Max Verstappen has seen numerous records fall his way this season and one of the most illustrious is up for grabs this weekend in Mexico, where a victory would take him to 14 for the season.

Such a win would see him become the driver to have won the most races in a single season, having joined Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel on 13 with his success in the United States.

That triumph was his ninth this season without starting in pole, surpassing Lewis Hamilton (eight) for the most such wins in a single campaign, and will be full of confidence given a stellar record in Mexico - where he has prevailed three times (2018, 2019, 2021). Verstappen and Jim Clark share the record for the most Mexican Grand Prix wins.

Red Bull also have a team record in their sight, having now won eight races in a row to stand one shy of the nine victories in a row they secured in 2013, which is the sixth-longest winning streak for a team in F1 history.

While Verstappen and Red Bull are in search of further records, Lewis Hamilton is looking to avoid one as he is still in search of his first victory in 2022 and the Mercedes driver was strong in the United States.

The British driver has never finished a Formula One season in his career without a race win and has just three grands prix to ensure that this is not the year when he stands winless for the first time.

Much of the attention will continue to be off the track, however, with Red Bull's cost-cap breach in 2021 yet to be resolved and dominating the discussions, though a final outcome should be right around the corner.

Pole variety

The Mexican Grand Prix has seen 10 different racers on pole position in the last 10 editions, a record that will almost certainly be extended after qualifying on Saturday as 2021 pole sitter Valtteri Bottas is now at Alfa Romeo.

The last driver to win consecutive pole positions in this race was Ayrton Senna in 1988 and 1989.

Leclerc's late change

Charles Leclerc was Max Verstappen's biggest threat early in the season but a plethora of problems derailed the title ambitions of the Ferrari driver, with mistakes, bad luck and mechanical issues all plaguing his performances.

Some consistency has been found recently, however, with Leclerc finishing on the podium in each of his last five Formula One races – his longest such run in his career.

Audi and Sauber have announced their partnership in Formula One, which will see the team race as a factory entrant from 2026.

Confirmation of Audi's move into Formula One had been announced earlier this year and it was long expected that the Swiss team would become the home for the German car giant.

Wednesday's announcement sets out the future for the Sauber team, who see their branding deal with Alfa Romeo expire at the end of 2023 and will have two further seasons with Ferrari as an engine supplier before the unification with Audi.

Formula One's engine supplier regulations have been adapted from 2026 onwards, encouraging new entrants to come forward, and Audi is among them alongside sister company Porsche, who are looking for a partnership of their own on the grid.

Finn Rausing, the chairman of Sauber Holding, said in a statement: "Audi is the best partner for the Sauber Group. It is clear that both companies share the same values and vision. We are looking forward to achieving our common goals with a strong and successful partnership."

Christian Horner hailed Red Bull's first Formula One constructors' title since 2013 as a fitting tribute to Dietrich Mateschitz, saying the late team owner "would have been very proud".

Team principal Horner saw Max Verstappen land a record-equalling 13th win of the season at the United States Grand Prix, and that meant Red Bull's team success for 2022 was assured.

Verstappen, already crowned drivers' champion, shook off the frustration of an extended pit stop with 20 laps remaining by delivering a terrific performance to pip Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes, led by Hamilton's excellence, reeled off eight consecutive constructors' championships from 2014 to 2021, but now Red Bull are back on top, having previously strung together four titles from 2010 to 2013, in the Sebastian Vettel era.

The death of Mateschitz at the age of 78 was announced on Saturday.

Horner said: "It's been a hugely emotional weekend and that was the best possible way we could have won that race. Dietrich would have been very proud of that.

"To win the constructors' championship after eight years [without it] is incredible."

Commending Verstappen after the 25-year-old joined Michael Schumacher and Vettel as the only drivers to win 13 races in an F1 season, Horner told Sky Sports: "He just got his head down, and I thought there was only going to be one outcome of that race.

"There's a hunger within him that I've never seen in another driver. As he's growing and maturing, he's reading races incredibly well.

"He was obviously pretty upset after the pit stop but very quickly got his emotions in check, got his head down and paced himself so he didn't burn his tyres up, and was then able to get the passes done."

Mateschitz also owned the AlphaTauri team – previously Toro Rosso – and his death comes with Red Bull back where he wanted them, at the very summit of Formula One.

"I think this means everything to us," Horner said. "Dietrich was a very private man, but he was passionate about life and passionate about sport, and he had a dream which was to have a Formula One team and in the end he had two.

"He gave us all an opportunity, he believed in us, he backed us. This is for him, we're tremendously grateful for everything that he's done, for us as individuals, as a team, and we're going to celebrate in his honour tonight.

"He was a reclusive guy but when he turned up he'd be straight in the garage, there were no airs and graces to him, he was just one of the guys.

"I'm so happy he got to see Max retain the drivers' [title] in Japan, and the constructors', that's been a big one as well. We've never lost hope or never stopped fighting or believing in ourselves, so to be able to come back and do this is testament to every man and woman in the team, in the company.

"His legacy lives on, he empowered us to go and make an engine for the future. He was looking into the future and whilst he's not here in person, he's here in spirit and his spirit and the Red Bull spirit will live on."

Max Verstappen conjured a masterful drive to win the United States Grand Prix and deliver the constructors' title in style for a Red Bull team in mourning.

Setting aside his anger over a pit stop that went wrong 20 laps from the finish, Verstappen plotted a path past his rivals, overtaking Lewis Hamilton late on before streaking to victory.

Already the Formula One drivers' champion, Verstappen dedicated the team success to Dietrich Mateschitz, the team owner whose death at the age of 78 was announced on Saturday.

Speaking moments after his triumph at the Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen said: "It was a tough one. It was all looking good, but then the pit stop was a bit longer than we would have liked so I had to fight myself forward again. But we gave it everything out there today.

"Of course, it's a very difficult weekend for us, so this one is dedicated to Dietrich himself, what he has done for everyone. The only thing we could do today was win and even though after the pit stop it was not looking great, I gave it everything out there, and I pushed to the limit to come back.

"We had a big chance to win the constructors' here, and of course you want to do that in style, and I think we did that today.

"It definitely means a lot to me and to the team because he was so important to the whole team, so instrumental, and of course it will all continue, but we really wanted to have a good result today and this is of course amazing."

Hamilton had been hoping to give Mercedes a first race win of the year, but he could not fend off the advancing Verstappen, and once the Dutchman was past him, the result was all but a foregone conclusion.

There was cause for optimism for Hamilton, though, and the Silver Arrows should be serious contenders again in the remaining three races.

Hamilton said: "I want to give a big shout-out to my team. We came here with upgrades, we closed the gap a little bit, we were so, so close. I did everything I could to stay ahead, but they were just a little bit too quick today.

"But great strategy, great race by Red Bull, and again my condolences to the [Red Bull] team.

"I'm shattered. The car was a handful today. It felt amazing, firstly, to be in the lead. That's something we've been working so hard on as a team through the year and I felt so much hope, but it's okay, we'll hold onto that, we'll keep pushing, we'll try to give it everything in these next three. It'll come to us at some stage."

Max Verstappen's dramatic victory at the United States Grand Prix gave Red Bull the Formula One constructors' title, a day after the death of team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

A record-equalling 13th win of the season for the irrepressible Verstappen, who already has the drivers' championship sewn up, secured the poignant achievement at the Circuit of The Americas.

Mercedes had monopolised the constructors' championship since 2014, but it has been a matter of time this season before they were dethroned.

Verstappen, hampered by an extended pit stop, slipped back to fifth place at one stage but roared back to the front of the field and produced a skilful overtaking move on Lewis Hamilton during the 50th lap to reclaim first position.

Mercedes had been chasing their first win of the season, but once Verstappen was in front of Hamilton it was game over. Verstappen and team boss Christian Horner dedicated the team success to Mateschitz immediately at the end of the race.

Charles Leclerc's Ferrari took third place, his first podium in Austin, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez fourth, Mercedes' George Russell fifth and McLaren's Lando Norris sixth.

Ferrari pole-sitter Carlos Sainz had the start of his nightmares, being overtaken by front-row rival Verstappen before the first corner and then spinning after colliding with Russell. Russell was handed a five-second penalty and Sainz's race was soon over as he came into the pits to retire, with radiator damage causing a water leak.

The safety car came out twice, firstly when Valtteri Bottas lost the back end of his Alfa Romeo and beached in the gravel on the 18th lap, and then when Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll collided, a flash point between the future Aston Martin team-mates.

Leclerc was a factor for much of the race, having done well to tear through the field after a 10-place engine change penalty meant he started from 12th on the grid.

A huge twist came with 20 laps remaining when Verstappen had his shocking pit stop. The world champion sarcastically told his team radio it had been "beautiful" but was told to focus on the race, and he subsequently showed why he and the team have been so dominant.

Verstappen matches Schumacher and Vettel

Michael Schumacher won 13 times for Ferrari in the 18-race 2004 campaign, while Sebastian Vettel won 13 in a 19-race 2013 season for Red Bull. Vettel was briefly a podium contender in this race but a 16.8 second pit stop scuttled his hopes.

Now Verstappen has equalled the single-season wins record Schumacher and Vettel shared, and as he said at the end of the race, he has "three more chances" to take the mark outright.

Aston thriller

The yellow flag came out when Alonso's Alpine ran into the back of Stroll's Aston Martin. The pair will be team-mates at Aston Martin next season, and as Alonso looked to overtake Stroll, it appeared Stroll moved to block the manoeuvre. That led to Alonso's car spectacularly bucking onto its rear wheels and running out of control before colliding with barriers.

Alonso was remarkably able to continue and reach the pits for repairs, but Stroll lost a tyre, amid strewn debris, and his race was over, with the stewards electing to leave it until after the race to pass any judgement.

Francesco Bagnaia reflected on "the best-ever start to a race in my life" after he roared from ninth on the grid to victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Ducati rider moved 23 points clear at the MotoGP title race summit with just one race to go, meaning he needs to only finish 14th to claim the championship next month in Valencia.

The Italian looked to have a fight on his hands to figure in the fight for the podium, though with rival Fabio Quartararo starting in 12th, both appeared to be out of the running before the lights went out in Sepang.

But a superb move down the inside of the first corner lifted Bagnaia to second, before race leader Jorge Martin's crash effectively helped hand him a major win - one that he could not contain his delight with afterwards.

"I want to say I had the best-ever start to a race in my life," he stated. "It was perfect. Following Jorge was a bit too much for the rear tyre and I was starting to stress.

"But then he crashed, unfortunately, and we did a really good job in terms of the championship. We can be very happy."

Quartararo, who finished third behind Enea Bastianini after also coming through the pack, raced with a fractured finger on his left hand, but still feels he has a chance of an upset in a fortnight in the final race of the season.

"The start was the key point, the first lap," he added. "We changed the strategy a little bit compared to Australia, where we wanted to keep the tyre fresh for the end.

"Even if now we are super far away [in the standings], I'm not giving up, and I want to finish in a good way in Valencia."

Max Verstappen led tributes to late Red Bull co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz following his death at the age of 78 on the eve of the United States Grand Prix this weekend.

The Austrian, who co-founded the energy drink company and helped form its Formula One team in the mid-2000s, was confirmed to have passed away shortly before qualifying in Austin on Saturday.

Mateschitz, a sports fanatic whose company also purchased football clubs around the globe, helped establish their motorsport division as one of the leaders within F1.

Verstappen, who claimed a second successive drivers' championship this season and Red Bull's sixth in all, qualified second behind Ferrari's Carlos Sainz following the news, and paid his respects to Mateschitz.

"It has been hard news, I think, for everyone," he said. "What he meant [to] Red Bull, but also [for] the sport, and especially what he has done for me in terms of my career so far and my life, it is really tough.

"It has been a very tough day. Unfortunately, we missed out by a little [in qualifying] but there is still a race ahead and hopefully, we will make him proud."

Mercedes principal Toto Wolff - who began his own racing career with Red Bull - also paid tribute to Mateschitz.

"I was in a car that was sponsored by Red Bull, but I was proud to wear those colours as a junior driver or a GT driver back in the day," he added

"Being a Red Bull driver was something prestigious, and I was proud wearing the overalls and the team kit.

"What he has done in Austria for football, for ice-hockey, the racing programme - it's incredible. It's probably the biggest contribution in F1 of any single individual."

Francesco Bagnaia triumphed in a hard-fought Malaysian Grand Prix as Fabio Quartararo ensured the MotoGP world championship would go down to the wire by finishing third on Sunday.

Ducati rider Bagnaia, who only moved ahead of his Yamaha rival last week, needed to outscore Quartararo by 11 points to secure the riders' title.

But Frenchman Quartararo recovered from 12th on the grid to make sure the title would still be undecided heading into the final race of the season for only the fifth time in the MotoGP era.

Still, with a 23-point gap in the standings Bagnaia is in a mightily strong position heading to Valencia in a fortnight.

Bagnaia himself had to fight his way through the grid having started ninth and was involved in a taut tussle for the win with fellow Italian Enea Bastianini at the top of the pack.

The pair took advantage of original race leader Jorge Martin crashing out on the seventh lap, following a blistering pole on Saturday, and exchanged the lead multiple times throughout their close-fought battle.

Bagnaia was boosted by a sensational start that saw him split Martin and Bastianini to move immediately into second on the first corner.

From there, he looked in comfortable command and when Martin took a tumble the lead opened up in front of him.

Bastianini refused to go quietly on his heels, however, taking the lead on the 11th lap around Turn 4, only for Bagnaia to wrestle back control three laps later, where he held on for an emphatic finish.

Last week's race winner Alex Rins came home in fifth, while Mooney VR46's Marco Bezzecchi's fourth-place finish put a third Italian into the top four in Sepang.

TOP 10

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 40:14:332
2. Enea Bastianini (Gresini) +0.270
3. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +2.773
4. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) +5.446
5. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) +11.923
6. Jack Miller (Ducati) +13.472
7. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) +14.304
8. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) +16.805
9. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +18.358
10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +21.591

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Riders

1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 258
2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) 235
3. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) 212
4. Enea Bastianini (Gresini) 211
5. Jack Miller (Ducati) 189

Teams

1. Ducati 447
2. Aprilia Racing 334
3. Red Bull KTM 306
4. Pramac Racing 302
5. Monster Energy Yamaha 271

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz enjoyed his "adventure" in qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, though he feels Red Bull are still favourites for Sunday's race.

The Spaniard secured the second pole of his Formula One season after a blistering final lap in Q3 in Austin, climbing over teammate Charles Leclerc, who will serve a 10-place grid penalty and will therefore start 12th in Sunday's race.

Sainz has the advantage on the front row, where eight of the last nine winners have started, but feels Max Verstappen, who will start alongside him, is favourite for the race.

"It was fun, a lot of fun. It was very tricky with the wind, it's so gusty, it's a bit of an adventure with these cars, you don't know how much wind to expect but I managed to put together a good lap without mistakes," he said on the grid after the session.

"It was a long time coming after a few qualifying sessions in the dry but not quite getting there.

"I think Red Bull are still favourites, they have the better race pace. They normally get us in the race, Max does a great job, Red Bull has a very good car, but we're going to do everything we can to stay ahead tomorrow and win the race, which would be an amazing way to start these next four races."

Sainz's teammate Leclerc had hoped to secure a 10th pole of the season, though he would not have started from the front due to the engine penalty, but was pleased for his colleague.

"It is difficult with the wind obviously from lap to lap but overall I did my best," he said.

"The last lap wasn't the best and Carlos did a better job today and deserves to be on pole.

"I will be starting a bit further back because for the penalty but the plan is to come back to the front as quickly as possible."

PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 1:34.356
2. Charles Leclerc* (Ferrari) +0.065
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.092
4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.289
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.591
6. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.632
7. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) +1.242
8. Lando Norris (McLaren) +1.334
9. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +1.520
10. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) +1.963

* Received a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding quota of power unit elements and will start from 12th

The co-owner of Red Bull, Dietrich Mateschitz, has died at the age of 78.

The Austrian businessman co-founded the energy drink company in the mid-1980s, and played a key role in the creation of its Formula One team two decades later.

His death was confirmed on Saturday prior to qualifying for the United States Grand Prix, and F1 paid tribute to his "unforgettable contribution.”

A big fan of extreme sports, after founding the Red Bull brand in 1987 he eventually used its success to move into such as surfing, mountain biking and winter sports.

Red Bull also entered the world of football, purchasing teams in Salzburg, Leipzig and New York among others.

Mateschitz's legacy will be most closely associated with motorsport, though, and the success of the Red Bull F1 team.

He came into the sport working with Sauber in the 1990s, before purchasing the Jaguar team prior to rebranding it as Red Bull ahead of the 2005 season.

The team has since achieved 79 pole positions, 89 race wins, six drivers' titles and four constructors' titles.

President and CEO of F1, Stefano Domenicali, said of Mateschitz: "I am deeply saddened by the news that Dietrich Mateschitz, a hugely respected and much-loved member of the Formula One family has passed away.

"He was an incredible visionary entrepreneur and a man who helped to transform our sport and created the Red Bull brand that is known all around the world.

"I will miss him greatly, as will the whole community in Formula One, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and the Red Bull and AlphaTauri teams at this very sad time."

Christian Horner says he has been "absolutely appalled" by the reaction from rival teams to the FIA's announcement that Red Bull had breached budget cap regulations.

The Formula One Constructors’ Championship leaders were found to have been in breach of the cost cap for a 2021 season in which Max Verstappen was crowned world champion for a first time.

A fierce response has been issued across the paddock, including from Red Bull team principal Horner's McLaren counterpart Zak Brown, who wrote a letter to the FIA outlining his belief that such a breach constitutes cheating.

Horner hit back at those comments and "fictitious allegations" from rivals on the grid.

"It's tremendously disappointing for a fellow competitor to be accusing you of cheating, to accuse you of fraudulent activity, it is absolutely shocking," he said in a press conference on Saturday.

"Without the facts, without any knowledge of the detail, making that kind of accusation. We've been on trial because of public accusation since Singapore, the rhetoric of cheats, that we've had this enormous benefit.

"Numbers have been put out in the media that are miles out of reality. The damage that it does to the brand, to our partners, to our drivers, to our workforce, in an age where mental health is prevalent, we're seeing significant issues now within our workforce.

"We're seeing kids being bullied in playgrounds, the children of our employees, that is not right, through fictitious allegations from other teams. You cannot go around accusing that kind of allegation without any facts or substance.

"We are absolutely appalled by the behaviour of some of our competitors."

Brown was also present at the press conference and offered an immediate response, clarifying that the letter was not accusatory to anyone in particular and merely expressed their views on what the punishment for breaches should be.

"My letter set out that I think that if a team spends more than the cap, they are going to get an advantage. The cap is a rule no different to the technical rules in the sport," he explained.

"We're not taking a view on whether there was or wasn't [a breach], my letter was on the basis that, if someone has, these are the things we think should be addressed, no different to if a ride height is incorrect or a flexi-wing.

Fabio Quartararo cannot conceive a strategy for starting the Malaysian Grand Prix from 12th after a dramatic qualifying session saw Jorge Martin claim pole.

Defending MotoGP champion Quartararo trails Francesco Bagnaia by 14 points in the standings, which he once led by 91 points, with two races to go.

Bagnaia could claim a first world championship this weekend, and Monster Energy Yamaha's Quartararo did not help hopes of denying his rival as he could only manage a best lap of one minute and 59.215 seconds at the Sepang International Circuit.

Yet the damage for Quartararo was limited as Ducati rider Bagnaia and Aprilia's Aleix Espargaro, who is third in the title race and not yet out of the mix, both crashed.

Bagnaia will start ninth while Espargaro, who trails the Italian by 27 points, joins Quartararo and 2020 champion Joan Mir on the fourth row of the grid in 10th.

Martin claimed a second successive pole and his fourth of the season with a lap record of 1:57.790. The Pramac rider has not won this season despite his strong qualifying efforts.

Enea Bastianini starts second for Gresini, with six-time world champion Marc Marquez third for Repsol Honda.

“I think starting from P12, you have no strategy," Quartararo said. "The strategy is to try to go as fast as possible, and then see how it's going. But I think there is not a specific strategy."

Quartararo crashed in FP4, suffering a fractured middle finger, but denied that hindered him in qualifying or that he was feeling the pressure of a title defence.

"In the qualifying it [the finger] was not a problem,” Quartararo added.

"Maybe I was not as focused or I don't know, but the first run is something I still don't understand.

"To be honest I don't really feel the pressure, but it's really strange how we are having these last races

"I don’t know if we work in the correct way or not, but we are missing many things and maybe we should do something different. But really strange last races."


CLASSIFICATION

1. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) 1:57.790
2. Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing) + 0.456
3. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda) + 0.664
4. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing) + 0.700
5. Alex Rins (Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.785
6. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing) + 0.789
7. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) + 0.864
8. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia Racing) + 0.976
9. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) + 1.072
10. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) + 1.145
11. Joan Mir (Suzuki Ecstar) + 1.355
12. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +1.425

Lewis Hamilton says the future of the budget cap in Formula One is dependent on the punishment that is dished out to Red Bull for their breach in 2021.

The FIA confirmed Red Bull had committed a "minor" breach of the $145million (£114m) cap last year and has submitted an "accepted breach agreement" to the team.

That proposal, which is confidential, outlines the penalty that the FIA will hand to Red Bull if they accept the cap, although they could fight the judgement and send the matter to an adjudication panel.

With 2021 having been the first season of the budget cap's implementation, there is uncertainty over what action the FIA will take and Hamilton believes the regulations will be pointless if no serious consequences result.

"If they are relaxed with these rules, all the teams will just go over," he told the BBC.

"Spending millions more and only having a slap on the wrist is not going to be great for the sport. They might as well not have a cost cap in the future."

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has history in his sights at the United States Grand Prix this weekend.

Crowned champion for the second successive season at the Japanese Grand Prix two weeks ago, Verstappen has the chance to further illustrate his dominance at the Circuit of the Americas.

Should he prevail in Austin, he will equal Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher as the driver with the most wins in a single F1 season with his 13th victory,

Schumacher achieved the feat in 2004 for Ferrari, with compatriot Vettel matching him nine years later for Red Bull in the 2013 campaign.

Verstappen and Red Bull will look to make it lucky 13 amid the continued fallout over their cost cap breach last season.

Last week, the FIA announced Red Bull had been found guilty of a "minor" cost cap breach and a procedural breach.

There have been no details of any prospective penalties released by the sport's governing body, however, in a letter to the FIA, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said the breach "constitutes cheating".

Brown's comments are likely to be the talk of the paddock in Texas this week, but Red Bull will look for their most emphatic riposte to come on the track.

They have won the last seven races. Only once, when they won nine in a row in 2013, have they gone on a longer run. An eighth successive victory would be the seventh-longest winning streak in F1.


FERRARI ANYTHING BUT RELIABLE

After initially threatening to produce a compelling title fight in both the drivers and constructors' championship, Ferrari have wilted miserably as Red Bull's main rivals.

Along with well-documented strategy struggles, reliability has been a big contributor to Ferrari's woes.

Carlos Sainz's form has encapsulated that point. He has retired in five of his last 16 races in the Formula One, as many as in his previous 61 appearances in the competition.

MERCEDES TO MAKE 2023 FIGHTBACK?

Lewis Hamilton has won five times in Austin but the seven-time world champion appears unlikely to challenge this year, with Mercedes still waiting for their first win of a dismal season.

Yet Hamilton is confident the Silver Arrows will bounce back next season and ensure that, unlike the much-maligned W13, their W14 car can return the dominant force of the modern era to the front of the grid.

"I think for us we know what the problems are with this car," Hamilton said. "I believe that we as a team, we've not gone from being world champions to not being able to build a good car.

"I have no doubt that we'll have a better car next year. Whether or not we've rectified every issue that we have this year, we'll find out when we get there."

Daniel Ricciardo's likely exit from Formula One demonstrates the ruthless nature of the sport and is a fate which could befall any driver, according to Ferrari's Carlos Sainz.

Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of an underwhelming 2022 campaign, to be replaced by Oscar Piastri. 

With only Williams and Haas possessing vacant seats for 2023 following Alpine's move for Pierre Gasly, Ricciardo recently acknowledged he was unlikely to remain on the grid next year.

The Australian, who has also been linked with a reserve position at Mercedes, said: "I think the reality is now I won't be on the grid in 2023, I think it's now just trying to set up for 2024."

Asked about Ricciardo's situation by Motorsport.com, Sainz expressed sympathy for his rival and said all F1 drivers were only as good as their last race.

"I feel for Daniel because I know how good he is. I always rated him super highly," Sainz said. "He found himself in a car and at a team that maybe he didn't find himself comfortable at, and that's enough for your career to start going through a different path.

"He might take a year off, he might not. But if he comes back in two years and he wins a race, no one remembers the two years with McLaren. 

"This is why in F1 you always need to focus on the next race, because in the next race you can change everyone's impression.

"Every driver knows this, because it happens to all of us at a lower scale at every race. You're always as good as your last race, unfortunately, in this sport. 

"If that gets amplified to a season, then you're only as good as your last season, and that's why Daniel is in such a difficult situation.

"No one remembers your good days, it only counts if you are half a second off in the last qualifying or the last season, and there's nothing we can do about it.

"It's how the sport rates us, it is how the sport treats us. That is why the highs are so high. When you win, you're a hero: your best weekend and you're the best driver in the world. No one is better than you. 

"But then, when you are going through a bad moment, it's a sport that is very tough."

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