It was a fine race for Sebastian Vettel but in different ways Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly also made their markThe Scuderia might have been fortunate to win in Melbourne but victory in Bahrain was anything but a fluke. The team had the pace all weekend and their car proved, at the Sakhir circuit at least, to be superior to Mercedes. But they also had to be willing to take a risk and trust their driver. Switching to a one-stop mid race was a bold move and Vettel had to put in a superlative performance to turn it into a win. He made his tyres last 39 laps when Pirelli’s predicted lifespan was just 30 and did so without going...
Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen showed Red Bull can be a force while Fernando Alonso gave McLaren reason to be cheerful Related: Australian Grand Prix: Sebastian Vettel wins F1 opener with Lewis Hamilton second Continue reading...
Mercedes look like being the team to beat again, while Ferrari and McLaren both have much work to doThe dominant force in F1 for the past four years, Mercedes appear to show no sign of relinquishing their stranglehold. Last year’s championship-winning car, which was quick but temperamental, has undergone an evolution over the winter that looks alarming for their rivals. They clocked the most laps with 1,040 and, although only seventh on the time sheets, their pace in race simulations was relentlessly good, half a second a lap up on Ferrari and eight-tenths on Red Bull. The team chose not to run the car on the fastest hyper‑soft rubber, unconcerned about setting a single lap marker, and Lewis Hamilton, who...
The Briton had to be at his best to shake off his Ferrari rival and seal fourth title; Force India and Max Verstappen showed mettle; changes needed in 2018Lewis Hamilton produced an exceptional performance to secure his fourth – and what he admitted was his most challenging and most rewarding – title. With competition from Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari that was at least on a par with the Mercedes and at certain circuits the better car, the British driver had to be at his best and successfully bring together every facet of his craft. Hamilton had to cope with a demanding car, struggling to find set-up and with the pressure of being behind until the 13th round. Major errors...
Damon Hill joins other experts in paying tribute to his fellow Briton who is celebrating 10 years at the top of his sportA decade ago, the opening to what was to be a dramatic season heralded the arrival of an exceptional talent in Formula One. Back then, as the sport came to terms with the remarkable start made by the 22-year-old Lewis Hamilton, no one could quite foresee the impact this precocious and fearless youngster would make. Ten years on, the jury is in and the verdict is unanimous: Hamilton is now within a race of securing his fourth world championship, that early promise more than fulfilled. The Briton is not the same man, nor the same driver, but his...