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      Lewis Hamilton insists Mercedes can close gap on Red Bull despite still blasting car after second at Australian GP

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has insisted Mercedes are capable of catching Red Bull – after a fresh blast at his current car. The seven-time world champion finished an impressive second in a chaotic Australian Grand Prix.
      Lewis Hamilton was back on the podiumCredit: Getty
      He said he was ‘so happy’ to get such a positive resultCredit: AFP
      He and Mercedes team-mate George Russell qualified strongly before overtaking Verstappen on the opening lap to hold a one-two.
      However, the race eventually unravelled as Russell’s car set ON FIRE on lap 18 and Hamilton was breezed past by the Dutchman, who claimed his first-ever win in Australia.
      Following the race, Hamilton praised the efforts of the team back in the Mercedes factory, but described Red Bull as being in “another league”.
      Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “Firstly a huge thank you to everyone back at the factories. I feel so happy right now and grateful to them for continuing to push.
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      “I think we arrived with a car that’s been difficult and for us to be finishing on the podium and getting these points is remarkable, especially at this early phase when we have not actually changed the car.
      “It’s just happened to work this weekend and we have a lot of work to do to catch Red Bull because they came flying past.
      “But I hope this really gives us a boost of hope and energy that it’s so early on in the season [but] we’re there or thereabouts.
      “So I hope this is a message to everyone to just dig deep and keep pushing because it’s not that far away [and] it’s relatively close to reach (a win).”
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      Prior to the safety car caused by Alex Albon spinning off, Russell and Hamilton had been keeping Verstappen at bay.
      However, Hamilton does not believe his team-mate being there would have been enough to thwart Verstappen’s efforts to win the race.
      He added: “Max is in another league, his car is so fast.
      “I mean he passed me halfway down the straight and he was several metres ahead.
      “Like I don’t know how they’re so quick on the straight, it’s insane.
      “They’re in another league and until we pick up speed on straight and have the crazy downforce they have through the corners we won’t be near.” More

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      Michael Schumacher’s old rival shares heartbreaking regret on F1 legend & says ‘It’s really bad what happened to him’

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      MICHAEL Schumacher’s old rival has shared his heartbreaking regret over the stricken F1 legend.F1 champ Damon Hill spoke about his sparring partner – with the two drivers having a famous duel for the title back in 1994.
      Michael Schumacher has not been seen or heard from for 10 yearsCredit: EPA
      Damon Hill shared his thoughts on his old rivalCredit: Getty
      Damon and Michael were fierce competitors in the 1990sCredit: Getty
      Hill, 62, who eventually won the world championship in 1996, came tantalising close to beating Schumacher during the infamous season.
      But a controversial tangle in the final race in which Schumacher collided his Benetton with Hill’s Williams – knocking them both out of the race and handing the crown to the German.
      Speaking about his old rival, Hill was reflective – with Schumacher not having been seen or heard from since a horror ski crash in 2013.
      The 54-year-old was left in a medically induced coma – and mystery has surrounded his condition ever since.
      READ MORE ON SCHUMACHER
      “I would have liked to have known him better. But that might not happen now,” said Damon.
      “It’s just really bad what happened to Michael.”
      Damon was asked if the two famous rivals were ever pals of tracks, to which he replied “not really”.
      He said: “I didn’t have much to do with Michael, not because of any other reason.
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      “I’d retired from racing and he was still racing. And when we were racing, we were sort of rivals.
      “I don’t think he was really interested in getting any relationship going. It’s a shame.”
      Damon retired from F1 in 1999 having claimed 22 wins, 20 pole positions and 42 podiums.
      Meanwhile, Schumacher went on to win five more titles with Ferrari before his own initial retirement in 2006.
      Hill’s comments come after Schumacher’s pal Eddie Jordan – who gave the legend his break in F1 – explained the hardship the family are facing as they try to respect Michael’s wishes for a private life.
      Michael’s wife Corinna – dubbed his “guardian angel” – has overseen the effort to ensure his wish for privacy is respected as he continues to recover from his horrific ski crash ten years ago.
      The 54-year-old rarely speaks about her husband and is understood to be at the centre of managing the family’s affairs – making sure they can continue living their quiet life.
      And this is on top of helping their son Mick’s own F1 career and the constant interest from fans about Michael.
      Not long after Michael’s crash, Eddie was refused a visit by Corinna to see his friend – a move he said he fully understands and backs amid the intense interest surrounding the stricken ace.
      “This was the most horrific situation for Mick and Corinna,” Eddie told The Sun Online.
      “It’s been nearly ten years now and Corinna has not been able to go to a party, to lunch or this or that, she’s like a prisoner because everyone would want to talk to her about Michael when she doesn’t need reminding of it every minute.”
      Corinna is understood to have imposed a “family only” rule on visits with Michael.
      And one of the only people outside their immediate circle who is allowed to visit him is F1 chief and ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt.
      [Corinna] has set out some rules, I know her very well and a long time before Michael Schumacher.
      “She’s a lovely girl and I knew her when she married Michael so there is a long history of good relations.”
      Eddie continued: “I made an effort to go see Michael in the early days and Corinna refused, and rightfully so because too many people wanted to go see him.
      “Jean Todt was given the privilege to go see him because of how close they were from their time together at Ferrari which is completely understandable.
      “I was not able to go see Michael and they said ‘We love you Eddie and we’ve been involved with you for a very long time, but we do need privacy and safeguard of Michael’.”
      Michael was left in a medically induced coma after his accident while skiing off piste on December 29, 2013 – spending three months in hospital before being released home.
      He is reported to have suffered a traumatic injury to his brain – but little other info has been released on his health.
      The lack of official updates has left room for speculation and conflicting reports from “insiders” about his slow progress.
      Some have claimed he was in a vegetative state while others claimed he was awake and able to talk.
      The F1 legend was a seven-time-world champion – winning five times for Ferrari and twice for Benetton – and is regarded as one of the greatest drivers of all time.
      He raced from 1991 to 2006, and again from 2010 to 2012, winning 91 races.
      Some pals have criticised the family for not being more open – including Schumacher’s manager of 20 years, Willi Weber, and Schumacher’s boss at Mercedes, Nick Fry.
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      Max Verstappen wins chaotic Australian GP after huge pile-up in two-lap shootout helps him hold off Hamilton and Alonso

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN won a chaotic and controversial Australian GP – which raised more questions about the FIA’s ability to referee F1 races.The Dutchman was deserving of his victory while Lewis Hamilton took second-place and Fernando Alonso survived a spin to come home in third place.
      Max Verstappen won the Australian Grand Prix for the first timeCredit: Rex
      Lewis Hamilton finished a close secondCredit: EPA
      A huge pile-up occurred late onCredit: https://twitter.com/F1

      Hamilton was delighted with his podium as he was no match for Verstappen’s pace.
      But it was the late drama which drew the attention, as a series of bizarre steward decisions again caused confusion.
      Ironic that former FIA Race Director, Michael Masi, was in the paddock for the first time given it was his bungling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP which cost him his job.
      The three world champions all held their nerve but it was heartbreak for George Russell, who had a nightmare.
      After a dream start where he beat Verstappen off the line, the Mercedes man came under pressure from his team-mate.
      He radioed his team saying: “You’re asking me to manage and I am being attacked by my own team-mate!”
      Mercedes responded by calling him in from second place to pit for tyres but it happened at the worst possible time as the race was red-flagged.
      The stop was caused by Alex Albon’s crash and allowed Russell’s rivals to make free pitstops for fresh tyres.
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      It was a controversial decision to stop the race with many drivers feeling that the stewards were too cautious.
      The pitstop dropped him to seventh place when he had been running in first but things soon turned even worse when his engine blew up on lap 18, sending him out of the race.
      It came after George Russell’s car set on fire earlier in the raceCredit: https://twitter.com/F1/status/1642404122967113729?s=20
      Meanwhile, Hamilton, who had inherited the lead from Russell’s pitstop, held off Verstappen at the restart after the red flag.
      But it lasted just two laps as the Dutchman breezed past Hamilton around the outside before turn nine.
      He then set about opening up a staggering TWO SECOND gap over Hamilton, which he made in just half a lap, such is the speed advantage of his Red Bull.
      But for a lock-up late on, Verstappen was untroubled as he maintained his advantage over Hamilton.
      The real excitement was between Hamilton and his old nemesis Alonso, as they battled for second place.
      At one point Hamilton radioed his team saying: “There’s no way I am losing to him!”
      The two sparred over the duration of the race until it was turned on its head just three laps from the end.
      Kevin Magnussen crashed his Haas, sending debris onto the track and, just as they had done with Albon’s crash the stewards again stopped the race.
      It meant that the race came down to the final two laps – just as the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP should have done.
      But Verstappen was furious and radioed his team saying: “What the f***! We don’t need a red flag.”
      It was the third standing start of the race and it sparked even more chaos as a total of SIX cars were all involved in collisions.
      Carlos Sainz clipped fellow Spaniard Alonso, earning himself a five-second penalty, which was hard on the Ferrari man.
      Alonso was spun and dropped back but the FIA decided to re-rack the grid for the THIRD standing start, moving him back into third place.
      “No!” said Sainz as he was told the news. “They need to wait until after the race to discuss it with me.”
      He was livid and it was understandable.
      The two Alpines hit each other too, sending debris all across the track, as they were both knocked out of the race when it had been looking so good for the team.
      Amid the chaos, the stewards again red-flagged the race with just a lap remaining.
      This time, the FIA CHANGED their rules and opted for a finish behind the safety car, so it was a rolling start.
      It was another spell of confusion, and big delay, as the stewards tossed up and thumbed through their rulebook to again decide the outcome of a race.
      Read More on The Sun
      It resulted in a damp squib, as they were told not to overtake and the final lap was a processional finish.
      It was anticlimactic, but this time it was fair – perhaps how the Abu Dhabi race should have ended too. More

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      F1 star George Russell pulls out of Australian GP as car SETS ON FIRE after Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes pal had led race

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      GEORGE RUSSELL was forced to retire from the Australia Grand Prix after his car SET ON FIRE. The Mercedes driver had been enjoying a good race in Melbourne until his afternoon was cut prematurely short.
      George Russell was forced to retire from the Australian Grand PrixCredit: AFP
      His car set on fire while he was in fourth placeCredit: https://twitter.com/F1/status/1642404122967113729?s=20
      And Russell was consequently forced to retireCredit: https://twitter.com/F1/status/1642404122967113729?s=20
      He was having a strong race, leading in the opening lapsCredit: AFP

      Russell had overtaken championship Max Verstappen on lap one after a better getaway off the grid.
      Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton followed him through shortly after, seeing the Mercedes duo hold a one-two position.
      However, this was to be short-lived as Alex Albon lost control of his car and spun into the wall, causing a safety car.
      Merc chiefs opted to pit race leader Russell to give him the optimum tyre strategy upon the restart.
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      But as the race director switched to a red flag, the strategy – and Russell’s race lead – went up in smoke.
      Upon the restart, Russell began his fightback from his newfound position of P7, fighting up to P4.
      But on lap 18 disaster struck as fire and smoke began blowing out the back of his W14.
      The 25-year-old then pulled to the side of the track and vacated his vehicle for stewards to extinguish the danger.
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      Russell has already taken to Twitter to bemoan his bad luck.
      In a short tweet he said: “When it’s not your day, it’s not your day.”
      The Brit became the third driver to retire from the race after Charles Leclerc became beached in the gravel trap upon being tagged on lap one and Albon’s crash.
      Russell’s team-mate Hamilton had inherited the race lead but was unable to hold off Verstappen for long as the Dutchman swept by him thanks to the help of DRS.
      Verstappen held on to win the race despite a huge pile-up at the end of the Grand Prix.
      Hamilton and Alonso shared the podium with him. More

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      F1 Australian Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen WINS after CHAOS sees Alonso crashes, Russell car on FIRE – latest

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN claimed victory in the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso after a huge PILE-UP at the end of the race.A late red flag saw the race restart from the grid, with a number of cars, INCLUDING Fernando Alonso, getting caught up in a catalogue of crashes.
      This denied Hamilton and Alonso the chance to try and overtake Verstappen, seeing the Dutchman eventually win his second race of the season and claim his first win in Australia.

      Start time: 6am UK time
      TV channel/ live stream: Sky Sports F1

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      Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
      Official Australian Grand Prix results:
      It took us a while to get there, we saw a lot of the safety car and three red flags in the process:

      Max Verstappen
      Lewis Hamilton
      Fernando Alonso
      Lance Stroll
      Sergio Perez

      Max Verstappen wins Australian Grand Prix
      FIA decision update:
      The race will resume in 10 minutes.
      It will take the format of a formation lap, so nobody will be able to overtake at all.
      They will drive to the chequered flag with all places as they start.
      For Fernando Alonso, the good news is he will start in third as they had not passed through a section before the third red flag so they have to resume as they started on that occasion.
      Cars that got damaged in the previous incident will not be involved.
      In addition, Carlos Sainz has been given a 5 second penalty for the contact he made with Fernando Alonso.
      FIA decision, race to restart with Alonso back in third
      Decisions still ongoing
      Stewards are checking the restart
      Red flag, six cars taken out
      Lap 57/58 – Fernando Alonso out of race
      There is major contact and it looks like another red flag.
      That will mean the end of the race.
      Aston Martin and Alpine having a nightmare.
      Race restarting, standing start
      Red flag, race is suspended as they clear track
      Lap 56/58 – Safety car out, Magnussen loses tyre
      The replay shows he clipped a wall causing his tyre to come off and go flying in the air.
      Sparks flew off the car, with debris flying everywhere.
      With so little racing left it remains to be seen what they do.
      Safety car sent out, Magnussen out of race
      Lap 54/58 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton in second
      Fernando Alonso seems to be going for Lewis Hamilton again.
      With four laps remaining, the pressure is on the British driver.
      He has had to hold onto his place for so long, it will feel like a win for him to retain second place.
      Lap 52/58 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton in second
      There will be a few drivers in the running for “driver of the day” today.
      Everyone seems to be holding onto their positions and extending the gaps on the immediate car behind them.
      Meanwhile, Lando Norris moves up into eighth place.
      Lap 50/58 – Verstappen locks up, Hamilton closes gap
      Max Verstappen had a lock issue which saw a massive oversteer.
      As a result, it gives Hamilton the chance to cut his lead 4 seconds.
      He is now only 7.88 seconds behind the race leader.
      Lap 48/58 – Verstappen leads, Alonso sets fastest lap
      There are some interesting charges out there now.
      We are at the stage where teams now if their tyres will see them through to the chequered flag now.
      As a result they are all picking up the pace.
      Credit: Reuters
      Lap 46/58 – Verstappen leads, Perez moves into seventh
      Max Verstappen’s teammate is looking to improve his position.
      The Aston Martin team tell Fernando Alonso his tyres look good and he is free to push it for the remainder of the race.
      He is only 1.5 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton.
      Lap 44/58 – Battles continue out on circuit
      The two duels to watch now are Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez and Lando Norris.
      Perez uses the DRS once again and goes ahead of Norris.
      This is becoming an interesting battle.
      Lap 42/58 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton second
      Lewis Hamilton has started clocking some fast times.
      He is not looking to catch Max Verstappen, he knows that is unrealistic with their DRS system.
      He does not want to lose out to Fernando Alonso though.
      Lap 40/58 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton second
      Fernando Alonso is looking to put more pressure on Lewis Hamilton.
      Carlos Sainz is only 1.1 seconds behind the Spaniard.
      Pierre Gasly is less than a second behind him.
      Credit: AFP
      Lap 38/58 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton second
      Since that red flag, Max Verstappen has not looked back.
      Once he used DRS to go passed Lewis Hamilton, the British driver has not seen him since.
      Every car bar one on the track now is on hard tyres.
      Lap 36/58 – Verstappen leads, Hamilton second
      Verstappen now builds a 9.07 second lead.
      Aside from him, the next six cars are all putting pressure on the car in front.
      The knock-on effect is causing all these drivers to pick up the pace.
      That will certainly cause those tyres to degrade more quickly.
      Lap 34/58 – Verstappen leads, Perez puts foot down
      Sergio Perez clocks the fastest lap of the day.
      A lot of cars are out there on the hard tyres now and will not want to pit before the end.
      That will be down to the drivers to preserve the tyres.
      Lap 32/58 – Verstappen leads only remaining Mercedes
      With no George Russell out on the track, all of Mercedes hopes rest on the shoulders of Lewis Hamilton.
      He may need to focus now on keeping other cars at bay rather than trying to hunt down the race leader.
      The top five positions have five different teams currently.
      Lap 30/58 – Verstappen leads comfortably
      Max Verstappen has a 7.3 second lead over Lewis Hamilton now.
      He does hold a 1.9 second lead over Fernando Alonso in third.
      1:21:772 is the fastest lap of the day, of course, recorded by Max Verstappen.
      Credit: AP
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      Scary moment V8 supercar busts into flames at Albert Park one day before F1 Australian Grand Prix

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      JAMES COURTNEY had a lucky escape after his Ford Mustang burst into flames while in the pit lane at Albert Park.The V8 supercar driver spotted the flames as he rounded the final two turns in Melbourne, leading him to take the car to the pit.
      Jame Courtney’s Ford Mustang caught fire at Albert ParkCredit: Twitter – @Fox_Motorsport
      He drove the car into the pit laneCredit: Twitter – @Fox_Motorsport
      Smoke started to fill the inside of the supercarCredit: Twitter – @Fox_Motorsport
      The Ford then went up in flamesCredit: Twitter – @Fox_Motorsport
      Courtney was able to get out without harmCredit: Twitter – @Fox_Motorsport
      As he entered the pit lane, the flames started to grow and in a short time, the car was engulfed in the fire.
      Luckily the 42-year-old managed to exit the car as black smoke could be seen bellowing away from it.
      The crew were quick to their feet with fire extinguishers to try and contain the fire.
      Despite the terrifying moment, the Tickford Racing driver seemed fairly calm as he spoke to the media afterwards.
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      He told Fox Motorsport: “I saw the flames and said to the guys I could smell something from the front left corner.
      “Then I could see the flames. I just tried to get to the pits.
      “They’ve got all the fire stuff to try and save the car.”
      The reporter then pointed out that the incident is similar to Nick Percat’s Ford Mustang also suffered the same fate the day before.
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      Courtney said: “Seems like it is the same spot, so yeah, it is not good.”
      Percat was forced to retire from the Supersprint race on Friday and afterwards revealed the moment he was shocked to discover the fire.
      He told Fox Sports: “I know what I have on clothing wise I’m going to be safe, I don’t know what happened.
      “I thought I could smell something down the back straight, maybe the exhaust or something.
      “Next thing I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I’m on fire’.”
      The incidents have happened just a day before the Australian Grand Prix. More

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      Max Verstappen threatens to quit F1 in row over rules changes with Red Bull ace insisting ‘I won’t be around for long’

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN says he could be driven out of F1 if the sport’s bosses keep tinkering with the rules.The F1 world champion is upset at plans to change the format of the sprint races – the six, 30-minutes races that are scheduled this season to form Sunday’s grid for the GP.
      Verstappen has threatened to quit F1 if more sprint races are introducedCredit: Getty
      The Dutchman topped the time charts in qualifying ahead of Russell and HamiltonCredit: Getty
      F1 chiefs are sold on the sprint races, which effectively allow them to sell the idea to promoters that they are getting additional track action, rather than meaningless practice sessions.
      However, some drivers are against the proposal with Verstappen saying he has had enough of them messing with the “DNA of F1”.
      When first quizzed about the proposal to cut down on one of the practice sessions, he said: “I’m happy with just the main race. I think that’s way better for the excitement.
      “I naturally hope that there won’t be too many changes otherwise I won’t be around for too long.”
      Read More on F1
      And after qualifying on pole for tomorrow’s Australian GP, he snapped again on the sprint races, which could now get an additional qualifying session.
      He added: “I’m not a fan of it at all.
      “When we do all that kind of stuff the weekend becomes more intense and we’re already doing so many races. So that’s not the right way to go about it.
      “I understand of course they wanted to have every day exciting but then it’s maybe better to reduce the weekend, only race on Saturday and Sunday and make those two days exciting.
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      “We are adding into seasons that will soon have 24 or 25 races and if you start adding even more stuff, it’s not worth it for me, I’m not enjoying that.
      “For me, a sprint race is all about surviving, it’s not about racing. When you have a quick car there’s nothing to risk.
      “I prefer to just keep my car alive and make sure you have a good race car for Sunday.
      “Even if you change the format, I don’t find it’s the DNA of F1 to do these kind of sprint races.
      “F1 is about getting the most out of it in qualifying and having an amazing Sunday with a good long race distance, that’s the DNA of the sport.
      “I don’t understand or I don’t know why we should change that because I think the action has been good and how do you get even more action?
      “It’s about getting the cars closer, getting more teams able to fight for the win. I think naturally the show will be great.
      “If we have six or seven teams fighting for the win that would be insane and you really don’t really need to change anything.”
      Meanwhile, former FIA Race Director Michael Masi says he has received a warm welcome from F1 – despite the controversial end to his career.
      Masi was axed after his handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP that saw Verstappen clinch the title in controversial circumstances.
      He made his return to the F1 paddock for the first time as chairman of the Australian Supercar Commission.
      However, some reports claimed he was nervous about attending his first F1 GP since his departure.
      But Masi said he was welcomed back: “It’s been fantastic being back as a guest of both the FIA and F1.
      “It’s been really good. I’m here in my capacity as the Chair of the Supercars Commission, but it’s lovely to catch up with so many good friends and see so many people, including my old team at the FIA.
      Read More on The Sun
      “It’s been fantastic. The welcome has been amazing from everyone that I’ve seen.
      “It’s like seeing the long-lost family in many ways, which has been great.” More

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      I had to get away from Lewis Hamilton when I was young but I’d love to finish our careers in same team, F1 icon reveals

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      FERNANDO ALONSO has revealed that he would like to finish his career at the same team as Lewis Hamilton.The Spaniard partnered the seven-time world champion for one season at McLaren Mercedes in 2007.
      Fernando Alonso is keen to partner Lewis Hamilton againCredit: Alamy
      Alonso stayed for just one year before returning to Renault after having a feud with Hamilton and team chiefs.
      The Brit disobeyed team instructions at the Hungarian Grand Prix 16 years ago and refused to let him past, which led to the veteran blocking his team-mate in the pit lane.
      They again clashed last year when the pair collided at the Belgian Grand Prix and the 41-year-old labelled Hamilton “an idiot”.
      However, in an interview with the Mail, Alonso seemed keen to put the past behind him.
      READ MORE ON F1
      He said: “It would be nice to end our careers together. I’d love that.
      “We had a difficult season. But we respected what the other was doing on track and still do.
      “We each consider the other to be a talented driver and one of the toughest competitors we have ever met.
      “The situation that season was not well-managed by our bosses. We were young. We were immature. We were many of the things we are not now, and we needed help from the management that we didn’t get.
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      “I couldn’t continue with McLaren. It was a team with eyes totally one side of the garage.
      “As Ron (Dennis, team principal) said after the penultimate race in China, ‘Our race isn’t with (Ferrari’s Felipe) Massa, it is with Fernando’.
      “When your team says that, you cannot continue. But you learn in a career.”
      Alonso is currently with Aston Martin, enjoying a good start to the 2023 campaign, finishing third at both races so far this season.
      He continued his good form at the Australian Grand Prix, coming fourth in qualifying behind Max Verstappen, George Russell and Hamilton.
      Alonso seemingly has no plans to retire anytime soon, saying: “I don’t imagine I will be tired of driving but the demands of travelling across such a long season can be draining.
      “But for now, with my experience, I’d like to believe I’m better than ever.” More