List of All Articles with Tag 'f1'

David Coulthard insists Formula 1 should revisit plans from a decade ago to race in New York. F1 currently had three races in the United States, with Las Vegas set to make its debut in November to join Austin and Miami. The sport had plans 10 years ago to race in Weehawken, New Jersey, on a street track overlooking the Hudson River, but the plan was foiled due to a contractual dispute. Yet former McLaren and Red Bull driver Coulthard – who drove a 2012 Red Bull show car around sections of the track in New York – believes a race in the Big Apple would be the “perfect place” for F1 to find the sweet spot stateside. “We tried to get a race in New York several years ago at Weehawken,” Coulthard told Autosport. “I remember running in one of the Red Bull show cars. I drove part of the section of track n the F1 car and it was unbelievable. “Opposite Manhattan, there was a section that made Eau Rouge at Spa look like kids’ stuff. If they ever were able to reignite that plan right there, I think that would be the perfect place.” Coulthard, a 13-time grand prix winner who is now a pundit for Channel 4’s F1 coverage, added that each event would have its “own flavour”, given the different cities each race take place in. “I think we can go to four races in the future, when you consider the land mass,” he said. “And that’s the utopian dream – to break America. “They’ll all have their own flavour, they have to. State to state in America is very different, so race to race – each event has to reflect that. “Austin is what we’re used to – a proper track, so we turn up and go racing. Miami is a bit of a hybrid track and Vegas is a playground for adults. “Being in a city, rather than at a venue, the event will undoubtedly take over. And being a Saturday night race there’ll be a big buzz.” After last week’s second edition of the Miami Grand Prix, F1’s next American race will be in Austin at the Circuit of the Americas in October before Vegas a month later. Read More When is the next F1 race of the season? Miami Grand Prix bosses in discussions about staging F1 night race The Miami Grand Prix could already have a problem – and it comes in the form of Las Vegas Lewis Hamilton criticises Florida’s anti-LBGTQ measures ahead of Miami Grand Prix Las Vegas GP reveal new images ahead of ticket sale with cheapest seat going for $1,500

Felipe Massa has reiterated calls for Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 F1 title triumph to be investigated after new remarks surfaced from Bernie Ecclestone. Brazilian driver Massa, then racing for Ferrari, missed out on that year’s title by a single point in dramatic circumstances at the final race in Brazil as Hamilton – then driving for McLaren - claimed the point he needed on the final lap in wet conditions. Yet new comments, by former F1 supremo Ecclestone, about that year’s infamous ‘Crashgate’ scandal in Singapore has encouraged Massa to assess all his potential options as to whether the Championship result could be overturned. Speaking about Ecclestone’s comments for the first time on camera, 42-year-old Massa labelled Hamilton’s first F1 title win an ‘injustice’ and ‘not fair’. “You fight them to the last corner of the last race, pass the chequered flag as the champion and then everything changed,” he told Sky Sports in Miami. “For sure, a fight on the track. “Then you discover what has happened in Singapore. People, important people like Bernie [Ecclestone], like Max Mosley, like Charlie Whiting - they knew in 2008 and they didn’t do anything. “That is really a massive surprise for me. It’s really [an] injustice and I think definitely we need to study everything that happened because it’s not fair what has happened.” Ecclestone revealed in March that both he and then-FIA president Max Mosley knew of the Crashgate scandal in 2008, but refused to publicise the chain of events to avoid the sport a “huge scandal.” WHAT WAS CRASHGATE? Crashgate rocked the sport when the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix in 2008 saw Renault’s Fernando Alonso win the race before it emerged that his team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr. had deliberately crashed to bring out a safety car which played into Alonso’s hands. That safety car prompted a Massa pit stop that Ferrari mishandled, with Massa eventually finishing the race 13th while Hamilton came home third – a difference of six points, a swing which ultimately impacted the title result. While Renault and team boss Flavio Briatore were punished in 2009, the result of the race stood despite Massa’s protestations, with the FIA’s statues making clear that overturning the classification from each season is impossible once the FIA Awards Ceremony for that year is complete, a rule set in the FIA International Sporting Code. “We decided not to do anything for now,” Ecclestone told F1-Insider. “We wanted to protect the sport and save it from a huge scandal. That’s why I used angelic tongues to persuade my former driver Nelson Piquet to keep calm for the time being. “Back then, there was a rule that a world championship classification after the FIA ​​awards ceremony at the end of the year was untouchable. So Hamilton was presented with the trophy and everything was fine. “We had enough information in time to investigate the matter. According to the statutes, we should have cancelled the race in Singapore under these conditions. “That means it would never have happened for the championship standings. And then Felipe Massa would have become world champion and not Lewis Hamilton.” Upon hearing this new information come to light, Massa told Motorsport.com last month that he will look into his – albeit slim – legal options, noting the example of Lance Armstrong’s doping revelations and the stripping of his Tour de France victories. “There is a rule that says that when a championship is decided, from the moment the driver receives the champion’s trophy, things can no longer be changed, even if it has been proven a theft,” Massa, who ultimately did not win an F1 world title, said. “At the time, Ferrari’s lawyers told me about this rule. We went to other lawyers and the answer was that nothing could be done. So I logically believed in this situation. “But after 15 years, we hear that the [former] owner of the category says that he found out in 2008, together with the president of the FIA, and they did nothing [so as] to not tarnish the name of F1. “This is very sad, to know the result of this race was supposed to be cancelled and I would have a title. In the end, I was the one who lost the most with this result. So, we are going after it to understand all this. “We have already seen other situations happening in sports, such as Lance Armstrong, who was proven to have doped, and he lost all the titles. What is the difference?” Despite Massa’s comments, his options appear slim, with the FIA’s own International Sporting Code stating protests and reviews expire 14 days after a competition and four days prior to that year’s prize giving ceremony. He also cannot use the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has no jurisdiction over the FIA on issues like this, with the independent International Court of Appeal the highest authority in the sport. CAS may only be involved in F1 matters relating to the FIA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee. Massa’s best-finish in F1 turned out to be that 2008 season as he retired in 2017 while Hamilton has gone on to win six more titles with Mercedes, holding the joint-record of seven F1 World Championships with Michael Schumacher. Read More Lewis Hamilton would be taking gamble by leaving Mercedes, says former rival Inspired by Schumacher, meet the Hong Kong billionaire targeting a new Formula 1 team Is a bright Ferrari future being hampered by the past? The Miami Grand Prix could already have a problem – and it comes in the form of Las Vegas Max Verstappen urged to ‘take leaf out of Lewis Hamilton’s book’ after George Russell clash

While Formula 1 may be struggling to invigorate the spectacle of racing amid another anticipated year of Red Bull dominance, one area it is not struggling in is the off-track coffers. With more races than ever before, and the bumper profits that go with it, an inevitable side-effect is wandering eyes from afar. The sport’s governing body, the FIA, has thus opened an “expressions of interest” process in January for new potential teams to join the current 10-team grid, perhaps as soon as 2025. Enter Calvin Lo: a Hong Kong-based billionaire. CEO of R.E. Lee International, the world’s largest life insurance broker, the 45-year-old has been “hooked” on the sport since glimpsing Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari on TV in the early 2000s. A trip to Shanghai for the first Chinese Grand Prix in 2004 underlined that adoration. But now, spectating from the paddock isn’t enough. “I’m having serious discussions about getting involved right now,” he tells The Independent, from an office in Singapore, with all the paperwork lying in front of him. “There’s actually quite a few proposals in front of me right now to see how I can participate. “F1 needs more teams. There’s too many talents in motorsport to not have more teams. But when I go through it, it is highly aspirational and absolutely, very ambitious. Still, I’d loved to be involved financially.” But not at the cost of his reputation. Financial prudence and sustainability are at the forefront of his thinking, with the extended FIA deadline for applications closing on Sunday. The entrance fee for any new team is $200m, shared by all the current teams. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has previously remarked that $1bn is realistically required to fight at the front, a figure Lo agrees is “fair” given the basic costs of recruitment and car development. “I won’t get myself into that vicious cycle where I can’t hit those financial markers,” he says, adamantly. “Putting money into the team is not the difficult part. It’s making sure it’s sustainable; otherwise it’s embarrassing for everyone. It’s very intricate, even with an established group of people, with all the sponsorship and the detail. “But there’s so much potential in this part of the world – it’d be so advantageous to the Asian community and to the F1 ecosystem.” Audi have already confirmed their entry in 2026, taking over from Alfa Romeo (Sauber), while American giant Ford has partnered with Red Bull for the world champions’ new powertrains division. While Lo was tight-lipped about naming potential partnerships, he did emphasise his eagerness to join forces with a new team via the current FIA process. Confirmed bids from Andretti Cadillac, as well as a mooted submission from junior formula outfit Hitech GP, were ruled out. An association with Panthera Team Asia, therefore, seems most probable at this point. Lo also has a financial link with Williams’ F1 team, who were bought by private investment firm Dorilton Capital nearly three years ago, but non-disclosure agreements preclude him from elaborating further. He was insistent, however, that any new team would not present a conflict of interest. Instead, his new venture, likely based out of Asia, would be his primary focus. The continent is a “huge untapped market” for the sport, in Lo’s view, amid the Americanisation of the sport witnessed at the weekend in Miami. An academy for drivers and academics alike is also a target. “To truly make F1 global, we cannot forget this part of the world,” he says. “There are races, but the penetration is not high and it’s wasted. “I would love to have an Asian team with a base in the Pearl River Delta [the wealthiest region in south China]. The initial few seasons would be tough but it’s important for the sport to have more exposure and commitment here. “It’d be great to have an academy here. Recruiting talents not just for F1, but aeronautics and legal avenues. For young people to be exposed to this kind of world, it could change someone’s life. “With [F1’s new regulations in] 2026 and the net-zero target of 2030, now is the perfect time to be involved behind the scenes.” Working in the shadows is just how Lo operates. Widely publicised as the “secretive” or “under-the-radar” billionaire – who has a net worth of $1.7bn (£1.3bn) according to Forbes – he covets privacy, despite a lucrative lifestyle which includes owning a suite of supercars and a collection of tip-top champagne, with a single batch costing $230m. “If I go into F1, you won’t see me,” he reveals. “It’s not my style. It’s also partly to do with my main business and working with clients. “In my view, the wealthier you are… you don’t go out and flaunt it. Well some do, most don’t!” McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes there will be at least four prospective teams interested in joining the sport, while F1’s regulations cater for only two more spots. Lo has been included in an initial application to play a financial role – even if he won’t be the face of said new team – and the FIA intends on making a decision about which teams will be granted a shot at the big time by the end of June. “By 2026, it will be a different world we live in and it’d be pretty amazing to be part of that change,” he concludes. “It’s now about looking at all the plans and making a decision truly from a financial point of view. “The skeleton is already there. It’s now just getting everyone to commit themselves.” Read More FIA formally opens applications for new teams to join F1 grid Andretti joins forces with General Motors to target Formula 1 entry FIA boss ‘surprised’ at ‘adverse reaction’ to Andretti’s F1 bid with Cadillac Aussie billionaire David Dicker enters race for new team to join F1 grid Ford to rejoin Formula 1 as engine partner for Red Bull from 2026

Red Bull’s Helmut Marko says Mercedes made a last-ditch attempt to sign Adrian Newey as the Silver Arrows desperately look to haul in the deficit to Formula 1’s dominant team. Newey, the lead designer behind Red Bull’s rapid RB19 car this season, last week extended his deal with the Milton Keynes outfit. Yet F1 Insider report that the 64-year-old received a phone call from a Mercedes assistant, who formerly worked at Red Bull, about opening talks regarding a potential move to Toto Wolff’s team. But Newey, who has been at Red Bull since 2006, rejected the offer and Red Bull’s special advisor Marko seemed to confirm the report while speaking at the Miami Grand Prix. “Mr. Wolff may not seem to have the full confidence in his own people to fix the problems with their car,” said Marko. Mercedes recently announced a job swap in their department, with James Alisson returning to his role of technical director and Mike Elliott taking up the position of Chief Technical Officer. Wolff labelled the W14 a “nasty piece of work” over the weekend in Miami, where George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and sixth respectively. Mercedes, the constructors’ champions in F1 from 2014-2021, are pinning their 2023 hopes on a highly-anticipated upgrade at the next race at Imola in the hope it reduces the gap to Red Bull out in front. Red Bull, meanwhile, are expanding to become an engine manufacturer for the new set of regulations in 2026, partnering with American automotive giant Ford to form Red Bull-Ford Powertrains. Newey, who is seen by many as the main reason behind Red Bull’s supreme RB19 this season given his experience in ground-effect aerodynamics, will play an important role as the division launches in Milton Keynes. “Adrian has been such a fundamental part since almost the beginning,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “He covers a lot of a lot of areas and, to have the depth of his experience and knowledge to draw upon, and the way he works with the young guys, it’s great. “He’s just as motivated as he always [has] been. Obviously, he has a great interest in what’s going on in Powertrains, and Red Bull Advanced Technology as well. So, he covers the three pillars of the campus in Milton Keynes.” Read More Red Bull chief ‘signs new contract’ in blow to rival F1 teams ‘Nasty piece of work’: Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes slammed by Toto Wolff Where are Mercedes and Ferrari? Frankly, you don’t want to hear the answer Max Verstappen claims Miami boos are due to his success: ‘They don’t like who wins’ George Russell takes aim at ‘distracting’ razzmatazz before Miami Grand Prix

Formula One has long been the established championship at the pinnacle of motorsport racing, but that is now all changing in the eyes those involved in another series. Alejandro Agag is chief of the Formula E championship which is now in its ninth season, running a third generation all-electric racecar. Over the weekend, the famous streetrace of Monaco hosted the ninth race of 2023 - just past the midway point in the campaign - and Agag feels the new vehicle is perfectly suited for such an historic and prestigious track. Moreover, Agag says the championship as a whole has progressed to such an extent over the past couple of years that it can now lay serious claim to being a requirement for the best drivers to conquer, the Independent has learned. “It’s a car made for the streets of Monaco. This Gen 3 really takes Formula E to another level,” Agag said on TalkSport’s On Track show. “It takes it to a level where strategy is key. “I think we’ve put it in a place where if you really want to call yourself the best driver in the world, you really need to win Formula 1 and Formula E.” That is a view which has been echoed by several drivers on the FE grid, who feel the added strategy and control required makes it the real pinnacle of motorsport. Dan Ticktum, a British driver with NIO, told the Independent in March that F1 drivers could be picked up on factors including nationality and financial backing - whereas FE drivers were simply there on talent. “All the drivers are here because we’re good. It’s all merit-based,” Ticktum said. “You very rarely get signed because of a nationality. In Formula 1, a lot of people are being signed now who are not actually good enough in my opinion, it’s just where they are born. Formula E doesn’t pay attention to any of that. “The best drivers rise to the top – merit only. There are very few championships in the world where every driver is paid to do their job; from a fans’ point of view I would like that a lot – it’s the best drivers in the world going head-to-head.” At present, the only past Formula E champion currently involved in F1 is Nyck de Vries, in his debut season with AlphaTauri. Several of those on the FE grid have previously been in F1, but the claim would suggest Max Verstappen, F1’s current champion and leader in this season’s championship, would need to also make the switch to unify the titles, as such. ::The On Track show - the only dedicated weekly motorsport show on UK national radio - airs from on TalkSport at 1pm on Tuesday and repeats at 9pm. Read More FIA face scrutiny after Norris almost drives into official in another near-miss Where are Mercedes and Ferrari? Frankly, you don’t want to hear the answer George Russell takes aim at ‘distracting’ razzmatazz before Miami Grand Prix

Formula One’s governing body has launched an investigation following another near-miss in the pit-lane at Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix. A week after Esteban Ocon almost collided with a cluster of individuals in Azerbaijan, footage has emerged of an official – understood to be a volunteer marshal – walking in front of Lando Norris as the British driver entered the pits in his McLaren. The incident on lap five of the 57-lap race was uploaded to the Sky Sports’ F1 website, but has since been removed. An FIA spokesperson told the PA news agency: “We are aware of the incident and looking into it with local organisers.” The alarming flashpoint followed an FIA review into pit-lane safety after Ocon said the sport narrowly avoided a “disaster” when he stopped for tyres on the final lap at the previous round in Baku. An on-board camera from the French driver’s car showed dozens of people – who had gathered at the entrance to the pit-lane with the race still ongoing – scrambling to get out of his way. Ahead of last weekend’s race in the United States, the FIA updated its rulebook to prevent “mechanics from moving from their garages to the parc ferme”, and “other personnel or VIPs from entering the pit lane, until the last car has taken the chequered flag”. The FIA warned that “any infringement will result in the removal of passes from the team(s) in question from subsequent events, and potential reporting of the infringing team(s) to the stewards”. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

A running joke, visible in front of the cameras, is playing out between Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso this season. After Verstappen only qualified ninth for Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, second-placed Alonso predicted – in a routine which would be laughable if it wasn’t so accurate – that the Red Bull would slingshot past him by lap 25. In similar circumstances three races back in Saudi Arabia, wily double world champion Alonso was near-enough spot-on with the same prophecy. Except this time, it didn’t take Verstappen that long. By lap 15, Verstappen had overtaken seven sitting ducks to reach the rear of team-mate Sergio Perez. Eking out the maximum performance in his set of hard tyres, the Dutchman was in prime position to overtake Perez by the time he pitted for mediums on lap 46. Two rounds of the circuit later, Verstappen stormed clear of Perez’s valiant defence to take a statement victory. That, plus the fastest lap, handed the championship leader a perfect 26-point day. His gap to Perez is now 14 points. Aston Martin’s Alonso, in third, is 44 points behind Verstappen – the closest challenger outside the Red Bull behemoth. But it is the Constructors’ Standings which really tells the tale of this one-sided bloodbath right now. Red Bull, on 224 points out of a possible 235, are 122 points ahead of Aston Martin, a surprise success story. Mercedes and Ferrari – giants of Formula 1, the supposed title challengers – are 128 and 146 points behind Red Bull respectively. We have had just five grand prix weekends. Five. Christian Horner, gleaming under the Florida sun after a fourth Red Bull one-two in five races, simply could not help himself: “We’ve never, ever had a start like this. We’re wondering: where are the others? We’ve made a normal step over the winter. “Where did Ferrari and Mercedes go?” The gap between the RB19 and the rest is truly staggering. Excluding the Australian Grand Prix which concluded under the safety car, the amassed gap between the RB19 and the next-best car is over 1 minute and 45 seconds. 106.8 seconds, to be precise, in just four grand prix. In Miami, the gap was 26.3 seconds, still less than the 38.6 second Red Bull advantage at the season-opener in Bahrain. RED BULL’S ADVANTAGE OVER THE NEXT-BEST CAR Bahrain: 36.6 seconds Saudi Arabia: 20.7 seconds Australia: 0.1 seconds Azerbaijan: 21.2 seconds Miami: 26.3 seconds In short, Mercedes and Ferrari have never been further away from the front in the hybrid era. Last year, in what proved to be a season of double world championship glory for Red Bull, Charles Leclerc was at least winning races and challenging at the start of the campaign. By the end of 2022, Mercedes seemed to have, finally, unlocked their unique package with a one-two finish in Brazil. Yet on Sunday, Leclerc was grappling with Haas’ and Alpines in the midfield on his way to seventh. Lewis Hamilton – who only qualified 13th-fastest – had to make a late surge to leap up to P6. Perhaps the most amusing moment in the closing laps was George Russell, in a state of bewildered shock running in fourth, asking his engineer: “Who is the car ahead of Fernando on track? We’re that close to Perez?!” A simple response squashed any hope. It was simply a lapped car. “No, sorry. It’s Sargeant on track.” Ever since admitting to needing to rip up their current car philosophy in Bahrain, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has referred to the next race in Imola as a potential season benchmark, with a new upgrade highly-anticipated. Yet while Hamilton insisted he needs a “one-second upgrade”, Wolff downplayed expectations. “I don’t think we’ll get there and suddenly we’re half a second faster and in the middle of a fight,” he remarked, after a weekend in Miami when he also described the W14 car as a “nasty piece of work” and “poisonous.” Ferrari, meanwhile, do have a car capable of challenging on a Saturday, as Leclerc showed in the last race in Baku with two pole positions. Yet the contrast to raceday – a reminder to the Scuderia: when the points are won – is perplexing to all those in scarlet red. “Once again today, the significant difference between the SF-23’s performance level in qualifying and the race was clear to see,” a baffled Fred Vasseur, team principal, said. Two weeks’ time in Imola will see Ferrari’s famed legion of fans, the tifosi, turn up in their thousands. What Ferrari greets them, however, remains to be seen. Upgrades are coming for both. Mercedes – and the wider F1 fanbase, truth be told – are pinning their season hopes on this upcoming renovation. Ferrari have new parts coming too, amid a scratching of heads in Maranello. Horner did point out that Red Bull’s penalty for breaking the 2021 cost cap will affect them as the season progresses. Even more reason, he says, to get “fresh air” between Red Bull and the chasing pack right now. But he need not worry. The gap already looks near-insurmountable with 18 races to go. The title fight looks likely to be played out between his men – and even then with a now-undisputed favourite. Keep those fingers and toes crossed for Imola. Maybe the upgrades can miraculously narrow the top-tier playing field. The competitiveness of this season may just hinge on it. Read More ‘Nasty piece of work’: Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes slammed by Toto Wolff Max Verstappen claims Miami boos are due to his success: ‘They don’t like who wins’ Max Verstappen sends chilling message to rivals after Miami win: ‘I always feel unbeatable’ George Russell takes aim at ‘distracting’ razzmatazz before Miami Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton would be taking gamble by leaving Mercedes, says former rival

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes was criticised by Toto Wolff as being “a nasty piece of work” after the British driver qualified only 13th for the Miami Grand Prix. As Sergio Perez took a surprise pole position – with Charles Leclerc’s late crash resulting in a red flag to leave Max Verstappen ninth on the grid – Hamilton endured another sobering evening in his unruly machine. COMMENT: Where are Mercedes and Ferrari? Frankly, you don’t want to hear the answer Fernando Alonso joins Perez on the front row following another impressive display by the evergreen Spaniard, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz third. Kevin Magnussen qualified fourth for Haas ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell. Leclerc, who broke his rear wing in the accident at Turn 7, qualified seventh. On Friday, Hamilton described the performance of his lacklustre Mercedes as “a kick in the guts”, and his mood will only have worsened after he was eliminated from Q2, an eye-watering 1.1 seconds off the pace, and two-tenths down on Russell. He returned to the pits shaking his head and took aim at Mercedes for leaving him with too much to do by not releasing him early enough for his final attempt in Q2. “We left that way too late, guys,” he said over the radio. Hamilton now trails team-mate Russell 4-1 in qualifying after the opening five rounds. “There is not a lot to say to Lewis because the car is simply not fast enough,” said Mercedes team principal Wolff. “Putting him in a situation on his out lap where the driver is not able to prepare his tyres makes it even worse. “We are not trying to make mistakes. We are trying to give the drivers the best position on the track, and we have in the past got it wrong many times, and also got it right many times. But if things go badly, they compound the situation. “I take no enjoyment from finishing sixth (with Russell) and it is the lack of comprehension of what is wrong that makes this car such a nasty piece of work. “The car is not a good car. There are problems everywhere, with the base performance of the car and the lack of understanding of the car. The performance is just really bad. It is not acceptable.” Hamilton, already 45 points behind championship leader Verstappen, started Saturday’s running on the backfoot following a near-miss with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen. The 38-year-old was on his first speedy lap of the afternoon when he was blocked by the Dane under braking at Turn 17. Hamilton was forced to take evasive action, brushing the barriers in the process. “Check the front wing”, said the Mercedes driver, who swiftly dived into the pits for repairs. “I just hit the wall.” Commenting on his lowly grid slot for Sunday’s 57-lap race, Hamilton said: “We knew it would be very hard and there was a 50:50 chance we could get into Q3 so we needed to be better with our timing. “But it’s done. I’ll try and get my head down tomorrow and see what I can do – 13th to God knows where.” Verstappen looked set to secure pole after dominating practice, but he made a mistake in his first run in Q3. Then, with less than two minutes remaining, Leclerc lost control of his Ferrari and thudded into the wall. The session was red-flagged and did not restart, leaving Verstappen, who leads Perez by just six points in the standings, in the midfield. “F*** sake,” said the Dutchman over the radio after he was unable to complete his final lap. For Perez, his pole comes a week after winning in Azerbaijan, and provides him with the chance to assume control of the world championship. “It has been a bad weekend,” said the Mexican, who had struggled to get up to speed in his Red Bull before qualifying. “But we made a small change and everything came alive. Tomorrow is an opportunity starting from pole and we will go out there and enjoy this amazing crowd.” Read More ‘They don’t like who wins’: Max Verstappen claims Miami boos are due to his success ‘I always feel unbeatable’: Max Verstappen sends chilling message to title rivals Max Verstappen ignores boos from crowd to storm to Miami Grand Prix win F1 highlights: How to watch Miami GP race online Lewis Hamilton would be taking gamble by joining Ferrari, says former rival Sergio Perez on pole for Miami Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc crash in qualifying

Toto Wolff has dampened expectations on Mercedes’ highly-anticipated upgrade for the next race in Imola despite Lewis Hamilton calling for a one-second upgrade after the Miami Grand Prix. After qualifying a lowly 13th, Hamilton finished sixth in Miami on Sunday with team-mate George Russell a respectable fourth - but still way out of Red Bull’s league after another one-two finish for the reigning world champions. While Hamilton insisted he needed a “second upgrade” worth around one second, Wolff believes the upgrade for Imola may not even be worth half-a-second, instead saying it will be a “good baseline”, adding: “I don’t think we’ll get there and suddenly we’re half a second faster and in the middle of a fight. We won’t.” Elsewhere, Max Verstappen sends a chilling warning to his title rivals, Wolff lambasts Hamilton’s Mercedes car after qualifying and George Russell criticises unusual pre-race introductions. Follow all the latest F1 news and reaction with The Independent Read More Max Verstappen ignores jeers from crowd to storm to Miami Grand Prix win Max Verstappen sends chilling message to rivals after Miami win: ‘I always feel unbeatable’ ‘Nasty piece of work’: Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes slammed by Toto Wolff