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    F1 mechanic reveals running joke in pitlane about Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton’s on-off relationship

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    A FORMER Lewis Hamilton Formula One mechanic has revealed a running joke in the pitlane about his tumultous relationship with Nicole Scherzinger.Hamilton dated the former Pussycats Dolls singer between 2007 and 2015 in what was a highly publicised on-off relationship.Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger had an on-off relationship between 2007 and 2015Credit: GettyFormer F1 mechanic Marc Priestley has revealed how there was a joke about how the relationship impacted his performancesCredit: RexHamilton openly called Scherzinger ‘lucky’ for him at the timeCredit: Getty – ContributorAnd Hamilton was clearly impacted by the shifting circumstances of his love life, with ex-McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley revealing there was a running joke about how it changed his performances on track.Speaking on the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast, Priestley revealed: “When he first came into this sport, we used to joke amongst the team that Lewis’s performance was so intrinsically linked to the state of their relationship.”As in, on a good day, he performed well. When their relationship was in the doldrums, and they were so off and on, it was a bit like an emotional roller coaster.”When he was in these low points in the relationship, you could clearly track the performance in the car to the way their relationship status seemed to be.READ MORE IN F1“We joked that there seemed to be more lap time in keeping those two together than there ever could be with anything we could do with the car!”Hamilton and Scherzinger announced their first split in 2010, three years after they started dating months after his McLaren debut in 2007.They were then back together months later, which sparked a famous Hamilton win at the Turkish Grand Prix that season – his first F1 win in 245 days.Hamilton said at the time Scherzinger was “lucky” for him before they decisively split up in 2015.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHer eventual final showing in the F1 paddock came at the 2014 season finale in Abu Dhabi when he won his first driver’s championship with Mercedes.Priestley continued: “But there was a serious point to that, in that it was about understanding and appreciating that Lewis’s emotional state clearly affected his performance…Yuki Tsunoda explains why he is the right driver for Red Bull’s Formula 1 team “Lewis is a guy who’s quite emotional. He wears his heart on his sleeve so, without the ability to really control those emotions to the level that some other people might be able to do or might find easier to do, we were faced with an unbelievably talented racing driver whose performance was, in some way, affected by how his emotional state was, which varied greatly at different times over a race weekend or a season.”Priestley explained how Hamilton’s mental state could lead to him coming across as petulant in press conferences with one-word answers before “disappearing” during the evening.He added: “As engineers, our only goal was to try and improve things so that it could be better the next day or the next time out.”To get the driver, who’s a key part of that debrief, in a state where he’s just throwing petulance [with] answers that are unhelpful to you because he’s so down, that’s not in any way productive and doesn’t help us get closer to a solution.”But he’d often go away on a Saturday night, he’d disappear, and I wouldn’t see him on a Saturday evening. He would sometimes even cancel commitments to sponsors and partners. “He would disappear and shut himself in a room, and he probably pondered over it for quite some time, digging himself into an even bigger and deeper hole, is how he’s described it to me in years gone by.”He mulled it over in his mind and continued to tell himself that same story – that he wasn’t doing a good enough job. He would beat himself up emotionally. “He would completely reiterate the negative thought processes that he’d been having that afternoon right through into the night until he went to sleep.”However, Hamilton has always had an amazing ability to shake off negativity and bounce back. One of his most famous phrases is “still we rise”, and Priestley believes that has been one of the biggest parts of his success.He said: “But one thing he was quite good at was waking up the next day with a fresh perspective. He always said to me that this was a new day, a new set of opportunities.””This was a case of coming in to try and do it better. If you ever see a TV interview on a Sunday morning after a Saturday afternoon where he struggled in qualifying, even today, that’s generally what you get.”You get a new Lewis Hamilton where he’s no longer down. He’s no longer struggling with emotions. He’s now got this fresh perspective where he sees nothing but opportunity in front of him.“He may not have expectations that he might have had going into Saturday. His expectations might have had to be reset but, in doing so, he takes away some pressure. “He relieves himself of that burden that was overwhelming him on a Saturday. And we go into Sunday with a Lewis that’s there, ready to take the opportunities, to push like crazy.“How often do we see a way better Sunday than we see him have on a Saturday? That was the same quite often, even way back when he first came into the sport working with us at McLaren.”Hamilton’s final year with McLaren would come in 2012 before he joined Mercedes.He would go on to win six driver’s titles with the Silver Arrows before he joined Ferrari in 2025, ending the most successful partnership F1 has ever seen.The now 40-year-old has had a hit-and-miss start to life with the Scuderia, finishing P10 at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix before winning his first Ferrari race in the Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix a week later.READ MORE SUN STORIESHamilton finished P6 in the feature race before disaster struck as Ferrari suffered a double disqualification, with the Briton’s car being found to have excessive wear on its skid block.The next race will be at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Yuki Tsunoda has now been confirmed to have swapped with Liam Lawson to be Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull team-mate. More

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      Who is Michael Schumacher’s son Mick? Former Mercedes driver who has found new motorsport seat

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      THERE’S a certain weight that comes with being the son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher – and son Mick has found all about it in recent years. Mick, 26, had been tipped to succeed his father’s impeccable racing standards the second he set foot in a karting track.MickSchumacher’s time at Haas was mistake-ladenCredit: AFPSebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher have had a striking relationship throughout the yearsCredit: AlamySchumacher last role in F1 was with MercedesCredit: GettyHowever, Michael Schumacher’s youngest child has found his competitive motorsport career dwindling.Mick was last seen in a Formula 1 pit garage last December as a reserve driver for Mercedes.He left his position at the end of the 2024 season to focus on his newfound role in endurance racing.Nowadays, he is striving to get back to the elite staring of the racing world. READ MORE IN F1Life in father’s footsteps Born and raised in the Swiss village Vufflens-le-Chateau, Schumacher was born into a racing royalty with his father and uncle Ralf both in F1.The generational success that his father set that weighed heaviest in his formative years in racing and beyond.Mick had a good karting career – fishing runner-up at the World and European level – before making the jump to European Formula 3, winning the championship in his final season with Prema Racing.He would follow that up with another title Formula 2 in 2020 ahead of Brit Callum Ilott and future Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda. Most read in MotorsportMick had test drives with Alfa Romeo and Haas – aided by his association with the Ferrari Driver Academy – then signed with the latter as a full-time driver in 2021.Schumacher’s two-season F1 career was characterised by rookie blunders and team deficiencies, initially alongside controversial team-mate Nikita Mazepin – son of Belarusian-Russian oligarch and sponsor Dmitry – and than outperformed by Kevin Magnussen.In his second season, the German driver scored his first and second lot of points in back-to-back weekends at Silverstone and the Red Bull Ring in Austria, where he registered a career-best sixth finish.However, Schumacher was released from his contract going into the 2023 season as the team altered direction with successor and racing journeyman Nico Hulkenberg.Recently, he has served as a reserve driver for both Mercedes and McLaren – not suiting up for either team. Track switch Schumacher made his first ventures into the World Endurance Championship with Alpine while still occupying his reserve driver duties.Schumacher has continued to race with Alpine’s World Endurance Championship six-man Hypercar team full-time after achieving his maiden podium finish at the 6 Hours of Fuji. Additionally, Schumacher also competed in the 2025 Race of Champions in Sydney at the start of the month alongside family friend Sebastian Vettel with Will Brown pipping him to a semi-final spot in the main draw. Racing future Schumacher still harbours hopes of returning to F1 as a driver with the 2026 new regulations era providing the first real opening for a seat, particularly with Cadillac’s incoming arrival to the grid. “Formula One has always been my dream and will always be my dream. But the WEC is the number one priority,” he told Sky Germany. “That requires 100 per cent dedication.”READ MORE SUN STORIESHe went on to add: “My dream is a dream, but when I’m in the car, I’m 100 per cent in the car. The dream lives on in the moments when I have free time and can think about it.”Cadillac have expressed a public interest in signing an American driver with a big-name, and in motorsport, it doesn’t get bigger Schumacher. 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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      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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      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

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      F1 Chinese Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Lewis Hamilton looks to bounce back from disaster debut as Verstappen and Co feature

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      FORMULA ONE makes the trip up north to Asia after the new season debuted in Australia last week. Last time out, Lando Norris took home the chequered flag in a McLaren’s MCL39 that looks to be the envy of the entire grid. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell made up the rest of the podium. Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut failed to live up to expectations as he finished 10th at Albert Park.But the seven-time world champion has started the weekend brightly in China, claiming his first win for the Italian team in Saturday’s sprint race.Hamilton starts 5th on the grid on Sunday, while McClaren’s Oscar Piastri is on Pole.Race time: 7am GMTTV channel: Sky Sports F1Starting grid: 1. Oscar Piastri, 2. George Russell, 3. Lando Norris, 4. Max Verstappen, 5. Lewis Hamilton, 6. Charles Leclerc, 7. Isack Hadjar, 8. Kimi Antonelli, 9. Yuki Tsunoda, 10. Alex Albon, 11. Esteban Ocon, 12. Nico Hulkenberg, 13. Fernando Alonso, 14. Lance Stroll, 15. Carlos Sainz, 16. Pierre Gasly, 17. Ollie Bearman, 18. Jack Doohan, 19. Gabriel Bortoleto, 20. Liam LawsonBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSFollow our live blog for updates…How much do the drivers win?F1 is one of the most lucrative sports in the world – and they get a pretty penny for winning a race as well.Copy linkCopiedHamilton’s tacticsHamilton used all of his experience to win the Sprint earlier in the weekend.He shared the front row with Max Verstappen, and nobody can forget the huge fight they had for the title in 2021. But, Hamilton made sure he stayed just ahead of Verstappen, so he was forced to drive through dirty air.Copy linkCopiedRemembering Eddie JordanThis weekend marks the first weekend of racing since the passing of the legendary Eddie Jordan.Drivers such as Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna raced for Jordan, who had a huge impact on the sport.Copy linkCopiedFull starting gridOscar PiastriGeorge RussellLando NorrisMax VerstappenLewis HamiltonCharles LeclercIsack HadjarKimi Antonelli Yuki TsunodaAlex AlbonEsteban OconNico HulkenbergFernando AlonsoLance StrollCarlos SainzPierre GaslyOliver BearmanJack DoohanGabriel BortoletoLiam LawsonCopy linkCopiedWelcome to SunSport’s coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix!The 2025 F1 season has already seen a lot of twists, with the Chinese GP seeing a third different pole sitter in three races.McLaren’s pace at the front has given them a second pole in two GP’s, as Aussie Oscar Piastri will start at the front, after Lando Norris was there last week.Between them was Lewis Hamilton in yesterday’s sprint, as he converted a pole to a win, and Piastri came home second.Defending four-time world champion Max Verstappen is still waiting for his first win of the season.Just to add to the drama, Mercedes driver George Russell has split the McLaren’s, and starts second in the GP. Remember: in the UK, the race starts at 7am, so get your alarms set!Copy linkCopied More

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      Ferrari chief hints at secret tactic employed by Lewis Hamilton to disrupt major F1 rival Max Verstappen

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      FERRARI chief Fred Vasseur appears to have leaked the secret tactic Lewis Hamilton used to win the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint race.Hamilton won his first race for Ferrari after becoming the first driver over the age of 40 to claim pole in a Formula One race since Nigel Mansell in 1994.Lewis Hamilton won his first Ferrari race at the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint raceCredit: GettyHamilton an incredible tactic to help him overcome rival Max VerstappenCredit: GettyFerrari chief Fred Vasseur has revealed what tactic Hamilton used to win the raceCredit: ReutersThe Brit shared the front row with Max Verstappen at the Shanghai circuit and managed to keep his old rival at bay going into Turn 1 before controlling the race from there.Hamilton appeared to struggle to create a significant advantage over the Dutchman, who for some time remained just out of striking distance behind him.As the Sprint race progressed, Hamilton then began to pull away from Verstappen, who was eventually overtaken by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.The seven-time world champion eventually finished more than six seconds ahead of the second-place Aussie with Verstappen in third.READ MORE IN F1Hamilton was praised by engineer Riccardo Adami for a “masterclass in tyre management”.But Scuderia team principal Vasseur has revealed how Hamilton deployed a brilliant tactic to win the Shanghai Sprint race.He explained Hamilton intentionally stayed just a little in front of Verstappen in the early stages to ensure the Red Bull driver was forced to drive through “dirty air” which forced him to burn through his tyres quicker.Vasseur told Canal+: “Hamilton was under control. Starting in front helps. We must not try to draw too many conclusions from this race – because it is too early. Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”I don’t want to say that Lewis had an easy race, but he was in control from the beginning. At a certain point it allowed Verstappen to come back a little, but also causing him to damage his tyres. “He had clean air throughout the race, was able to push towards the end and finished the race with a 7-second lead over Piastri.”Behind the scenes in Australia GP paddock including F1 star Lewis Hamilton’s new Ferrari baseHe added: “If you’re second at the start, it becomes more difficult, because you look dirty, you have to damage your tyres and when you approach someone else, if you can’t overcome it, then you have problems. “Lewis managed the race well: he let Verstappen take it back and damaged the tyres at that stage, while he had a bit of a reserve in his pocket.”Yap yapHamilton hit back at his “yapping critics” following his maiden Ferrari win, before landing P5 in qualifying for Sunday’s feature race.His former engineer, Peter Bonnington, had an awkward gaffe on the team radio to Kimi Antonelli as he accidentally said: “Copy that, Lewis,” before correcting himself to say: “Copy that, Kimi.”Piastri, who was second in the Sprint, claimed pole position for tomorrow’s race and beat Hamilton’s record-breaking lap set during Sprint qualifying with a time of 1:30.641.What is ‘dirty air’ and how does it affect tyres?What is dirty air?In F1, dirty air is a term used to describe the turbulent air left behind by a racing car as it moves forward at high speed and disrupting airflow.Following a car behind on a straight creates a slipstream because there is less air resistance for the car immediately behind, allowing an F1 cars aerodynamic performance to be maximised.However, this phenomenon is reversed going into corners as the car behind has to push through the disrupted air flow left by the car in front, creating less downforce and therefore less grip.Why does this damage tyres?Less downforce for the cars aerodynamic performance means the tyres are being made to work harder to turn the car at the high speeds F1 machines move at.With the tyres working harder, this puts more strain on them and therefore uses up the grip on the tyres far quicker than it would in clean air.This wear on the tyres and disruption of the airflow can make it very difficult for an F1 car to overtake.The 2026 car regulations for F1 have heavily tried to lower the impact dirty air can have on performance to allow for more competitive racing. More

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      ‘Copy that, Lewis’ – Hamilton’s former Mercedes race engineer in awkward radio slip-up before quickly correcting himself

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’s former engineer at Mercedes had an awkward radio slip up at the Chinese Grand Prix.Hamilton, 40, stunned the world when he announced in early 2024 that he was leaving the Silver Arrows to join Ferrari for 2025.Lewis Hamilton’s old race engineer Peter Bonnington had an awkward radio slip up at the Chinese Grand PrixCredit: GettyHamilton left Mercedes to join Ferrari, ending an 11-year partnership with BonningtonCredit: AlamyBut while speaking to Kimi Antonelli during qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix he accidentally said ‘copy that, Lewis’Credit: Sky SportsHamilton and Bonnington won six Driver championships togetherCredit: AFP or licensorsThe move ended an 11-year partnership between Hamilton and engineer, Peter Bonnington, otherwise known as Bono.Together they won six Drivers’ Championship titles, but did not make the switch over to join Hamilton at the Scuderia thanks to a no-poaching clause.Hamilton was replaced at the Brackley-based team by teen star Kimi Antonelli for the upcoming season.However, it appears old habits die hard after Bonnington had an awkward slip up on the radio with Antonelli.READ MORE IN F1During qualifying in Shanghai, Antonelli can be seen racing the car around Turn 13 on a slow lap and speaking to Bonnington about a problem when the engineer makes the mistake.He is heard saying: “Yeah. Copy that, Lewis.”Realising his gaffe, the 50-year-old then said: “Uhh Yeah, copy that Kimi..”Antonelli went on qualify P8 in the session, while Hamilton qualified P5 for Sunday’s race after winning the Sprint race earlier on.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHamilton confirmed he held a meeting with his new race engineer Riccardo Adami at the start of the week after an X-rated blast down the radio during a frustrating Australian Grand Prix.He revealed they spoke about how Hamilton wanted to be communicated with when racing, with the move seemingly working wonders as he dominated the 19-lap Sprint race.’I’m about to cry’ – Fans praise Lewis Hamilton’s dad for classy gesture as he consoles F1 rookie after debut crashOn the cool-down lap Adami was heard praising Hamilton for a “masterclass in tyre management”.Speaking after the Sprint, Hamilton had hit back at his “yapping critics” in China.Bonnington, promoted to head of race engineering at Mercedes for 2025, also worked with Michael Schumacher at the team before Hamilton joined in 2013.Adami worked with Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz before Hamilton.Tomorrow’s feature race sees McLaren ace Oscar Piastri on pole after he bettered Hamilton’s record-breaking lap around the Shanghai circuit with a time of 1:30.641.Hamilton’s old team-mates George Russell claimed second to deny McLaren a front row lock-out with Lando Norris qualifying third.READ MORE SUN STORIESReigning world champion Max Verstappen qualified fifth, while his team-mate Liam Lawson suffered another nightmare session as he came dead last.Following disastrous result Lawson admitted he “don’t really have time” to get to grips with the car and declared he needs to dramatically improve.Chinese Grand Prix qualifying grid positions1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 1:30.6412. George Russell (Mercedes)3. Lando Norris (McLaren)4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)5. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)7. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)8. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)9. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)10. Alex Albon (Williams)11. Esteban Ocon (Haas)12. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)13. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)14. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)15. Carlos Sainz (Williams)16. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)17. Oliver Bearman (Haas)18. Jack Doohan (Alpine)19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)20. Liam Lawson (Red Bull) More