But that’s very unlikely to happen. “There are always things that go wrong, a retirement or whatever. But purely on pace at the moment we can. “We have always seen dominant periods in Formula One and this is nothing new. If we look back at the 80s, the 90s, the 2000s, early 2010s to all the way until 2020, it’s pure dominance of certain teams. “The longer you leave the regulations the same, the closer people will get. So maybe this is something we need to look at.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin ‘will not give up’ in push for F1 triumph Concerns Monaco GP could be ‘left behind’ as Max Verstappen wins ‘boring race’ Fernando Alonso ready to pounce if Max Verstappen makes a slow start in Monaco

Red Bull Racing has been completely left out to dry by its current engine supplier.The new engines and regulations won't come to Formula One until 2026, but the drama is already building in anticipation of what will almost certainly be considered the next generation of F1 racing.Along w...

Toto Wolff has warned Lewis Hamilton that Mercedes’ upgrade is unlikely to provide a swift end to his losing streak. Hamilton and team-mate George Russell were given their first taste of the team’s revamped machine in Monaco. Hamilton and Russell qualified sixth and eighth, before making up two and three places respectively in Sunday’s rain-hit race following an early call to move from slick to wet rubber. Traditionally, the Monte Carlo layout has been among Mercedes’ worst tracks with this weekend’s race at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona set to represent a truer reflection of the team’s outright speed. But Wolff believes he did not see enough progress from their upgraded car to suggest they will immediately move ahead of Aston Martin and Ferrari in the pecking order, or challenge Max Verstappen’s Red Bull team who have won all six races this year. “We need to be careful,” said team principal Wolff. “We will collect more data in Barcelona, but I don’t expect us to clear Ferrari and Aston Martin there either. “It is about understanding what does this car do now and how do we set it up? “We are good at grinding away. Last year, the package was terrible at the beginning of the season, and we won a race in Interlagos [at the penultimate round] so we will get there.” Hamilton finished 39 seconds behind Verstappen on Sunday as the Dutchman claimed his fourth victory in six races to extend his championship lead to 39 points. Red Bull have now won 15 of the last 16 grands prix, with Verstappen, who grazed the wall en route to taking the chequered flag in Monte Carlo, remaining on course to race to his third world title in as many years. Asked if Verstappen’s dominance is proving to be a turn-off for the sport, Wolff replied: “When you win in Formula One it is a meritocracy. “They have done a good job and the car is fast in all conditions and the driver is at the top of his game. “We need to do a better job, catch up, find intelligent solutions and hope our development slope is steeper than theirs, and eventually fight again. “Whether it is good for the show or not, a strong fight between 10 drivers, or at least two, is obviously much better for all of us, but we have to accept it and work to get back there. “The best driver in the best car spending the same money wins the championship, and if you break the rules you should be heavily penalised, but only then, and you should not be penalised for simply doing a good job.” Read More Concerns Monaco GP could be ‘left behind’ as Max Verstappen wins ‘boring race’ Wolff fumes as Hamilton’s F1 car floor displayed during removal from Monaco track Fernando Alonso ready to pounce if Max Verstappen makes a slow start in Monaco Max Verstappen fends off Fernando Alonso to take pole position in Monaco Lewis Hamilton reveals impact of Mercedes updates in Monaco F1 2023 calendar: Every race this season

The rain had been and gone but no abundance of showers could stop Max Verstappen topping up that cake with the sweetest of icing. Cruising to victory out in front as the Monaco Grand Prix reached its crescendo on Sunday, the irrepressible Dutchman did not fancy letting up. So much so that, with six laps to go, the ultimate humiliation very much rained down on his team-mate. Verstappen lapped Sergio Perez. For the second time. Powered with an identical car Perez, quite rightly, was being touted as a genuine title contender a month ago. Off the back of two wins – sprint and race – in Baku, the gap was just six points heading into Miami. He didn’t know it at the time but due to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix’s cancellation, two more street tracks would give the so-called “king of the streets” a perfect opportunity to take the lead. But after failing to hold off Verstappen from ninth on the grid in Florida, Perez had something he can simply not afford this past weekend in Monaco: a nightmare grand prix. A incomprehensible crash early in Q1 into Saint Devote wrecked his chances from the get-go. Slap bang last on the grid, in near-identical circumstances to Australia at the beginning of April. On Sunday, he pitted five times when the majority of the field pitted just once. You can only imagine what was going through Verstappen’s head when he saw Perez for the second time in the distance. Perhaps a wee smile, aware of the boost to his championship hopes. Perez finished 16th and from six, the gap in the standings is now 39 points. Verstappen, for what it’s worth, was mesmeric in the principality, a place he calls home. The 25-year-old won this race on Saturday, after an outlandishly thrilling qualifying concluded with the lap of the season so far. Because Verstappen was in trouble. First, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon shot to the top of the standings with a stunner. Then, Fernando Alonso – “pushing like an animal”, to use his own words – set the new benchmark. Verstappen had one more go. Two-tenths down heading into the final sector, Verstappen pinpointed his RB19 to such perfection that walls had to be kissed. Lighting up the swimming pool complex, seeping every last drop out of the car at Rascasse and a little bump with the barrier through Antony Noghes. Pole was grabbed, by 0.084 seconds, right at the death. And with it Sunday’s win too. Nevertheless, it was a season-best for 41-year-old Alonso, whose highly-craved 33rd grand prix victory does genuinely seem to be just around the corner. After five third-place finishes in six races, he bettered it this time with second spot. So focused, so revitalised, so it seems Alonso may be the only slight obstacle in Verstappen’s title charge. Given a new lease of life at Aston Martin, Formula 1’s elder statesman is relishing the challenge laid down by the Dutchman, 16 years his junior. And while people may jump to state that Verstappen’s third-straight title is nothing more than a formality… who knows? All it takes is a retirement or two for the pendulum to swing. While Mercedes grapple with upgrades – Lewis Hamilton and George Russell did finish a respectable fourth and fifth respectively – and Ferrari continue to be, well, Ferrari, Aston may provide the only credible opposition in the coming races. Alonso’s last victory was a decade ago in Barcelona. If he’s top of the podium again this time next week then, maybe, the wily old fox can launch a season-long attack at Verstappen. An attack which should have – yet seemingly won’t – come from across the garage at Red Bull. Read More Max Verstappen defies rain and Fernando Alonso to win Monaco Grand Prix Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin ‘will not give up’ in push for F1 triumph Max Verstappen fends off Fernando Alonso to take stunning pole in Monaco Lewis Hamilton has shut the door on Ferrari – will he come to regret it?

Fernando Alonso has not given up hope of defying the odds and beating Max Verstappen to the Formula One world championship after he finished second at Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. Alonso took the chequered flag 27.9 seconds behind Verstappen and has now secured five podiums in six races following his transfer from Alpine to Aston Martin. The 41-year-old Spaniard will head to his home race at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya next weekend 51 points adrift of Verstappen and a dozen behind Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull. “The championship is long and we will not give up,” said Alonso after he finished runner-up for the first time in nine years. “Red Bull and Max are dominating every race. The Red Bull is untouchable and even with great results, we are behind them. We are relying on weekends where they have issues. “If Max has one or two of those, then we will be a little bit closer in the championship. On true pace we are not there yet, but we won't give up Fernando Alonso “This is motorsport and anything can happen. On true pace we are not there yet, but we won’t give up.” Alonso kept Verstappen honest throughout Sunday’s race and was holding out on old rubber in the hope that rain would arrive. But when it did, Alonso stopped for drys believing the track would not be wet enough for intermediate tyres. However, the downpour continued and the Spaniard was forced to come back into the pits on the next lap, scuppering any chance of claiming his first victory in a decade. “Maybe it was extra safe but in that minute-and-a-half it took to go through Turns five, six and eight again, the track changed completely,” added Alonso. “The lap we stopped was completely dry but on my out-lap from the pits, it was wet. “There was a huge margin behind me to do two stops and we thought it was the right thing to do. It was a complex race to read and execute.”

Christian Horner fears the Monaco Grand Prix will be “left behind” unless drastic changes are made to Formula One’s most famous track – as rain saved another procession in the principality on Sunday. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen led every lap to win for a second time in Monte Carlo, extending his championship lead to 39 points after six rounds. Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso took second place, with Alpine’s Esteban Ocon third. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and fifth respectively for Mercedes. Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s closest title challenger, endured a horror show. He started last and finished 16th after five pit stops, and multiple collisions with different competitors, and the walls that wind their way round the two-mile course. For 51 laps, the race was a dud. Verstappen saw off Alonso on the short run to Sainte Devote and the major players followed round one by one. The rain enlivened the predictable spectacle. Carlos Sainz slid off and kissed the wall at Mirabeau in his Ferrari, while Russell and Perez made contact after the Mercedes man rejoined the track following an error, also at the rain-soaked Mirabeau corner. Lance Stroll hit the barriers twice and Haas’ calamitous decision to keep Kevin Magnussen on slick tyres backfired as the Dane crunched the wall at Rascasse. But take away the sodden race track, and the top dozen were on course to take the chequered flag in the order they started. And even with the downpour, Verstappen, Alonso and Ocon, who started first, second and third, finished first, second and third. “It was an exceptionally boring race until the rain came down,” was Russell’s damning verdict. Red Bull team principal Horner, fresh from celebrating his team’s sixth win from as many races, picked up the debate. “It’s Monaco and it’s here for its history and its uniqueness,” he said. “But the problem is that the cars are so big now. “All venues have to evolve a little and if there was just one area where you could create space for an overtake it would just give that chance, because so much weight is placed on qualifying. The race is won or lost on Saturday. “I am sure that with the creativeness there is and the amount of land they are reclaiming here, there’s got to be the opportunity to introduce a bigger braking zone. “Maybe make Turn 1 a little sharper or slower, or extend the circuit if there is the opportunity to add in another kilometre that included a hairpin – that would be phenomenal. “It’s something to contemplate because when you think of the next 20 years of Monaco you don’t want to see it left behind. “It earns its place on the calendar. It’s the jewel in the crown in many respects, but as the sport continues to move forward you can’t stand still, and Monaco needs to be part of that process.” Despite being considered among the most glamorous events in world sport, the Monaco track has remain largely unchanged from the first grand prix staged in 1929, and some have claimed it is no longer fit for purpose in its current guise. F1 bosses have looked at ways to adapt the tight and twisty layout, but have made little progress. Verstappen kept his composure in the changeable conditions, and even survived a bump with the wall when the rain landed at Portier, to take his 39th win for Red Bull, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s record of 38 victories for the grid’s all-conquering team. “If you have a good car you can break these numbers,” said Verstappen. “I never thought I would be in this position in my career. Growing up, I wanted to be a Formula One driver and I am now winning these races. It is amazing and better than I could have ever imagined.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Fernando Alonso ready to pounce if Max Verstappen makes a slow start in Monaco Max Verstappen fends off Fernando Alonso to take pole position in Monaco Lewis Hamilton: Racist abuse of Vinicius Junior really hits home for me

A massive secret was revealed regarding Red Bull's Formula One car, but it appears the team has gotten away without issue.On Saturday, a massive Red Bull Racing secret was made available for each of the other nine Formula One teams to see, clear as day. Sergio Perez's car was craned pl...

Max Verstappen survived a rain shower and the looming threat of Fernando Alonso to secure an impressive victory at a one-sided Monaco Grand Prix. Verstappen, who beat Alonso to pole position by just 0.084 seconds, kept his cool in the slippery conditions to lead Sunday’s 78-lap race, which lasted nearly two hours from start to finish, as he secured his fourth win of the season. Alonso finished 27.9 seconds behind the Red Bull driver with Esteban Ocon third for Alpine, as the Frenchman claimed only the third podium of his career. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell took advantage of the rain to cross the line in fourth and fifth respectively for Mercedes. Sergio Perez started last after he crashed out of qualifying and finished 16th following a terrible race for the Mexican driver which included five pit stops. With Perez failing to score, Verstappen extended his lead in the standings from 14 to 39 points after six rounds of 22. A dreary race suddenly burst into life on lap 51 as it started spitting at Casino Square, through Mirabeau and on the entry into the tunnel. Verstappen held a 10-second lead over Alonso but, despite the rain, Aston Martin hauled the Spaniard in for his first stop of the day and elected to send him out on the dry rubber. However, the spots of rain became heavier and Verstappen – now on 52-lap old slick tyres – had to tippy-toe his way back to the pits. “I have to drive super-slow because my tyres are f*****,” said Verstappen. The Dutchman briefly lost control of his Red Bull on the entry to the tunnel, grazing the wall, before safely making it back to the pits to bolt on the intermediate tyres. Aston Martin’s call to send Alonso out on the dry tyres afforded Verstappen some much-needed breathing space, with the Spaniard back in on the following lap for the intermediate rubber. He managed to hang on to second, but was now 22 seconds down the road. A lap earlier, Mercedes and Alpine had been the first to move from dry to wet tyres, propelling Hamilton above Carlos Sainz and Russell ahead of Charles Leclerc. Ocon remained in third. Sainz then became the first of the major players to spin – losing control of his Ferrari under braking at Mirabeau, kissing the wall, and dropping him down the order. The rain continued to fall and the chaos continued. Russell was hit with a five-second penalty after he ran off the road, and rejoined in front of Perez, causing the two men to make contact. Lance Stroll hit the barriers twice and Haas’ calamitous decision to keep Kevin Magnussen on slick tyres backfired as the Dane crunched the wall at Rascasse. Up front and with Verstappen in control, Russell put the power down to ensure his penalty would have no effect on his result, and called on his Mercedes team to allow him past team-mate Hamilton to help his cause. “I am just stuck right up Lewis’ gearbox here,” said Russell, but the Mercedes men did not trade positions. Russell took the chequered flag 10 seconds clear to keep fifth. Leclerc finished sixth, one place ahead of Pierre Gasly, with Sainz eighth and Lando Norris ninth for McLaren.

Max Verstappen saw off Fernando Alonso to take pole position in a scintillating qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix. Alonso’s Aston Martin mechanics celebrated wildly after it appeared as though the 41-year-old Spaniard had taken his first pole in 11 years. F1 grid: Starting positions for Monaco Grand Prix But Verstappen delivered a mesmerising final sector in Monte Carlo to take top spot with his final throw of the dice, beating Alonso by just 0.084 seconds. Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari but received a three-place grid drop for impeding Lando Norris, so starts sixth with Esteban Ocon in third and Carlos Sainz fourth. Lewis Hamilton qualified sixth for Mercedes, two places ahead of team-mate George Russell, but starts in fifth due to Leclerc’s penalty - with Sergio Perez set to start Sunday’s 78-lap race from last place after he crashed out. Follow updates from the Monaco Grand Prix with The Independent - the race starts at 2pm (BST). Read More F1 grid: Starting positions for Monaco Grand Prix Max Verstappen fends off Fernando Alonso to take stunning pole in Monaco Lewis Hamilton makes joyous revelation despite Monaco qualifying result

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suggested marshals had turned the Monaco Grand Prix into a circus act following their unusual removal of Lewis Hamilton’s car. Hamilton crashed out of final practice on Saturday after he lost control of his Mercedes under braking at Mirabeau. Hamilton’s stricken machine was hoisted high into the air by a crane, allowing photographers to capture the underbelly of the seven-time world champion’s upgraded machine. The car’s floor is a heavily guarded secret in Formula One, but Mercedes’ new design – which broke cover for the first time here in the principality – was put on show for their rivals to see. “Whoever performed the crane has probably worked for Cirque du Soleil before,” said Wolff. “Honestly, that I don’t even comprehend. The car was on the road. You could have put it on a truck. You’re showcasing a car to everyone in the world. That was suboptimal for us, to say the least.” Wolff added: “We should not thrash the stewards. Everybody is doing their best and I don’t want to be a team principal that lashes out at stewards who are doing their job.” After giving up on this season’s car on the eve of the opening race in Bahrain, Mercedes have spent the ensuing dozen weeks working on a new design philosophy. The Silver Arrows have abandoned their controversial zero-sidepod concept and introduced a new front suspension, new floor and cooling system in a drastic change of development on a car which has contributed to the longest losing streak of Hamilton’s career. Mercedes are keen not to draw too many conclusions at this week’s unique Monte Carlo configuration – and believe the following round at the well-trodden Circuit de Catalunya venue on the outskirts of Barcelona will present them with a better understanding of where they stand. Hamilton starts fifth on Sunday following Charles Leclerc’s three-place grid penalty. George Russell lines up eighth in the other Mercedes. “This car is a son of a gun,” said Hamilton. “I was pushing so hard and overdriving which is the worst place to be. “If I underdrive, or I drive the car to its limit, we might not get into the top 10. But the upgrades were good this weekend, so I’m grateful for those.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Fernando Alonso ready to pounce if Max Verstappen makes a slow start in Monaco Max Verstappen fends off Fernando Alonso to take pole position in Monaco Lewis Hamilton: Racist abuse of Vinicius Junior really hits home for me

Fernando Alonso hopes he can take advantage of Max Verstappen’s inconsistent starts to end his 10-year wait for victory at Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix. The evergreen Alonso, 41, lines up behind Verstappen following an exhilarating qualifying session in the sun-cooked principality. Home favourite Charles Leclerc will be third on the grid for Ferrari, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell sixth and eighth respectively in their revamped Mercedes machines. Alonso took his last pole at the 2012 German Grand Prix, but he looked destined to end his 3,961-day losing streak when he moved to the top of the time charts in the closing stages. Verstappen was the only driver who could spoil the dreams of Alonso, and his Aston Martin mechanics, who had already celebrated wildly in the belief that their man had captured pole. Verstappen trailed Alonso by two tenths before he delivered a mesmerising final sector on the most famous streets in Formula One to take pole by just 0.084 seconds. “We will try to win,” said Alonso, who claimed his 32nd and final victory in Spain a decade ago. “We need some help from Max but I am not going to take it for granted. “It’s a very short run into Turn 1. We normally have a good start. Max is a bit inconsistent, so maybe he has one of those bad ones tomorrow.” Qualifying is crucial in Monte Carlo given how troublesome it is to pass at this tight and twisty venue. However, the omens are encouraging for Alonso. In the last seven years, the driver starting from second has won on more occasions than the man on pole. The last time Alonso started a race in Monaco from the front row – back in 2007 – he won. Rain could also be a factor. A victory for Alonso would be a popular one in the sport. But Verstappen’s team has won every race this season, and the Dutchman’s Red Bull is so often imperious over the course of a race distance, rather than a single lap. “I would like to see Fernando win,” admitted Verstappen. “But I would like to win, too, so we will see. “In qualifying you need to go all out and risk it all. My first sector wasn’t ideal in my final lap and I was a bit cautious, but then I knew I was behind so in the last sector I just gave it everything I had, clipping a few barriers along the way.” Further back, Mercedes were banking on their much-anticipated upgrade providing them with a springboard to challenge the grid’s all-conquering Red Bull team. But on its grand unveiling here, Hamilton was at odds with his new car. Hamilton, who earlier crashed in final practice on Saturday following a mistake at the right-hander Mirabeau, missed the chicane in the opening stage of qualifying – only avoiding an early bath with his final lap – before scrambling into Q3 after he grazed the wall at the swimming pool chicane. “Man this car is hard to drive,” said the seven-time world champion, who also reported there was “something wrong” with his right-rear suspension. He eventually finished 0.360 secs behind Verstappen, with team-mate Russell six tenths adrift. Sergio Perez is Verstappen’s closest championship challenger, but the Mexican will start Sunday’s 78-lap race at the back of the pack after he crashed out of qualifying. The running was just six minutes old when Perez – 14 points adrift of Verstappen in the standings – carried too much speed through the opening Sainte Devote corner and thudded into the wall before coming to a standstill in the middle of the circuit. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen fends off Fernando Alonso to take pole position in Monaco Lewis Hamilton: Racist abuse of Vinicius Junior really hits home for me Bernie Ecclestone would be surprised if Lewis Hamilton wanted to leave Mercedes

During Saturday afternoon's Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, Red Bull Racing said goodbye to one of its only true secrets on the track.In Formula One, just like in any performance-based activity, certain trends arise from imitation. Side pods or no side pods? Large front wing or more minimalis...