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      F1 Monaco Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen wins by country mile as Hamilton fourth – latest

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN has won the Monaco Grand Prix with ease – despite the rain showers rolling in.Lewis Hamilton worked his way up to fourth, but narrowly missed out on a podium.
      Celebrity A-listers were out in force in Monte Carlo for the most glamorous race on the F1 calendar.
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      Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
      Verstappen celebrates another win
      Max Verstappen keeps his record of finishing in the top two places in every Grand Prix this season.
      The Monaco Grand Prix ending up being a testing experience when the rain threw all the drivers a huge curve ball.
      With his Red Bull teammate pretty much out of this race due to his Q1 crash in qualifying, not many could see this race going any other way today.
      Credit: Getty
      Monaco Grand Prix has French podium finish
      Esteban Ocon has got himself a podium finish and scoops himself the driver of the day award in the process.
      It has been a good weekend for Ocon and he had to work hard to hold off the two Mercedes cars.
      Credit: @F1
      Monaco Grand Prix race results
      A testing race due to the rain but here are the results:

      Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
      Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
      Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
      Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
      George Russell (Mercedes)

      Max Verstappen wins the race by some 27 seconds from Fernando Alonso in second place.
      Max Verstappen wins Monaco Grand Prix
      Lap 77/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Hamilton still holds the fastest lap of the day.
      He must be happy with the upgrades to his car with a fourth placed finish today.
      George Russell still sits in fifth position and has an 11.5 second gap between himself and Charles Leclerc.
      Pierre Gasly is in seventh place with Carlos Sainz behind him.
      Lap 75/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Ocon could be in line for driver of the day today.
      If he can hold on to get himself a podium finish he will surely be in with a good shout.
      The two Mercedes have put pressure on him for long periods.
      Verstappen has now opened up a 26.7 second lead.
      Lap 73/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Max Verstappen has a huge lead in this race now.
      Apart from a monumental mistake, this is a sure win for the defending champion.
      Hamilton and Russell are managing to hold off Charles Leclerc.
      The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton still has his sights set on Esteban Ocon in third place.
      Credit: AFP
      Lap 71/78 – Verstappen leads, Ocon third
      Esteban Ocon is managing to open up more of a gap over Lewis Hamilton now.
      Meanwhile at the front of the race, Max Verstappen seems to have made all the right choices with his tyres today.
      As conditions changed rapidly it did create a situation for all drivers out on the track.
      Verstappen now has a 24 second lead on second place.
      Lap 69/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Lewis Hamilton, now in fourth place, has clocked the fastest lap of the day.
      Esteban Ocon will be focussed on trying to hold off the British driver to get himself a podium finish.
      There is a yellow flag in place in sectors 1 and 2 currently.
      Lap 67/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      The rain seems to have stopped now, whether the track will dry out in the short time left remains to be seen.
      It does seem to be drying quickly though.
      Verstappen looks nailed on for victory here with a 21.4 second lead over Fernando Alonso.
      If conditions change, Verstappen has enough of a lead that he can react and pit.
      Lap 65/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Max Verstappen has managed to open up a 19 second lead on Fernando Alonso.
      The Spaniard’s choice to not take the intermediate tyres will cost him any chance of challenging the Dutch driver.
      Had it panned out the other way, it could have been a race winning decision.
      These are the fine margins we deal with in Formula 1.
      Credit: AP
      Lap 63/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Lance Stroll is the first retirement of this race.
      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell find themselves in fourth and fifth place currently.
      Esteban Ocon sits in third place with a good distance between himself and fourth place.
      Russell has a five second penalty to serve still.
      Lap 61/78 – Verstappen leads, Russell comes off
      George Russell struggles on the first turn and comes off into the run off where Magnussen finds himself also.
      This wet weather is causing all sorts of problems for the drivers now.
      Despite struggling a few laps ago, Fernando Alonso has started to pick it up again and is shaving some time off Verstappen’s lead.
      The Spaniard is only 15 seconds behind the race leader now.
      Lap 59/78 – Verstappen leads, Magnussen hits wall
      Magnussen was due to come into to change to wets but before he has chance to, he slides into the wall.
      His car seems to come to a complete standstill but fortunately he gets it restarted and manages to drive into the pit.
      That would have changed everything if the safety car had come out.
      Fernando Alonso is managing to open up a gap on third place again.
      Meanwhile George Russell is penalised for an unsafe entry from the pits.
      Lap 57/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      The two pit stops for Alonso have caused him all sorts of problems as Ocon, Hamilton and Russell are all within touch of him.
      Fernando Alonso is now 22 seconds behind Max Verstappen.
      The Spanish driver could be struggling to hold onto his second place as Esteban Ocon gains on him all of the time.
      Lap 57/78 – Verstappen leads, rain causing issues
      In sector 2 the track is absolutely soaking and it is treacherous.
      A yellow flag has come out, teams are trying to get their drivers on intermediate tyres.
      Alonso opted for dry tyres and is having to come in to pit for the second time in three laps.
      Absolute carnage in Monaco.
      Credit: EPA
      Lap 55/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Sections of the track are now very wet.
      It means that drivers on worn tyres are having to crawl through these sections.
      Verstappen’s team tell him it may be a case of just taking it easy in the wet sections.
      Fernando Alonso has decided to come into the pit lane.
      Lap 53/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      The rain is starting to come down now as Max Verstappen tells his team about the weather.
      On very worn medium tyres this could be an issue for the Dutchman.
      Both Alonso and Verstappen are caught up in quite a bit of traffic now.
      The circuit is starting to look very slick with the rain coming down.
      Lap 51/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      There have been no retirements in this race so far today.
      We have never seen a Monaco Grand Prix end with no retirements whatsoever.
      There is some rain starting to sprinkle down with it threatening to break into a shower.
      Lap 49/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Both Verstappen and Alonso have yet to pit in this race.
      As the teams get more info on potential rain heading over, it is forcing the drivers to stay out there.
      George Russell is now in third place.
      Lap 47/78 – Verstappen leads, Gasly third
      After Charles Leclerc’s pit this has allowed Pierre Gasly to take third place.
      With George Russell now in fourth position.
      Max Verstappen is some 34.5 seconds ahead of third place.
      The weather radar is constantly changing and now no rain is expected for the remainder of the race.
      Credit: Reuters
      Lap 45/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Max Verstappen has done brilliantly to do this many laps on the graining medium tyres.
      He tells his team that he will try and keep going on them for as long as he can.
      Importantly, if he were to pit now, they could send him out onto a very clear track.
      Waiting could change this and may play into the hands of Alonso.
      Meanwhile, Leclerc was complaining about his tyres and has come into the pits.
      He returns to the track in eighth position.
      Lap 43/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Fernando Alonso is currently 20 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in third place.
      Aston Martin are keen for him to open up such a lead in excess of 21 seconds to allow him to pit and come back out ahead of the Ferrari.
      With 78 laps in the race, having not pitted yet, it would take some drive to do it on one set of tyres.
      Lap 41/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Verstappen has clear road in front of him now.
      Red Bull are concerned that if he pits, he will still come out behind Fernando Alonso.
      With the Spaniard on hard tyres, he could take them through to the finish.
      Lewis Hamilton has clocked the fasted lap of the day but still sits in eighth place.
      Lap 39/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
      Lance Stroll is causing a lot of drivers headaches today.
      He has a lot of coming togethers with other cars so far.
      Verstappen is edging ahead of Alonso once again on very worn medium tyres.
      Some great driving from the Dutch driver on very grained tyres.
      Credit: Getty
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      Watch shocking moment F2 star Victor Martins almost hits fire marshal on track in horror near miss ahead of Monaco GP

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      VICTOR MARTINS almost hit a fire marshal during this morning’s Formula 2 Monaco GP.The terrifying incident occurred as Martins failed to slow down under a yellow flag.

      Victor Martins was just inches away from hitting a marshal at high speedCredit: F1 TV
      Martins was involved in a terrifying incident at this morning’s F2 Monaco GPCredit: F1 TV
      The Frenchman subsequently received a drive-through penalty – with fans left disgusted on social media.
      One wrote: “Victor Martins will be lucky to not get a race ban for this, inches away from a horrible incident.”
      While a second opined: “Disqualification is the minimum for this, a drive through is way too light.”
      A third fumed: “That was stupid and dangerous as f***.”
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      And a fourth tweeted: “Far too close for comfort!”
      Another then added: “Yeah that was bloody close.”
      Jack Doohan’s car set on fire following a crash during lap 22, prompting a double yellow flag to be waved.
      Fire marshals entered to extinguish Doohan’s car, before nearly being struck.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Martins, 21, had not slowed significantly enough to avoid an extremely dangerous situation.
      And his onboard camera subsequently showed just how close he was to a tragic incident.
      Following his penalty, the Alpine academy driver dropped to eighth in the order.
      Martins, 21, received a drive-through penaltyCredit: Getty More

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      World’s sexiest tennis player Maria Sharapova joins no bra club as she awards Max Verstappen pole prize at Monaco GP

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN was presented with the prize for pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix by Maria Sharapova.The Dutch driver will start tomorrow’s race at the front of the grid.
      Maria Sharapova presented Max Verstappen with his pole position tyreCredit: Getty
      The Russian tennis ace opted for a yellow outfitCredit: Getty
      The pair shared a joke on the platformCredit: Getty
      He pipped Fernando Alonso by just 0.084sec – despite clipping a wall on his flying lap.
      And two-time F1 world champ Verstappen received his trophy tyre from none other than the former Wimbledon champion.
      Sharapova, previously dubbed the world’s sexiest tennis player and the four-time hottest athlete, is now sporting a fresh new look with brunette hair rather than her iconic blonde locks.
      And the glamorous Russian opted for a long yellow outfit which revealed she was not wearing a bra on the stage in Monte Carlo.
      READ MORE ON SPORT
      Sharapova, 36, has proven she is still a star attraction despite retiring from tennis in 2020 and is now a mum to baby Theodore.
      The Florida-based former athlete has become a successful businesswoman since ending her playing career three years ago – and was at the recent F1 Accelerate Summit in Miami.
      She was one of the best players of her generation, winning Wimbledon aged just 17 in 2004.
      She is one of just ten women ever to lift all four Grand Slams – completing her set at the 2012 French Open which she won again in 2014.
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      Sharapova’s on-court performances saw her earn £31million in prize money.
      But it was off the court she raked in the money with a further reported £231m in sponsorship and modelling deals with the likes of Nike, Evian, Porsche and TAG Heuer.
      In fact, Sharapova was the highest-paid female athlete in the world across all sports between 2006 and 2016.
      However, despite being one of the greatest female players of her generation, her legacy was tainted in 2016 as she received a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test with meldonium in her system.
      Verstappen pipped Fernando Alonso to the front of the gridCredit: EPA
      Sharapova retired in 2020 but is enjoying life in business and as a mumCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Max Verstappen grabs Monaco GP pole ahead as Lewis Hamilton finishes sixth in new Mercedes after horror practice crash

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN produced a thrilling final lap to deny Fernando Alonso pole position for the Monaco GP.The Dutchman left it late – and clipped a wall – but clinched P1 by just 0.084sec.
      Fernando Alonso was so close to pole before Verstappen’s epic late lapCredit: Getty
      It spoiled a perfect run from Alonso, who looked to have taken his first pole since 2012.
      Alonso will line up in second on the grid ahead of Charles Leclerc in a pulsating qualifying session.
      Esteban Ocon was fourth and Carlos Sainz fifth while Lewis Hamilton will start in sixth.
      Hamilton had only just scraped into Q2 after getting caught up in traffic and making a mistake at the chicane in Q1.
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      He recovered in time while his Mercedes team-mate George Russell will line up in eighth place on the grid.
      However, Sergio Perez was less fortunate and will start last after crashing out during Q1.
      The Mexican, who won this race last year and is second in the championship, lost control at Turn One.
      He slammed hard into the barriers sideways, bringing an early end to his qualifying session.
      Most read in Motorsport
      THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY…The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball. More

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      George Russell heads to Monaco GP with girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt after shock revelation on Lewis Hamilton’s future

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      ROMANTIC George Russell arrived at the Monaco Grand Prix with his arm around girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt.The loved-up pair rocked up in style at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo.
      George Russell arrived at the Monaco GP alongside Carmen Montero MundtCredit: Getty
      The pair hopped on a Mercedes boat to the race trackCredit: Alamy
      They were all smiles in the sunshineCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton arrived in a yellow outfitCredit: Getty
      They were all smiles as they stepped off a boat together and then strolled towards the paddock.
      Russell wore a white Mercedes T-shirt with white shorts while his glamorous partner Carmen stunned in a strapless white top and a long blue skirt in the Mediterranean sunshine.
      It was a short commute into work for Russell, who moved to the principality over the winter after his first year as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate.
      And he was in a bullish mood on home turf in the wake of the bombshell news that Hamilton is set to sign a new £50million deal with the Silver Arrows.
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      In theory, that keeps Russell as the so-called No2 in the team.
      But the King’s Lynn ace does not see it that way, especially after finishing above Hamilton in the drivers’ standings last season and outqualifying the seven-time world champ in four out of five races so far this year.
      Russell told the Daily Mail: “I don’t care at all whether Lewis stays or Lewis goes, because I believe I can beat anyone on the grid.
      “You couldn’t choose to be in a better position than to go up against Lewis.
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      “What a way to test myself. While we’re in this position, he is invaluable to me. There can be no excuses on either side. He’s pushing me, I’m pushing him. I am here to beat everybody.
      “I never had any self-doubt and having these 15 months alongside him has reinforced that. My confidence has grown.
      “We have a good relationship and it would be great if we could turn this around and help the team to winning ways.
      “Lewis is very good with people. He’s very caring, he works exceptionally hard. He’s comfortable travelling a lot, doing a lot of activities. It wouldn’t be a lifestyle many athletes want.
      “It may not be this year or next that everything falls into place. But look at Fernando [Alonso], aged 41. So I have at least 15 good years left in me.
      “You have to be patient, keep working, doing your thing, and no doubt my time will come.”
      Russell and Hamilton have continued to be left flagging in an inferior car against the likes of Red Bull and now Aston Martin.
      Their W14 machine has undergone major surgery in recent weeks with £1m spent on new parts alone to try and compete once more.
      Read More on The Sun
      But just a day after lauding the efforts of the engineers in the Mercedes factory, Hamilton crashed into the wall during third practice – damaging his front left wheel just hours before qualifying.
      The Monaco GP gets underway tomorrow at 2pm UK time as Russell and Hamilton try and cut away at rival Max Verstappen’s championship lead.
      Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton crashed into the wall during practiceCredit: Getty
      Russell is confident he can beat anyone on the track, including HamiltonCredit: Splash More

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      Lewis Hamilton crashes new Mercedes in Monaco F1 practice just a day after praising £1m overhaul to car

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      LEWIS HAMILTON crashed his upgraded Mercedes at the end of a practice session – just hours before qualifying at Monaco is set to begin. The seven-times world champion slid into the wall at the iconic circuit after misjudging his breaking.
      Hamilton triggered the red flag at the end of FP3 after crashing at MirabeauCredit: Getty
      A crane was needed to airlift Hamilton’s car off the trackCredit: Reuters
      Stewards had to usher the stubborn Mercedes car off the tight and twisty circuitCredit: Reuters
      Hamilton would have been in high spirits heading to the Monaco paddock with plenty of upgrades set to turbocharge his carCredit: Getty
      His Mercedes car was then stuck in the barriers with clear damage to his left front wheel at the Mirabeau corner.
      It’s a nightmare for the Mercedes man who will need to pray mechanics can fix his car before qualifying in just a few hours’ time.
      The job should be more than achievable but it is not ideal preparation for Hamilton, who was looking to set a fast lap in the final practice session.
      He and team-mate George Russell have new upgrades to deal with in this race as Mercedes look to turn their season around.
      The constructors have brought in a tonne of new parts as they look to catch up with Max Verstappen’s Red Bull team.
      The new parts include a new floor, new sidepods, a changed front suspension and a tweaked rear wing.
      The upgrades were suppose to arrive in the last race for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix before flooding in northern Italy saw the race cancelled.
      The signs have been encouraging for Hamilton so far.
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      Hamilton and Russell will enjoy plenty of new parts in their Mercedes car this weekend
      He finished third-fastest in Free Practice 1 before coming sixth-fastest in the second session yesterday.
      His crash today follows similar incidents yesterday for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon of Williams, with both also having been caught out by the tight and twisty nature of F1’s most famous track.
      The unique elements of Monaco’s layout mean fans are expecting an exciting qualifying session.
      Traditional tracks and even other street circuits have been dominated by Red Bull this season but their blistering pace will not be as advantageous at Monaco.
      Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin will all be hoping to upset the championship leaders this weekend. More

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      Inside the abandoned F1 track at iconic venue left to be swallowed up by forest after claiming life of Brit driver

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      THE famous Hockenheimring circuit in Germany was remodelled in 2002 – with much of the old track now left covered in forestry.Located in Baden-Wurttemberg, it first played host to the German Grand Prix way back in 1970.
      The legendary venue attracted famous spectacles such as home hero Michael Schumacher coming third behind British winner Damon Hill in 1996Credit: AP:Associated Press
      Growing trees now cover the old circuit at HockenheimCredit: imago images/Motorsport Images
      This shot from the 1960 German GP shows how much F1 has changedCredit: Getty
      Benetton’s Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella was involved in a crash with Michael Schumacher at the start of the German GP at Hockenheim in 2000Credit: Reuters
      Here’s how the iconic circuit looked and has now been remodelledCredit: Rex
      But just two years earlier, Formula 1 world champion Jim Clark was killed in an accident on the track while competing in the Formula 2 race Deutschland Trophae.
      His Lotus 48 veered off the circuit and crashed into the trees.
      The Briton, who had won the 1963 F1 world title, suffered a broken neck and skull fracture, and died before reaching the hospital at the age of 32.
      The cause of the crash was never definitively identified, but investigators concluded it was most likely due to a deflating rear tyre.
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      Nowadays, the Hockenheimring looks very different.
      The stadium section, start-finish straight and a small part of the first straight have stayed the same.
      But the rest of the 4.2 mile has been consumed by the forest and replaced by a new infield circuit.
      By the old circuit – now a wooded area – there is a memorial for Clark.
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      Meanwhile, a Grand Prix has not taken place at the Hockenheimring since 2019.
      No new deal was struck after the last edition four years ago, with a race titled the German Grand Prix being omitted from the calendar ever since.
      Due to several races being cancelled as a result of the Covid pandemic, the Eifel Grand Prix was held at the Nurburgring in October 2020 as a replacement event.
      The picturesque Hockenheim Motodrom Water Tower is instantly identifiable to millions of F1 loversCredit: Alamy
      Big names like Jody Scheckter, John Watson, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Jacques Laffite, Carlos Reutemann and Hans-Joachim Stuck competed in 1977Credit: Getty
      Luciano Burti’s car is seen breaking apart after a collision with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari in 2001Credit: EPA More

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      Mercedes unveil Lewis Hamilton’s incredible new car with six upgrades costing £1m to help him challenge Max Verstappen

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’S Mercedes team have unveiled the car they hope will allow him to fight Max Verstappen.Since scrapping this year’s design after the first 60-minute practice session in Bahrain, Merc chiefs have shuffled their design team and come up with a whole new package.
      Lewis Hamilton’s new car will hopefully be able to compete with Red BullCredit: PA
      Mercedes have spent £1m on the upgrades
      The radical changes have cost over £1million in parts alone – with the factory operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to get them ready in time.
      Verstappen’s Red Bull team have dominated this season winning all five of the opening races.
      Here, SunSport takes a look at the changes Mercedes have made in the hope of tackling the Dutchman.
      1. Sidepods
      The most obvious design change to Hamilton’s car. Perhaps almost smugly, Merc had thought they had come up with a revolutionary zero-side pod design in 2022.
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      They were the only team to do it – and blindly stuck with it for 15 months. Finally, they realised they were chasing a lost cause and reintroduced the bulbous parts of bodywork.
      The extra surface area will increase downforce and the new design meant the team had to redesign the car’s radiators that sit under the bodywork.
      It does mean the car is now slightly heavier by around 500 grams but it means that the new Silver Arrow looks more like their rivals.
      2. Front Suspension
      The second big change is the top of the wishbone suspension has moved inward and upwards.
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      The higher suspension has a number of benefits. Firstly, the improved airflow increases downforce but Merc also believe the change will improve the stability of the car under braking.
      That will increase their drivers’ confidence when stamping late on the brake pedal that the car will not skip out of line.
      A final benefit will result in the air running over the suspension into the sidepod and into the radiator to help with cooling.
      3. A New Floor
      In the past, F1 cars have relied on downforce, wind rushing over bodywork to press the car into the ground allowing the drivers to take corners quicker.
      This new generation of cars work in a different way where the primary aerodynamic principle is to suck the car to the ground.
      As a result, the front and rear wings are less intricate, but the underside of the car’s floor has become extremely crucial.
      It means that Merc have redesigned the underside of the car to accommodate the wider bodywork, without causing the return of porpoising – the dreaded bouncing we saw last year.
      4. Engine Cover
      With the redesigned floor and sidepods, the team have also reshaped the engine cover.
      This improves the downforce of air over the top of it, but also helps channel the air into the rear wing for more downforce.
      5. Rear Wing
      With the new volume of air passing over the car, the rear wing has been tweaked accordingly to take the increase.
      Like the other, larger body panels, the larger surface area will help to create more downforce, ultimately allowing the cars to tackle corners faster.
      Read More on The Sun
      6. Rear Brakes
      The final big change sees the redevelopment of the brakes. The cylindrical shape – known as a cake tin – has been redesigned to work with the new airflow directions.
      The winglets channel air into the brake ducts to help with cooling them down and preserving brake wear. More