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McLaren's Lando Norris stunned the field to secure pole position for the Singapore Grand Prix, edging out championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull in a dramatic qualifying session. Norris's blistering lap of 1min 30.002sec was 0.155sec faster than Verstappen, marking a significant upset for the British driver.Norris, who trails Verstappen by 59 points in the drivers' championship, expressed his delight with the result. "It was good enough for pole and I'm happy with that, especially here in Singapore," he said. "A good feeling. I've felt good all weekend, I've felt confident, maybe not so much in qualy but we got the job done."The qualifying session was marred by a late crash involving Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who spun into the barriers on the final bend. The incident brought out the red flag with just over eight minutes remaining, leaving most drivers with only one shot at a qualifying lap.Sainz's crash proved costly for Ferrari, as his teammate Charles Leclerc had his only lap time deleted for breaching track limits. As a result, the Ferrari duo will start down in ninth and 10th on the grid, respectively.Verstappen, who had struggled in practice, was pleased to secure a front-row start alongside Norris. "I'm happy to be on the front row if you look at where we came from yesterday," he said. "Tomorrow is a bit difficult to say, in Singapore a lot of things can happen, but at least we have a shot at it like this."Lewis Hamilton, who has endured a challenging season with Mercedes, managed to put together a strong lap to qualify third. "Qualifying has been a disaster for me all year long and I've been working, working and working trying to get myself back up there," said the seven-time world champion. "All of a sudden the car came alive for the first time in qualifying in a long time."McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Haas's Nico Hulkenberg will start on the third row, while Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Yuki Tsunoda (RB) will occupy the fourth row. Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez failed to make it to the shootout for pole position and will start from 13th on the grid.The Singapore Grand Prix is known for its unpredictable nature, and with a tight field and several potential challengers, the race promises to be an exciting affair.

Italian prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to make history as he joins Mercedes in Formula One next season, replacing the legendary Lewis Hamilton. The 18-year-old from Bologna has had a remarkable youth career, winning multiple championships and showcasing exceptional talent.Antonelli's journey to Formula One began in 2022, when he dominated the Italian and German Formula 4 championships. He continued his winning streak in 2023, claiming the Middle East and European regional Formula championships. This season, he skipped Formula 3 and jumped straight into Formula 2, where he has impressed despite a slow start.Antonelli's breakthrough came at the Silverstone sprint race in July, where he secured his first victory. He followed this up with a win in the main race in Budapest two weeks later. Currently, he sits seventh in the championship with four rounds remaining.Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff expressed his excitement about the partnership between Antonelli and George Russell, another product of the team's junior program. "Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth, and raw speed," Wolff said. "We are confident that George and Kimi will bring a winning combination to the team."Antonelli's move to Mercedes is a testament to his exceptional talent and the team's belief in his potential. He will replace Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari after this season. The young Italian will have the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest drivers in Formula One history and contribute to Mercedes' continued success.

Max Verstappen's frustration boiled over at the Hungarian Grand Prix, leading to a public rebuke from his own engineer. The reigning world champion blamed Red Bull's strategy for his disappointing fifth-place finish, but his engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, swiftly dismissed his complaints as "childish."Verstappen's outburst came after a collision with Lewis Hamilton on lap 63 of the 70-lap race. The Dutchman attempted to overtake Hamilton at Turn One but locked up his brakes and crashed into the Mercedes driver. Verstappen immediately took to the team radio to vent his frustrations, accusing Hamilton of moving in his "braking zone."Lambiase, known for his calm demeanor, responded with uncharacteristic firmness. "I am not even going to get into a radio fight with the other teams, Max," he said. "We'll let the stewards do their thing. It's childish on the radio, childish."Verstappen defended his behavior, claiming that it was acceptable to be vocal on the radio. However, his outburst raised questions about his ability to handle pressure as McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari close the gap on Red Bull.The incident was the latest in a series of controversies involving Verstappen. In recent races, he has been involved in collisions with Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc, leading to accusations of reckless driving.Hamilton, who finished third in Hungary, downplayed the incident with Verstappen. "I think he was much quicker," Hamilton said. "I moved a little to defend and I left enough space on the inside, but he locked up and then obviously couldn't turn."Verstappen's advantage in the drivers' championship has been trimmed to 76 points by Lando Norris. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has expressed concern about the team's recent performance, particularly Perez's struggles in qualifying.

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.

George Russell's dominance in Formula 1 continued at the British Grand Prix, as he secured his second pole position in four races. The Mercedes driver outpaced his teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.171 seconds, with McLaren's Lando Norris completing an all-British top three.Russell's success was largely attributed to the wet weather conditions during qualifying. The Mercedes car has consistently performed well in cooler temperatures, as evidenced by Russell's pole position at the Canadian GP. The wet-to-dry qualifying session at Silverstone provided the ideal conditions for the Mercedes to excel on the soft tire runs.Max Verstappen, the championship leader, had a disappointing qualifying session by his standards. He went off into the gravel in Q1, potentially damaging his car's downforce. This incident hindered his performance throughout qualifying, leaving him in fourth place.With rain expected on Sunday, Russell is well-positioned to secure his second consecutive win after his victory at the Austrian GP. However, Hamilton, an eight-time winner at Silverstone, will be a formidable challenger. Norris, in the McLaren, has also shown impressive pace in recent races and could pose a threat to the Mercedes duo.Ferrari's struggles continued at Silverstone, with Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas outqualifying Carlos Sainz. Charles Leclerc failed to make it to Q3, further highlighting Ferrari's decline in performance. Lance Stroll also outqualified Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin team.Sergio Perez had a disastrous qualifying session, crashing into the gravel in Q1. This marked another Q1 elimination for the Mexican driver.

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.

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."

Max Verstappen's dominance continued in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, as he overcame early electrical issues to secure a resounding victory. Starting from fourth on the grid, Verstappen charged past Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes on lap nine and extended his lead to 13 seconds by the finish line.Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez, finished third after a thrilling battle with the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as well as Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin. Leclerc and Sainz swapped positions multiple times, while Alonso retired on lap 18 with a puncture.Lando Norris, who started from pole, could only manage sixth place in his McLaren, while his teammate Oscar Piastri finished seventh. George Russell rounded out the points scorers in eighth.Hamilton, who started second, got off to a quick start and held the lead for the first few laps. However, Verstappen's electrical issues were resolved by lap seven, and he quickly closed the gap on Alonso. Two laps later, Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final hairpin and cruised to victory."The first few laps were hectic," said Verstappen. "The wind is changing a lot which makes it difficult to drive. Once we sorted (the battery) out we were OK."Hamilton, who earned seven points for his second-place finish, was pleased with his performance. "That's the best result I've had in a long time, so I'm super happy and grateful," he said. "We couldn't fight the Red Bulls, the race was tough but I found out a lot about the car through this short stint so I'm excited for the race tomorrow."The Chinese Grand Prix sprint race marked the first of six sprints on the 2023 Formula One calendar. The new weekend format allows teams to adjust their car set-ups after the sprint race for GP qualifying, which was not previously allowed.