Lewis Hamilton has ended speculation over his Formula One future after signing a new two-year contract with Mercedes.
The seven-time world champion, bidding for a record eighth crown in 2021, is now tied to the German team through the 2023 season, covering the first two campaigns of new regulations which come into force next year.
The 36-year-old has won six of his previous seven drivers' titles with Mercedes, who he joined from McLaren in 2012.
Hamilton only signed a one-year deal for 2021 in February and both he and team boss Toto Wolff had stressed agreeing an earlier deal this time around was a priority.
The Briton is embroiled in a thrilling title scrap with Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who has opened up an 18-point lead in the championship going into the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.
It is still unclear who Hamilton's team-mate will be for 2022 and beyond.
Valtteri Bottas is languishing fifth in the championship, while George Russell – now with Williams – impressed when he stood in during Hamilton's coronavirus absence at last season's Sakhir Grand Prix.
Russell reacted to the news by calling it "great for Mercedes and F1".
After his new deal was confirmed, Stats Perform looked at the data to summarise Hamilton's incredible F1 impact.
LEVEL WITH SCHUMACHER
Michael Schumacher won his seventh and final championship in 2004, a streak of five in a row at Ferrari that saw him surpass Juan Manuel Fangio's previous overall record of five career titles.
All but one of Hamilton's triumphs have come with Mercedes, following a dramatic initial 2008 success at McLaren.
That means he has now gone past Schumacher as the driver to have won the most F1 titles with the same team. The German's back-to-back 1994 and 1995 successes came at Benetton.
The only championship not claimed by Hamilton during his current run, 2016, was picked up by his then Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton has won four in a row, meaning matching another Schumacher best for successive crowns while also claiming the outright record of eight are his targets this season.
WINNING RECORD
In 2020 Hamilton equalled his best single-season return of 11 wins, which he also recorded in each of 2014, 2018 and 2019.
Hamilton is an all-time F1 leader in terms of career race wins (98), poles (100), podiums (171) and points (3,916), having overtaken Schumacher to take top spot in all but the latter category.
Of those race victories, 77 have come with Mercedes, the most any driver has achieved with a single team.
He has led the most races (168) and laps (5,221) in F1 history, while he had finished a record 48 consecutive grands prix in the points until COVID-19 forced him to miss the penultimate race of 2020.
However, as he signs his deal at a time when rival Verstappen is thriving, the Briton is only one GP away from equalling his worst run (five races) without winning in a single season since 2014.
He also had two five-race runs without a win in 2016, the year Rosberg triumphed and the only campaign Hamilton did not win the title in the hybrid era.
Interestingly, Hamilton did set a record in that season as runner-up. He won 10 races and racked up 380 points, both the most ever by a driver who did not go on to win the world title.
DOMINANCE SPANNING DECADES
When he won his first championship in 2008, Hamilton was F1's youngest world title winner at 23 years, nine months and 26 days old. Sebastian Vettel later surpassed that feat in 2010 at 23, four months and 11 days.
Title number seven arrived with Hamilton 35, 10 months and eight days old.
The 12 seasons between his first and most recent titles is the longest span in F1 history, with Schumacher (1994-2004) and Niki Lauda (1975-1984) next on the list.
Lauda edged out Alain Prost in 1984 by half a point in the last of his wins, the only margin narrower than the single point Hamilton beat Felipe Massa by in 2008.
He does not deal in such slender differences nowadays. The 124-point advantage he had over Valtteri Bottas last year stands as Hamilton's biggest personal margin over the driver in second place.
Vettel still holds the most processional title win, going back to 2013 when his Red Bull was 155 points better off than runner-up Fernando Alonso's Ferrari.
FAVOURITE RACES
Hamilton has won eight times at the Hungarian Grand Prix, sharing the record for most wins at a single circuit with Schumacher, who triumphed eight times in France.
With seven wins at the British Grand Prix, Hamilton holds the F1 record for most wins at a home race.
Hamilton has also triumphed seven times in Canada, with six wins apiece in China and the United States, which are both among his favourite tracks.
His career victories have come at an astonishing 29 different circuits and 28 different grands prix, highlighting his longevity, and a win in Austria on Sunday would kickstart his pursuit of further records.
Bagnaia completes Portimao double after Marquez crashes out
Francesco Bagnaia made it a perfect start to the MotoGP season by winning the Portuguese Grand Prix after Marc Marquez crashed out.
Bagnaia was victorious in the inaugural MotoGP sprint race on Saturday and the reigning champion crossed the line first again in Portimao a day later.
The Ducati rider started in second place behind Marquez, but the Spaniard's race came to an early end when he lost control and collided with Miguel Oliveira.
Oliveira had taken an early lead after starting in fourth place on home soil, but Marquez's mistake left him heading for the medical tent for a check-up after he was sent flying off his bike at Turn 3.
It was subsequently confirmed six-time world champion Marquez had suffered a fractured first metacarpal bone in his right hand.
Italian Bagnaia took over at the front on lap two following moves on Oliveira and Jorge Martin, then went on to complete a double ahead of Maverick Vinales.
Marco Bezzecchi joined his compatriot Bagnaia on the podium by taking third place, with Johann Zarco nipping in to take fourth in the closing stages ahead of Alex Marquez.
Martin crashed out with five laps to go at Turn 2 as Bagnaia took command and made it a dream start to the defence of his title.
'Special' Fullkrug can pull Germany along – Flick
Germany coach Hansi Flick credited Niclas Fullkrug with having the ability to "pull the team along" after the striker's double against Peru.
Fullkrug's two first-half goals ensured Euro 2024 hosts Germany claimed a routine 2-0 victory in their opening match of 2023.
Germany dominated Saturday's friendly in Mainz, and only a twist of the rules prevented Kai Havertz making it 3-0 in the second half, with the Chelsea forward's first-time finish on the rebound after he hit the post with a penalty disallowed as no other player had touched the ball.
Flick reserved special praise for Fullkrug, who has netted five goals in as many international games, and became the first Werder Bremen player to start for Germany since Serge Gnabry in 2016.
"Niclas is a player who is special, he is very confident, he wants to win and can pull the team along. He also gives the team a lot of positive energy," Flick told Sky Sport.
Sandro Wagner is the only other player this century to have scored five goals across his first five appearances for Germany.
However, there are elements for Fullkrug to work on, with Flick noting: "There were a few situations that I wasn’t happy with today.
"If we play forward, we have to have a certain seriousness about it.
"Niclas has also had one or two situations where he can be better, but he's still there for goals and he scored them."
Germany's game was their first since their disappointing showing at the World Cup, where they suffered a group-stage exit.
However, Germany are on a 13-game unbeaten run in friendlies (W8 D5) equalling their record, which was set between 1994 and 1996.
"I think you could see that the team played with a lot of dynamism, especially when it came to attacking," Flick said.
"A lot of things were good, but not yet at 100 per cent, although you couldn't expect because we didn't train very much.
"The team has never played together in this formation, but there were still a few situations that we played out well, where the last pass was missing.
"We scored two nice goals and kept a clean sheet, which was a focus for us this week."
Joselu basks in unforgettable Spain debut: 'I still don't believe it!'
Joselu was in dreamland after scoring twice on his Spain debut to help La Roja beat Norway 3-0 in Malaga on Saturday.
New head coach Luis de la Fuente named a somewhat unfamiliar squad ahead of their two opening Euro 2024 qualifiers as he began his tenure after replacing Luis Enrique.
Joselu's call-up was long overdue in the eyes of many, given he had reached double figures for LaLiga goals in each of the previous three seasons.
He was introduced at La Rosaleda in the second half with Spain stuttering unconvincingly towards a 1-0 win, but he scored twice to put the game to bed.
As such, he became the oldest debutant to score for Spain since September 2006, two days before his 33rd birthday, and he was left in disbelief.
"The truth is that I still don't believe it," he told TVE. "This is everything a player can have and in the end, the daily work has had its reward.
"I think I would especially like to thank my wife and my children, and my mother, who have come here today.
"The truth is that I am not believing it."
Joselu was also Spain's oldest debutant since 2006, with De la Fuente opting to pick a few somewhat unfashionable options who were largely neglected by his predecessor.
The striker subsequently paid tribute to De la Fuente for giving him the opportunity.
"I thank him for everything, being here, trusting me, being on the first list," he said.
"I think I have responded more than enough.
"Age doesn't matter to me because I feel like a kid, I feel like an 18-year-old kid. I want to enjoy this; I want to hug my family because today is an incredible day."
Joselu may feel he has done enough to earn a maiden start next time out, when Spain are set to face Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday.
"Knowing the players and giving them confidence is our job, but all the credit belongs to him," De la Fuente said of Joselu.
"We have recognised the great work he does every day at his club and I am happy for him and for everyone else."
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