F1 news LIVE: Lewis Hamilton ‘would like to believe’ Max Verstappen title fight will be clean

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen face off for one final time in this spectacular Formula 1 season this weekend, as the title rivals head to the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi level on points.

This is the first time the top two drivers have headed into the final round of the campaign on level points since 1974, after Hamilton’s dramatic win in the chaotic Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah last time out.

The seven-time world champion is on a superb run of three consecutive victories, and one more could guarantee him a title that would take him to eight, more than any other driver in the history of the sport. Verstappen currently leads the standings by virtue of winning one more race so far this season, meaning that if neither driver finishes in Abu Dhabi, the Dutchman would win his maiden drivers’ championship.

The race on Sunday could be one of the most intense, hard-fought finales in the history of the sport.

Follow all the latest news and updates below.

Read More

F1 title permutations: What do Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen need to do in Abu Dhabi?

Max Verstappen’s opinion of Lewis Hamilton has changed ‘not in a positive way’ during F1 season

Lewis Hamilton ‘would like to believe’ Max Verstappen will keep F1 title fight clean

F1 news and build-up to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

• Thrilling F1 title battle set to conclude in Abu Dhabi

• Max Verstappen eight points ahead of Lewis Hamilton before winner-takes-all race

• Both drivers want title decided on the track, not by stewards

• Verstappen claims he is ‘treated differently to other drivers'

• Hamilton praises Mercedes’ ‘incredible’ work ethic

Vettel believes Schumacher is better than Hamilton, regardless of title outcome

16:47 , Dan Austin

Sebastian Vettel believes Michael Schumacher will always be the greatest F1 driver ever, and would prefer that Max Verstappen wins the world championship this weekend.

“Michael is my hero,” four-time world champion Vettel said of his fellow German.

“For that reason I probably don’t want Lewis to win but the truth is, they have both had a strong season, they are going into the last race with the opportunity to win the championship because they both deserve it. In a way, I’d be happy if Michael’s record still stands but even if Lewis wins, to me Michael is still the greatest.

Full story:

Michael Schumacher will always be greatest F1 driver, Sebastian Vettel claims

Brawn wants title decided on track, not by stewards

16:28 , Dan Austin

F1 chief and former world championship-winning team principal Ross Brawn says he is desperate to see the winner of this season’s title decided on track, rather than by the stewards.

“It will be tough,” Brown wrote in a Formula 1 editorial. “Neither will give an inch but we want a sporting competition. We don’t want to step over the line. We don’t want this championship to be decided by stewards’ decisions and to end up in the appeal courts or elsewhere. It must end up on the track in Abu Dhabi with the best driver winning.”

Ex-driver says Verstappen “doesn’t give a damn” about racing fair

16:09 , Dan Austin

Former F1 driver turned commentator Christian Danner says the Max Verstappen has no interest in “fair competition” after his penalties in Saudi Arabia.

The ex-Zakspeed and Arrows driver told Motorsport-Magazin.com: “What I really can’t accept is the fact that Verstappen really did a brake test. So he braked, didn’t just somehow drive to the side and relinquish the place, but actually braked to make a mess of it.

“[Verstappen and Hamilton] managed to get along with each other to the extent that they finished the race, but there is already a clear tendency: The trick box juggler is not Hamilton.”

Horner says sole focus is on drivers’ championship

15:50 , Dan Austin

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says his team “needs a miracle” to beat Mercedes to the constructors’ title and that their focus is entirely on the drivers’ championship.

Lewis Hamilton’s win in Saudi Arabia helped pull Mercedes 28 points clear of Red Bull in the team standings, and with only one race to go it leaves the German team in an almost unassailable position and close to winning their eighth successive constructors’ title.

“Constructors, we’re on the back foot, we need a miracle to win that,” admitted Horner. “We’ve got one more shot to have a go at winning this [driver’s] title with Max. Somebody, either Lewis or Max, will come out on top after next weekend. The driver’s is where the prestige is. It’s not where the money is but it’s where the prestige is. That’s the one people remember.”

Hamilton “would like to believe” Verstappen will keep it clean

15:32 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton says he is not focussing on the prospect of a crash as he prepares for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and says he hoped Max Verstappen will want to win the race fairly too.

The Red Bull driver would win the championship if both cars collided and neither scored ahy points, raising concerns about the possibility of a cynical move from the Dutchman designed to either force Hamilton to let him through or retire from the race.

“I do believe that everyone here racing comes to win,” Hamilton said in today’s pre-race press conference. “I would like to believe everyone wants to do it the right way – I don’t even let that creep into my mind.”

Full story:

Lewis Hamilton ‘would like to believe’ Max Verstappen will keep it clean

Verstappen is “not a dirty driver"

15:23 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen is “not a dirty driver”, according to ex F1 racer Hans-Joachim Stuck.

German driver Stuck started 84 F1 grands prix for teams including Brabham and Shadow in the 70s, and says that while the championship leader does push the rules to their limits, his methods are permissible.

“Max is guaranteed not a dirty driver,” the 70-year-old explained to F1-Insider.com “But what can be said is there have been a couple of manoeuvres this year, that was the case in Mexico, for example, but also when the race restarted in Saudi Arabia. And that makes him a very special driver, an exceptional driver. It may seem dirty, but it isn’t. That was tough and he drove great. He pushes the boundaries.”

Max Verstappen warned that points deductions are possible

15:14 , Dan Austin

FIA Race Director Michael Masi has warned all drivers that a championship points deduction is possible at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in a thinly-veiled warning to Red Bull that a cynical clash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton could potentially cost them the title.

As it stands, Verstappen would win the championship if neither car finishes or both fail to score points. The mathematics of the situation, combined with Verstappen’s pair of penalties in Saudi Arabia last time out, have led to concerns that he could drive Hamilton off the road in order to secure the crime for himself, as Michael Schumacher attempted before being thrown out of the championship when competing with Jacques Villeneuve at the final round in Jerez in 1997.

Masi said: “Max could be deducted points, as could any team. We hope it isn’t necessary, but it is one of the tools available. I will remind all the teams and drivers of these provisions.”

Full story:

Max Verstappen warned he could be deducted points in F1 title battle

Honda hoping to bow out with Verstappen championship win

15:02 , Dan Austin

Honda will make its exit from Formula 1 after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend, after the Japanese company decided to end its F1 operation last year.

Red Bull will take over the manufacturing of its own engines for 2022 onwards, as Honda brings to and end its latest F1 stint, which began with a partnership with McLaren in 2015. The team would love to go out with a championship win for Max Verstappen, according to Honda F1 Managing Director Masashi Yamamoto.

“Along with Red Bull Racing, we are fighting hard against Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton for both titles,” Yamamoto said. “Therefore even if our time in this sport is coming to an end, our commitment to performing at our best this weekend is as strong as always.”

Ferrari given “serenity” by third-place finish

14:52 , Dan Austin

Team principal Mattia Binotto says Ferrari have been given “serenity” by finishing third in the F1 constructors’ standings.

The Italian endured a torrid campaign in 2020 which left them languishing is sixth, but have improved significantly this year thanks to a strengthened engine and strong performances from Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, and now cannot realistically be overtaken by McLaren.

“[Third] is really the best we could have done this year, but we know that is not the real objective of Ferrari. We know that the gap to the best competitor is still very big, but I think we can be satisfied for the progress we’ve made this season and we are really looking ahead to the next one. Finishing third gives us some serenity for the winter time and try to work well for next year’s car.”

Raikkonen will miss F1 friendships most

14:40 , Dan Austin

Away from the Hamilton vs Verstappen drama, Formula 1 is losing one of its most iconic drivers this weekend as The Iceman Kimi Raikkonen retires from the sport aged 42.

The Finn won his sole world championship in 2007 with Ferrari, taking a total of 21 wins and 203 podiums.

He used his press conference to say that he was looking forward to stepping away and spending more time with family, but took time to add that he will miss plenty of friends in the paddock.

“I met a lot of people I work with, a lot of good people, and some of us became friends [and developed] friendships,” Raikkonen said. “[Racing has] never been the most important thing for me in my life. So it’s nice that it comes to the end, and I’m looking forward to a normal life.”

Hamilton says Mercedes will be stronger at Abu Dhabi than last year

14:26 , Dan Austin

After struggling and seeing Max Verstappen take victory at the end of last season, Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes are better set up to race around Yas Marina this time.

The Merc was harder on its tyres and used a less powerful engine last season, so the seven-time world champion thinks they can be more competitive this time.

“Last year they beat us. One thing I was reminded of is I came back from Covid [after missing the Sakhir Grand Prix]. They will be strong this time but the places we were weak last year will not be weak anymore.”

Hamilton praises stewards who have “such a hard job"

14:23 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton was asked by Sky Sports about the public reminder the FIA Race Director has given, to clarify that points deductions and even suspensions from the championship are possible if any driver cynically takes out a rival.

Concerns have been raised that Max Verstappen, who has at times driven recklessly and was penalised twice last time out at Jeddah, could benefit from a crash. If neither driver finishes the race, the Dutchman will take the championship.

“I think it’s such a hard job that the steward’s and Michael [Masi] have, given everything that is thrown at them. It’s great that it’s clear to everyone what the rules are, so that things that have happened in the past can be avoided.”

Hamilton says Mercedes concentrating on what they can “control”

14:18 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton says he is immensely proud that the Mercedes team has enabled him to compete for a possible eighth world championship.

The Stevenage-native says he feels relaxed going into the weekend.

“It’s a real privilege to be one of the two drivers fighting for a championship And also humbling.” he told Sky Sports. “The only difference coming into this [championship finale] is that I’m nearly 37 now!

“We feel great as a team. We’ve had an incredible three races. I’m incredibly proud of my team for helping me get to this point.

“Strengths? Just me being me, I hope. My experiences from the past, and what you’ve seen in the past few races. It’s really just how we set the car up and our preparation, that’s what we can control.”

Verstappen reiterates that he feels he is unfairly penalised

14:04 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has been using a live TV interview with Sky Sports to reiterate his belief that the F1 stewards are treating him unfairly in comparison with Lewis Hamilton.

“Clearly I’m penalised,” the Dutchman said. “Clearly I get treated differently to other drivers. I get penalised and others get away with the same thing. I already paid the FIA plenty of fines, that’s good dinner and wine.”

Verstappen not worried about who has the faster car

14:02 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen says he is not worried about who has the faster car for the Yas Marina circuit this weekend, and is instead focusing on backing his skills as a driver.

Mercedes have been in strong form, with Hamilton winning the last three races,

“It’s always hard to compare [the pace between two different cars],” he has just told Sky Sports. “We haven’t driven each other’s cars. They have been more strong and difficult to beat [in recent races]. Different things can happen but it’s up to me to get the best out of me and the car.”

13:52 , Jack Rathborn

Drivers want minimal stewards involvement

13:48 , Dan Austin

Both Hamilton and Verstappen agree that they want the stewards to be involved as little as possible this weekend.

“Hopefully they won’t need to be used,” Hamilton says. “Hopefully we have a great race and move forwards. I don’t want to see the stewards any more than they see me.”

Verstappen adds: “I know what’s in the sporting code, nobody needs to be reminded of that.”

Hamilton thinks of every championship as new

13:44 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton says this world championship fight doesn’t feel different to others, despite the possibility of winning an unprecedented eighth title this weekend.

“I don’t look at [my achievements] as a multiple, I start from zero,” he said. “You’re a hunter from the moment you start training, you are focused on winning. I don’t turn up with number 1 on my car, I turn up with number 44.”

Neither driver focusing on the possibility of a crash

13:42 , Dan Austin

Both Verstappen and Hamilton have refused to be drawn on whether a crash between the pair could happen at Yas Marina on Sunday.

The Dutchman says the focus on clashes comes from the media rather than internal discussions within teams: “”As a driver you don’t think about these things. You try to do the best you can and win as a team. I try to be the best prepared, and I am trying to win this weekend.”

Hamilton adds: “I can’t control those things around me, just my preparation and how I conduct myself. ”

Verstappen’s friends help him deal with fame

13:40 , Dan Austin

F1 press conferences often feature questions from fans as well as journalists, and one viewer just asked both drivers how they deal with being famous.

Verstappen gives the most interesting answer, saying: “The most important thing is you know your real friends and you spend more time with them.”

Hamilton praises Mercedes’ work ethic

13:38 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton has taken the opportunity to praise the work ethic of the Mercedes team, as they have faced their first real title fight since moving to the front of the grid in 2014.

“This is unmarked territory as a team,” he said . “With the year we've had, I'm sure so many people would have ruled us out being this close right at the end. It has been an incredible effort by everyone on the track and in the factory.”

Hamilton and Verstappen arrive

13:34 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are the final two drivers to take part in the pre-race press conference, and they’re arrived and ready to go through the media’s questions with Tom Clarkson.

Verstappen has already shown he is in a feisty mood going into the weekend, so let’s find out how both approach this one.

Stick around for updates.

Bottas ready to help Hamilton win championship

13:26 , Dan Austin

Valtteri Bottas says he is ready to help Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Finn will be undertaking his final race for Mercedes before his move to Alfa Romeo for 2022, and wants to end on a high note by helping the team secure an eighth consecutive double in both world championships.

“This weekend, I want to help the team win championship titles,” Bottas said in the pre-race press conference. “Of course I will play as a team if I need to.”

Raikkonen says retiring will make his mum happy

13:13 , Dan Austin

Kimi Raikkonen has told reporters in Abu Dhabi that one person who will be happy to finally see him retire from the sport will be his mother, Pauline.

The 42-year-old won the world championship with Ferrari in 2007 and enjoyed spells with other teams including McLaren and Lotus, but says his family is happy with the decision he announced back in September.

“I think my mum for sure is happy – she’s been asking probably for the last 15 years if I stop already!,” he told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast. “The kids are looking forward, they have asked many times and I’m sure they will be very happy when I’m home. I can understand that and I want to be there.”

Alfa Romeo running modified farewell liveries in Abu Dhabi

13:04 , Dan Austin

Alfa Romeo will run liveries with added tribute stickers as they bid farewell to drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi.

The Finn will end his Formula 1 career this weekend, while the Italian will move to Formula E after being dropped in favour of F2 protégé Guanyu Zhou.

The Swiss squad has run the same driver pairing for the past three seasons, but will team Zhou with Valtteri Bottas ahead of the regulation change next season.

Ricciardo to undergo quarantine in Australia

12:55 , Dan Austin

Daniel Ricciardo has revealed he will undergo quarantine in Australia in order to be able to return home for the first time since before the pandemic.

The 31-year-old hasn’t been able to visit family due to his home nation’s strict Covid-19 travel regulations, and now he says an enforced stay in a hotel will be well worth it.

“Unfortunately, they’re not making it easy, but it is what it is,” he said in Abu Dhabi. “And I’ll do that. I need to get home, see family and friends. So once I get out of the four walls, I should still get hopefully three or four weeks with friends and family. And it’s summer, so something to look forward to.”

Verstappen claims he is treated unfairly by F1 stewards

12:47 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen believes he is being treated unfairly by the Formula 1 stewards, and says he should not have received a penalty for brake-checking Lewis Hamilton in Saudi Arabia.

The Dutchman was given a post-race penalty of ten seconds, which cost him no places or points, after braking heavily in front of Hamilton after being told to give the Briton the lead of the race after running him off the road into Turn 1.

“The only thing I ask for is that it’s fair for everyone,” the championship leader said. “Clearly that’s not the case at the moment.

Verstappen blasts Mercedes and Hamilton

12:37 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has lambasted Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton by saying that fighting them this season has changed his view of the team “very much, and not in a positive way.”

The Dutchman has become the first genuine title rival Mercedes has had to content with since it began its domination of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014, and team principals and staff members on both sides have come in for criticism for childish remarks about one another.

The 24-year-old told The Race that Mercedes had shown who they “really are”, but added that he will congratulate Hamilton for winning an eighth world championship “if everything goes fair.”

Verstappen is “one step ahead”, says Alonso

12:28 , Dan Austin

Alonso has also been weighing in on the battle for the championship, and says that Max Verstappen’s performances this season have been on another level to the rest of the grid, including Lewis Hamilton.

The Spaniard watched in awe live on television last weekend after Verstappen drove a stunning two-thirds of a lap around the Jeddah circuit in the final part of qualifying, before sliding into the wall in the final sector.

“That qualifying round in Jeddah came from Mars, not Red Bull,” Alonso said. “He and Lewis are on a different level, but Max is one step ahead of all of us.”

Alonso jokes about competition for overtaking award

12:22 , Dan Austin

For the first time in its history, F1 will be giving an award to the driver who makes the highest number of overtakes during the seasons.

Rules stipulate that overtakes must take place on track and can’t include things like passing when others pit, or overtaking retired cars.

Fernando Alonso was leading the standings until Saudi Arabia, when he was overtaken by Sebastian Vettel, and has told the press conference of a cunning plan he says to secure the crown.

“I saw that this morning,” the 40-year-old joked. “It’s tempting to start from the pit lane or something to make more passes!”

Bottas reveals later offer after joining Alfa Romeo

12:19 , Dan Austin

Valtteri Bottas has revealed a rival F1 team made him an offer after the announcement that he was joining Alfa Romeo for 2022.

The Finn will partner Guanyu Zhou for the Swiss outfit next season, but told Supla.fi that another team tried to convince him to leave that contract for their own lowball offer.

“two days after I signed with Alfa, I got a call saying ‘we want you and we can pay half what Alfa pays’. I said, ‘you’re a bit late now’.”

Ocon says Alpine could be “dangerous" in 2022

12:07 , Dan Austin

Esteban Ocon says Alpine could be “dangerous” to teams higher up the grid order in 2022.

The Frenchman lost out to Valtteri Bottas for a podium last time at Jeddah, and told reporters that the team has enough skill in the strategy and driver departments to become a threat if next year-s car is up to scratch.

“Once we have the same pace as the top cars we are going to be very dangerous," the 25-year-old said. “We extract a lot from the car and as Fernando [Alonso] would say, it is part of the plan.”

Ricciardo gets tattoo of Alonso for Christmas

12:00 , Dan Austin

F1 has been running a secret Santa event for drivers this year and Daniel Ricciardo has just revealed his gifts from Fernando Alonso in the press conference.

The Australian made a deal with Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul last season that the Frenchman would have to get tattoo if the team earned a podium, and Ricciardo duly delivered. Now at McLaren, he has seen the favour returned by Alonso.

"Along with a nice bottle of red he also got me some temporary Fernando tattoos,” Ricciardi explained. “It's beautiful!"

Vettel wants Verstappen to win championship to preserve Schumacher record

11:56 , Dan Austin

Sebastian Vettel says he would rather Max Verstappen wins the drivers’ title on Sunday, so that Lewis Hamilton doesn’t surpass Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships.

Hamilton will move onto eight titles if he takes the crown this weekend, which would disappoint Vettel.

The German told a press conference previewing the Yas Marina race: “Michael is my hero, so I probably don't want Lewis to win on Sunday. Whatever happens, Michael will be the best driver ever for me.”

F1 finale will be free-to-air on Channel 4

11:51 , Dan Austin

The finale of this scintillating Formula 1 season will be broadcast free-to-air in the United Kingdom after Channel 4 struck a deal with Sky Sports.

Sky’s coverage, including commentary from David Croft and Martin Brundle, will be carried by C4 in a similar style to the final of the US Open earlier this year, when the publicly-owned channel paid to broadcast the same coverage produced by Amazon Prime as Emma Raducanu won the event.

F1 is aiming to capitalise on the potential for audience growth, and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: “We are excited that Sky will make the Grand Prix on Sunday available to Channel 4 viewers so everyone can tune in live for the thrilling finale to this epic season.”

McLaren boss wants FIA communications off TV

11:39 , Dan Austin

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says communications between FIA Race Director Michael Masi and teams should not be broadcast live during races.

Masi’s use of the word “offer” when discussing the second red flag-restart with Red Bull at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last weekend caused uproar among fans, and Seidl says the solution is to keep such talks confidential.

Seidl said: "To be honest from my point of view I was never a fan to broadcast this communication, because there's also things going back and forward regarding safety, which I don't think necessarily should always be broadcast, that is my opinion on it."

Mazepin compares F1 debut to eating an element

11:32 , Dan Austin

Haas driver Nikita Mazepin has endured a woeful rookie season in Formula 1. The 22-year-old has consistently been way off the pace of team-mate Mick Schumacher, has spun and crashed the car on numerous occasions, and been so slow at times that he has been a danger to faster drivers lapping him.

The Russian has now given his appraisal of his debut campaign with bizarre metaphor that perhaps goes some way to explaining his struggles.

“You have to eat an elephant bite by bite,” Mazepin told the media in his press conference. “To me, Formula One and an elephant feel quite similar.”

If you say so, Nikita.

Norris jokes about crashing into Leclerc

11:25 , Dan Austin

Lando Norris has used his portion of the drivers’ press conference to joke about Max Verstappen’s crash with Lewis Hamilton in Jeddah last time out.

Norris is battling for the ‘best of the rest’ fifth spot in the championship behind both Mercedes and Red Bull drivers, and says he could harness Verstappen’s methods to beat the Ferrari man.

Discussing tactics for Sunday’s race, the 22-year-old said he could “aybe brake check him... It’s only a ten second penalty!”

Russell grateful to Williams ahead of farewell

11:09 , Dan Austin

George Russell will be moving on next season too, but will be stepping forward towards the front of the grid as he swaps his Williams seat for the second Mercedes car alongside Lewis Hamilton.

The 24-year-old has spent the last three seasons with Williams, earning podium at Belgium this year and leading the team on-track through a difficult transition to new ownership under Dorilton Capital, and says he will be grateful to the squad forever.

“I have learned the sport [here], developed my skills,” the Briton said. “I have made many friendships and they will be forever.”

Raikkonen “looking forward” to end of F1 career

11:06 , Dan Austin

Kimi Raikkonen has been taking part in his final press conference as a Formula 1 driver as he gets set to retire following the conclusion of the season in Abu Dhabi.

The Alfa Romeo driver announced his decision to end his career in September, having won the championship with Ferrari in 2007.

In typically cold style, the Finn told the press: ”I’m looking forward to when the race is done.”

FIA warns points could be deducted in Abu Dhabi

10:51 , Dan Austin

FIA Race Director Michael Masi has issued a warning to teams and drivers that points can be deducted for any serious misdemeanours at Abu Dhabi.

Masi issues notes before ever grand prix and used the opportunity ahead of this weekend’s title decider to make clear that any overly dirty driving will be severely punished.

The Australian warned against: “Any infringement of the principles of fairness in competition, behaviour in an unsportsmanlike manner or attempt to influence the result of a competition in a way that is contrary to sporting ethics,” before adding: “The stewards may also decide to impose the following penalties: Suspension for one or more competitions, withdrawal of points for the championship.”

Abu Dhabi agrees 10-year extension to host F1 finale

10:41 , Dan Austin

The Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi has agreed a 10-year extension of its contract with Formula 1 to host the season finale.

The track joined the calendar in 2009 and has hosted the climax of every campaign since 2014, doing so once again this time around as Lewis Hamilton an Max Verstappen battle it out for glory.

“We are delighted to confirm that we will be racing in Abu Dhabi until 2030 under this new agreement,” said F1 CEO and president Stefano Domenicali in an announcement at the circuit on Thursday morning.

Wolff says common sense is key with stewards’ decisions

10:34 , Dan Austin

In the wake of Helmut Marko’s original comments blaming Lewis Hamilton for the clash with Max Verstappen, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has called for “common sense” over any intervention made by stewards.

Verstappen was eventually penalised for the incident with a ten second time penalty post-race, while Marko apologised for his comments, and Wolff says emotions should be kept in check.

“Someone is always going to be unhappy about things. I’m trying, with all my bias, still to try to look at things with a common sense. I guess I’m not always successful in the heat of the moment.”

Marko apologises for comments on Verstappen and Hamilton collision

10:18 , Dan Austin

The director Red Bull’s young driver program Helmut Marko has apologised for comments made in the wake of the collision between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as the former slowed to give back the lead to the latter in Saudi Arabia.

Marko originally blamed Hamilton, saying TV crews at Jeddah: “We feel we have been treated unfairly. We are working to prove Max’s braking pressure did not increase when he crashed with Hamilton. Hamilton simply misjudged and drove into Max’s car. Unfortunately, that left two big cuts in our rear tyre. That’s why we couldn’t attack anymore.”

The Austrian backed down afterwards, though, telling f1-insider.com: “At the time of the television interview, I passed on exactly the information I had previously received from the engineers. They obviously weren’t right, so I’m sorry.”

Mercedes have “performance” advantage, says Red Bull

10:07 , Dan Austin

Christian Horner says Mercedes have a performance advantage over Red Bull right now, which his team must overcome to best Lewis Hamilton in the battle for the drivers’ championship.

Hamilton has won three consecutive races to go into the final round at Yas Marina level with Max Verstappen, and Horner says the Mercedes is simply faster right now.

“We've got to try and beat Lewis one more time this year,” Horner told media before leaving Saudi Arabia. “The performance is with [Mercedes] at the moment, they've won three races on the bounce. They're going to be very, very competitive in Abu Dhabi.”

When will F1 drivers face the media today?

09:56 , Dan Austin

All 20 Formula drivers will face the media today in traditional Thursday press conferences.

Drivers are paired together by F1 staff in a different order this weekend, and the organisers have given everybody what they want by teaming Lewis Hamilton with Max Verstappen in front of the press.

Valtteri Bottas will also be paired with Sergio Perez as the battle for the constructors’ championship between Mercedes and Red Bull continues, while the retiring Kimi Raikkonen’s final F1 press conference will see him sat alongside William’s George Russell.

The press session gets underway at 13:30 GMT, so for full details and timings of when Hamilton and Verstappen will be live, check the article below:

F1 press conference time and schedule ahead of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Horner calls Hamilton “very wily” amid defence of Verstappen

09:47 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton can be “very wily” in on-track battles with Max Verstappen says Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, amid criticism of the Dutchman’s driving in Saudi Arabia from various former drivers and pundits.

Verstappen received two penalties at Jeddah as his defence of the lead bordered on recklessness rather than racing, but Hamilton eventually came through to win despite taking damage from the collision caused when his title rival braked when trying to give the lead back.

“Lewis is very wily with the way he does it sometimes,” Horner explained. “These are two guys that are fighting over such fine margins, and pushing it to the boundary. And if you don’t want them to have the ability to run wide, then put a gravel trap over there.”

Horner believes luck is on Hamilton’s side

09:39 , Dan Austin

Horner also told the media in Saudi Arabia last weekend that “luck” is playing a significant part in Lewis Hamilton’s title battle resurgence.

The seven-time world champion has won the last three races in spectacular finish to level things up in the standings, but Horner believes skill and speed are not the only factors playing a role.

“It’s the first time since we were [in Abu Dhabi] in 2012, and 2010 with Sebastian, that rival teams have gone into the final race fighting for the drivers’ world championship,” he said. “But Lady Luck’s shining on Lewis at the moment. Ocon drove over his front wing at the start, he drove into the back of Max. You know, he’s ridden his luck.”

Horner hoping for “clean and fair” Abu Dhabi finale

09:31 , Dan Austin

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says is hoping for a “clean and fair” conclusion to the Formula 1 season at Abu Dhabi.

The campaign has been marked by collisions between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton after several crucial junctures, with stewards’ decisions and rights to appeal hearings dominating the back end of the season as much as the on track racing.

“You want to win on the track,” he told the press. “Not in a stewards’ room, not in a gravel trap. You want to win it. It’s been a tough fight all the way through the year. There’s been some fantastic racing between these two drivers, and I hope that it’s a fair and clean race in Abu Dhabi.”

Verstappen’s dad respects Hamilton only as a driver

09:17 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen’s former F1 driver dad Jos says he says “respects” Lewis Hamilton as a driver, but “the rest, nothing.”

The Dutchman droverhis own motorsport career before managing his son’s, earning two podiums in 106 race starts for teams including Benneton, Arrow and Minardi, and says he has no relationship whatsoever with Hamilton.

“I never speak to Lewis. He doesn’t need to speak to me. I’m nothing to him. I respect him as a driver, but the rest…nothing,” he told the Daily Mail. “Max and Lewis only speak on the podium, very little. When I see Max with other drivers, I think they get on very well. But with Lewis, nothing. Lewis is in his own world.”

The elder Verstappen has previously been given two suspended prison sentences, one for a 1998 assault which a left a man with a fractured skull, and another for threatening a woman over text message while breaching a restraining order in 2018.

Jos Verstappen was also arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of an ex-girlfriend after he allegedly drove a car into her, before charges were later withdrawn.

Wolff says he will respect Horner again once title fight is over

09:08 , Dan Austin

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff says the mutual respect between himself and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner will return once the Formula 1 title battle has concluded this weekend.

The pair have exchanged barbs in public with increasing frequency as the intensity has picked up across the course of the season, but Wolff believes that is a natural consequence of the sporting circumstances.

“I think we will show respect after the championship is won, either direction,” the Austrian told the F1 Nation podcast. “I think it will calm down. It’s absolutely genuine because there is so much at stake,” he said. It’s ambitious people, ambitious teams that are really fighting tooth and nail for this championship.”

Mercedes have “performance" advantage right now, says Horner

09:45 , Dan Austin

Horner also believes Mercedes has a performance advantage in the F1 title fight right now, which is Red Bull team will have to overcome to best Lewis Hamilton.

The Briton has won the last three races, at Interlagos, Losail and Jeddah, and Horner says the pace of the Mercedes car has been the problem.

“We've got to try and beat Lewis one more time this year,” he said before leaving Saudi Arabia. “The performance is with [Mercedes] at the moment, they've won three races on the bounce. They're going to be very, very competitive in Abu Dhabi.”

Brawn wants championship decided without stewards’ involvement

08:54 , Dan Austin

F1’s technical director and former championship winning team boss Ross Brawn says the winner of this season’s drivers’ title “must” be decided on track rather than in the stewards’ room.

Both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have received penalties for causing collisions with one another this season, and with so much at stake in Abu Dhabi the possibility of further contact at the finale cannot be ruled out.

And Brawn wrote in his official F1 column: “It will be tough. Neither will give an inch but we want a sporting competition. We don’t want to step over the line. We don’t want this championship to be decided by stewards’ decisions and to end up in the appeal courts or elsewhere. It must end up on the track in Abu Dhabi with the best driver winning.”

Danner says Verstappen “doesn’t give a damn” about racing fair

08:41 , Dan Austin

It’s not just Hakkinen who has been perturbed by Verstappen’s method of fighting Hamilton at Jeddah, with former F1 driver turned commentator Christian Danner saying the 24-year-old has no interest in “fair competition.”

The ex-Zakspeed and Arrows driver told Motorsport-Magazin.com: “What I really can’t accept is the fact that Verstappen really did a brake test. So he braked, didn’t just somehow drive to the side and relinquish the place, but actually braked to make a mess of it.

“[Verstappen and Hamilton] managed to get along with each other to the extent that they finished the race, but there is already a clear tendency: The trick box juggler is not Hamilton.”

Hakkinen criticises Verstappen’s driving and gives warning for finale

08:34 , Dan Austin

Double F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen has criticised Max Verstappen’s driving out front at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, after the Dutchman once again drove Lewis Hamilton off the road, before the two came together in a collision after the Red Bull driver was told to give the place back.

“When you have to let a car re-pass there is only one way to do it safely,” the former McLaren driver wrote in his Unibet column. “That’s to make a clear move to one side, come off the throttle slightly and allow the natural speed differential to enable your competitor to re-pass you. What happened in Jeddah was dangerous.

“It was not positive racing and the FIA were right to apply a penalty after the race. the message is clear. Dangerous driving will lead to a penalty and if the FIA see a repeat of that kind of driving in Abu Dhabi I believe the penalty will be severe and immediate.”

Bernie Ecclestone accuses Mercedes of ‘bullying’ Max Verstappen

08:00 , Jack Rathborn

“Max is a kid compared to Lewis and the worst thing is Lewis has a massive publicity campaign working for him,” Bernie Ecclestone told AFP.

“They have been pushing down all the time on Max and then the race directors have been looking in because Toto goes to the race director.

“Max has more than a race to confront as he has them too on his back because they are bullying him and not playing fair. It is psychological game playing.”

Verstappen vs Hamilton in Saudi Arabia was ‘rental karting’, not F1, claims Villeneuve

Wednesday 8 December 2021 21:00 , Jack Rathborn

“It wasn’t F1, it was rental karting, everything was wrong. So I’m not sure what to say,” Jacques Villeneuve told Motorsport.com.

“It’s hard to stay neutral, it’s hard to give a comment on what happened every time and be perceived as being neutral. You will always be perceived as taking sides and that’s when it becomes a bit too much.

“Do we want sport and good F1? Or do we just want a Hollywood show? If you want a Hollywood show, Sunday was amazing. But is that what F1 is all about?

“And then when you see the team principals, everyone is shouting and putting pressure even on the marshals and so on. That becomes ridiculous. It really has become ridiculous.

“It was great for the fans, so that probably will increase the viewership which is great for F1. But we are starting to get away from the sport, that’s all. So ultimately, it depends if you are a purist or not.”

Nikita Mazepin would have feared Saudi Arabian Grand Prix crash outcome 15 years ago

Wednesday 8 December 2021 20:30 , Jack Rathborn

Nikita Mazepin would have feared Saudi Arabian Grand Prix crash outcome 15 years ago

“I’m fine, it was quite an impact unfortunately,” said Nikita Mazepin when asked about his crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “I took quite a big hit, especially on the left side of my upper body, and for sure will wake up sore tomorrow.

“But I’d say I’m very fortunate to be racing in this era because the work Jean Todt has done together with the FIA made us able to walk out of this. And I’m not sure if it was the same, let’s say, 15 years ago.

“From what I saw, Charles didn’t have anywhere to go, spun Sergio around. The place is so tight that when Sergio was sideways it took about 85% of the circuit. So George, seeing what’s happening, took a precaution and then lifted or braked.

“And I was fighting with [Lance] Stroll out of Turn 2 and we were both going to go flat through that place. But unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to stop because the speeds were over 200, I also tried to brake but it just was impossible to avoid George’s back.

“The track is so narrow that it’s like a traffic jam and going full speed inside it.”

F1 title permutations: What do Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen need to do in Abu Dhabi?

Wednesday 8 December 2021 20:00 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen head to the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend locked on level points at the top of Formula One’s drivers’ championship.

The Brit is aiming for a record eighth drivers’ title and kept his hopes alive with a third win in three races at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Having stormed to pole position on Saturday, Hamilton came out on top in a wild race which was twice halted by red flags and saw him tangle with the Red Bull of Verstappen - who he labelled “f****** crazy” - as the pair wrestled on the track and bickered over the radio.

What do Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen need to do to win F1 title?

George Russell reveals Toto Wolff’s cheeky visor message in Saudi Arabia

Wednesday 8 December 2021 19:30 , Jack Rathborn

“Toto wrote me a nice little message – we’ll keep that between us – on my visor before FP2,” Russell told the F1 Nation podcast while chatting to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

The Austrian replied: “Actually, a compliment.”

Russell then added: “Usually the helmet guy writes on the visor how many tear-offs you’ve got… and then Toto took over this week on helmet duty and wrote me a lovely little message on there.

“It began with F, it had a K in it and ended with R, so you can fill in between…”

Zhou Guanyu named as China’s first F1 driver

Wednesday 8 December 2021 19:05 , Jack Rathborn

Racing young-gun Zhou Guanyu has made motor racing history after being named China’s first Formula One driver.

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN announced on 16 November that the 22-year-old will join their team for the 2022 season, with the opening race scheduled for the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain on 20 March.

Mr Guanyu’s teammate at Alfa Romeo will be Finnish racing veteran Valtteri Bottas, 32, who currently drives for Mercedes-AMG Petronas alongside seven-time world F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

“Becoming an F1 driver has always been my dream, and I’m really excited to finally fulfil my dream. I want to thank all my fans who have been following my races and supporting me,” Mr Guanyu said.

“I’m looking forward to the opening race of the next F1 season. Until then, I will continue to comprehensively improve. And I will learn from my teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who is a very experienced driver. I hope you can always support me and follow my first F1 season.”

Zhou Guanyu named as China’s first F1 driver

Fury tells F1 fans to give ‘bad boy’ Verstappen a break

Wednesday 8 December 2021 18:45 , Jack Rathborn

Tyson Fury has leaped to Max Verstappen’s defence after the Red Bull driver came under criticism following his collision with Lewis Hamilton at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“I’ve just been reading up about the F1 rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen and how Max is being made out to be a bit of a bad boy,” Fury said in a video on his Instagram story.

“It’s not nice, especially when you are young and ambitious and want to win. Give him a bit of a break - he’s only a young lad trying his best. Good luck to both men in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

Fury is friends with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, who revealed earlier this season: “The two-time world heavyweight champion is a fan of Max and there has been a lot of excitement from other sports around the competitive championship fight we are in.

“Tyson is an incredibly passionate and focused guy and I think he respects the fact that Max drives in a similar way.”

Tyson Fury tells F1 fans to give ‘bad boy’ Max Verstappen a break

Red Bull ‘need a miracle’ to overhaul Mercedes at Abu Dhabi, Christian Horner admits

Wednesday 8 December 2021 18:15 , Jack Rathborn

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says they “need a miracle” to beat Mercedes to the constructors’ title and that their focus is entirely on the drivers’ championship.

Lewis Hamilton’s win in Saudi Arabia helped pull Mercedes 28 points clear of Red Bull in the team standings, and with only one race to go it leaves the German team in an almost unassailable position and close to winning their eighth successive constructors’ title.

However the drivers’ championship remains in the balance, with Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen level on points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi this weekend – Verstappen is technically first, having won more races.

“Constructors, we’re on the back foot, we need a miracle to win that,” admitted Horner. “We’ve got one more shot to have a go at winning this [driver’s] title with Max. Somebody, either Lewis or Max, will come out on top after next weekend. The driver’s is where the prestige is. It’s not where the money is but it’s where the prestige is. That’s the one people remember.”

Red Bull ‘need a miracle’ to overhaul Mercedes at Abu Dhabi, Christian Horner admits

Mercedes F1 end controversial sponsorship with Grenfell insulation firm after backlash

Wednesday 8 December 2021 17:45 , Jack Rathborn

Mercedes have ended their partnership with Kingspan after outrage over the company’s links to the Grenfell Tower fire.

Survivors’ group Grenfell United highlighted the insulation firm’s links to the 2017 disaster which took 72 lives.

While Kingspan rejected having any prior knowledge of their product being used for the tower’s cladding system.

The deal, which was announced last week, which saw the company’s logo on Mercedes’ cars at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove publicly called on Mercedes to end the agreement.

Lewis Hamilton was ‘unsure’ over Max Verstappen intent in Jeddah

Wednesday 8 December 2021 17:15 , Jack Rathborn

Mercedes’ Andrew Shovlin says Lewis Hamilton was unclear about Max Verstappen after the Red Bull star slowed centrally on the track in Jeddah.

“You could see Lewis had a problem because Max was driving right in the middle of the track,” Shovlin says, according to Motorsport-Total.

“And this is usually just as wide as three car widths. He couldn’t know if Max was moving left or right.

“Max stayed very central and braked hard, and Lewis was only at 50 bar and later braked to avoid driving into Max. That’s all he could do.

“Nobody would expect anyone to let you pass by. If you let your team-mate pass, we all know how to handle it. And when you return a position, it shouldn’t be completely different.”

Verstappen vs Hamilton in Saudi Arabia was ‘rental karting’, not F1, claims Villeneuve

Wednesday 8 December 2021 16:50 , Jack Rathborn

“It wasn’t F1, it was rental karting, everything was wrong. So I’m not sure what to say,” Jacques Villeneuve told Motorsport.com.

“It’s hard to stay neutral, it’s hard to give a comment on what happened every time and be perceived as being neutral. You will always be perceived as taking sides and that’s when it becomes a bit too much.

“Do we want sport and good F1? Or do we just want a Hollywood show? If you want a Hollywood show, Sunday was amazing. But is that what F1 is all about?

“And then when you see the team principals, everyone is shouting and putting pressure even on the marshals and so on. That becomes ridiculous. It really has become ridiculous.

“It was great for the fans, so that probably will increase the viewership which is great for F1. But we are starting to get away from the sport, that’s all. So ultimately, it depends if you are a purist or not.”

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds

Wednesday 8 December 2021 16:35 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton: 4/7

Max Verstappen: 2/1

Valtteri Bottas: 12/1

Sergio Perez: 25/1

Charles Leclerc: 70/1

Lando Norris: 70/1

Verstappen to ‘give it all’ to win ‘epic battle’ for F1 title

Wednesday 8 December 2021 16:30 , Ben Burrows

Max Verstappen insists he will “give it all” to win the Formula One title this weekend.

The 24-year-old is vying for his maiden world championship and goes into the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix level on points with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.

The pair have put on quite a show this year and have both led the drivers’ standings at different points of a season that will live long in the memory.

Verstappen had been the favourite for the title until Hamilton secured a hat-trick of wins in Brazil, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

But he is still determined to take the crown as he aims for back-to-back wins at the Yas Marina Circuit.

“Last year is not always a good reference in terms of result as there were multiple factors that contributed to it,” he said. “We’ve been lacking a bit of pace for the past few races, but hopefully that won’t be the case this weekend.

“The Yas Marina Circuit has had a few changes and the track is much faster now. It’s going to be interesting to see how it will affect the set-up of the car.

“It has been an epic battle so far. We’ve had a lot of wins and good moments this year and we’ve been a lot more competitive in general, compared to the years before.

“We are level on points and I know that we as a team are going to give it all to win this Championship. This is going to be an exciting race and we want to finish the season in the best way possible.”

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix key dates and times

Wednesday 8 December 2021 16:20 , Jack Rathborn

Practice 1: Friday 10 December: 1330-1430 (0930-1030 GMT)

Practice 2: Friday 10 December: 1700-1800 (1300-1400 GMT)

Practice 3: Saturday 11 December: 1400-1500 (1000-1100 GMT)

Qualifying: Saturday 11 December: 1700 (1300 GMT)

Race: Sunday 12 December: 1700 (1300 GMT)

Max Verstappen on his racing conduct

Wednesday 8 December 2021 16:05 , Jack Rathborn

“We’ve had so many f****** questions about this, it’s just ridiculous, honestly,” Max Verstappen said back in July ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix when quizzed on his conduct on the track.

“Honestly, the whole Thursday [media day] we’ve been answering this stupid s*** all the time. So can we just stop about it please?”

Nikita Mazepin would have feared Saudi Arabian Grand Prix crash outcome 15 years ago

Wednesday 8 December 2021 15:50 , Jack Rathborn

“I’m fine, it was quite an impact unfortunately,” said Nikita Mazepin when asked about his crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. “I took quite a big hit, especially on the left side of my upper body, and for sure will wake up sore tomorrow.

“But I’d say I’m very fortunate to be racing in this era because the work Jean Todt has done together with the FIA made us able to walk out of this. And I’m not sure if it was the same, let’s say, 15 years ago.

“From what I saw, Charles didn’t have anywhere to go, spun Sergio around. The place is so tight that when Sergio was sideways it took about 85% of the circuit. So George, seeing what’s happening, took a precaution and then lifted or braked.

“And I was fighting with [Lance] Stroll out of Turn 2 and we were both going to go flat through that place. But unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to stop because the speeds were over 200, I also tried to brake but it just was impossible to avoid George’s back.

“The track is so narrow that it’s like a traffic jam and going full speed inside it.”

F1 title permutations: What do Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen need to do in Abu Dhabi?

Wednesday 8 December 2021 15:40 , Jack Rathborn

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen head to the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend locked on level points at the top of Formula One’s drivers’ championship.

The Brit is aiming for a record eighth drivers’ title and kept his hopes alive with a third win in three races at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Having stormed to pole position on Saturday, Hamilton came out on top in a wild race which was twice halted by red flags and saw him tangle with the Red Bull of Verstappen - who he labelled “f****** crazy” - as the pair wrestled on the track and bickered over the radio.

What do Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen need to do to win F1 title?

George Russell reveals Toto Wolff’s cheeky visor message in Saudi Arabia

Wednesday 8 December 2021 15:05 , Jack Rathborn

“Toto wrote me a nice little message – we’ll keep that between us – on my visor before FP2,” Russell told the F1 Nation podcast while chatting to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.

The Austrian replied: “Actually, a compliment.”

Russell then added: “Usually the helmet guy writes on the visor how many tear-offs you’ve got… and then Toto took over this week on helmet duty and wrote me a lovely little message on there.

“It began with F, it had a K in it and ended with R, so you can fill in between…”

Zhou Guanyu named as China’s first F1 driver

Wednesday 8 December 2021 14:50 , Jack Rathborn

Racing young-gun Zhou Guanyu has made motor racing history after being named China’s first Formula One driver.

Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN announced on 16 November that the 22-year-old will join their team for the 2022 season, with the opening race scheduled for the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain on 20 March.

Mr Guanyu’s teammate at Alfa Romeo will be Finnish racing veteran Valtteri Bottas, 32, who currently drives for Mercedes-AMG Petronas alongside seven-time world F1 champion Lewis Hamilton.

“Becoming an F1 driver has always been my dream, and I’m really excited to finally fulfil my dream. I want to thank all my fans who have been following my races and supporting me,” Mr Guanyu said.

“I’m looking forward to the opening race of the next F1 season. Until then, I will continue to comprehensively improve. And I will learn from my teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who is a very experienced driver. I hope you can always support me and follow my first F1 season.”

Zhou Guanyu named as China’s first F1 driver

Red Bull ‘need a miracle’ to overhaul Mercedes at Abu Dhabi, Christian Horner admits

Wednesday 8 December 2021 14:35 , Jack Rathborn

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says they “need a miracle” to beat Mercedes to the constructors’ title and that their focus is entirely on the drivers’ championship.

Lewis Hamilton’s win in Saudi Arabia helped pull Mercedes 28 points clear of Red Bull in the team standings, and with only one race to go it leaves the German team in an almost unassailable position and close to winning their eighth successive constructors’ title.

However the drivers’ championship remains in the balance, with Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen level on points heading into the final race in Abu Dhabi this weekend – Verstappen is technically first, having won more races.

“Constructors, we’re on the back foot, we need a miracle to win that,” admitted Horner. “We’ve got one more shot to have a go at winning this [driver’s] title with Max. Somebody, either Lewis or Max, will come out on top after next weekend. The driver’s is where the prestige is. It’s not where the money is but it’s where the prestige is. That’s the one people remember.”

Red Bull ‘need a miracle’ to overhaul Mercedes at Abu Dhabi, Christian Horner admits

Mercedes F1 end controversial sponsorship with Grenfell insulation firm after backlash

Wednesday 8 December 2021 14:18 , Jack Rathborn

Mercedes have ended their partnership with Kingspan after outrage over the company’s links to the Grenfell Tower fire.

Survivors’ group Grenfell United highlighted the insulation firm’s links to the 2017 disaster which took 72 lives.

While Kingspan rejected having any prior knowledge of their product being used for the tower’s cladding system.

The deal, which was announced last week, which saw the company’s logo on Mercedes’ cars at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove publicly called on Mercedes to end the agreement.

Mercedes end controversial sponsorship with Grenfell insulation firm

Ocon: Saudi Arabian GP finish ‘difficult to swallow’

Wednesday 8 December 2021 14:12 , Jamie Braidwood

Esteban Ocon said his finish to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was “difficult to swallow” but has warned that his Alpine team could be “very dangerous” next season.

The team were closing in on their second podium appearance in a row, following Fernando Alonso’s third-place finish in Qatar, when Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas pipped him to the line.

Ocon said.: “It’s a bit difficult to swallow for sure, we had that third place until 50 metres to the end so the competitors inside us, they are not happy - but we are happy because we have extended our lead on AlphaTauri for 5th place in the constructors,” Ocon said.

“We extract a lot from the car and as Fernando would say, it is part of the plan. We are pushing as much as we can and today we got a very strong team result, so pretty pleased with that and very happy for everybody.

“I think it was a very solid weekend on our side. Once we have the same pace as the top cars we are going to be very dangerous.”

Verstappen will not take out Hamilton, Horner insists

Wednesday 8 December 2021 13:51 , Jamie Braidwood

Christian Horner was also adamant that Max Verstappen will want to win the F1 title the right way and insisted he will not try and take out title rival Lewis Hamilton at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Verstappen has nine victories so far this season to Hamilton’s eight, so the 24-year-old will win the championship if neither driver finishes the race.

“Max wants to win this championship on the track,” Horner said. “It’s as simple as that. He’s a hard racer but a fair racer, and I expect no different this weekend. Nobody wants to win this championship in a gravel trap or in a stewards’ inquiry.

“To finish first, first you’ve got to finish. That’s been our mantra throughout this season.”

‘He’s not crazy’: Horner defends Verstappen’s aggressive style

Wednesday 8 December 2021 13:32 , Jamie Braidwood

Christian Horner has launched a fresh defence of driver Max Verstappen following criticism of his aggressive driving at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Lewis Hamilton accused the Red Bull driver of going “over the limit” and said Verstappen was “f***ing crazy” after the title rivals collided during the race.

“He's certainly not crazy,” Horner told The Times. ““You’ve got two guys, different ages, going for the biggest prize in motorsport. Lewis is 36 and going for his eighth world title. Max is attempting to win his first. And I think Lewis has an enormous amount of experience; he is using all of that. He’s a wily competitor.

“It’s frustrating. There’s been some confusion. Some incidents get punished, some go unpunished. Max does tend to get the harsher verdict, particularly when you look back at the weekend.”

Verstappen being ‘bullied’ in F1 title race, Ecclestone claims

Wednesday 8 December 2021 13:15 , Jamie Braidwood

"It is psychological game playing,” Ecclestone, 91, continued. "Max has had a few years of racing but has not had years in the streets like Lewis.

"It has built character and knowing he would win the race with Mercedes being the dominant force over the past few years has made him a much stronger character than Max.

"For Max, this season is the first one he has had a car capable of winning regularly whereas before it was nothing like competitive."

More here:

Lewis Hamilton ‘bullying’ Max Verstappen in F1 title race, Bernie Ecclestone claims

Horner hits back at ‘wily’ Hamilton

Wednesday 8 December 2021 12:54 , Jamie Braidwood

Lewis Hamilton is a “wily” driver who “gives just as good as he gets”, Christian Horner has claimed, as the Red Bull team boss hit back over accusations that Max Verstappen had gone too far at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“I would ask you to look at Lewis in the final corner, where he pushed Max off in the same way,” Horner said after the controversial race.

“Any driver that’s come through karting or that raced in any category, you know that is hard racing. That’s how these kids have raced throughout their careers and Lewis gives just as good as he gets.

“He’s very wily with the way he does it sometimes. But look at the last corner when he ran Max out wide there. There was another corner as well where he opened the steering wheel I think it was into Turn 1 and 2.

“These are two guys that are fighting over such fine margins right pushing to the boundary. If you don’t want them to have the ability to run wide, put a gravel trap out there.”

Changes made to Abu Dhabi circuit ahead of F1 finale

Wednesday 8 December 2021 12:37 , Jamie Braidwood

Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit has undergone a series of changes in a bid to make the Formula One season finale even more exciting for drivers and fans.

A number of corners have been taken out of the track and the circuit has been shortened slightly to make overtaking easier for the drivers.

“I’m looking forward to the finale in Abu Dhabi as they have modified the track there, which I’m really pleased about as I think it will present a new challenge to the drivers,” said Ross Brawn.

“I think they are going to enjoy it a lot more. The simulations we have done show the new Abu Dhabi is a better racing track with more opportunities for overtaking.

More here:

Changes made to Abu Dhabi circuit ahead of F1 season finale

Verstappen being ‘bullied’ in F1 title race, Ecclestone claims

Wednesday 8 December 2021 12:18 , Jamie Braidwood

Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has claimed that Max Verstappen is being “bullied” by Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton in the title race.

“Max is a kid compared to Lewis and the worst thing is Lewis has a massive publicity campaign working for him,” Ecclestone told AFP.

“They have been pushing down all the time on Max and then the race directors have been looking in because Toto [Wolff] goes to the race director.

“Max has more than a race to confront as he has them too on his back because they are bullying him and not playing fair.”

Fury tells F1 fans to give ‘bad boy’ Verstappen a break

Wednesday 8 December 2021 12:00 , Jamie Braidwood

Tyson Fury has leaped to Max Verstappen’s defence after the Red Bull driver came under criticism following his collision with Lewis Hamilton at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

“I’ve just been reading up about the F1 rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen and how Max is being made out to be a bit of a bad boy,” Fury said in a video on his Instagram story.

“It’s not nice, especially when you are young and ambitious and want to win. Give him a bit of a break - he’s only a young lad trying his best. Good luck to both men in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

Fury is friends with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, who revealed earlier this season: “The two-time world heavyweight champion is a fan of Max and there has been a lot of excitement from other sports around the competitive championship fight we are in.

“Tyson is an incredibly passionate and focused guy and I think he respects the fact that Max drives in a similar way.”

Brundle tells Verstappen to stop ‘unfair’ tactics in F1 title battle

Wednesday 8 December 2021 11:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Max Verstappen has been warned to stop his “unfair” tactics in his Formula One title battle with Lewis Hamilton, or he risks damaging his reputation.

“I’m in awe of Verstappen’s driving skills and racing nous,” Brundle said in his Sky Sports column. “His touch and control behind the wheel is something to behold, but it saddens me that he’s resorting to such tactics, he’s better than that.

“And for all his outwardly carefree attitude it will be such a shame if his legacy is to be labelled as an unfair driver.

“Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher had their faults too, and I was on the receiving end from both of them on occasions, but it’s a sizeable dent on their immense reputations, not a positive.”

Mercedes end controversial sponsorship with Grenfell insulation firm after backlash

Wednesday 8 December 2021 11:18 , Jack Rathborn

Mercedes have ended their partnership with Kingspan after outrage over the company’s links to the Grenfell Tower fire.

Survivors’ group Grenfell United highlighted the insulation firm’s links to the 2017 disaster which took 72 lives.

While Kingspan rejected having any prior knowledge of their product being used for the tower's cladding system.

The deal, which was announced last week, which saw the company’s logo on Mercedes’ cars at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove publicly called on Mercedes to end the agreement.

A statement from the team said: “The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and Kingspan today announced that they have mutually agreed to end their partnership with immediate effect.”

Mercedes end controversial sponsorship with Grenfell insulation firm

Ferrari in talks to bring back outgoing FIA president Jean Todt

Wednesday 8 December 2021 11:06 , Jack Rathborn

Ferrari have begun discussions with the outgoing FIA president Jean Todt to return to the Scuderia.

Todt could rejoin the Formula 1 team in an advisory role, report Corriere Della Sera reports.

With talks initiated with Ferrari president John Elkann over a possible consulting role at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

Todt would support Mattia Binotto, Ferrari’s team principal and managing director, in a move designed to bring the team back to prominence.

Todt was team leader at Ferrari in 1993, inspiring a historic run of six consecutive constructors’ titles and five drivers’ championships with the legendary Michael Schumacher.

Mercedes reject significance of Red Bull dominance in Abu Dhabi last year

Wednesday 8 December 2021 10:36 , Jack Rathborn

Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, has played down Red Bull’s dominance in Abu Dhabi last year as a factor in this year’s season finale.

“Last year Lewis was a few days after a bout of COVID, and there’s no way that he was performing at his best,” Shovlin said. “It’s not an easy thing to get over.

“Our analysis after that event, which we do after every race, indicated that we just put the set-up in the wrong place. We had development tyres there [in practice], and we were focusing on those.

“Ironically, we’d won the championship and we decided to try to understand the tyres rather than focus on the race weekend. We ended up going into the race underprepared with a car that wasn’t well balanced and I think ultimately that’s where it cost us.”

Christian Horner plays down prospect of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen colliding in Abu Dhabi

Wednesday 8 December 2021 10:13 , Jack Rathborn

“I think it’s winner takes all isn’t it?,” Christian Horner said. “Whoever finishes ahead is the world champion, so let’s see. We’ve got one shot at it.

“We’ve got to try and beat Lewis one more time this year. The performance is with them [Mercedes] at the moment, they’ve won three races on the bounce. They’re going to be very, very competitive in Abu Dhabi.

“With the new layout, we expected them here to have a big advantage on us [in Saudi] and we’ve fought hard. We’ve attacked the grand prix and I think that Max was outstanding all weekend.”

Lewis Hamilton can be ‘very wily’ in F1 track battles, maintains Christian Horner

Wednesday 8 December 2021 10:07 , Jack Rathborn

“I would ask you to look at Lewis’ entrance into the final corner. He pushed Max off the same way,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner says.

“Any driver that’s come through karting or raced in any category, you know that that is hard racing. That’s how these kids have raced throughout their careers.

“Lewis is very wily with the way he does it sometimes. Just look at the last corner when he ran Max out wide there, and there was another corner as well, where he’s opened the steering wheel - I think it was into Turn 1 too.

“These are two guys that are fighting over such fine margins, and pushing it to the boundary. And if you don’t want them to have the ability to run wide, then put a gravel trap over there.”

Russell learning after ‘big impact’ from Mazepin hit in Jeddah

Wednesday 8 December 2021 09:55 , Jack Rathborn

George Russell has opened up after being hit by Nikita Mazepin and maintains it was a “big impact” inside the cockpit.

“It’s so difficult for all of the drivers,” said Russell. “You come around a corner which is full gas and suddenly there is a car sideways, there’s tyre smoke everywhere, you don’t know what’s about to happen.

“A lot to learn I think from this weekend in terms of these circuits. Incredibly exhilarating, so fast, exciting to drive from a driving perspective... [but] just generally a lot to learn I think.”

Latifi admits he got ‘lucky’ to avoid accident at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Wednesday 8 December 2021 09:46 , Jack Rathborn

“Very, very challenging,” Latifi said, having been behind Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc. “Obviously very stop-start so it’s very difficult to keep a rhythm. Starting further towards the back as well is difficult to navigate through the carnage.

“We pitted before the red flag and managed to make up a little bit with the accident, which was very, very close to me being collected in it.

“It’s unfortunate we didn’t have more pace. I felt like I was giving it everything. Quite knackered as a result of it, but it wasn’t to be.

“You could see the smoke and the cars checking up but you don’t know exactly which way to move and the second restart, [the crashes were] at the narrowest part of the track there. I think it could have been luck either way.

“Even though I cleared Perez I could have quite easily been ran into from behind, so I think we got quite lucky and fortunate. Just a race to learn from and see what we can do in Abu Dhabi.”

Red Bull chief apologises over view of Verstappen-Hamilton incident

Wednesday 8 December 2021 09:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has apologised and admitted he was wrong to suggest that Max Verstappen did not brake in front of Lewis Hamilton at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The controversial and dramatic incident between the Formula One title rivals occurred when Verstappen was ordered to give his lead of the race back to Hamilton after pushing the Mercedes wide following an attack from the seven-time world champion.

Verstappen slowed down on a straight and braked unexpectedly in front of Hamilton, who drove into the back of his Red Bull car. Both drivers suffered damage following the collision but Hamilton was able to retake the lead and hold on to win his third race in a row and go level on points with Verstappen at the top of the drivers’ standings.

Immediately after the race, in which Verstappen was also handed a five-second penalty, Marko claimed that Red Bull had been “treated unfairly”.

Verstappen was subsequently hit with a 10-second penalty after both drivers were called to the stewards following the race and Marko has now backed down from his initial view of the incident.

“At the time of the television interview, I passed on exactly the information I had previously received from the engineers,” Marko told F1 Insider.

“They obviously weren’t right, so I’m sorry.”

Red Bull chief apologises over initial view of Max Verstappen-Lewis Hamilton incident

Wolff rejects accusations Hamilton vs Verstappen is ‘fake’ rivalry

Wednesday 8 December 2021 09:30 , Jack Rathborn

“It’s absolutely genuine because there is so much at stake,” Wolff told the F1 Nation podcast. “It’s ambitious people, ambitious teams that are really fighting tooth and nail for this championship.

“Once you are in that, there’s just no ability in your mind to even create a space for another person. At least for me, I have no negative nor positive emotions [towards Horner] but I’m trying to really stay in that place.

“Sometimes I was carried away when I heard a comment that annoyed me, but only twice this season. The rest is no emotion, neither positive nor negative.

“It is impossible to just have a relationship because there is so much at stake. Everyone is trying to defend the interests of the team. We are very different personalities also, the way we probably perceive the world. And I try to just stay authentic to what I believe is right and he does it his way. Maybe in the future we can have a laugh about it, but not today.”

Wolff insists Horner respect will return after title fight

Wednesday 8 December 2021 09:20 , Jack Rathborn

“I think we will show respect after the championship is won, either direction,” said the Mercedes team principal on the F1 Nation podcast.

“My expectations have been lower [for winning] since after Mexico – we didn’t even think we would be in the run to the championships.

“In a way, we still have that feeling and I’m nourishing this feeling that we have only to gain. If we were really in that position, I think, as heated as it can be between individuals, I think it will calm down.”

Albon: Hamilton and Verstappen battle in Jeddah was ‘pinnacle of chaos’

Wednesday 8 December 2021 08:55 , Jack Rathborn

“I think it’s brewing, and in each race it brews more and more and you think, ‘okay, that was a close one’,

“And we’ve had it a few times this year, but this was the pinnacle of – I don’t know what you call it – I feel like it’s kind of chaos, to be honest with you.

“I enjoy it, I think all of us enjoy it, but it seems like a lot of it’s been done in the stewards’ [room] rather than on track.”

Max Verstappen branded ‘bad sportsman’ after walking off F1 podium without joining celebrations

Wednesday 8 December 2021 08:22 , Jack Rathborn

Max Verstappen was branded “a bad sportsman” after walking off the podium without celebrating at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Verstappen finished second to title rival Lewis Hamilton in Jeddah after a race full of controversy and contention, which included the pair making contact when Verstappen suddenly slowed to let the Briton past under stewards’ orders.

The result meant Hamilton drew level on points with the young Dutchman, who is chasing his first ever world title as Hamilton seeks a record eighth. Their championship fight will be decided in the final race of the season, at Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Max Verstappen branded ‘bad sportsman’ after walking off Jeddah podium

Marko apologises and accepts Verstappen did brake on Hamilton in Jeddah

Wednesday 8 December 2021 08:11 , Jack Rathborn

“At the time of the television interview, I passed on exactly the information I had previously received from the engineers,” Helmut Marko told f1-insider.com.

“They obviously weren’t right, so I’m sorry.”

The Red Bull advisor initially said: “We feel we have been treated unfairly. We are working to prove Max’s braking pressure did not increase when he crashed with Hamilton,” said the Austrian.

“Hamilton simply misjudged and drove into Max’s car. Unfortunately, that left two big cuts in our rear tyre. That’s why we couldn’t attack anymore.”

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix fight was ‘rental karting’, Jacques Villeneuve claims

Wednesday 8 December 2021 08:10 , Jack Rathborn

Formula One risks becoming a “Hollywood show” after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix descended into “rental karting”, former world champion Jacques Villeneuve has warned.

Lewis Hamilton beat title rival Max Verstappen to win a chaotic race at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Sunday and take the world championship to the final race of the season.

It sets up a thrilling season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Hamilton and Verstappen level on points following one of the most dramatic campaigns in recent memory.

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix fight was ‘rental karting’, Jacques Villeneuve claims

Ross Brawn defends FIA stewards over Saudi Arabian Grand Prix decisions

Wednesday 8 December 2021 08:09 , Jack Rathborn

Formula One chief Ross Brawn has defended Michael Masi’s handling of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix after the race director came under criticism from Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

After a chaotic race, Horner claimed that F1 had been missing the experience of Masi’s late predecessor Charlie Whiting and also said that the race director’s conversation with Red Bull, which attracted attention after it was broadcast on TV, was like being at “local market”.

The first-ever Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was hit by two red-flag stoppages and marred by controversial incidents involving title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Ross Brawn defends FIA stewards over Saudi Arabian Grand Prix decisions

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website