F1 news LIVE: Mercedes wait on Lewis Hamilton decision with Carlos Sainz tipped to become ‘top-tier driver’

Lewis Hamilton’s future continues to dominant the world of Formula 1 ahead of the upcoming 2022 season.

Hamilton’s 2021 campaign ended in drama and contention as Max Verstappen snatched away the world championship on the final lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi, leading to speculation over whether Hamilton may decide to call time on his storied career rather than continue to chase a record eighth world title. However, a cryptic tweet by Mercedes on the weekend, featuring a picture of Hamilton alongside the message “Adversity causes some to break; others to break records” hinted he would be back for more.

The new season gets under way on 20 March at the Bahrain Grand Prix. This time Hamilton will be joined by a new teammate. Valtteri Bottas is moving on to Alfa Romeo and young talent George Russell is taking up his empty Mercedes seat. Red Bull’s lineup of Verstappen and Sergio Perez is set to stay the same, while Ferrari and McLaren will stick with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz respectively.

Follow all the latest F1 news below.

F1 latest news

• Lewis Hamilton yet to confirm he will race in 2022 season

• Aston Martin announce departure of team boss Szafnauer

• Carlos Sainz tipped to become ‘top-tier driver'

• F1 could have a 30-race season 'tomorrow’

• Ferrari to discuss contract extension for Sainz

F1 news

19:40 , Karl Matchett

Such is the interest and intrigue around F1 that the season could be expanded to 30 races in an instant and not lose any support or backing, says chief executive Stefano Domenicali - but it’s not something he expects to happen.

A balance must be struck between growth of the sport and an ability to actually manage the races on the part of the teams involved, with 2022 set to see 23 races - the most ever - which has already caused consternation for some.

Talk over expansion continues though and Domenicali explained how F1 must carefully decide where they go.

“We are living in a great moment for Formula 1, there’s no doubt,” the F1 CEO said to The Race.

“In terms of sporting intensity on the track, in terms of interest from stakeholders, from the public, a new audience coming in and a new way of talking with the new audiences, and having a clear path in the regulations for a future that is very relevant to our DNA and the future technology and sustainability with this type of fuel and hybridisation.

“And therefore, it’s true that there is a big interest for new places – or old places! – to be part of our calendar. I think that with no doubt, without any kind of limitation that is correct to keep, there could be easily over 30 venues that we could do [a deal with] tomorrow, but we cannot go in this direction.

“It’s a good problem to have, to manage the most important in terms of strategy, in terms of business, in terms of the future of where we have to go.”

F1 news

19:20 , Karl Matchett

The title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton made Daniel Ricciardo somewhat jealous - but it’s not a new sensation for him and he’s delighted to even be close to that level and involved in F1 right now.

Ricciardo won the Italian Grand Prix in 2021 but only gave himself a six rating for the season as a whole, with the McLaren man keen for more next year - though he knows it’s probably another watching brief as far as challenging up the top goes.

“Of course, I’m envious,” Ricciardo said in an end-of-season press conference.

“But I’ve been envious for eight, nine years. It’s nothing new, but of course, it’s exciting the thought of it.

“For me like everyone, I’m a fan, I’m a driver, but I’m still a fan of the sport. It’s been great and take the envy aside, it’s awesome for F1 to have the battle.

“I can’t recall a year where two guys found themselves side by side on so many races.

“I feel like 75 per cent of races they’d gone wheel to wheel at some point, so it’s pretty awesome.

“Of course, I wish I was part of it, but again, just for the sport and it’s been a while Lewis has been taken to this water, if you will, taken out to this, what do you say, deep waters.”

F1 news

19:00 , Karl Matchett

Ex-Formula 1 commentator Alexey Popov has criticised the “scary” reaction of the sport’s fans during the 2021 season and claimed he is currently “disappointed” with those watching.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton produced one of the all-time great title battles as the Dutchman dramatically claimed the championship on the final lap of the last race of the season.

But journalist Popov, often referred to as Russia’s voice of F1, does not like the way motorsport fans have conducted themselves in recent months.

“I am very disappointed with the way Formula 1 fans react to news nowadays,” he said in an interview with Championat.com. “On my YouTube channel I’ve had almost the most views this year of a video with the headline ‘Max quits?’ It was just a reaction to people starting to hype the story – supposedly Max said he was leaving. And I just explained that he wasn’t going anywhere. But the fact itself – such things attract people.

“And what was the story? When I started to unravel the whole tangle, I found the original interview: it was on a BBC podcast. I listened to it twice. To twist what a person has said to such an extent, that’s a real challenge!”

Full report:

F1 fans criticised for ‘scary’ reaction to 2022 season

F1 news

18:40 , Karl Matchett

George Russell is joining Mercedes for 2022 but Lando Norris should have been their choice, say ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and commentator Jack Nicholls.

Speaking on the Chequered Flag podcast, Nicholls noted:

“If I’m Mercedes and I have a free choice in that second seat alongside Hamilton, I think I’m picking Norris over Russell after this year.”

Palmer agreed, highlighting stellar work in Sochi as an example of the mentality and quality he possesses.

“For a guy that has never won a race, to have a seven-time World Champion breathing down his neck in a Mercedes…

“Then it starts raining, and he’s still off the road a couple of times, scrabbling around, but keeping Hamilton, we all know how good he is in the wet, behind him. It was really legendary stuff I think from Norris.”

Norris remains with McLaren and has a multi-year deal with the team.

F1 news

18:20 , Karl Matchett

Ferrari were delighted with the efforts of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc last season, hailing them as top team-mates as well as great individual racers.

The latter is already signed up for years but Sainz’s deal expires after the 2022 season as Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says plans are afoot to discuss keeping him at Maranello for some time to come yet.

“As we said I think in the last race, we will discuss through the winter time the extension of his contract,” Binotto said.

“We’ll sit down with time and try to understand. Certainly I think he did very well during the season, [we are] very happy the way that he has integrated, the way that he has been performing on-track and during the race weekends.

“So no doubt that we’ll sit down and try to find an agreement. That will be part of the winter period.”

F1 news

18:00 , Karl Matchett

Mercedes have to be “ready” for any unexpected problems in their path, says team boss Toto Wolff - and that includes Lewis Hamilton stepping away from the sport.

The seven-time world champion has a contract which runs through to 2023 but speculation has been rife that the Brit was ready to walk away and retire after the disappointment of how last season ended, losing the title to Max Verstappen on the final lap of the final race.

Wolff isn’t concerned by the prospect though and says the emphasis is instead on preparation and communication.

“It doesn’t worry me at all, because I will always respect Lewis’s decisions,” he said, reports the Express.

‘Whether this is staying with us for a long time, or whether that means leaving the sport and pursuing different interests.

“I think we need to be ready for all kinds of curveballs being thrown at us.

“But at the same time, we talk a lot, and we are very transparent with each other. I think there is more to achieve together.”

F1 news

17:40 , Karl Matchett

Officials at the iconic Nurburgring say they are open to discussions with Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali that could see the German Grand Prix return to its race calendar.

The German Grand Prix has not been held since 2019 and despite a record 23 races scheduled in the 2022 season, F1 will not be heading to the country next year.

That is despite Germany’s long history with the sport, as well as the connections with the Nurburgring - which last held a race in 2020 when the Eifel Grand Prix replaced one of the cancelled events in the Covid-hit season.

In a recent interview with Sport1, Domenicali said there “should be an open discussion to sound out how Formula One can return to Germany” within the coming weeks.

But the F1 CEO also added: “Unfortunately, I don’t see any real interest from Germany in becoming part of the Formula One calendar again. That’s a shame and actually hard to believe. I hope this will change again in the future.”

Full report:

Nurburgring ‘willing to talk’ about returning to F1 race calendar

When does the 2022 Formula 1 season start and who are the drivers?

17:20 , Karl Matchett

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of 2022 in Formula One.

Who are the new faces and who has switched teams? Where are the new races being held? What’s the calendar as it stands and what about new rules?

There’s a lot to take in before the season starts so make sure you’re as fully up to speed as the drivers themselves.

When does the 2022 Formula 1 season start and who are the drivers?

F1 news

17:00 , Karl Matchett

Fernando Alonso says a single campaign of unhappiness has led to wrong perceptions of his character in F1.

The veteran says the “environment” at McLaren in 2007, alongside a then-new-face Lewis Hamilton, led to him being displeased and leaving after just a year, but this memory has led people to question his state since then despite everything going largely well.

“I think from 2007 and fighting with Hamilton in a British team, in a British environment, it was the wrong message that people perceived and people spread about me - that from 2007, everyone is surprised about how good I feel and how happy I am,” Alonso said.

“So I think I didn’t change much. I’m happy today, but I don’t think I was not happy in the last seasons.

“When I joined Ferrari, I had exactly the same questions from you [reporters].

“I remember perfectly, answering questions: ‘Why do you feel so happy now? Is it being in an Italian team and you are Spanish, it’s a better fit and you feel happy?’ And I said yes, maybe it’s because of that, we have the same sense of humour, we have the same Latin character, so maybe that’s the reason why I’m happy.

“Then I came back to McLaren in 2015, and it was the same comments: ‘Why are you so happy now? Because in Ferrari, you felt a little bit down the last two years and frustrated, and now you seem that even if you are not fighting for the championship and it was the bad seasons of Honda etc, you’re still quite happy off-track, so why that change from Fernando?’

“And then when I was in endurance [racing] or Dakar or Indy: ‘Why are you so much more relaxed now? In Formula 1, you seemed frustrated etc?’ And now it’s the same comment.”

F1 news

16:45 , Karl Matchett

Former F1 driver and two-time Le Mans winner Hans-Joachim Stuck says he was underwhelmed with Sebastian Vettel’s first season with Aston Martin.

Vettel did claim a podium in Azerbaijan, but overall there was more hoped for in some quarters.

“Sebastian Vettel has set a few highlights in the Aston Martin this season, but otherwise I have to say that I am personally a little disappointed. There wasn’t much special about it,” Stuck told Eurosport.

“Sporting-wise, he can keep up without question. There are always fluctuations with Vettel, but that’s also down to his team.

“From Aston Martin’s point of view, however, the season has gone well overall. That whets the appetite for the future.”

F1 news

16:30 , Karl Matchett

Ferrari really picked up last year after a dismal performance in 2020.

The pairing of Sainz and Leclerc worked well and they are not stopping here - Team Principal Mattia Binotto wants far more in future.

“Our objectives, at least declared at the start of [2021], were to try to improve ourselves in all the areas, in each single detail,” said Binotto. “We didn’t set the third position as the final objective for ourselves; we always said third will be the simple outcome of trying to work well as a team and in terms of team effort now.

“Finishing third... is encouraging because it’s a declaration that the team somehow has made progress and is going in the right direction.”

Valtteri Bottas briefly considered leaving F1

16:15 , Karl Matchett

Valtteri Bottas will no longer be Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate racing for Mercedes next year, but says the multi-year offer received from Alfa Romeo gave him clarity for the future and allowed him time to come to terms with a big change - going from a team trying to win every race to one building for the future.

“Yes, for sure, I know going from a team that like I said, going to a race knowing that you have a chance to win a race, it’s going to be different next year, realistically,” Bottas told reporters.

“Luckily, this change and with a new contract, nothing happened overnight, so I had actually quite a lot of time to process things and thinking about the difference in our roles.

“Of course, I also questioned myself, do I want this, or should I try doing something else?

“[Leaving] was also one option, but I never seriously considered leaving Formula 1 because deep inside me, I still love Formula 1 and the competition and many things about it.

“Again, referring to this something new and a long-term project, that’s the motivation for me, to try and help the team the best I can, and I think it can be really rewarding if we achieve some good things.”

F1 news

16:00 , Karl Matchett

Yuki Tsunoda started 2021 well but found consistency hard to come by - and he knows he must improve to retain his spot with AlphaTauri.

The Japanese racer has moved country and embarked on a better pre-season regime in a bid to maximise his chances of success.

“[This year] is going to be a really important year for me,” he told GPFans.

“I don’t know how the pace is going to be for the car in the team, but you need to perform well and, of course, you need to beat the team-mate and you need a more consistent race.

“But now I know the details of what I have to improve and, if I improve this one, I can beat him, beat my team-mate, or have a consistent race.

“These are all of the things, all of the ingredients I saw to go forward. In terms of that, it was a really good preparation year I would say.”

F1 news

15:53 , Karl Matchett

Changes to the car design, the tyre size and the different rules on spending caps in Formula One next season all mean drivers face a real challenge for the new campaign.

That’s the feeling from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who drove several laps in Abu Dhabi after the season finale on the new compounds.

“It’s quite a bit different. This one is basically adapted to fit those bigger tyres on, but apart from that it’s the 2019 car,” Leclerc said, per PlanetF1.

“So it’s going to be big time different, but I think we’ll only know once we put the real 2022 car on track and do the correlation from the simulator to reality.

“It makes it quite tricky. It’s challenging for us drivers, and I think it will be more challenging next year to drive those cars.

“Overall, it probably has a bit of a bigger window to work; especially in cold conditions, it feels quite good.

“But it’s also quite tricky when you lose the car in the high-speed [corners] especially.”

F1 news

15:45 , Karl Matchett

Lewis Hamilton has sold his personalised Pagani Zonda 760LH, Quattroruote report, netting himself a profit of over £7million in the process.

While the British racer has not made any comment publicly since the end of last season, the move is believed to be related to his “increased environmental awareness”.

“The reasons are in-line with the attitude that the Mercedes champion is taking in terms of ethics: in fact, his cars will be, at a minimum, hybrids,” the report states.

Williams win £26.3m case against former sponsor

15:30 , Jack Rathborn

Williams have been awarded $35.7 million (£26.3m) in an arbitration case after a dispute with former title sponsor ROKiT.

The case in the United States comes after the pair joined forces in 2019 on a three-year contract, while quickly extending the partnership to 2023 later that year.

But after the 2020 season was delayed due to the Covid pandemic, the pair split.

As reported by MotorsportWeek.com, Williams won the case against ROKiT at a London Court of International Arbitration tribunal in 2021, ordering ROKiT to stump up “roughly £26.2m in missed payments, as well as a $1m in bonus payment.”

Arbitrator Klaus Reichert SC has now ruled in favour of Williams, stating that ROKiT did not pay the money owed to Williams, meaning the matter is now settled and the Grove outfit can concentrate on the 2022 season, with the outstanding sponsorship money now due soon.

David Coulthard: Lewis Hamilton had to ‘fight fire’ in F1 title battle

15:15 , Jack Rathborn

David Coulthard has likened Lewis Hamilton’s role in last season’s dramatic F1 title fight with Max Verstappen to “fighting fire”.

“The way he [Verstappen] drives, the thing that I find most impressive…[if] there’s a gap, he goes for it, it’s not even a doubt,” Coulthard told Channel 4.

“I used to weigh up ‘should I risk it now, should I not risk it’, he just goes ‘I can see the biscuit’ he risks it for the biscuit, he just goes, it really is quite special.

“And when you actually see how Lewis is defending against that, Lewis is an exceptional racing driver, but he’s had to open the door on more than one occasion because he’s come up against, if he’s fire, he’s come up against fire, and how do you fight fire?”

Michael Masi told Abu Dhabi decisions ‘completely ignored any level of common sense’

15:00 , Jack Rathborn

Former Formula 1 driver Stefan Johansson has told Michael Masi his decisions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lacked “common sense”,

The race director decided to restart the final event of the year after Nicholas Latifi crashed. He also allowed some cars to unlap themselves and for others not to.

This meant Max Verstappen, who had pitted for a change of tyres when the safety car was out, was right behind Lewis Hamilton who had the lead for the majority of the race. The Dutchman overtook the British star and claimed his first world championship.

“I guess it’s positive for F1 that everyone is chiming in, that there’s so much passion for either side, Lewis or Max,” Johansson told F1i.com. “Whether it’s intentional or not, the entertainment value of this controversy has gone through the roof.

Michael Masi told Abu Dhabi decisions ‘completely ignored any level of common sense’

F1 news

14:49 , Karl Matchett

Alfa Romeo are well-placed to embrace the changed rules within Formula One next season and it’s the bigger teams who may struggle to come to terms with the altered financial landscape, says Fred Vasseur.

“I think it’s a nice project to start from scratch with the cost cap,” the team principal told GPFans.

“It’s even a bit more than just a change of chassis and the fact that you have to develop the car on the other cost cap, it’s a complete change of mentality and approach.

“For the big teams, I think it’s an extra challenge,” he added.

“For us, we have also to anticipate the fact that if we keep this path, in two or three years we will be at the cost cap.

“Now you have to be focused on efficiency. It’s a big change of mindset for a company, but it’s a good challenge, a nice one.”

Lando Norris backs Ferrari for podiums and wins in 2022

14:45 , Jack Rathborn

Lando Norris expects a surge from Ferrari in 2022 with more podium contention and even a few victories.

Norris believes the power unit will help the Scuderia after a year battling with McLaren for third place.

The British driver finished between the Ferrari drivers, ahead of Charles Leclerc in P6 and behind Carlos Sainz in P5.

“The progress they’ve made in the latter part of the season has had nothing to do with the car,” Norris said, as quoted by Marca.

“They have only improved their power units. I don’t think they’ve ever had a terrible car.

“Even in the last few years, I don’t think they’ve had a terrible car. They just lacked on the engine side.”

Ocon praises current state of Formula 1

14:30 , Jack Rathborn

Esteban Ocon claims the state of Formula 1 right now is “fantastic”.

The Alpine driver is thrilled at how the sport has transcended the hardcore fan market to gain in popularity.

“I think it’s fantastic how Formula 1 has developed,” he said, as per Motorsport-Total.com.

“There are things being tried, the races were interesting and there are definitely opportunities these days.

“It’s just crazy until the last lap. This last lap [of 2021] actually sums up the entire season well.

“Everyone is talking about Formula 1. Friends of mine weren’t really interested and are now fully involved. It’s great.”

Aston Martin announce departure of team boss Szafnauer

14:15 , Jack Rathborn

Aston Martin have announced the shock departure of team boss Otmar Szafnauer.

In a statement, Aston Martin said: “Otmar Szafnauer has left the company and his role at Aston Martin will be managed within the leadership team until a replacement is appointed.

“We would like to thank him for the service provided to the team over the past 12 years and wish him well for the future as he will undoubtedly take on new challenges.

“Fortunately, we are led and managed by a strong group of individuals, and we are comfortable to take a little time to explore options before announcing a new team structure.

“The focus of the team is currently on preparing the most competitive car possible for the start of the 2022 season.”

While Szafnauer has not announced his next move, he denied reports last season linking him with Alpine.

Carlos Sainz tipped to become ‘top-tier driver'

14:05 , Jack Rathborn

Ex-F1 racer Jolyon Palmer has highlighted Carlos Sainz as a potential star moving forward.

Sainz finished P6 in the both his seasons with McLaren in the 2019 and 2020 Drivers’ Championships, before linking up with Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc.

After four podium finishes helped him land P5 in the standings, Sainz has elevated himself from understudy to equal with Leclerc and now has the potential to go beyond.

“A tough call for most-improved given Sainz has been in the top six in the standings for the last three years now,” Palmer told the F1 website. “On the face of it, the fact that Sainz and Norris would both jump out as improved drivers this year demonstrates that they were probably underrated as McLaren team-mates, at least by me.

“But I do think Sainz has stepped up at Ferrari wonderfully, with the culmination being his podium in Abu Dhabi to take him to ‘best of the rest’ in the standings, and become the first driver to outscore Charles Leclerc as a team-mate in any car racing series.

“Like many drivers who changed teams, he started slowly, but finished fast and improved well throughout 2021 as well. When Ferrari signed him early in 2020, it seemed he would be a great second fiddle to Leclerc, but perhaps they might just be re-evaluating that assessment now. I think this year he has shown the potential to be an absolute top tier driver.”

Haas boss surprised at late-season surge of pace

13:51 , Karl Matchett

Gunther Steiner says he’s surprised Haas closed the gap to the teams above them toward the end of the 2021 season, with a transition year not seeing any development to the car as they focused instead on the 2022 campaign.

It meant an at-times painful watch for Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin, with Haas bottom of the constructor standings as a result.

But an upturn in speed in the final races of the season has Steiner cautiously optimistic.

“What you have to watch is that people don’t get complacent, get used to it and don’t do their best any more,” team boss Steiner told Motorsport.com.

“[You have to] tell them that ‘you guys have not gone stupid or bad, it will get better, it’s just our car is not developed’. It’s too simple the answer: if there is one year you don’t do anything, this is where you end up.

“Then again, in the last two races, I could not believe we were only a tenth or two away from the end of the midfield. I don’t get it with a car that’s almost two years old.

“The other ones should have made the gap bigger, they developed their cars.

“The last two races were very odd to me. In Saudi Arabia, where the lap is very long, we were only one and a half tenths behind. And we fought in the race with one of the Williams. Maybe they were going slower?”

F1 could have a 30-race season “tomorrow”

13:37 , Karl Matchett

Such is the interest and intrigue around F1 that the season could be expanded to 30 races in an instant and not lose any support or backing, says chief executive Stefano Domenicali - but it’s not something he expects to happen.

A balance must be struck between growth of the sport and an ability to actually manage the races on the part of the teams involved, with 2022 set to see 23 races - the most ever - which has already caused consternation for some.

Talk over expansion continues though and Domenicali explained how F1 must carefully decide where they go.

“We are living in a great moment for Formula 1, there’s no doubt,” the F1 CEO said to The Race.

“In terms of sporting intensity on the track, in terms of interest from stakeholders, from the public, a new audience coming in and a new way of talking with the new audiences, and having a clear path in the regulations for a future that is very relevant to our DNA and the future technology and sustainability with this type of fuel and hybridisation.

“And therefore, it’s true that there is a big interest for new places – or old places! – to be part of our calendar. I think that with no doubt, without any kind of limitation that is correct to keep, there could be easily over 30 venues that we could do [a deal with] tomorrow, but we cannot go in this direction.

“It’s a good problem to have, to manage the most important in terms of strategy, in terms of business, in terms of the future of where we have to go.”

Watching title fight made Ricciardo envious of Hamilton and Verstappen

13:20 , Karl Matchett

The title fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton made Daniel Ricciardo somewhat jealous - but it’s not a new sensation for him and he’s delighted to even be close to that level and involved in F1 right now.

Ricciardo won the Italian Grand Prix in 2021 but only gave himself a six rating for the season as a whole, with the McLaren man keen for more next year - though he knows it’s probably another watching brief as far as challenging up the top goes.

“Of course, I’m envious,” Ricciardo said in an end-of-season press conference.

“But I’ve been envious for eight, nine years. It’s nothing new, but of course, it’s exciting the thought of it.

“For me like everyone, I’m a fan, I’m a driver, but I’m still a fan of the sport. It’s been great and take the envy aside, it’s awesome for F1 to have the battle.

“I can’t recall a year where two guys found themselves side by side on so many races.

“I feel like 75 per cent of races they’d gone wheel to wheel at some point, so it’s pretty awesome.

“Of course, I wish I was part of it, but again, just for the sport and it’s been a while Lewis has been taken to this water, if you will, taken out to this, what do you say, deep waters.”

F1 fans criticised for ‘scary’ reaction to 2022 season

13:01 , Karl Matchett

Ex-Formula 1 commentator Alexey Popov has criticised the “scary” reaction the sport’s fans during the 2021 season and claimed he is currently ‘disappointed’ with those watching.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton produced one of the all-time great title battles as the Dutchman dramatically claimed the championship on the final lap of the last race of the season.

But journalist Popov, often referred to as Russia’s voice of F1, does not like the way motorsport fans have conducted themselves in recent months.

“I am very disappointed with the way Formula 1 fans react to news nowadays,” he said in an interview with Championat.com. “On my YouTube channel I’ve had almost the most views this year of a video with the headline ‘Max quits?’ It was just a reaction to people starting to hype the story – supposedly Max said he was leaving. And I just explained that he wasn’t going anywhere. But the fact itself – such things attract people.”

Full report:

F1 fans criticised for ‘scary’ reaction to 2022 season

Should Mercedes have opted for Norris over Russell?

12:40 , Karl Matchett

George Russell is joining Mercedes for 2022 but Lando Norris should have been their choice, say ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer and commentator Jack Nicholls.

Speaking on the Chequered Flag podcast, Nicholls noted:

“If I’m Mercedes and I have a free choice in that second seat alongside Hamilton, I think I’m picking Norris over Russell after this year.”

Palmer agreed, highlighting stellar work in Sochi as an example of the mentality and quality he possesses.

“For a guy that has never won a race, to have a seven-time World Champion breathing down his neck in a Mercedes…

“Then it starts raining, and he’s still off the road a couple of times, scrabbling around, but keeping Hamilton, we all know how good he is in the wet, behind him. It was really legendary stuff I think from Norris.”

Norris remains with McLaren and has a multi-year deal with the team.

Ferrari to discuss Sainz contract extension

12:26 , Karl Matchett

Ferrari were delighted with the efforts of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc last season, hailing them as top team-mates as well as great individual racers.

The latter is already signed up for years but Sainz’s deal expires after the 2022 season as Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto says plans are afoot to discuss keeping him at Maranello for some time to come yet.

“As we said I think in the last race, we will discuss through the winter time the extension of his contract,” Binotto said.

“We’ll sit down with time and try to understand. Certainly I think he did very well during the season, [we are] very happy the way that he has integrated, the way that he has been performing on-track and during the race weekends.

“So no doubt that we’ll sit down and try to find an agreement. That will be part of the winter period.”

Mercedes must be “ready” for Hamilton leaving - Wolff

12:02 , Karl Matchett

Mercedes have to be “ready” for any unexpected problems in their path, says team boss Toto Wolff - and that includes Lewis Hamilton stepping away from the sport.

The seven-time world champion has a contract which runs through to 2023 but speculation has been rife that the Brit was ready to walk away and retire after the disappointment of how last season ended, losing the title to Max Verstappen on the final lap of the final race.

Wolff isn’t concerned by the prospect though and says the emphasis is instead on preparation and communication.

“It doesn’t worry me at all, because I will always respect Lewis’s decisions,” he said, reports the Express.

‘Whether this is staying with us for a long time, or whether that means leaving the sport and pursuing different interests.

“I think we need to be ready for all kinds of curveballs being thrown at us.

“But at the same time, we talk a lot, and we are very transparent with each other. I think there is more to achieve together.”

Mercedes set to lose two sponsors heading into 2022 season

11:51 , Karl Matchett

Epson and Bose are big names with big sponsorship deals with Mercedes last year, but neither are to be taken into 2022 as it stands.

The former have already confirmed they will not be renewing their deal for the new season, while it has been reported by RN365 that executives from Bose and Mercedes are still in discussions over whether to extend the deal.

Big income can still be expected via their other sponsors, and the expectation is they will find new ones ahead of the new season.

Nurburgring ‘willing to talk’ about returning to F1 race calendar

11:28 , Karl Matchett

Officials at the iconic Nurburgring say they are open to discussions with Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali that could see the German Grand Prix return to its race calendar.

The German Grand Prix has not been held since 2019 and despite a record 23 races scheduled in the 2022 season, F1 will not be heading to the country next year.

That is despite Germany’s long history with the sport, as well as the connections with the Nurburgring - which last held a race in 2020 when the Eifel Grand Prix replaced one of the cancelled events in the Covid-hit season.

In a recent interview with Sport1, Domenicali said there “should be an open discussion to sound out how Formula One can return to Germany” within the coming weeks.

But the F1 CEO also added: “Unfortunately, I don’t see any real interest from Germany in becoming part of the Formula One calendar again. That’s a shame and actually hard to believe. I hope this will change again in the future.”

Full report:

Nurburgring ‘willing to talk’ about returning to F1 race calendar

When does the 2022 Formula 1 season start and who are the drivers?

11:09 , Karl Matchett

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of 2022 in Formula One.

Who are the new faces and who has switched teams? Where are the new races being held? What’s the calendar as it stands and what about new rules?

There’s a lot to take in before the season starts so make sure you’re as fully up to speed as the drivers themselves.

When does the 2022 Formula 1 season start and who are the drivers?

Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen only one part of year F1 enticed, enthralled and astounded

10:48 , Karl Matchett

F1 fans are all looking forward to the new season, but it’s still only a few short weeks since the last campaign ended in dramatic, controversial and - for some - ridiculous fashion.

But the title chase and the rivalry between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton was only one section of F1’s 2021 season, with so much else going on all around the sport which captured the imagination of new fans and long-term admirers alike.

If you haven’t read it yet, now is a good time to catch up on our end-of-year review:

Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen only one part of year F1 enticed and astounded

F1 news

10:30 , Karl Matchett

Fernando Alonso says a single campaign of unhappiness has led to wrong perceptions of his character in F1.

The veteran says the “environment” at McLaren in 2007, alongside a then-new-face Lewis Hamilton, led to him being displeased and leaving after just a year, but this memory has led people to question his state since then despite everything going largely well.

“I think from 2007 and fighting with Hamilton in a British team, in a British environment, it was the wrong message that people perceived and people spread about me - that from 2007, everyone is surprised about how good I feel and how happy I am,” Alonso said.

“So I think I didn’t change much. I’m happy today, but I don’t think I was not happy in the last seasons.

“When I joined Ferrari, I had exactly the same questions from you [reporters].

“I remember perfectly, answering questions: ‘Why do you feel so happy now? Is it being in an Italian team and you are Spanish, it’s a better fit and you feel happy?’ And I said yes, maybe it’s because of that, we have the same sense of humour, we have the same Latin character, so maybe that’s the reason why I’m happy.

“Then I came back to McLaren in 2015, and it was the same comments: ‘Why are you so happy now? Because in Ferrari, you felt a little bit down the last two years and frustrated, and now you seem that even if you are not fighting for the championship and it was the bad seasons of Honda etc, you’re still quite happy off-track, so why that change from Fernando?’

“And then when I was in endurance [racing] or Dakar or Indy: ‘Why are you so much more relaxed now? In Formula 1, you seemed frustrated etc?’ And now it’s the same comment.”

F1 latest news

10:14 , Karl Matchett

Former F1 driver and two-time Le Mans winner Hans-Joachim Stuck says he was underwhelmed with Sebastian Vettel’s first season with Aston Martin.

Vettel did claim a podium in Azerbaijan, but overall there was more hoped for in some quarters.

“Sebastian Vettel has set a few highlights in the Aston Martin this season, but otherwise I have to say that I am personally a little disappointed. There wasn’t much special about it,” Stuck told Eurosport.

“Sporting-wise, he can keep up without question. There are always fluctuations with Vettel, but that’s also down to his team.

“From Aston Martin’s point of view, however, the season has gone well overall. That whets the appetite for the future.”

Ferrari delighted with progress - but aiming for even more

09:45 , Karl Matchett

Ferrari really picked up last year after a dismal performance in 2020.

The pairing of Sainz and Leclerc worked well and they are not stopping here - Team Principal Mattia Binotto wants far more in future.

“Our objectives, at least declared at the start of [2021], were to try to improve ourselves in all the areas, in each single detail,” said Binotto. “We didn’t set the third position as the final objective for ourselves; we always said third will be the simple outcome of trying to work well as a team and in terms of team effort now.

“Finishing third... is encouraging because it’s a declaration that the team somehow has made progress and is going in the right direction.”

F1 news

09:26 , Karl Matchett

Valtteri Bottas will no longer be Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate racing for Mercedes next year, but says the multi-year offer received from Alfa Romeo gave him clarity for the future and allowed him time to come to terms with a big change - going from a team trying to win every race to one building for the future.

“Yes, for sure, I know going from a team that like I said, going to a race knowing that you have a chance to win a race, it’s going to be different next year, realistically,” Bottas told reporters.

“Luckily, this change and with a new contract, nothing happened overnight, so I had actually quite a lot of time to process things and thinking about the difference in our roles.

“Of course, I also questioned myself, do I want this, or should I try doing something else?

“[Leaving] was also one option, but I never seriously considered leaving Formula 1 because deep inside me, I still love Formula 1 and the competition and many things about it.

“Again, referring to this something new and a long-term project, that’s the motivation for me, to try and help the team the best I can, and I think it can be really rewarding if we achieve some good things.”

Tsunoda keen to make on- and off-track improvements

09:12 , Karl Matchett

Yuki Tsunoda started 2021 well but found consistency hard to come by - and he knows he must improve to retain his spot with AlphaTauri.

The Japanese racer has moved country and embarked on a better pre-season regime in a bid to maximise his chances of success.

“[This year] is going to be a really important year for me,” he told GPFans.

“I don’t know how the pace is going to be for the car in the team, but you need to perform well and, of course, you need to beat the team-mate and you need a more consistent race.

“But now I know the details of what I have to improve and, if I improve this one, I can beat him, beat my team-mate, or have a consistent race.

“These are all of the things, all of the ingredients I saw to go forward. In terms of that, it was a really good preparation year I would say.”

F1 news

08:55 , Karl Matchett

Lewis Hamilton has sold his personalised Pagani Zonda 760LH, Quattroruote report, netting himself a profit of over £7million in the process.

While the British racer has not made any comment publicly since the end of last season, the move is believed to be related to his “increased environmental awareness”.

“The reasons are in-line with the attitude that the Mercedes champion is taking in terms of ethics: in fact, his cars will be, at a minimum, hybrids,” the report states.

Aston Martin boss departs amid speculation he’ll join rivals

08:42 , Karl Matchett

Otmar Szafnauer has left the Aston Martin Formula One team, where he was chief executive officer and principal but recently fended off speculation he could be heading to Renault-owned rivals Alpine.

Silverstone-based Aston Martin, owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, said in a statement that a leadership team would take over until a replacement was appointed.

There was no immediate comment from Alpine.

“We would like to thank him for the service provided to the team over the past 12 years and wish him well for the future as he will undoubtedly take on new challenges,” Mercedes-powered Aston Martin said.

“Fortunately, we are led and managed by a strong group of individuals, and we are comfortable to take a little time to explore options before announcing a new team structure.

“The focus of the team is currently on preparing the most competitive car possible for the start of the 2022 season.”

The season is due to start in Bahrain on March 20.

Williams win £26.3m case against former sponsor

08:31 , Jack Rathborn

Williams have been awarded $35.7 million (£26.3m) in an arbitration case after a dispute with former title sponsor ROKiT.

The case in the United States comes after the pair joined forces in 2019 on a three-year contract, while quickly extending the partnership to 2023 later that year.

But after the 2020 season was delayed due to the Covid pandemic, the pair split.

As reported by MotorsportWeek.com, Williams won the case against ROKiT at a London Court of International Arbitration tribunal in 2021, ordering ROKiT to stump up “roughly £26.2m in missed payments, as well as a $1m in bonus payment.”

Arbitrator Klaus Reichert SC has now ruled in favour of Williams, stating that ROKiT did not pay the money owed to Williams, meaning the matter is now settled and the Grove outfit can concentrate on the 2022 season, with the outstanding sponsorship money now due soon.

David Coulthard: Lewis Hamilton had to ‘fight fire’ in F1 title battle

08:18 , Jack Rathborn

David Coulthard has likened Lewis Hamilton’s role in last season’s dramatic F1 title fight with Max Verstappen to “fighting fire”.

“The way he [Verstappen] drives, the thing that I find most impressive…[if] there’s a gap, he goes for it, it’s not even a doubt,” Coulthard told Channel 4.

“I used to weigh up ‘should I risk it now, should I not risk it’, he just goes ‘I can see the biscuit’ he risks it for the biscuit, he just goes, it really is quite special.

“And when you actually see how Lewis is defending against that, Lewis is an exceptional racing driver, but he’s had to open the door on more than one occasion because he’s come up against, if he’s fire, he’s come up against fire, and how do you fight fire?”

Michael Masi told Abu Dhabi decisions ‘completely ignored any level of common sense’

08:05 , Jack Rathborn

Former Formula 1 driver Stefan Johansson has told Michael Masi his decisions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix lacked “common sense”,

The race director decided to restart the final event of the year after Nicholas Latifi crashed. He also allowed some cars to unlap themselves and for others not to.

This meant Max Verstappen, who had pitted for a change of tyres when the safety car was out, was right behind Lewis Hamilton who had the lead for the majority of the race. The Dutchman overtook the British star and claimed his first world championship.

“I guess it’s positive for F1 that everyone is chiming in, that there’s so much passion for either side, Lewis or Max,” Johansson told F1i.com. “Whether it’s intentional or not, the entertainment value of this controversy has gone through the roof.

Michael Masi told Abu Dhabi decisions ‘completely ignored any level of common sense’

Lando Norris backs Ferrari for podiums and wins in 2022

07:51 , Jack Rathborn

Lando Norris expects a surge from Ferrari in 2022 with more podium contention and even a few victories.

Norris believes the power unit will help the Scuderia after a year battling with McLaren for third place.

The British driver finished between the Ferrari drivers, ahead of Charles Leclerc in P6 and behind Carlos Sainz in P5.

“The progress they’ve made in the latter part of the season has had nothing to do with the car,” Norris said, as quoted by Marca.

“They have only improved their power units. I don’t think they’ve ever had a terrible car.

“Even in the last few years, I don’t think they’ve had a terrible car. They just lacked on the engine side.”

Ocon praises current state of Formula 1

07:39 , Jack Rathborn

Esteban Ocon claims the state of Formula 1 right now is “fantastic”.

The Alpine driver is thrilled at how the sport has transcended the hardcore fan market to gain in popularity.

“I think it’s fantastic how Formula 1 has developed,” he said, as per Motorsport-Total.com.

“There are things being tried, the races were interesting and there are definitely opportunities these days.

“It’s just crazy until the last lap. This last lap [of 2021] actually sums up the entire season well.

“Everyone is talking about Formula 1. Friends of mine weren’t really interested and are now fully involved. It’s great.”

Aston Martin announce departure of team boss Szafnauer

07:26 , Jack Rathborn

Aston Martin have announced the shock departure of team boss Otmar Szafnauer.

In a statement, Aston Martin said: “Otmar Szafnauer has left the company and his role at Aston Martin will be managed within the leadership team until a replacement is appointed.

“We would like to thank him for the service provided to the team over the past 12 years and wish him well for the future as he will undoubtedly take on new challenges.

“Fortunately, we are led and managed by a strong group of individuals, and we are comfortable to take a little time to explore options before announcing a new team structure.

“The focus of the team is currently on preparing the most competitive car possible for the start of the 2022 season.”

While Szafnauer has not announced his next move, he denied reports last season linking him with Alpine.

Carlos Sainz tipped to become ‘top-tier driver'

07:16 , Jack Rathborn

Ex-F1 racer Jolyon Palmer has highlighted Carlos Sainz as a potential star moving forward.

Sainz finished P6 in the both his seasons with McLaren in the 2019 and 2020 Drivers’ Championships, before linking up with Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc.

After four podium finishes helped him land P5 in the standings, Sainz has elevated himself from understudy to equal with Leclerc and now has the potential to go beyond.

“A tough call for most-improved given Sainz has been in the top six in the standings for the last three years now,” Palmer told the F1 website. “On the face of it, the fact that Sainz and Norris would both jump out as improved drivers this year demonstrates that they were probably underrated as McLaren team-mates, at least by me.

“But I do think Sainz has stepped up at Ferrari wonderfully, with the culmination being his podium in Abu Dhabi to take him to ‘best of the rest’ in the standings, and become the first driver to outscore Charles Leclerc as a team-mate in any car racing series.

“Like many drivers who changed teams, he started slowly, but finished fast and improved well throughout 2021 as well. When Ferrari signed him early in 2020, it seemed he would be a great second fiddle to Leclerc, but perhaps they might just be re-evaluating that assessment now. I think this year he has shown the potential to be an absolute top tier driver.”

F1 news

Wednesday 5 January 2022 22:51 , Lawrence Ostlere

Lewis Hamilton’s future continues to dominant the world of Formula 1 ahead of the upcoming 2022 season.

Hamilton’s 2021 campaign ended in drama and contention as Max Verstappen snatched away the world championship on the final lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi, leading to speculation over whether Hamilton may decide to call time on his storied career rather than continue to chase a record eighth world title. However, a cryptic tweet by Mercedes on the weekend, featuring a picture of Hamilton alongside the message “Adversity causes some to break; others to break records” hinted he would be back for more.

The new season gets under way on 20 March at the Bahrain Grand Prix. This time Hamilton will be joined by a new teammate. Valtteri Bottas is moving on to Alfa Romeo and young talent George Russell is taking up his empty Mercedes seat. Red Bull’s lineup of Verstappen and Sergio Perez is set to stay the same, while Ferrari and McLaren will stick with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz respectively.