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Lewis Hamilton's triumph at the British Grand Prix on Sunday marked a significant milestone in his illustrious career. The seven-time Formula One world champion secured his first victory since the penultimate race of the 2021 season, becoming the first driver to win on any track nine times.Hamilton's victory at Silverstone was a testament to his unwavering determination and the resilience of his Mercedes team. Starting from second on the grid behind his teammate George Russell, Hamilton faced a formidable challenge from defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull.The race unfolded with high drama, as Russell's hopes of a second consecutive win were dashed by a suspected water system issue on his car. McLaren also suffered a setback when they botched Lando Norris' tire change, allowing Verstappen to overtake the British driver with just four laps remaining.However, Hamilton remained unyielding, holding off Verstappen's late charge to secure a hard-fought victory. The 1.5-second margin of victory was a testament to Hamilton's exceptional driving skills and the strategic brilliance of his team.Hamilton's triumph was met with thunderous applause from the 164,000 fans in attendance, who had eagerly anticipated a home win. The victory extended Hamilton's F1 record to 104 wins, further cementing his status as one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.In a post-race interview, an emotional Hamilton expressed his gratitude to his team and the fans. "Love you guys," he said over the radio, his voice filled with tears of joy.Hamilton's victory at Silverstone has reignited his title hopes and sent a clear message to his rivals that he is not to be underestimated. With the season now at its halfway point, the battle for the championship is set to intensify in the coming races.

Lando Norris, the McLaren driver, is determined to challenge Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One world champion, at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix. Norris has been in impressive form lately, with two consecutive second-place finishes behind Verstappen. He believes he has the car and the confidence to challenge for the win this weekend.Norris has been frustrated by his own errors in recent races, but he is confident that he can improve and put together a winning sequence. "We're on a roll and we're doing well," said Norris. "I need to tidy up a few little bits and pieces and we'll be on top. I am confident."Verstappen will be the favorite this weekend, as he is the defending champion and has a strong record at the Red Bull Ring. However, Norris is confident that he can challenge Verstappen and potentially win the race. "Every weekend we go into now, the car is performing extremely well and we're always there, or thereabouts, within a couple of tenths," said Norris.Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is expecting a difficult weekend, as he believes that McLaren and Ferrari will be strong challengers. "On such a short lap, it's going to be tight and we expect McLaren, and Lando, to be fast again along with Ferrari and Mercedes," said Horner.Mercedes will also be hoping to stay in contention this weekend, as they have shown signs of improvement in recent races. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is buoyed by his first podium of the season, while teammate George Russell believes that the Silver Arrows have rediscovered their form."We're all feeling excited for the remainder of the season," said Russell. "We've got more wind tunnel time than all of our rivals and we know what we need to do to make these big strides now. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but I'm 100 per cent confident we'll win races this year now."Whatever the outcome this weekend, Verstappen will extend his record for leading the championship to 50 races. It is a welcome certainty in the light of last year's chaos when the result was revised five hours after the event following a spate of penalties for drivers' exceeding track limits.

Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula One world champion, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Red Bull's performance after qualifying second behind George Russell of Mercedes for the Canadian Grand Prix. Verstappen, who has won three world championships and last year's race from pole position, believes that rival teams have caught up to Red Bull and that the team needs to respond immediately.Verstappen has been defeated in two of the last three races, and his aura of invincibility has been eroded. He stated that he was not concerned about being beaten by Russell, even though they had identical lap times, because the Briton set his time first."No, I'm not worried by that," Verstappen said. "And probably I should be pleasantly surprised to be on the front row in a way, but we lacked pace. The time Mercedes did in FP3 - that is not possible for us. Not really. And we have had a messy weekend. We need to tidy up and we need to improve our car too."Verstappen emphasized the importance of tire management in the race, especially in the event of rain. He acknowledged that Red Bull has a lot of work to do and that the circuit is not the easiest for them."There will be more rain tomorrow and then it will be all about how the tires hold up in the race - and whoever is best at that wins," Verstappen said. "So we have got a lot of work to do and it is not the easiest circuit for us here. But our target has to be that we are good everywhere."Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate, who recently signed an extended contract, described qualifying as a "disaster" after failing to progress beyond Q1 for the second consecutive race."It was a total disaster as I just couldn't get the grip," Perez said. "The issue was mainly the rear end of the car, the rear axle. It felt a lot worse and I couldn't get the tires switched on."Perez qualified 16th and faces a challenging race on Sunday if he hopes to score points for the team.

Formula One's governing body, the FIA, has announced plans to introduce lighter and more agile cars from 2026. The move has been welcomed by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who believes it is a step in the right direction. However, Hamilton also expressed concerns that the weight reduction of 30 kilograms (66 lbs) may not be sufficient."It's only 30 kilos so it's going in the right direction but it's still heavy," Hamilton said. "I've only just seen what you've all seen this morning. I don't really have huge thoughts on it just yet, but I have spoken to some drivers who have driven it on a sim, and they said it's pretty slow."Hamilton's comments were echoed by Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, who suggested that more could be done to reduce the weight of the cars. "Yeah, it's certainly quite different and has some interesting areas and aspects, some that still need a bit further work," Hulkenberg said. "And like Lewis said the weight reduction is good but 30kg is not the world."The new regulations aim to make the cars more efficient and sustainable, with a focus on reducing downforce and increasing the use of sustainable fuels. Hamilton praised the move towards sustainable fuels, saying it was "a bold step and in the right direction.""We've just got to make sure the cars are efficient, fast and a natural step forward -- and actually the racing is improved," Hamilton added.The 2026 regulations package is set to be ratified by the FIA World Motor Sport Council on June 28. It remains to be seen whether the changes will be enough to address the concerns raised by Hamilton and other drivers.

Esteban Ocon and Alpine have mutually agreed to part ways at the conclusion of the 2024 Formula One season. The French constructor expressed gratitude for Ocon's contributions over the past five years, highlighting his historic victory at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix.Ocon, 27, expressed his appreciation for the team's support and acknowledged the challenges and triumphs they shared. He emphasized his unwavering commitment to Alpine for the remainder of the 2023 season.The announcement follows a controversial incident at the Monaco Grand Prix, where Ocon's attempt to overtake teammate Pierre Gasly resulted in a collision. Alpine management expressed disappointment with Ocon's actions, which compromised the team's race strategy.Ocon's future beyond 2024 remains uncertain, with the driver indicating that an announcement will be made in due course. Speculation suggests that he may join Aston Martin or Williams, teams that have expressed interest in his services.Alpine, meanwhile, is expected to retain Fernando Alonso for the 2024 season. The team is also reportedly considering Oscar Piastri, the reigning Formula 2 champion, as a potential replacement for Ocon.The separation between Ocon and Alpine marks the end of an era for the French constructor. Ocon has been a key figure in the team's resurgence, helping them secure their first Grand Prix victory since their rebranding from Renault in 2021.However, the team's recent struggles and Ocon's desire for a fresh challenge have led to this amicable parting of ways. Both parties will be eager to finish the 2023 season on a high note before embarking on new chapters in their respective careers.

Charles Leclerc's emotional victory at the Monaco Grand Prix was a culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. The Monegasque driver had endured a string of misfortunes in his home race, but on Sunday, he finally broke the curse and triumphed in front of his adoring fans.Leclerc's victory was a testament to his unwavering determination and the unwavering support of his team. Despite starting on pole position twice before, he had never managed to finish on the podium in Monaco. But this time, everything fell into place.The race itself was a relatively dull affair, with Leclerc dominating from start to finish. However, the emotional weight of the occasion was evident in Leclerc's voice as he spoke to the media after the race."It's the race that made me dream of becoming a Formula One driver one day," he said. "And it was such a difficult race emotionally because already 15 laps to the end you are just hoping nothing happens, already the emotions were coming."Leclerc's victory was particularly poignant as it came just days after the anniversary of his father's death. He admitted that he had been thinking of his father a lot during the race and that his victory was a tribute to his memory."I was thinking of my dad a lot more than I thought usually while driving -- obviously he's given everything for me to be here," he said. "It was our dream for me to race here and to win and so it's unbelievable."Leclerc's victory was also a major boost for Ferrari, who have struggled for consistency in recent years. The team's last win came at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix, and Leclerc's triumph in Monaco will give them renewed hope for the rest of the season."It's really difficult, at first, I thought we had quite a lot of margin, but we knew there was 78 laps to do on the same tyre which was very difficult," Leclerc said. "We did a great management of the tyres, there was a big part of the race where we had to manage the gap with George and in the last ten laps I called to push a bit more and the car felt amazing."Leclerc's victory was a fitting tribute to his talent and dedication. It was also a reminder that even in the face of adversity, dreams can come true.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari secured a thrilling pole position at his home Monaco Grand Prix, ending Max Verstappen's streak of seven consecutive poles. Leclerc's lap time of 1:10.270 seconds was 0.154 seconds faster than McLaren's Oscar Piastri.Verstappen, the championship leader, struggled with his Red Bull and could only manage sixth fastest after hitting the barriers on his final lap. Leclerc's pole position was his third at Monaco and ended Verstappen's record-equalling run of eight straight poles.Leclerc's Ferrari teammate, Carlos Sainz, finished third, followed by Lando Norris in the second McLaren, George Russell in the Mercedes, and Verstappen. Piastri, who impressed in qualifying, said he was close to pole position but missed out due to a split lap.Sainz admitted to struggling with confidence in the car but was pleased with his improvement. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finished seventh in the second Mercedes, ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly.The qualifying session was fiercely contested, with the top 14 drivers separated by less than a second. Sergio Perez of Red Bull and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin were among the notable drivers to miss out on Q3.In Q2, the Alpines impressed with Gasly securing a place in Q3. Piastri and Norris led the way for McLaren, while Esteban Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll, and Kevin Magnussen were eliminated.In the top ten shootout, Leclerc set a blistering pace, clocking a time of 1:10.418. Sainz and Verstappen attempted to challenge but fell short. Hamilton improved to fourth, while Russell finished fifth.Leclerc's pole position was a significant moment for Ferrari, marking their 250th pole position in Formula One. The Monegasque driver will be hoping to convert his pole into a victory on Sunday, a feat he has yet to achieve at his home race.

Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton set the pace in the opening free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix, edging out McLaren's Oscar Piastri by a mere 0.029 seconds. Hamilton's Mercedes teammate, George Russell, finished third, followed by Lando Norris in the second McLaren.Local favorite Charles Leclerc, driving for Ferrari, placed fifth, ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso and his Aston Martin teammate Lance Stroll. The session was interrupted by a late red flag after Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu lost control of his Sauber and crashed, disrupting teams' plans to switch to soft tires.Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, struggled in his Red Bull car and finished 11th, 0.815 seconds off the pace. Verstappen complained about the car's handling on the bumpy Monaco circuit, which he had previously described as "one of the more difficult" for his team.McLaren unveiled a striking yellow and green livery as a tribute to the late Ayrton Senna, who won the Monaco Grand Prix six times. The session began with most teams opting for hard tires, but Piastri set the early pace on softs. Norris and Leclerc traded fastest laps before Hamilton and Russell moved up the order on softs.Hamilton's fastest lap of 1:12.169 put him at the top of the timesheets before Zhou Guanyu's crash triggered the red flag. The incident also caused damage to Leclerc's Ferrari, forcing him to pit for repairs.

Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula One world champion, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to reflect on his journey in Monaco ahead of this weekend's 81st Monaco Grand Prix. Recalling his first visit to the principality as a 13-year-old, Hamilton was struck by the event's history and grandeur."I really felt the place and its history," Hamilton said. "As I came through the tunnel, I remembered Ayrton (Senna) from watching it on TV as a kid. It felt surreal to think that I am now one of the 22 to do it - and that I have been doing it for so long."Hamilton's dream of racing in Monaco became a reality when he won the Grand Prix three times - in 2008, 2016, and 2019. He also purchased an apartment and now resides in the Mediterranean principality."I raced here the first time when I was 18 or 19," Hamilton added. "In Formula Three, it was epic. I had a rented scooter and was running around town. It was really epic for me. And then, I got to go on the grid, and it was crazy because I had only ever seen Martin Brundle there."Despite the recent struggles of his Mercedes team, Hamilton remains enthusiastic about driving and is eager to perform well in Monaco."We don't have any upgrades this weekend," Hamilton said. "The package was spread over the last two races. We have our highest downforce package and an evolved wing, but otherwise, I don't know where we'll be.""But I am more excited than I have been with the previous two cars. They were not so great. This one is a real work in progress and it's much better than last year."Hamilton emphasized the complexities of racing in Monaco, including the need to consider factors such as ride height, balance, weight distribution, cambers, and tows. He expressed optimism about the potential of his car and his team's ability to improve."I hope we just hit the ground running and we don't look back," Hamilton said. "But this car is more predictable and it is nice to drive. It's not perfect, but we are going in the right direction."