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☆ Happy McLaren boss offers to fly Piastri's mum to Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SUZUKA, Japan, Sept 23 (Reuters) - McLaren Formula One boss Zak Brown offered to fly Oscar Piastri's mother to Japan after the Australian rookie driver put his car on the front row of the starting grid for Sunday's race at Suzuka. "I'm very happy to buy her an airline ticket," Brown told Sky Sports television after Nicole Piastri responded to a jubilant McLaren social media post with the words "anyone got a cheap flight to Japan?" From struggling to score points, McLaren are now looking quicker than engine provider Mercedes, even if well behind in the standings. "But of course I want to try and be the next Australian to break some other records or be added to those lists. A nice start, but of course, I want to be able to do more."

Persons: Zak Brown, Oscar Piastri's, Piastri, Brown, Nicole Piastri, McLaren, Nicole, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Norris, Andrea, Stella, Max, I’ve, Alan Baldwin, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: McLaren Formula, Suzuka, Belgian, Sky Sports, Saturday's, Mercedes, Australian, Thomson Locations: SUZUKA, Japan, Singapore, Australian, London

☆ Verstappen completes Japanese GP practice sweep
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - September 23, 2023 Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the pits during practice REUTERS/Issei Kato Acquire Licensing RightsSUZUKA, Japan, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Red Bull's Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen completed a sweep of Japanese Grand Prix practice on Saturday with McLaren closest on the timesheets and emerging as the main challengers. McLaren's Lando Norris was second-fastest, 0.240 off the pace, in the final session before qualifying with Australian team mate Oscar Piastri third. Red Bull's Sergio Perez was fourth-fastest and a further half a second behind. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who looked Red Bull's closest challengers on Friday, were fifth and sixth, with the Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell seventh and eighth. Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Issei Kato, McLaren's Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Verstappen, Perez, Red Bull, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Alfa Romeo's, Zhou, Alan Baldwin, William Mallard Organizations: Suzuka, McLaren, Singapore, Alfa, Thomson Locations: Suzuka, Japan, Singapore, Qatar, London

☆ Verstappen beats Piastri to Japanese GP pole
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - September 23, 2023 Red Bull's Max Verstappen in action during qualifying REUTERS/Androniki Christodoulou Acquire Licensing RightsSUZUKA, Japan, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen put Red Bull on pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix on Saturday with McLaren's Oscar Piastri joining the Dutch driver on the front row. McLaren's Lando Norris qualified third with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth. Mexican Sergio Perez, Verstappen's closest title rival and team mate but a massive 151 points adrift after 15 of 22 rounds, qualified fifth. Red Bull, whose run of 15 wins in a row ended in Singapore last weekend, are set to retain their constructors' title on Sunday but Verstappen will have to wait until at last the next race in Qatar to seal his third championship. Writing by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Androniki, Red Bull, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, McLaren's Lando Norris, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Mexican Sergio Perez, Verstappen's, Verstappen, Alan Baldwin, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Suzuka, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Suzuka, Japan, Mexican, Singapore, Qatar, London

☆ F1 stewards accept they erred in not penalising Verstappen
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - September 21, 2023. Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Championship leader Verstappen collected two reprimands for three incidents reviewed but escaped any penalty for Sunday's race at Marina Bay. Mercedes' George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, also said the wrong decision had been taken. Alpine's Pierre Gasly, who collected two grid drops at the Spanish Grand Prix, was also confused.

Persons: Red, Max Verstappen, Issei Kato, Verstappen, Matteo Perini, AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, Williams, Logan Sargeant, Red Bull, McLaren's Lando Norris, Mercedes, George Russell, Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis Organizations: Suzuka, Prix, REUTERS, Formula, Media, FIA, Prix Drivers, Association, Spanish, Singapore, Red, Thomson Locations: Suzuka, Japan, Singapore, Marina Bay, London

☆ Verstappen resumes normal service with top time in Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SUZUKA, Japan, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Red Bull's runaway Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen roared back from defeat in Singapore to set the fastest lap in the first practice for the Japanese Grand Prix on Friday. Verstappen's best time of one minute 31.647 seconds was 0.626 quicker than Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, the winner in Singapore. McLaren's Lando Norris was third fastest, 0.745 off the pace with a late switch to the soft tyres, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc fourth and 0.927 slower than Verstappen. Perez, 151 points behind Verstappen after 15 of 22 races, was only 11th and 1.396 seconds slower than his team mate. Red Bull are set to retain their constructors' title in Japan on Sunday, needing to score only a point more than Mercedes.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Verstappen's, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, McLaren's Lando Norris, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Max, McLaren, Zak Brown, Perez, Red Bull, Mercedes, George Russell 13th, Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Williams, Alex Albon, Liam Lawson, Aston, Lance, Alan Baldwin, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Suzuka, Sky Sports, Verstappen, Thomson Locations: SUZUKA, Japan, Singapore, Marina Bay, Mexican, London

☆ Norris calls for harsher penalties for impeding
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Norris, a good friend of Verstappen, said the Dutch driver should certainly have been penalised for impeding AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda. "It should just be harsher penalties for blocking people, because so many people do it. Verstappen told reporters separately that every case was different. He was cleared entirely of impeding Williams' Logan Sargeant after the American told stewards he did not believe the champion was at fault. And it's happened a lot this season, it's happened to me quite a few times, especially with certain teams," said Norris.

Persons: McLaren's Lando Norris, Caroline Chia, Red, Max Verstappen, Norris, Verstappen, AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, You've, Yuki, Williams, Logan Sargeant, Alan Baldwin, Alexander Smith Organizations: Singapore, Circuit, Singapore Grand Prix REUTERS, Stewards, Bull, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Japan, Dutch, London

☆ 'Smooth operator' Sainz ends Red Bull's winning streak
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"We nailed the race," said Sainz after his second career win for the Italian team and first since Silverstone last year. The Spaniard eked out his hard tyres for 42 laps, winning at the slowest possible speed, for Ferrari's first victory since Charles Leclerc triumphed in Austria in July last year. No team has ever won every race in a season of more than 10 rounds but Red Bull had looked capable of doing so until Singapore struck. Mercedes trimmed Red Bull's lead in the constructors' standings to 308 points, keeping them waiting at least another weekend for the title. Verstappen, who started on the hard tyres, moved up to second with Perez fourth but they were soon overhauled and plunged down the field after stopping under normal conditions.

Persons: Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Caroline Chia, Sainz, Red, Norris, Perez, Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen's, McLaren's Lando Norris, Red Bull, George Russell, Hamilton, Lando, eked, Ferrari's, Charles Leclerc, Verstappen, Sergio Perez, LAWSON, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Haas, Logan Sargeant's Williams, Alpine's Esteban Ocon, Russell, Carlos, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Singapore, Circuit, Prix, Lewis Hamilton REUTERS, Hamilton, Ferrari, DRS, Silverstone, Alpine, McLaren, New, Formula One, Ferraris, Thomson Locations: Singapore, SINGAPORE, Italy, Austria, Monaco, Japan, AlphaTauri, London

SINGAPORE (AP) — Carlos Sainz Jr. won the Singapore Grand Prix for Ferrari on Sunday as Max Verstappen and Red Bull's historic win streaks in Formula One came to an end. Red Bull had dreamed of winning every race this year but had Verstappen fifth and Perez eighth after struggling all weekend in Singapore. Verstappen's winning run ended at 10 races and Red Bull's at 15, including one at the end of last year. George Russell crashed the other Mercedes on the final lap from third position to promote Hamilton to the podium. Charles Leclerc was fourth after failing to hold off the Mercedes cars on older tires, ahead of Verstappen in fifth.

Persons: — Carlos Sainz Jr, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, Perez, Sainz, McLaren's Lando Norris, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, “, ” Sainz, Norris, ” Hamilton, Russell, Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Kevin Magnussen, Haas Organizations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, Prix, Ferrari, One, Verstappen's, Bull's, McLaren, DRS, Alpine, AlphaTauri Locations: Singapore, Hamilton, Verstappen

☆ Sainz wins thrilling Singapore Grand Prix as Verstappen and Red Bull’s streaks end
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Carlos Sainz of Spain driving the (55) Ferrari SF-23 after his pit stop during the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 17, 2023 in Singapore, Singapore. Runaway standings leader Max Verstappen's winning run ended at 10 races and Red Bull's at 15 — both F1 records — as Carlos Sainz Jr. won the Singapore Grand Prix for Ferrari on Sunday. Red Bull dreamed of winning every race this year but had Verstappen fifth and Perez eighth after struggling all weekend in Singapore. That was the best feeling," Sainz said after celebrating with his team as fireworks lit up the Singapore circuit. Leclerc was fourth after failing to hold off the Mercedes cars on older tires, ahead of Verstappen in fifth.

Persons: Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, Qian Jun, Max Verstappen's, Carlos Sainz Jr, Red Bull, Perez, Sainz, McLaren's Lando Norris, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Norris, Carlos, Russell, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, couldn't, Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen, Pierre Gasly, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo, Kevin Magnussen, Haas, Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso, Lance, didn't Organizations: of Singapore, Marina, Circuit, Red Bulls, Bull's, Singapore, Prix, Ferrari, Sunday, McLaren, DRS, Alpine, AlphaTauri Locations: Spain, Singapore, Hamilton, Verstappen

☆ Ferrari on top in Singapore practice with lizards on track
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Formula One F1 - Singapore Grand Prix - Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore - September 14, 2023 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc signs autographs for fans as Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. car is seen in the pits ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix REUTERS/Edgar Su Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Charles Leclerc set the pace as Ferrari led one-two in first Friday practice for a Singapore Grand Prix that could finally end Formula One champions Red Bull's record run of 15 wins in a row. Team mate Carlos Sainz was 0.078 slower in a session with yellow flags to warn drivers of monitor lizards crossing the track. Verstappen has yet to win in Singapore, or start on pole there, and Red Bull had identified Ferrari as the main threat coming into the weekend after their strong performance in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. "I think this track is going to be one of the toughest of the season for us," Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Sky Sports television. "There's a lizard again on the track, bit smaller this time," said Verstappen, who encountered a much bigger one on the same track in 2016, over the team radio.

Persons: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr, Edgar Su, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Red, Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Verstappen, Red Bull, Christian Horner, McLaren, Mercedes, McLaren's Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Perez, Russell, Alan Baldwin, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Singapore, Circuit, Singapore Grand Prix REUTERS, Rights, Prix, Monza, Sky Sports, Briton, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Rights SINGAPORE, London

☆ F1 in Singapore: McLaren's Lando Norris says track is 'tough' but eyes top spot this weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Formula One is a demanding sport, and even more so at the Singapore Grand Prix. The city state's street circuit has long been considered one of the hardest tracks to race on in the F1 calendar, being a street circuit and having one of the hottest climates during the night race. However, McLaren driver Lando Norris is confident of his prospects in the Lion City, after a slew of upgrades to the team's MCL60 car resulted in vastly improved results in the second half of the season. McLaren's upgrade package was implemented across the races in Austria, Britain and Hungary. As the updates were being rolled out, he took two straight second position finishes in Austria and Great Britain, and a fourth in Hungary — picking up 48 points in three races, compared to just 12 points in the first eight races of the season.

Persons: Lando Norris Organizations: Singapore, Prix, McLaren, Hungary — Locations: Lion, Austria, Britain, Hungary, Great Britain

☆ Bumpy, hot and dusty: McLaren's Lando Norris on F1 in Singapore
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBumpy, hot and dusty: McLaren's Lando Norris on F1 in SingaporeSingapore is a "tough tack" to race in, says Lando Norris, McLaren's Formula One driver. He speaks about the challenges of racing in Singapore's street circuit. "street circuits are typically quite bumpy, easy to make mistakes," he tells CNBC's JP Ong ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Persons: McLaren's Lando Norris, Lando Norris, McLaren's, CNBC's JP Ong Organizations: Singapore, Prix Locations: Singapore Singapore

☆ Perfect 10 for Verstappen with record win in Italy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Dutch driver's victory on a sunny afternoon at Monza's "Temple of Speed" outside Milan was also Red Bull's 15th in succession -- another Formula One record that looks set to continue. Verstappen stretched his lead in the standings over Perez to 145 points with eight rounds remaining. Red Bull lead Mercedes in the constructors' championship by 310 points with Ferrari moving up to third. "Well done mate, you are on your own, that is history," team boss Christian Horner told Verstappen over the radio after he took the chequered flag. "Honestly, I spent the whole race pushing trying to keep the Red Bulls behind.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Claudia Greco, Red Bull, Perez, Red, Sainz, Sergio Perez, Spaniard Carlos Sainz, Verstappen, Bull, Mercedes, Christian Horner, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Alex Albon, Williams, McLaren's Lando Norris, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Valtteri, Liam Lawson, Oscar Piastri, German Sebastian Vettel's, Ferrari, Yuki Tsunoda's AlphaTauri, Leclerc, Ferraris, Alan Baldwin, Hugh Lawson, Ed Osmond Organizations: Prix, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Prix REUTERS, Ferrari, Red, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, New Zealand, McLaren, Red Bulls, Thomson Locations: Monza, Italy, MONZA, Milan, German, Abu Dhabi, Mexican

☆ Sainz fastest for Ferrari on his birthday at Monza
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummaryCompanies Verstappen fastest in first session, Sainz top overallFerrari's Sainz celebrating 29th birthdayPerez brings out red flags at ParabolicaVerstappen chasing record 10th win in a rowMONZA, Italy, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Ferrari's Carlos Sainz celebrated his 29th birthday and kept the home crowd happy with the fastest lap in practice for the Italian Grand Prix on Friday after Formula One leader Max Verstappen set the early pace. The Spaniard lapped Monza's 'Temple of Speed' with a best time of one minute 21.355 seconds with McLaren's Lando Norris second and 0.019 slower in a second session that was twice red-flagged. Red Bull's Verstappen was top of the first session, in 1:22.657, ahead of a weekend that could secure him a record 10th win in a row. Sainz was second fastest in that opening practice. Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes used only hard tyres during the opening session.

Persons: Sainz, Ferrari's Sainz, Perez, Verstappen, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Max Verstappen, McLaren's Lando Norris, Bull's Verstappen, Gianpiero Lambiase, Sergio Perez, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Leclerc, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Lewis Hamilton, It's, we've, Mercedes, Andrew Shovlin, Bull, Russell, Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo, Felipe Drugovich, Lance, Aston Martin, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis, Ken Ferris Organizations: Speed, Monza, Briton, Mercedes, Ferrari, New, Aston, Ascari, Thomson Locations: MONZA, Italy

☆ Verstappen goes for a record 10th win in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Verstappen won the Italian Grand Prix from seventh on the starting grid last year with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on pole but finishing second. Red Bull have won every race so far this season, 14 in a row including the 2022 finale in Abu Dhabi, and are again favourites at Monza's fast layout. Since Lewis Hamilton's fifth Italian GP win with Mercedes in 2018 no driver has managed a repeat victory in the former royal park outside Milan. Talk of a 'Monza jinx' may be premature but this is a season where straws are being clutched more desperately. For Gasly, who lives in Milan, it is effectively a home race and one with a special place in his heart.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Stephanie Lecocq, Max, Sergio Perez, Sebastian Vettel's, Red Bull, Verstappen, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Austrian Gerhard Berger, Michele Alboreto, Enzo Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton's, Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, Daniel Ricciardo, Ricciardo, Fred Vasseur, Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, Aston Martin, McLaren, McLaren's Lando Norris, Frenchman, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Alan Baldwin, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Prix, Dutch Grand Prix REUTERS, Monza, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Zandvoort, Imola, Aston Martin's, Thomson Locations: Zandvoort, Netherlands, Abu Dhabi, Milan, Hamilton, Italian, Asia, Americas, Middle East, Monza, Italy, London

☆ Verstappen takes record-equalling ninth win in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Bart H. Meijer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Verstappen now leads Perez, his closest rival, by a mighty 138 points with nine races remaining. Red Bull lead Mercedes by 285 points with Aston Martin 40 points further back and 14 ahead of Ferrari. Verstappen came in a lap later but resumed well down the field and set about closing the gap. The safety car was deployed from lap 16 to 21 when U.S. rookie Logan Sargeant crashed his Williams at turn eight. Verstappen appeared to be cruising to victory until the final deluge and the halt after Alfa Romeo's Guanyu Zhou crashed heavily, without injury.

Persons: Alonso, Perez, Max Verstappen, Bull, Sebastian Vettel's, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, Pierre Gasly, Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Verstappen, Mercedes, chatted, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, Briton Lando Norris, McLaren, Alex Albon, Williams, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Esteban Ocon, Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, Daniel Ricciardo, Lawson, Charles Leclerc, Leclerc, George Russell, Norris, Logan Sargeant, Alfa Romeo's, Zhou, Alan Baldwin, Ed Osmond, Pritha Sarkar, Giles Elgood Organizations: Prix, Zandvoort, Monza, Aston, Renault, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Mercedes, ., Hamilton, Briton, Alfa, Thomson Locations: ZANDVOORT, Netherlands, . New, AlphaTauri, London

☆ Verstappen takes Dutch GP pole for third straight year
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The outcome left Red Bull's runaway championship leader perfectly placed for a record-equalling ninth successive win on Sunday, with his team chasing a 14th straight victory. Norris, fastest when the session was halted with four minutes remaining after Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari, ended up second. Verstappen's time of one minute 10.567 seconds on a drying track was 0.537 faster than Norris could manage. FINAL SESSIONThe pole was Verstappen's eighth in 13 races this season and 28th of his career. New Zealander Liam Lawson, making his F1 debut as replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri, qualified in last place.

Persons: Norris, Russell, Max Verstappen, McLaren's Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, Max, George Russell, Mercedes, Alex Albon, Williams, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Bull's Sergio Perez, Verstappen's, Logan Sargeant, Albon, Sargeant, Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff, Hamilton, Aston, Lance, AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, Tsunoda, Lewis, Wolff, Sainz, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Ferrari, Liam Lawson, Daniel Ricciardo, Red, Alan Baldwin, Hugh Lawson, David Holmes Organizations: McLaren, Williams, Prix, Zandvoort, Ferrari, Briton, U.S, Verstappen, New, Red Bull, Thomson Locations: London

☆ Norris tops Dutch practice as Ricciardo ruled out
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummaryCompanies Norris tops second session and fastest overallVerstappen quickest in first practiceRicciardo ruled out with broken handLawson to debut as Australian's replacementAug 25 (Reuters) - McLaren's Lando Norris was fastest in Dutch Grand Prix practice on Friday as former team mate Daniel Ricciardo crashed his AlphaTauri and was ruled out of Sunday's race with a broken hand. Norris denied home hero Max Verstappen a perfect Friday by lapping 0.023 faster than the championship-leading Red Bull driver in the day's second session at Zandvoort. Norris then lapped in 1:11.330 in the late afternoon, with double Formula One world champion Verstappen second. The 25-year-old leads Mexican team mate Sergio Perez by 125 points after 12 of 22 races. Perez was fourth on those timesheets, 0.471 slower than his team mate, with Williams' Alex Albon fifth and Norris sixth.

Persons: Norris, Ricciardo, Lawson, McLaren's Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson, Max Verstappen, Red, Verstappen, we’ve, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, Piastri, AlphaTauri, Sebastian Vettel's, Sergio Perez, Fernando Alonso, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Perez, Williams, Alex Albon, Albon, AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda, Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Red Bull, Haas's Nico Hulkenberg, Guenther Steiner, Aston, Lance, Robert Shwartzman, Carlos Sainz, Sainz, Charles Leclerc 11th, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis, Ken Ferris Organizations: Bull, Red Bull, Briton, McLaren, Hamilton, Prix, Sky Sports, Ferrari, Thomson Locations: Zandvoort, London

"Simply put, Mr Massa is the rightful 2008 Driver's Champion, and F1 and FIA deliberately ignored the misconduct that cheated him out of that title," said the letter. There was no immediate response from the FIA and Formula One, which is currently on an August shutdown. PIQUET CRASHMassa was leading the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix from pole position when fellow Brazilian Piquet crashed into the wall on lap 14 of 61. The lawyers' letter warned that, without a satisfactory response, Massa intended to "pursue legal action in order to seek compensation for the harm he has suffered." Massa did not win again after 2008, with the Brazilian suffering a near-fatal head injury at the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Persons: Driver Felipe Massa, Hamad, Mohammed, Massa, Ecclestone, Felipe Massa, Stefano Domenicali, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Law, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton, Mr Massa, " Massa, supremo Bernie Ecclestone, Max Mosley, Nelson Piquet's, PIQUET, Piquet, Fernando Alonso, insider.com Ecclestone, Hamilton, Mosley, Charlie Whiting, Rory Carroll, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Saudi, Prix, Jeddah Corniche, Driver, Grand Prix REUTERS, FIA, Reuters, Formula, Formula One, F1, supremo, Renault, Briton, F1 supremo, Liberty Media, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia, Paris, London, Singapore, Switzerland, Spanish

☆ Verstappen takes a crushing eighth win in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Verstappen, who started sixth after a five-place grid penalty, extended his championship lead over Perez to 125 points -- effectively five races -- after taking the chequered flag 22.3 seconds ahead of the Mexican. He is heading for a third title with plenty of races to spare, the only real doubt being where he might seal it. Charles Leclerc, who started on pole for Ferrari, completed the podium with Lewis Hamilton fourth and securing fastest lap for Mercedes. A little bit of pit stop training," Verstappen suggested with 14 laps remaining. I was there and he just turned in like I didn't exist," said the Australian rookie who finished second in Saturday's sprint.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Johanna Geron, Perez, Leclerc, Sergio Perez, McLaren, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Red, Gianpiero Lambiase, Lambiase, Max, Hamilton, Combes, Verstappen's, McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, sidepod, Alan Baldwin, Clare Fallon Organizations: Belgian, Prix, Bull, Ferrari SPA, Sunday, Ferrari, Mercedes, Thomson Locations: Spa, Belgium, Dutch, Mexican

☆ 'It's broken again': Another Red Bull trophy hits the floor
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, July 30 (Reuters) - Red Bull suffered a second trophy malfunction in a week on Sunday after the one handed to the winning constructor at the Belgian Grand Prix was broken after a celebratory team photograph. In Hungary last Sunday the porcelain race winner's trophy handed to Max Verstappen toppled off the podium and smashed after McLaren's Lando Norris popped his champagne by bashing the bottle on the ground. "It's broken again, the trophy's broken again," Verstappen, who has now won eight in a row and leads the championship by 125 points, shouted in footage posted by Red Bull on Instagram. Video showed team members rushing towards the camera as others sprayed cans of Red Bull. "Ready for summer-BREAK," the team commented, with the video showing team members trying to reassemble it.

Persons: Bull, Max Verstappen, McLaren's Lando Norris, Verstappen, Red Bull, Milton Keynes, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Belgian, Formula, Spa, Thomson Locations: Belgium, Hungary

☆ Verstappen wins Belgian Sprint with Piastri second
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummaryCompanies Verstappen wins sprint from pole, Piastri secondChampion now 118 points clear of team mate PerezPerez retires after clash with HamiltonGasly third for AlpineSPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, July 29 (Reuters) - Red Bull's Max Verstappen won a rain-delayed and shortened sprint race from pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday to stretch his Formula One lead to 118 points. Australian rookie Oscar Piastri started and finished second for McLaren, after leading briefly during a safety car period, with Frenchman Pierre Gasly a morale-boosting third for misfiring Alpine. Half the field followed Piastri straight into the pits at the start to change to intermediate tyres while Verstappen stayed out on full wets. I could come in first but then I might be blocked by other cars, there might be a safety car and then you lose out massively. "This is a sprint race, we want to see them racing," he said.

Persons: Perez Perez, Hamilton Gasly, Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, Frenchman Pierre Gasly, Sergio Perez, Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, McLaren's Lando Norris, George Russell, Mercedes, Gasly, Anthoine Hubert, Verstappen, Bull, Aston Martin's, Fernando Alonso, Max, we've, Perez, Hamilton, Ferraris, Norris, Red, Christian Horner, Toto Wolff, Leclerc, Alan Baldwin, Hugh Lawson, Clare Fallon Organizations: Belgian, Prix, McLaren, Spa, Briton, Red Bull, Thomson Locations: Belgium, Verstappen's, Pouhon, Eau Rouge, Stavelot

☆ Verstappen pips Piastri to pole for Spa sprint race
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

McLaren's Piastri had been on top of the timesheets until the final seconds when double world champion Verstappen went 0.11 quicker with a lap of one minute 49.056 seconds on a drying track. The standalone sprint format is being used at Spa for the first time, the third of six such events this season. Piastri said he "couldn’t have got much more out of that" and was happy to be on the front row. The provisional pole changed hands swiftly in the final shootout, with Hamilton fastest then Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Gasly, Sainz and Piastri before Verstappen's predictable final flourish. "It's good to get a clean end to qualifying," said Verstappen, with more rain forecast later.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Stephanie Lecocq, Perez, Max Verstappen pipped, Oscar Piastri, McLaren's Piastri, Verstappen, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Piastri, McLaren's Lando Norris, Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Bull's Sergio Perez, Gasly, Sainz, Alpine's Esteban Ocon, Mercedes George Russell, Daniel Ricciardo 11th, Russell, Aston, Lance, Fernando Alonso, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Belgian, Prix, Spa, Ferrari, Sunday's, Hamilton, Thomson Locations: Spa, Belgium

☆ Twitter users are joking that they're embarrassed by Elon Musk's new 'X' logo, saying it looks like it belongs on a porn site
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter users are not so pleased about Twitter's new logo "X" because it looks like a porn website. Comedy writer Jesse McLaren dissed the new logo in a tweet posting an image of various websites with the "X" logo and wrote: "These are all porn except one. I didn't know about your rebrand idea and was looking for Twitter Verified, and scrolled right past your X logo, thinking it was a porn site. Users have even drawn comparisons with the logo of adult streaming site XVideos, which has been trending on Twitter since Sunday. Police halted workers in the middle of removing the "Twitter" sign from its San Francisco headquarters, leaving behind only the letters "er" at present.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Jesse McLaren dissed, it's, Parker Lyon Organizations: Twitter, Users, PayPal, Police, San, Meta Locations: San Francisco

☆ Hamilton pips Verstappen for record pole in Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

We've been pushing so hard over this time to finally get a pole and it just feels like the first time." Every session has been up and down," said Verstappen, who had been chasing his sixth pole in a row. McLaren's Lando Norris qualified third with Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri alongside and Alfa Romeo's Guanyu Zhou fifth. The Australian, a winner in Hungary with Red Bull in 2014, will start 13th with Tsunoda 17th on the grid. China's Zhou was fastest in the first phase on hard tyres, with Norris quickest in phase two on mediums.

Persons: Hamilton, Verstappen, Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Briton, It's, I've, hoarse, I’ve, We’re, McLaren's Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Alfa Romeo's, Zhou, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Valtteri, Alfa Romeo, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Haas's Nico Hulkenberg, George Russell, Russell, Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Alonso pipped, China's Zhou, Alan Baldwin, Frances Kerry Organizations: Hamilton, Australian, Alfa, Aston, Verstappen, Miami, Tsunoda, Christian, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Hungarian, Saudi Arabia, Japanese, London

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