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      Max Verstappen ‘not happy with Red Bull’s decision to axe F1 team-mate Liam Lawson after just two races’

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN has been left frustrated by Red Bull’s reported decision to sack team-mate Liam Lawson just two races into the new season.Lawson, 23, has endured a difficult start to his Red Bull career, failing to score a single point from three opportunities despite driving one of the best cars on the grid.Max Verstappen is frustrated with the decision to sack team-mate Liam LawsonCredit: AlamyLawson has endured a difficult start to his Red Bull careerCredit: AFPYuki Tsunoda is expected to replace Lawson at Red BullCredit: GettyAccording to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the decision has been made to demote the New Zealander after his recent promotion from the Racing Bulls team and call up Yuki Tsunoda instead.However, Verstappen has been left disappointed and he expressed his disagreement with the decision that is expected to be confirmed soon.According to The Telegraph, the swap is imminent but there are some final details to be ironed out.The switch will be made official before the Japan Grand Prix next week.Read More on F1The defending Formula One world champion previously sang Lawson’s praises despite his tough start.Verstappen said: “That Racing Bulls car is easier to drive than ours. I notice that when I talk to Liam.”Last year the difference between him and Yuki wasn’t that big, I thought. “Otherwise the team wouldn’t have made the choice to put Liam in at Red Bull.”Most read in MotorsportTsunoda is expected to become Verstappen’s sixth different partner at Red Bull since he made the step up in 2016.That is after Daniel Riccardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and Lawson.Max Verstappen takes to the stage at F1 launch event at the O2 And the Japanese driver is facing a daunting task as all of the above struggled alongside the Dutchman. More

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      F1 driver salaries 2025: Who is the highest-paid driver out of Hamilton, Verstappen and the rest of the field?

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      FORMULA ONE has garnered a reputation as one of the most lucrative sports in the world – and with deals like these, it is no surprise why.The current highest paid driver might not be who you think – as Lewis Hamilton’s lucrative new deal at Ferrari does not see him top the rankings.Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are two of the biggest stars in F1Lando Norris has made an incredible start to the 2025 seasonCredit: AFPThe talents of fellow Brits Lando Norris and George Russell also sees them make a pretty penny, but still not the most out of all 20 of the current F1 grid.SunSport can reveal who the highest paid driver on the grid is in 2025. Who is the highest paid driver on the F1 grid in 2025?The highest paid driver in 2025 is four-time world champion Max Verstappen.The Dutch driver has won the Drivers’ Championship four years in an row, and edges out Lewis Hamilton as F1’s biggest earner.Read more F1 newsHamilton is second behind Verstappen after signing a huge new two-year contract with Ferrari. The seven-time champ is some way ahead of new team-mate Charles Leclerc in third.The lowest earners are the new kids on the block, Isack Hadjar and Jack Doohan, whereas F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto will earn the same as Yuki Tsunoda.F1 salary standingsDriver line-up for 2025Driver line-upsMcLaren: Lando Norris / Oscar PiastriMost read in MotorsportFerrari: Lewis Hamilton / Charles LeclercRed Bull: Max Vertsappen / Liam LawsonMercedes: George Russell / Andrea Kimi AntonelliAston Martin: Lance Stroll / Fernando AlonsoAlpine: Pierre Gasly / Jack DoohanHaas: Esteban Ocon / Oliver BearmanRacing Bulls: Yuku Tsunoda / Isack HadjarWilliams: Alex Albon / Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg / Gabriel Bortoleto More

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      Red Bull F1 team descend into chaos just two races into season as driver facing axe fumes over potential replacement

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      RED BULL have descended into chaos again just two races into the new season.Liam Lawson, who joined the team this season, could be axed at the next Grand Prix in Japan and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda.Red Bull appear to be in chaos just two weeks into the new Formula One seasonCredit: GettyLiam Lawson could be axed by the team after just two racesCredit: RexMax Verstappen is targeting a fifth successive F1 titleCredit: GettyThe Kiwi driver, 23, has suffered a woeful start to the 2025 campaign.He was knocked out at the first stage of all three qualifying sessions and has also failed to pick up a single point.Lawson is way behind his team-mate Max Verstappen in terms of race pace, with the Dutchman second in the driver’s standings, eight points behind Lando Norris.Red Bull boss Christian Horner has not ruled out an early-season swap, with Tsunoda impressing for the sister team Racing Bulls.READ MORE ON F1When Tsunoda was asked about a swap, he said: “Yeah, 100 per cent. The car is faster, I’m sure.”The next race is in Japan (4-6 April) and is Tsunoda’s home grand prix.But a fuming Lawson hit back, saying: “He can say whatever he wants.”I’ve raced him for years, raced him in the junior categories and beat him.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”If I look back over our career, I was team-mates with him in F3 and I beat him.”In Euro Formula, I was team-mates with him in New Zealand, and I beat him there. Meet F1 newbie Liam Lawson’s stunning girlfriend Hannah St. John, who is also a model and medical student “And then in F1 last season, I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no.”He’s had his time. Now it’s my time.”Sergio Perez and Alex Albon found before Lawson that driving a car tailored to four-time world champion Verstappen is no easy ride.Red Bull chose to promote Lawson from their junior squad Racing Bulls after just 11 Grand Prix appearances in two short spells across 2023 and 2024, despite Tsunoda having more experience.Team advisor Helmut Marko claimed that a meeting had been scheduled for next week to discuss the situation, but Horner said “nothing specific” had been set up.Yuki Tsunoda could take over the No. 2 role for Red BullCredit: GettyHe added: “Liam still has got potential, we’re just not realising that at the moment.”The problem for him is, he’s had a couple of really tough weekends, he’s got all the media on his back.”The pressure just naturally grows in this business, and I feel very sorry for him. “You can see it’s very tough on him at the moment.”Horner will be feeling the pressure to deliver this season given Red Bull’s chaotic campaign last year, where the team was rocked by his ‘sexting’ scandal.He was accused by a female colleague of “inappropriate behaviour” but was twice cleared by an independent investigation.There was then a string of high-profile exits, including legendary designer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.READ MORE SUN STORIESThey also missed out on the Constructor’s title with Perez finishing a whopping 285 points behind Verstappen before he was axed for Lawson.But it seems history is repeating itself. More

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      F1 forced to respond to Ferrari over ‘joke’ broadcast decision not to air crucial Lewis Hamilton radio exchange

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      FORMULA ONE was forced to respond to Ferrari chief Fred Vasseur after a “joke” decision over a crucial Lewis Hamilton radio message during the Chinese Grand Prix.Vasseur, team principal of Ferrari, complained to F1’s commercial arm, Formula One Management (FOM), over the use of radio messages regarding team orders in Sunday’s race.Fred Vasseur was fuming at F1 for not showing a crucial Lewis Hamilton radio message during the raceCredit: AlamyThe broadcast only showed Hamilton arguing with his engineer during a conversation about swapping with Charles LeclercCredit: GettyHamilton, 40, had been running in P4 early on ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc.Leclerc, 27, was showing strong pace despite harbouring damage to his front wing and wanted to pass his team-mate without compromising race pace.Hamilton had suggested he was going to let Leclerc after admitting he was struggling at the Shanghai circuit.By the time he was told of the plan to let Leclerc by at Turn 14, Hamilton had already started closing in George Russell, and wanted Leclerc to close up before letting him by.READ MORE IN F1The international broadcast feed showed Hamilton snapping back he would let him by when he was closer before saying: “I’ll tell you when we can swap.”The Monegasque eventually moved past the seven-time world champion on lap 21 at Turn 1.The type of exchange is nothing new in the hyper-competitive winner-takes-all ideology of F1 and shifting circumstances.However, Vasseur, 56, had been left angered by FOM not broadcasting Hamilton’s decision to engineer the swap on the international feed.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHe said: “This is a joke from FOM, because the first call came from Lewis – that Lewis asked us to swap. “But to make the show, to create the mess around the situation, they broadcast only the second part of the question.”’Never seen Martin Brundle more confused in my life’ – Bonkers moment F1 icon interviews UNICORN live on Sky Sports_1According to The Race, FOM held a meeting with Vasseur to directly address the complaint and clarify the situation.An F1 spokesperson said: “There was absolutely no intention of presenting a misleading narrative regarding the Ferrari team radio.”Due to other situations developing during the race the message from Lewis was not played but this was not intentional.”The matter is said to now be considered resolved.Hamilton and Leclerc had finished the race running in P6 and P5 respectively.But disaster struck following the race as both drivers were DISQUALIFIED following breaches of strict F1 rules.Chinese Grand Prix after disqualificationsAfter the triple disqualification of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly, here is the new top 10 standings:1) Oscar Piastri, McLaren2) Lando Norris, McLaren3) George Russell, Mercedes4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull5) Esteban Ocon, Haas6) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes7) Alex Albon, Williams8) Oliver Bearman, Haas9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin10) Carlos Sainz, WilliamsHamilton had been found to have had too much wear on his skid block, failing post-race checks by a less than a millimetre.Rules state it must be 9mm – but Hamilton’s vehicle was measured at 8.6mm, with Ferrari putting this down to a “genuine error” on their part.Meanwhile, Leclerc – along with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly – were found to have breached the minimum required weight rules of their cars.It meant Hamilton and Leclerc’s points for their sixth and fifth place finishes – respectively eight and 10 points – were wiped from their championship tally.On the whole the Chinese Grand Prix was dominated by McLaren, with Oscar Piastri winning the third race of his career ahead of Lando Norris to give the team its 50th 1-2 finish in the sport.Hamilton had been praised for a “masterclass in tyre management” by engineer Riccardo Adami after he had won the Sprint race in a glorious start to the weekend.Earning pole for the Sprint had also seen Hamilton become the first driver over 40 and first British Ferrari driver since Nigel Mansell in 1994 and 1990 respectively to get pole.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe next race this season will be the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6.But one change is already being lined up on the grid with reports suggesting Liam Lawson will be axed from his Red Bull seat for Yuki Tsunoda. More

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      Never seen Martin Brundle more confused in my life’ – Bonkers moment F1 icon interviews UNICORN live on Sky Sports

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      MARTIN BRUNDLE should be blowing his own horn – after the F1 icon gave as good as he got in a surprise meeting with a unicorn live on TV.The Sky Sports broadcaster is famous for his informative pre-race strolls – but this might well have been his wackiest walkabout encounter ever.Martin Brundle went head to head with ‘Mr Unicorn’The Chinese influencer turned mythical creature showed Brundle a banner which translates as ‘fastest male in the world’Brundle was in Shanghai for the second Grand Prix of the season.And this time, along with his typical snatched chats with members of race teams, he faced an unexpected moment of magic.The former driver bumped into a Chinese influencer, which in itself might not sound too far out of the ordinary.But the man in question, Xue Zhang, is better known as Mr Unicorn.READ MORE IN F1So naturally he wore a huge unicorn head, complete with a spiky red horn.The resulting exchange between the two legends left viewers as bemused as was Sky’s veteran presenter.One fan reckoned: “I have never seen Martin Brundle more confused in my life.”The Brit, 65, was in the middle of a swift grid walk when he spotted the fantastic creature.Most read in MotorsportChinese Grand Prix after disqualificationsAfter the triple disqualification of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly, here is the new top 10 standings:1) Oscar Piastri, McLaren2) Lando Norris, McLaren3) George Russell, Mercedes4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull5) Esteban Ocon, Haas6) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes7) Alex Albon, Williams8) Oliver Bearman, Haas9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin10) Carlos Sainz, WilliamsBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKBrundle told viewers: “There’s an unusual character – Xue Zhang.”The fearless fans’ favourite then homed in on the unicorn cosplayer. Lewis Hamilton hailed for ‘masterclass’ sprint victory before Ferrari star immediately takes aim at ‘yapping’ criticsHe said: “Hello, Martin Brundle here from Sky – tell us about you.”Sounding excited, Zhang replied: “I’m Mr Unicorn from China! I’m looking for the fastest man alive over here.”Asked by Brundle who he thought that was, he roared “(Lewis) Hamilton!”Far from having a long face over the meeting, the commentator kept his head, which only impressed viewers even more as they were soon ‘waxing mythical’ over his performance.One posted: “Brundle interviewing a Unicorn was not on my Bingo Card today.”A second wrote: “Sky Sports F1, this is such a wholesome moment! “Martin meeting Xue Zhang with that unicorn emoji is pure joy – love seeing these interactions that bring the F1 community closer. Can’t wait to hear more from this encounter!”A third argued: “F1 wouldn’t be the same without Brundle’s walkabout. Nobody does it BETTER.” But others remained open-mouthed with shock.One wrote, “Wtf was that?!?” and another admitted: “Made me howl.”Whether that last message came from a more dangerous type of fabled animal has yet to be cleared up.READ MORE SUN STORIESMeanwhile, on the track, Oscar Piastri led Lando Norris to an imperious McLaren one-two, with George Russell third in his Mercedes.Ferrari duo Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, plus Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, were disqualified for technical breaches.Lando Norris was second with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri the winnerCredit: Getty More

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      ‘I’m reporting you to HR’ – George Russell forced to apologise to F1 rival Lando Norris after ‘disgusting’ prank

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      GEORGE RUSSELL was forced to apologise to Formula One rival Lando Norris after a “disgusting” prank.The incident occurred on Saturday, one day before the Chinese Grand Prix.George Russell was forced to apologise to Lando Norris for a ‘disgusting’ prankCredit: GettySunday’s dramatic race in Shanghai was full of twists and turns.Lewis Hamilton was one of three drivers to be disqualified after the event was finished.While McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stormed to F1 victory by nine whole seconds.Next up on the podium was teammate Norris, with fellow Brit and Mercedes star Russell third.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLBut after qualifying a day earlier, the pair were involved in a humorous exchange that saw one threaten to “report to HR.”Norris and Russell were stood next to each other in the media pen when the latter decided to play a prank.Russell jokingly grabbed Norris’ face before poking a finger towards his mouth.This saw Norris recoil in horror while saying: “Don’t touch me!”Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSRussell laughed as he replied: “I just want to make you smile! I’ve washed my hands!”Norris then smiled, saying: “Did you just go to the toilet?Lewis Hamilton has perfect response to dismal Ferrari debut as he achieves feat not seen for 35 years “You better have washed your hands. That’s grim, Jesus. I need some disinfectant!”As both men laughed, Russell then noted: “Sorry mate, that was pretty disgusting. I do apologise.”Norris ended the exchange by jokingly adding: “I’m reporting you to HR.” More

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      F1 Chinese Grand Prix LIVE RESULT: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc disqualified after Oscar Piastri won race – latest

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      MCLAREN’S dominant start to the new season has continued in China!Oscar Piastri started on pole, and he cruised to his third victory in F1, with his teammate Lando Norris finishing right behind him in second.More drama followed after the race as Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly were both disqualified for an underweight car.While Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth, was also dealt a DQ for excessive plank wear underneath the car, meaning Ferrari leave the Grand Prix with nothing.Podium: 1 Oscar Piastri, 2 Lando Norris, 3 George RussellBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSFollow our live blog for updates…Where next?Well, after a dramatic day in China, we have to wait two weeks for the next Grand Prix!Copy linkCopiedFerrari react to disqualificationsThe Italian team have gone away from the Chinese Grand Prix with nothing, following DQs to both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.Ferrari have posted the following statement on the matter: “Following the FIA post-race scrutineering both our cars were found not to conform to the regulations for different reasons.”Car 16 was found to be underweight by 1kg and car 44’s rearward skid wear was found to be 0.5mm below the limit.”Charles was on a one-stop strategy today and this meant his tyre wear was very high, causing the car to be underweight.”With regard to Lewis’ skid wear, we misjudged the consumption by a small margin. There was no intention to gain any advantage.”We will learn from what happened today and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again. Clearly it’s not the way we wanted to end our Chinese GP weekend, neither for ourselves, nor for our fans whose support for us is unwavering.”Copy linkCopiedConstructors’ Championship standingsHere is how the table looks after China:1 MCLAREN — 78 points2: Mercedes — 573: Red Bull — 364: Williams — 175: Ferrari — 176: Haas — 147: Aston Martin — 108: Sauber — 69: Racing Bulls — 310: Alpine — 0Credit: GETTYCopy linkCopiedView of SunSport’s F1 reporter Isabelle BarkerLewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have all been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix.Gasly and Leclerc’s cars were found to be underweight, while Hamilton’s car was deemed to have excessive skid wear.It means Hamilton and Leclerc’s points for their sixth and fifth place finish respectively – eight and 10 – are wiped from their championship tally.For seven-time world champion Hamilton, one of the skid blocks on his car was found to be less than the required thickness after the race.F1 cars have skid blocks in the floor that are meant to ensure the car maintains a certain ride height and does not run too low.If one is worn too much, it can mean a potential performance advantage as the car is able to run lower to the ground than would normally be possible.It is history repeating itself for Hamilton, who was disqualified from the 2023 United States Grand Prix for a similar issue when he was driving for Mercedes.Copy linkCopiedUpdated race result1) Oscar Piastri, McLaren2) Lando Norris, McLaren3) George Russell, Mercedes4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull5) Esteban Ocon, Alpine6) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes7) Alex Albon, Williams8) Oliver Bearman, Haas9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin10) Carlos Sainz, WilliamsCredit: GettyCopy linkCopiedPerfect day at the office For all the support team of McLaren, the Chinese Grand Prix could not have gone better.With their drivers taking the top two spots on the podium, the constructor could have not written a better script themselves.Piastri will take the plaudits in Shanghai but how well he and Norris drive as a team should be a concern to all.Credit: AFPCredit: EPACredit: EPACopy linkCopiedHamilton also disqualified!A trio of disqualifications in China as Lewis Hamilton, who finished 6th, is also disqualified from the race.The reasoning behind Hamilton’s DQ is different to that of Leclerc and Gasly.Hamilton’s is due to excessive plank wear underneath the car.It means both Ferrari come out of the Grand Prix with nothing.On Hamilton’s disqualification, the stewards said: “The plank assembly of Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton) was measured and found to be 8.6mm (LHS), 8.6mm (car centerline) and 8.5mm (RHS). “This is below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.” During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.”Copy linkCopiedLeclerc and Gasly DISQUALIFIED Charles Leclerc has been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix for an underweight car.The Ferrari driver, who finished fifth, will move everybody up who finished behind him as a result.Pierre Gasly, who finished 11th, has also been disqualified from the race for the same reasons.Speaking on Leclerc’s disqualification, the stewards said: “Car 16 (Charles Leclerc) was weighed by the FIA Technical Delegate inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 799 kg after the customary draining of fuel and the replacement of a broken front wing. “The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor. During the hearing there was no challenge to the FIA’s measurements which are taken to be correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. “There are no mitigating circumstances and that the team confirmed that it was a genuine error by them. “The Stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty of a disqualification needs to be applied for such an infringement.”Copy linkCopiedHamilton at risk of disqualificationLewis Hamilton, who finished sixth in the race, could also be disqualified due to excessive wear on his skid blocks beneath his car.He has been disqualified for the same infringement in the past during his time at Mercedes at the 2023 United States GP.FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer said: “The skid wear of car number 44 was checked. “The rearmost skid was measured according to the team’s legality documents submission in accordance with TD039 L, item 1.2 b) i). “Measurements were taken along the stiffness compliant area at three different points of the periphery (inner arc). The recorded measurement were 8.6 mm (LHS), 8.6 mm (car centerline) and 8.5 mm (RHS).”Credit: AFPCopy linkCopiedMcLaren fancied for successFollowing today’s results, the bookies are edging towards the two McLaren drivers winning the driver’s championship this season:Lando Norris 5/6Oscar Piastri 2/1Max Verstappen 6/1Lewis Hamilton 18/1Charles Leclerc 20/1George Russell 22/1Kimi Antonelli 125/1Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz 150/1Liam Lawson 275/1All odds brought to you by Betfair.Copy linkCopiedLeclerc and Gasly face disqualificationThe FIA have found that Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly’s cars were underweight.Leclerc finished fifth in the race and had a damaged front wing.The FIA fitted an official front wing to the car after the race, and it was found to be 1kg under the 800kg weight limit.Gasly was also said to be 1kg under the limit.FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer said: “After the Race, car number 16 was weighed and its weight was 800.0 kg, which is the minimum weight required by TR Article 4.1. As the front wing was damaged (the missing FW endplate was recovered and weighed with the car), the car was re-weighed with an official spare front wing assembly of car 16 and its weight was 800.5 kg. “After this, fuel was drained out of the car and 2.0 litres of fuel were removed. The car was drained and according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality document. “The car was weighed again on the FIA scales (with the official spare front wing assembly of car 16) and the weight was 799.0 kg. The calibration of the scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor. “For information the spare front wing was 0.2 kg heavier than the damaged one used during the race. As this is 1.0 kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the Competition, I am referring this matter to the Stewards for their consideration.” “After the Race, car number 10 was weighed and its weight was 800.0 kg, which is the minimum weight required by TR Article 4.1. “After this, a fuel mass check was carried out and 1.1 kg of fuel were removed. The car was drained according to the draining procedure submitted by the team in their legality document. “The car was weighed again on the FIA scales and the weight was 799.0 kg. The calibration of the scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor. As this is 1.0 kg below the minimum weight requested in TR Article 4.1, which also has to be respected at all times during the Competition.”Copy linkCopiedFerrari with plenty of work to doAfter winning the sprint race yesterday, Hamilton reflects on his Chinese Grand Prix:We made changes after the sprint and they didn’t work. The pit lane is too long here, times are a problem with that. We just couldn’t keep up with the other cars. A number of changes were made, they all added up and made the car worse. Hopefully we can learn from that.Lewis HamiltonFerrariCopy linkCopiedChinese Grand Prix official resultsHere are how the drivers finished in Shanghai today:Credit: @F1Copy linkCopiedOscar sees chequered flag in ChinaOscar Piastri put disappointment from Australia behind him as he secured victory in Shanghai.He managed to fend off Lando Norris to take the first spot as McLaren secured the top two places.The Australian will be hoping to see plenty more of these flags over the course of the season.Credit: @F1Copy linkCopiedRed Bull no longer gives you winsSpeaking with Sky Sports, Verstappen discussed the issues they have struggled with to the start of the season:If it is possible to adjust yeh. It was more promising for us and was a lot more fun to drive. We just looked to set our own pace, the tyres were still in decent shape when I decided to pit but we had to as everyone else was. We can take a lot out of it and take that into Japan. Hopefully we can learn from it and be more competitive in ten days.Max VerstappenRed BullCopy linkCopiedYoungster shows potential in China18-year-old Kimi Antonelli was awarded the driver of the day accolade for his performance in Shanghai.Not many people his age can say they have spent their weekend tearing around a Formula 1 circuit.He looks a great addition to the team following the departure of Hamilton and no doubt will soon be having George Russell looking over his shoulder more.Credit: @F1Copy linkCopiedRed not so lucky for ItaliansIn Chinese culture, red is seen as an extremely lucky colour. It did not work out that way for the Ferrari team as Leclerc addressed the coming together between the teammates early on:It was not Lewis’ fault at all. He did not know I was there, it is just a racing incident. There was no bad intentions. It was unfortunate, it cost me in the race. There was the potential to do a lot better but the eight seconds it would take to replace the wing would leave me having to overtake cars. Mercedes were so quick in turn twelve, they had some traction there, which is why I compared it to a dragster.Charles Leclerc FerrariCopy linkCopiedChanging conditions surprise driversHaving seen lots of issues with graining in practice, things changed considerably on race day.While the medium compound tyres were still suffering, the hard compound tyres really held up.Hamilton tried to gamble with a second pit stop, hoping that the tyres of the cars in front of him would degrade considerably in the closing stages while also hoping the forecast rain was to make an appearance.However, it did not pan out for the Ferrari driver as the hard tyres really stood up to the surface of Shanghai when it mattered most.Copy linkCopiedPodium is a sea of orange in ChinaIt is a sight that McLaren want to see plenty of this season, dominating the podium with both drivers up there.Piastri and Norris seem to work well as a team and their tactics resulted in very little pressure in Shanghai.The most concerning moment was in the latter stages where Norris had to protect his position from Russell as his brakes were failing but fortunately the chequered flag came just at the right time for the team.Credit: ReutersCredit: AFPCredit: AFPCopy linkCopiedAussie impresses fans back homeOscar Piastri is the man of the moment in Shanghai.After taking pole position, he did not make one error in the entire race as he held off teammate Lando Norris.The McLaren pair will be looking to dominate the driver standings this season, having made such a great start in these early races.Credit: AFPCredit: AFPCopy linkCopiedFans make Shanghai one to rememberEach year this race seems to get bigger in China.Martin Brundle commented how in the early years there tended to be more drivers than fans but that is not the case now.There was a lot of love for the McLaren drivers in Shanghai, who will be pleased with the race outcome today.Credit: AFPCopy linkCopiedPodium drivers watch race backAs they see the highlights of the Chinese Grand Prix, George Russell is impressed with the driving skills of Charles Leclerc.Once they see the damage to his front wing, Russell comments “Wow! He did well if he had that from such an early stage.”He compares the coming together between the Ferrari drivers like Schumacher and Barrichello.Copy linkCopiedBrit content with second placeSpeaking with Sky Sports, Norris gave his view on the race and his car issues towards the end:A few fun moments. The start, the turn went to plan but George then got me at the pit. Oscar drove well, he was quick for the whole race. He deserved the win, he drove well all weekend. Just how we wanted the race to go. It’s scary, it’s like my worst nightmare when the brakes are failing. We survived.Lando NorrisMcLarenCopy linkCopiedMcLaren dominate Chinese Grand PrixOscar Piastri bounces back after the disappointment in Australia to secure the win in Shanghai today.Lando Norris would have liked to have pushed his McLaren teammate more but his braking issues meant he had to focus on holding off George Russell instead.It is a third career win for Piastri, who drove the perfect race today.Credit: AFPCopy linkCopiedChinese Grand Prix results1. Oscar Piastri – McLaren2. Lando Norris – McLaren3. George Russell – Mercedes4. Max Verstappen – Red Bull5. Charles Leclerc – Ferrari6. Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari7. Estaban Ocon – Haas8. Kimi Antonelli – MercedesCopy linkCopied More

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      Lewis Hamilton DISQUALIFIED from Chinese Grand Prix after breaking strict F1 rule by MILLIMETRES

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has been DISQUALIFIED from the Chinese Grand Prix to see his dream start to the weekend end in tatters.Team-mate Charles Leclerc and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly have also been disqualified.Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from the Chinese Grand PrixCredit: The Mega AgencyHamilton’s Ferrari car was found to have its skid block plank too low after the raceCredit: AFPHamilton had won his maiden Ferrari race during the Sprint before he finished P6 after a frustrating feature race in Shanghai.But he was then disqualified from the final classification after his Ferrari was found to be in breach of a strict F1 rule by just a tiny margin.A statement released by the motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, said the thickness of the plank assembly on his car was found to be below the permitted minimum thickness following investigation.Rules state is must be 9mm – but Hamilton’s vehicle was measured at 8.6mm.READ MORE IN F1This was a breach of Article 3.5.9 of the strict technical regulations, leading to him being disqualified from the race.Plank, or skid block, thickness matters because it is deemed dangerous to drive if it falls below the minimum allowed wear of one millimetre.A low plank can also give a driver a major performance advantage because the car is able to run lower to the ground than would normally be possible.The statement said: “The plank assembly of Car 44 was measured and found to be 8.6mm (LHS), 8.6mm (car centerline) and 8.5mm (RHS). This is below the minimum thickness of 9mm…Most read in Motorsport”The Stewards determine that Article 3.5.9 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty of a disqualification needs to be applied for such an infringement.”The statement added Ferrari acknowledged there were no mitigating circumstances and it was a “genuine error” from them.BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHamilton was one of three drivers to be disqualified from the race.Ferrari team-mate Leclerc and Alpine’s Gasly were hit with disqualifications after falling below the minimum car weight limit of 800kg after the race.Behind the scenes in Australia GP paddock including F1 star Lewis Hamilton’s new Ferrari baseIt means Hamilton and Leclerc’s points for their sixth and fifth place finish respectively – eight and 10 – are wiped from their championship tally.The ruling meant Haas duo Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman moved up two places each to P5 and P8 respectively, while there was a two-place improvement for Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Williams’ Alex Albon.Chinese Grand Prix after disqualificationsAfter the triple disqualification of Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly, here is the new top 10 standings:1) Oscar Piastri, McLaren2) Lando Norris, McLaren3) George Russell, Mercedes4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull5) Esteban Ocon, Haas6) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes7) Alex Albon, Williams8) Oliver Bearman, Haas9) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin10) Carlos Sainz, WilliamsMeanwhile, Pierre Gasly had finished P11, so his disqualification saw Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Williams’ Carlos Sainz move up three spots and into the points. Hamilton had snapped at engineer Riccardo Adami during the race after being asked to swap with Leclerc, who was showing better pace despite a damaged front wing.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe moved to the side but did not agree with where the team had directed him to perform the swap, saying: “I’ll tell you where we will swap.”The Chinese Grand Prix was dominated by McLaren, with Oscar Piastri winning the third race of his career ahead of Lando Norris to give the team its 50th 1-2 finish in the sport. More