Lewis Hamilton said watching Ferrari and McLaren overhaul Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship has been "quite incredible" ahead of his move to the Italian team. 

Red Bull appeared to be set for another dominant year on track after Max Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races, with team-mate Sergio Perez also securing four podiums. 

However, Red Bull endured a mid-season struggle, with Verstappen failing to win in 10 races before his stunning wet-weather display at the Brazilian Grand Prix last time out. 

The Dutchman is on the cusp of a fourth world championship after title rival Lando Norris could only manage sixth in Interlagos, leaving him 62 points behind in the standings. 

But going into the final three races of the season, Red Bull find themselves third in the constructors' championship, 44 points behind leaders McLaren and 13 adrift of Ferrari. 

Before Verstappen's victory in Brazil, Ferrari had claimed back-to-back victories in the United States and Mexico. 

Charles Leclerc, Hamilton's team-mate for the Scuderia next season, won in Austin to emerge victorious for the eighth time in the competition. 

That triumph was then followed up by a win at the Autrodromo Hermanos Rodriguez by Carlos Sainz, who will make way for Hamilton and join Williams next season. 

And Ferrari's recent displays on track have Hamilton excited about the potential of challenging for an eighth world championship next season. 

"I'm very interested in my future, of course," said Hamilton. "And so, in that respect, keeping an eye, yeah. Watching everything that happens."

"If you look at somewhere like maybe China already, the Red Bull was like a second ahead.

"And it's been quite incredible to see the McLaren rise and then the Ferrari in the last few races, to see their progress and just trying to keep an eye on everyone's car and what they're changing and what they're adding.

"You know, we all watch the video, all the drivers, we all watch the onboard laps and we're always trying to see where we can gain time.

"And there's some cars that just react differently and better or worse in certain areas.

"And you're trying to figure out how you can find that within either your balance or get the team to develop the car in that direction."

Carlos Sainz led Ferrari to a second victory in as many weeks as Lando Norris and Max Verstappen clashed once again at an enthralling Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday. 

Sainz secured his second victory of the season, despite having lost the lead to Verstappen on the first lap, to become the first Ferrari driver to win in Mexico since 1990. 

But a week on from their tussle in Austin, Verstappen and Norris were again involved in an incident, resulting in the Dutchman recieving two 10-second penalties. 

Verstappen was given a penalty for forcing Norris off the track in an incident at Turn Four on lap 10 and another for leaving the track and gaining an advantage four corners later.

Norris took second place, catching and passing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for second with nine laps to go, subsequently gaining points to Verstappen in the drivers' championship battle.

Behind the top three, Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were locked in combat throughout, but it was the seven-time world champion who claimed fourth place.

Verstappen's penalty saw him end the race in sixth, while Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg finished inside the top 10. 

Norris' team-mate Oscar Piastri was sandwiched in between the Haas duo in eighth, while Pierre Gasly picked up a rare point in what has been a disappointing season for the Frenchman.

Data Debrief: Smooth Operator

Sainz's triumph saw him claim a fourth win in Formula 1, and his second of 2024 after winning in Australia earlier this year - the first time he has two wins in a season.

The Spaniard has achieved all four of his victories as a Ferrari driver, equalling John Surtees, Eddie Irvine and Clay Regazzoni for the Italian team.

He also became the third Scuderia driver to win in Mexico after Jacky Ickx in 1970 and Alain Prost in 1990.

Top 10

1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

2. Lando Norris (McLaren)

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

7. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)

8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers'

1. Max Verstappen - 362

2. Lando Norris - 315

3. Charles Leclerc - 291

Constructors'

1. McLaren - 566

2. Ferrari - 537

3. Red Bull - 512

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc both expressed optimism over Ferrari’s start to the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, with the pair particularly encouraged by their long-run pace.

Sainz topped second practice after coming second in FP1, while Leclerc backed him up in fourth after missing FP1 due to Ollie Bearman’s latest outing for the Scuderia.

Bearman, who will join Haas next year, was involved in an incident with the Williams of Alex Albon in the first practice, sustaining damage to the front-left corner of the Ferrari. 

Sainz and Leclerc's display comes a week on from an impressive showing in the United States, with the pair achieving a second one-two this year after doing so in Australia.

If they do so again in Mexico, it will be the first time since Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen in the 2008 season that Ferrari have managed three one-two finishes in a single year.

And Sainz is confident of their chances, saying: "We hit the ground running in FP1 with a good car, good set-up, then all FP1 and FP2 we just worked in fine-tuning a couple of things," Sainz said.

“Nothing major, so yeah, I’m quite happy with how everything feels. Especially the long runs feel good.

"I think when it comes to qualifying we’ll have a lot of challenge from our competitors, and over one lap it will be a tight battle.”

Leclerc echoed Sainz’s feelings after taking over from Bearman, with the Monegasque aiming to claim his fourth race win of the season that would surpass his 2022 total. 

“It felt good. It was a bit of a messy FP2 for everybody with the red flag of George [Russell] at the beginning," Leclerc said.

“It was quite a good FP1 to miss on paper because we would have half an hour more in FP2, but at the end it was just not great, because in the FP2 we couldn’t do the maximum laps that we wanted to do.

“But anyway, the feeling is good with the car. For me, even though we did two, three laps, we were still straight away in the pace. The long run seems to be good, so that’s really positive.”

Charles Leclerc insisted that Ferrari are "still targeting the title" after the Italian-based team claimed a dominant one-two at the United States Grand Prix.

Leclerc, who claimed an eighth win of his career last weekend, is now just 22 points behind McLaren's Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings after sealing a fifth podium in the last six races.

And with team-mate Carlos Sainz finishing just behind him, it has given Ferrari a significant boost in the constructors' battle, with their new total of 496 meaning that they trail second-placed Red Bull by only eight points, while McLaren remain in the lead on 544.

"Yeah, very, very happy," Leclerc answered. "Now we are still targeting the title – it's a long way to go, but it's a good start to this triple header."

Sainz echoed his team-mate's confidence heading into the final five races of the season, with the pair enduring a difficult campaign last year that saw them finish fifth and seventh respectively in the drivers' championship.

Both Leclerc and Sainz have already surpassed their season totals from the 2023 campaign, and the Spaniard is looking forward to his final five races with the Scuderia before he joins Williams next year.

"Last year, we spent all of the races defending, losing position," Sainz explained.

"This year, it looks we can just go on attack mode, don't think too much about tyres and just push and overtake which is fun, and enjoy it a lot, and I just hope it stays like that until the end of the year."

However, team principal Fred Vasseur was more measured in his approach to challenging for both titles, saying Ferrari are focused on "pure performance" going forward rather than on their position in the constructors' standings.

"We're not thinking about the championship, and I want to keep the team in this mood because I think it’s important to be focussed on pure performance, session after session, and not to have somewhere in your mind the championship," Vasseur said.

"One week or two weeks ago, everybody was speaking about McLaren. Before this, it was Mercedes and before this, it was Red Bull. We have to take it with a bit of distance. We never spoke about something like this because we know it’s still a long way.

"If something can arrive at the end, it will be more by the performance day per day than by the approach of the overall championship. We know perfectly that next week will be a completely different challenge.

"We will start from scratch, and you can have a completely different result in Mexico in one week time."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Charles Leclerc – Ferrari

Having put on an impressive performance in Austin last time out, Leclerc will be keen to make inroads to Norris and beyond in the drivers' championship.

Leclerc took the eighth of his Formula 1 wins at the last United States Grand Prix. If he takes another victory in the remaining five races, it will be his best year in terms of race triumphs in the competition (that would be four, surpassing the three in 2022).

He has also won two of the last four races in Formula 1 (Italy and the United States), as many wins for the Monegasque in the competition as in the previous 55 (Monaco 2024 and Austria 2022).

And Leclerc will be confident of adding to that tally, having enjoyed recent trips to Mexico. He is the only driver on the current grid to achieve at least two pole positions at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (2019 and 2023).

Should he do so again, he will become the third driver to achieve three in Mexico City after Ayrton Senna (three) and Jim Clark (four), and the first to repeat pole position around the circuit since the Brazilian legend did so in 1988 and 1989.

Ferrari enter the weekend with confidence. They achieved their second one-two of the season last time out (also in Australia). If they can do that again, it will be the first time since Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen in 2008 that the Italian team have managed three in a single year.

Max Verstappen – Red Bull

However, after winning the sprint race and finishing ahead of championship rival Norris, Max Verstappen will be looking to increase his advantage in the drivers' standings to try and wrap up his fourth consecutive title as soon as possible.

But the Dutchman has now gone eight races without a pole position and nine without a triumph - his worst respective streaks since the penultimate round in 2020, when he went 17 qualifying rounds without a win and 11 consecutive races without a victory.

Verstappen, though, will be confident of halting that streak around a track he has enjoyed in recent years. The Red Bull driver (five) is only behind Lewis Hamilton (six) for podium finishes around the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, though the three-time world champion has scored more points (147) than the Briton (137).

The Dutchman has won all three races corresponding to Mexico City since the naming change back in 2021. Only in Abu Dhabi (four) has he won more in a row in his Formula 1 career.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 354

2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 297

3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 275

4. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 247

5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) – 215

Constructors

1. McLaren – 544

2. Red Bull – 504

3. Ferrari – 496

4. Mercedes – 344

5. Aston Martin – 86

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix pole-sitter for the fourth year in a row after a stunning showing on the streets of Baku. 

Leclerc, who emerged victorious in Monza last time out, is in a good position to close the gap to both Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship. 

Norris will need an unlikely turn of events to close his 62-point gap to the Dutchman as he encountered yellow flags on his final lap in the first session and will start Sunday's race in 17th. 

Verstappen, meanwhile, will start in sixth after being outqualified by team-mate Sergio Perez, who finished fourth, with Mercedes' George Russell sandwiched in between.

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso came next, with Williams producing an excellent display with drives from Franco Colapinto and Alex Albon to complete the top 10. 

Leclerc's performance saw him record the best pole streak for a Ferrari driver in a Grand Prix since Michael Schumacher in Spain from 2000 to 2004 (five). 

Speaking after qualifying, the Monegasque was confident about his chances of becoming the first driver since Felipe Massa to achieve consecutive victories on at least two occasions. 

“It’s one of my favourite tracks of the season, I really like it, it hasn’t been an easy weekend because of the crash in FP1," Leclerc said.  

"It didn’t make me lose confidence as I knew that the pace was there, but you’ve got to be back up to speed.

“In Q3 and qualifying it was all about trying to stay as far as possible from the walls and on the last lap I went for it a bit more and the lap time came very nicely.

“The car felt really good and everything felt great, so it’s amazing to be on pole."

Norris was on course to make it through into the second session comfortably but a yellow flag as he approached the final straight saw his flying lap ruined. 

“The lap was easily good enough, but there was a yellow flag so I had to back off," Norris said. 

“Following is pretty much impossible around here and overtaking is a lot worse than everyone thinks.

“I am not expecting much from 17th, but we will put in a good plan tonight and do our best of course.

"I have been wrong, and I hope there are plenty of chances, but I’m not expecting so.”

But when asked, McLaren team-mate Piastri was confident that the team have the pace to score some big points in the race for the constructors' championship. 

"I think from where we are starting, yes," Piastri said.

But following around here is really tough, we saw yesterday, it was pretty tough once you get behind someone, hopefully get some clean air, which will be good.

"We'll see what we can do. I think our race pace is good, but again, the Ferraris are certainly not slow.

Qualifying results

1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

5. George Russell (Mercedes)

6. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

7. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 

9. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

10. Alex Albon (Williams)

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was cautious about his chances of winning two Formula 1 races in succession for the first time in his career despite going fastest in the second practice of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Leclerc recovered from a crash in the morning to set the pace in the afternoon, 0.006 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez and 0.066 seconds in front of Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

Championship leader Max Verstappen finished fifth, while his challenger Lando Norris struggled and languished in 17th after the second classification in Baku.

Despite going quickest, Leclerc admitted there were issues with his Ferrari car, leaving work to do if he wants to get pole position in Azerbaijan for a fourth successive year.

He said: "The thing is that when we started FP2 there was an actual problem on the car that we saw later on, once I stopped, and we changed that particular part.

"It's one of the tracks that I quite like, and we've been pretty quick in the past, but that doesn't mean it will be the case for tomorrow.

"I mean, the crash, there's not much to go into. I braked a little bit too much on the right, the track was still dirty, I locked up, and it was too late to go to the right [run-off] – so I went into the wall."

Norris endured a far more difficult afternoon, only mustering 17th after coming across Alpine's Pierre Gasly in the final sector when attempting his fastest lap.

The Brit cannot afford many slip-ups from now until the end of the season, as he looks to overhaul Verstappen's 62-point lead with eight races remaining, but was downbeat about McLaren's chances this weekend, believing they were lagging behind their competitive rivals.

"We're quite a long way off," Norris said.

"I’m having to push way too much to try and get a lap time out of it.

"Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, they're all very similar. And then there's a good 0.3 to 0.4 second gap back to us, so a lot of work to do.

"Ferrari are very quick here. Mercedes will be quick with these track conditions. It's very slidey out there."

Fred Vasseur left the door ajar to a potential Ferrari return for the "mega professional" Carlos Sainz, ahead of his impending departure at the end of the season. 

Sainz, who will join Alex Albon at Williams in 2025, is being replaced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, ending his three-year stint with the Italian team. 

During that time, the Spaniard has won three times, the latest of which came at the Australian Grand Prix in March, and currently sits fifth in the drivers' championship. 

Of his 82 races, Sainz has accumulated 794.5 points, needing 63 points from the final eight races of the campaign to better his highest total in the competition (246 in 2022).

Vasseur said that he would “for sure” like to work with Sainz again in the future, as he repeated that the call to replace him with Hamilton “was not an easy one”.

“I’m more than pleased to have Carlos [in the team] and I will keep a very good relationship with him,” said Vasseur.

Ferrari's success at the Italian Grand Prix, a race that Charles Leclerc emerged victorious in, marked Sainz's last as a Ferrari driver at Monza. 

The Spaniard has not been on the podium since a third-place finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, but will be aiming to continue his impressive qualifying form in Baku. 

Sainz has improved his qualifying position in the last three Grand Prix's, and if he can do so in Azerbaijan, will equal his second-best streak for Ferrari.

But speaking after the Italian Grand Prix, Vasseur took a moment to reflect on Sainz's contribution to the Maranello outfit.

“I have huge respect for Carlos, for what he did for the team in the last years, but mainly the last two years with me [as team boss],” Vasseur commented.

“I can perfectly see what he did last year, mainly when we had trouble, he was able to push the team to come back with the pole in Monza, to win in Singapore.

"This pushed a little bit probably also Charles to react and he did [many] first rows [on the grid] in a row.

“He was clearly part of the recovery of the team last year and this season he’s doing a very good job.

"I know perfectly that the situation was not easy at the beginning of the season, but he’s mega professional.

“We had a discussion last winter and we agreed together to push until the last corner of the last lap [of the season] and he’s doing very well.”

Fred Vasseur has predicted a "huge fight" for the constructors' title this season after Ferrari's success at the Italian Grand Prix last week. 

Charles Leclerc led McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in Monza, claiming his second victory of the season and the team's second win on home soil in the last six years. 

Leclerc has now already scored 11 more points than in the entire previous season (206), and closed the gap to second-placed Norris in the drivers' championship to 24 points. 

Having also secured a long-awaited triumph in Monaco in May, Vasseur believes Leclerc's win in Monza was among his best experiences as Ferrari team principal. 

“For Ferrari and for Charles to win in Monaco, to win in Monza – I think it’s probably, with Imola, the two or three that you want to take in the season," Vasseur said.

"But, at the end of the day, you are not scoring more points in Monza than in Baku.

“Mathematically speaking it’s a win, emotionally speaking for sure it’s something very important because we have a huge support from the beginning of the week from the Tifosi, starting on Monday at the factory in Maranello.

“We had already lots of people in front of the entrance, and the best way to pay them back is to win.

"But it’s not easy, it’s not always under our control, but for sure for the team it was a good way to pay them back for their support.”

With eight races remaining, Ferrari are now only 39 points away from Red Bull at the head of the constructors’ standings ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next week. 

But Baku has proved a difficult track to navigate for the Italian team in recent years, with Ferrari having taken the most pole positions without ever winning the race (four with Sebastian Vettel in 2018, and Leclerc from 2021 to 2023).

Should Leclerc achieve pole position, it will be the best pole streak for a Ferrari driver in a Grand Prix since Michael Schumacher in Spain from 2000 to 2004 (five).

However, in terms of his expectations for the remainder of the campaign, Vasseur believes that the team will be part of a “huge fight” given how close the pack is.

“I think it would be a huge mistake to try to draw any conclusions or to change the plan [after winning at Monza],” Vasseur said. 

“There is a very long way to go until Abu Dhabi, there is something like 450 points on the table.

“It’s so tight, the fight – honestly, I spent a couple of years on the pit wall but it’s the first time I think in F1 we have this situation where eight drivers can win the race, without an accident or crash.

"Four teams are able to win or be on the podium, and it’s changing from session to session.

“For me the most impressive was probably Spa where you had a McLaren in FP1, Red Bull in FP2, we started from pole and Mercedes won the race, and we have the feeling that it is almost like this everywhere, except Lando dominating last weekend in Zandvoort.

“But you can expect that, I think until the end of the season, it will be like this, that it will be a huge fight, and it’s true that with eight cars with this kind of competitiveness that one team can do a one-two and also a seven-eight.

"I don’t want to speak about DNF, but this can make a huge difference in terms of points. Let’s be focused on Baku first. Step by step we will see.”

Lewis Hamilton believes Kimi Antonelli is his perfect replacement at Mercedes ahead of his move to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One season. 

Hamilton, who has the equal most wins at Monza alongside Michael Schumacher (five), will race for Mercedes for the final time around the iconic track on Sunday. 

But there have been consistent rumours of who will replace him on the grid for the Silver Arrows next season, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen even touted for a shock move. 

However, it appears 18-year-old Antonelli, who has risen through the Mercedes junior programme, will be given the nod to join George Russell next year. 

The Italian will replace Russell in the first practice session on Friday, and Hamilton is excited to see how he deals with the step up from Formula Two. 

"I said a long time ago that I think that is who the team should choose moving forwards," Hamilton said. "Obviously, time will tell what they end up deciding to do. 

"He is one of those young super talented kids that has come through. He's only 18, but I think it will be good for people to know that he has only just turned 18. 

"He's got a bright future ahead of him and I am really excited to see his progress. 

Antonelli's impending move to Mercedes showcases the Silver Arrows' plan for the future, but his showings in F2 this season suggest there is an element of risk involved. 

He currently sits seventh in the standings, but has won twice in recent weeks at Silverstone and the Hungaroring that showcases he has the ability to make the step up. 

And Hamilton is confident that Antonelli will flourish under the guidance of the team that have helped him win six of his seven world championship titles.

"We have been watching him through the different formulas and naturally he is a Mercedes driver. We are starting to see a lot of young drivers coming through and we are in that time now where there are only 20 seats and we are starting to see this new wave come through.

"In terms of taking on another driver that has had many years of experience as opposed of giving an opportunity to a youngster, that is what McLaren did for me and it worked out well. 

"In my opinion, it's an opportunity for him to grow. He's going to get to work with the best in class and the people that I have worked with for so many years. 

"It is a lot of weight on someone's shoulders, but I think it's a great environment that they will be able to nurture him and carry him through."

This weekend will also mark Hamilton's final race in Italy before his move to Ferrari.

The Briton will be replacing the outgoing Carlos Sainz, who has since joined Williams, lining up alongside Charles Leclerc for the 2025 campaign. 

"I don't know, it definitely does feel a little bit different," Hamilton said. "I mean, it always feels special when you come here. There's always such incredible passion throughout Italy, just in general, but particularly about racing. 

"It's always exciting to see the fans at the end of the weekend, it's a passionate event, and the excitement that they bring to this race is really not particularly matched in any way."

DRIVERS TO WATCH

Lando Norris - McLaren 

After securing his second career win in F1, Lando Norris will be looking to chase down Verstappen at the top of the drivers' championship standings in Monza. 

Norris has the chance to win two races in a row after his victory in the Netherlands and should he succeed, he will be the first McLaren driver to do so since Lewis Hamilton in 2010, in Turkey and Canada.

The race this weekend will also mark the Britons' 120th for McLaren, becoming the 13th driver to reach this milestone with a single team in history, but the first to do so with 100% of his Grand Prix career in the competition. 

Norris would also become the first McLaren driver to achieve three wins in a single season for the first time since 2012, a year that both Jenson Button (three) and Hamilton (four) managed to do so. 

But McLaren will also be looking to make up ground in the constructors' championship. They have had one or both of their drivers on the podium in each of the last 11 Formula 1 races.

Should they repeat in Italy, it will be their fourth best-ever run in the competition (12) behind only the 19 between Australia 2007 and Malaysia 2008, and the 13 twice between the United States and Portugal in 1990, and Germany 2011 and China 2012.

Charles Leclerc - Ferrari

Having gone five races without a podium finish since his historic win at Monaco back in May, Ferrari's Leclerc has seemingly found his groove again for the Italian team. 

Leclerc has produced back-to-back podium finishes in Zandvoort and Spa, but in that time, has relinquished second place in the drivers' championship to Norris. 

Still only 33 points behind the McLaren driver, Leclerc has the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the standings in Ferrari's home race. 

He can beat his score from last season if he finishes on the podium in Italy (192 in 2024 currently compared to 206 in 2023). Leclerc also has his second best points average (12.8), after his 14 points average in 2022.

Ferrari have 19 wins at the Italian Grand Prix. If they repeat in this edition, it will be the second time a team have achieved 20 wins in a single Grand Prix after themselves in Germany (21), although they have not won at Monza since 2019, with Leclerc starting from pole position. 

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Drivers

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 295

Lando Norris (McLaren) - 225

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 192

Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 179

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 172

Constructors

Red Bull - 434

McLaren - 404

Ferrari - 370

Mercedes - 276

Aston Martin - 74

Carlos Sainz says he trusted his gut feeling telling him to sign for Williams for the 2025 season after signing a multi-year contract with them.

The Spaniard's deal ended months of speculation around his future after it was confirmed Lewis Hamilton would replace him at Ferrari.

Williams have found themselves as consistent backmarkers in recent years, but under team principal James Vowles, they look to be making strides towards becoming more competitive, helped by Sainz's arrival.

Sainz said he buys into Vowles' vision and sees it as a similar project to the one McLaren were starting when he left them in 2020.

"I've always had the feeling during all those negotiations, I always had Williams in the back of my head as I always had that good feeling with James [Vowles] and the investment group Dorilton," Sainz said.

"I've learned over the years in Formula 1 to trust in my feeling about people also. I remember when I left McLaren in 2020, I felt like the team was moving forward and was going to be successful in the future, having spent time working with Zak Brown and Andrea Stella.

"When I left McLaren, I said they might not be winning next year or the following year but this team with these people are going to be winning soon, four years later they're performing at an incredibly high level.

"I had this feeling at that time and now I have this feeling about the people and the culture in Williams, I need to trust that feeling, and this is what I committed to."

Sainz is currently fifth in the drivers' championship, while Ferrari are third in the constructors' championship, over 300 points above ninth-place Williams, who have just four points. 

After the move was made public, Vowles admitted he had first approached the 29-year-old at the end of last season, making it a top priority to sign him, something that the driver appreciated.

"It was very important, obviously he's the leader of the project, and he has the vision, and he shared that vision, and he convinced me," Sainz added.

"He did a very good job in that sense into convincing me and into sharing the vision he has and the project he has in mind with me.

"I think we are relatively similar characters in that we are both very analytical, very fair and open, and he convinced me, as simple as that."

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is expecting a "flat-out" fight for supremacy in Formula One over the next 18 months.

Austrian constructor Red Bull have been the dominant force in F1 over the past few years, with Max Verstappen winning three straight drivers' titles and the team taking the constructors' trophy in 2022 and 2023.

The early stages of the 2024 season followed a similar pattern with flying Dutchman Verstappen winning four of the opening five races but there have now been seven different victors through 14 rounds.

Verstappen still holds a healthy 78-point lead from second-place Lando Norris in the driver standings but McLaren are only 42 points adrift of Red Bull in the constructor table, with Ferrari 63 back and improving Mercedes 142 behind.

Horner, in quotes reported by F1's official website, thinks there is going to be a battle between all four of those F1 heavyweights in the near future.

"I think it’s great for the sport, and it was almost inevitable when you get consistency of regulations, you always get convergence," he said.

"I remember when I first came into Formula 1, Ron Dennis banging that drum back in 2005. Convergence has always brought the teams together. 

"Of course we have a big regulations change in 2026 that will cause divergence but, between now and then, the next 18 months I think it will be flat-out between the four teams."

F1 returns after a near month-long break with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend, Verstappen's home race.

Audi have appointed former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto as the head of their Formula One project, parting company with Andreas Seidl.

Made chief executive officer 19 months ago, Seidl was tasked with overseeing Sauber's progress ahead of Audi taking over the team for 2026.

However, with Sauber the only team on the grid yet to earn a point this season, the German manufacturer has opted to conduct a major shake-up.

Olivier Hoffmann, chairman of the team's board of directors, has joined Seidl in departing.

Binotto, who left Ferrari at the end of the 2022 season after the Scuderia's title charge faded in disappointing fashion, will officially take on the role of chief operating and chief technical officer from August 1.

Gernot Dollner, who has taken over Hoffmann's former position, said of Binotto: "With his extensive experience of more than 25 years in F1, he will undoubtedly be able to make a decisive contribution for Audi.

"Our aim is to bring the entire F1 project up to F1 speed by means of clear management structures, defined responsibilities, reduced interfaces, and efficient decision-making processes.

"For this purpose, the team must be able to act independently and quickly."

Binotto had been part of Ferrari's team since 1995, contributing to eight constructors' championship triumphs before becoming team principal in 2019.

Lando Norris celebrated "pretty much the perfect lap" after he claimed pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Max Verstappen.

McLaren's Norris set the best time of 1:11.383 in Barcelona on Saturday, which had started dismally for the team when their hospitality facilities had to be evacuated due to a fire.

Norris, who was 0.2 seconds quicker than Verstappen, showed no sign of distraction though, and with all staff having been safely ushered from any danger, it was a day to celebrate for the team, whose second driver Oscar Piastri rounded out the top 10 despite failing to set a time in Q3.

"It was pretty much a perfect lap, when you are on a good lap and getting excited but the whole thing went perfectly in the end," he said.

"It was close but super happy, it was my best pole position, I've not had many. We've been close all weekend but really this was about a perfect lap and that is what I did today.

"It's not just this weekend, we've been quick the last two months, and since Miami we've been very strong.

"We probably missed out on pole by not doing a perfect lap but today was the perfect lap."

It was also a good day for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, who qualified in third, one place ahead of team-mate George Russell.

Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz placed fifth and sixth respectively.

Top 10

1. Lando Norris (McLaren) 

2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

4. George Russell (Mercedes)

5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

6. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

10. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)

Charles Leclerc ensured pole position for this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen could only manage sixth place after crashing into a wall during qualifying.

Leclerc beat Oscar Piastri by 0.154 seconds for his third pole in the last four races in Monaco, where Ferrari have excelled on the narrow track layout, high kerbs and slow-speed corners.

Verstappen was seeking history by surpassing Ayrton Senna for an eighth successive pole in Qualifying, while maintaining his perfect record at the start of the season.

However, the runaway Drivers' Championship leader hit the wall at Sainte Devote on his final lap, and had to settle for sixth on a track where overtaking is regarded as the most difficult on the calendar.

Leclerc now hopes he and Ferrari can now convert their position at the head of the grid into victory, having failed to do so in each of the last two years.

"It was nice. The feeling after a qualifying lap is always very special here," he said. "[I am] really, really happy about the lap, the excitement is so high, but it feels really good.

"But now, I know more often than not, qualifying is not everything. As much as it counts, we need to put everything together on the Sunday. In past years, we did not manage to do it, but we are a stronger team now, and I am sure we can achieve the target."

His Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz was third, though he faces an investigation for impeding Williams' Alex Albon in the first session, ahead of Lando Norris and George Russell.

Oscar Piastri insists he is still targeting a podium finish, despite receiving a grid penalty ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver had initially qualified in second place behind Drivers' Championship leader Max Verstappen, with the Australian's teammate Lando Norris in third.

However, Piastri has since been handed a three-place grid drop after he impeded Kevin Magnussen while exiting the pits during Q1.

The 23-year-old admitted he could not see Magnusson at the chicane at Turns 2 and 3, and tried to get clear of the Dane as quickly as possible, though the steward's review highlighted McLaren's failure to give him sufficient warning that a faster car was approaching.

Nevertheless, Piastri did not let the penalty detract from a generally positive display during qualifying, which subsequently sees Norris take second place on the grid, with the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz leapfrogging him to third and fourth respectively.

"I'm really happy with the performance today," he said. "We were so close to pole on track.

"I've been really comfortable with the car from the moment we put it on track yesterday, and I am enjoying my first GP weekend here. We've definitely been on the pace all weekend and confidence is high.

"It is a shame to lose the front row and having to start from P5 as it’s not the easiest track to overtake on. However, we will try our best to recover some positions and fight to finish on the podium."