Lewis Hamilton

Charles Leclerc continued his impressive start to the 2022 Formula One season with a victory at Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.

It’s a win ❤️
Soooo happy! Perfect weekend.
Forza Ferrari @ScuderiaFerrari pic.twitter.com/Hzhab92JwQ

— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) April 10, 2022

The Ferrari driver posted a time of 1:27:46.548 over the 58 laps, more than 20 seconds ahead of Sergio Perez in second place. George Russell finished in third while Lewis Hamilton could only manage fourth.

Leclerc won the pole and led every lap, also producing the fastest lap on the way to his second win of the year. He now has a commanding lead on top of the driver standings through three events. 

DRIVER STANDINGS 📊@Charles_Leclerc increases his championship lead to a larger margin than anyone did in 2021! 🤩

And, @GeorgeRussell63 makes a move into P2 👀#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/uKUgMpR1UT

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 10, 2022

Leclerc was dominant throughout the race at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. His biggest challenge came from Max Verstappen, who was on his tail for much of the day.

Verstappen saw his chances come to an end on the 39th lap when car troubles forced him to the side:

Heartbreak for Max Verstappen in Australia 💔

An podium opportunity missed for the Dutchman after a strong showing ended prematurely with a car problem 😫#AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/DXeOAe1r4X

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 10, 2022

It led to a DNF for Verstappen, his second in three races to start the season. The Dutch driver still sits sixth in the standings, but he has a lot of ground to make up.

Leclerc faced no other challengers from there, pulling away from the field for an easy win. He posted his fastest lap on the final lap of the day.

Perez, who started in third, cruised into second place once Red Bull teammate Verstappen was eliminated.

Hamilton won eight races in 2021 but is still seeking his first win of the year after finishing no better than third in his three starts.

The drivers will now head to Italy for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on April 24.       

Despite some speculation Lewis Hamilton would retire from Formula One after a disappointing end to the 2021 season, the seven-time champion confirmed he would return in 2022.

"I never ever said that I was going to stop," Hamilton said Friday at the Mercedes 2022 F1 car launch (h/t TMZ Sports). 

It was the first public appearance for Hamilton since December, when he lost a controversial race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that cost him his eighth championship. That was not enough to make him walk away from the sport, though. 

"I love doing what I do, and it is such a privilege working with this large group of people when you really feel like you're part of a family and part of a team and you're working towards that common goal," Hamilton added.

The discussion over Hamilton's future began after the race when Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said the driver was "disillusioned" with his loss and unsure if he would return.

The final race featured a safety-car restart on the final lap that was incorrectly applied by F1 race director Michael Masi, who was removed from his position Thursday following an investigation. 

Max Verstappen took advantage of the one-lap sprint and passed Hamilton for the title. 

It was enough for Hamilton to step out of the spotlight, even avoiding posting on social media for two months.

"I think ultimately a sport I've loved my whole life, there was a moment where I obviously lost a little bit of faith within the system," he said Friday.

The 37-year-old will now look for the opportunity to bounce back in 2022 with the chance to bring home another championship.

"While moments like this might define others' career, I refuse to let this define mine," Hamilton added. "So I focused on being the best I can be and coming back stronger."   

Sir Lewis Hamilton was officially awarded a knighthood by the Prince of Wales during a ceremony at England's Windsor Castle on Wednesday.

Hamilton became the fourth Formula One driver to receive the distinction, joining Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and Sir Jack Brabham. The British superstar was honored for his "services to motorsport" as a seven-time F1 champion.

"Sir Lewis Hamilton has officially been made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales after being awarded a Knighthood in the Queen's New Year Honours last December. The seven-time F1 champion has been recognised for his services to motorsport, having been made an MBE in 2009." pic.twitter.com/X8EemcpR19

— SmallCaps AL (@uorrembife) December 15, 2021

His latest moment in the spotlight came just three days after his controversial loss to Max Verstappen on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to cap their memorable battle for the 2021 F1 championship.

Hamilton held the late lead and looked in prime position to capture his eighth title. However, Nicholas Latifi's crash on lap 52 of 58 brought out the safety car, changing the complexion of the race. Race director Michael Masi then made the controversial decision to let the lapped cars pass the safety car, which moved Verstappen right behind Hamilton for the final-lap restart rather than having to navigate five lapped opponents.

Verstappen, on fresher tires, was able to make a pass during the last lap and held off a few final pushes by Hamilton to hold on for the Abu Dhabi win and the overall season title.

"Congratulations to Max and his team," Hamilton told Sky Sports after the narrow loss. "I think we did an amazing job this year. Everyone back at the factory and here worked so hard in this most difficult of seasons."

Meanwhile, Dieter Rencken and Keith Collantine of RaceFans reported Mercedes refused to take part in a post-season photoshoot Wednesday and continues to weigh its options to appeal Sunday's result.

Hamilton, who owns 103 wins and 182 podiums in his F1 career, didn't speak with reporters about the situation after the knighthood ceremony.

The 36-year-old driver previously received the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) distinction from Queen Elizabeth in 2008.

For nearly all of Sunday morning, it looked like Lewis Hamilton would capture his fifth straight Formula One title and a record eighth drivers' championship.

Then fate struck. And then race officials made a controversial decision that arguably cost Hamilton the crown.

Max Verstappen passed Hamilton on the 57th lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, capturing his first F1 title in the process. 

Hamilton held a massive lead over Verstappen for most of the race and was seemingly destined for a championship as he tried to preserve his tires in the final laps. Nicholas Latifi then crashed on lap 55, sending the safety car out to close the gap between the racers.

VERSTAPPEN WINS THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!!

WHAT A FINISH!!!! HE'S DONE IT!!!

A last lap pass decides the title. What a season.#F1 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/3tpnyLo2DX

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 12, 2021

While it looked as if Hamilton would still be safe because of the presence of lapped cars between him and Verstappen, the FIA made the decision to allow cars to pass the safety car and set up a final dash to the finish between Hamilton and Verstappen.

With Verstappen having the far fresher tires, it was only a matter of time before he passed Hamilton and went on to victory.

Hamilton, the owner of the most grand prix victories (103) and podiums (181) in the series, had put on a clinic of tire preservation over the course of the race's second half and would have won with ease had the safety cars not allowed Verstappen to pit for fresher tires.

GOATSTAPPEN 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/9h7wytW1Hp

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) December 12, 2021

After the race, Mercedes filed two appeals, both of which were denied, confirming Verstappen as the champion.

The victory for Verstappen caps off a historic 2021 season that saw him lead the most laps in a single season of any racer in F1 history. 

The 24-year-old appears destined to challenge the 36-year-old Hamilton as the next face of the sport. Verstappen is backed by the powerful Red Bull team that has had a top-four finisher every year since 2009. Verstappen is their first champion since Sebastian Vettel won four straight from 2010 to 2013. 

Formula One star Lewis Hamilton is voicing his concerns about competing in Saudi Arabia ahead of Sunday's race in Jeddah. 

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Hamilton called Saudi Arabia's anti-LGBTQ+ laws "terrifying" and said that he doesn't feel comfortable being in the country. 

"Do I feel comfortable here? I wouldn't say I do," he said. "But it's not my choice to be here, the sport has taken the choice to be here."

This weekend marks the debut of F1's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

In December 2020, F1 announced a 10-year deal worth about $50 million per year with Saudi Arabia to run an annual road race in the country. 

Chris Medland of Racer.com noted in July that organizers of the Saudi Arabia event have "faced a number of questions about the country's human rights record, and the sport itself has also been criticized for the juxtaposition with its 'WeRaceAsOne' campaign."

According to Medland, Saudi race promoter HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Faisal spoke with some F1 drivers at the British Grand Prix to go over their concerns about the country's human rights issues. 

Hamilton wasn't one of the drivers Al Faisal spoke with at that time. 

As of June 2019, per Hristina Byrnes of USA Today, Saudi Arabia is one of 13 countries in the world where being gay can be tried as a capital crime and is punishable by death. 

"The punishment can also be flogging, but that depends on the perceived seriousness of the wrongdoing," Byrnes wrote. "The sentence for first-time offenders is often lashing or some prison time, while those caught more than once can be executed."

Several prominent sports leagues have started doing business with the Saudi Arabian government in recent years.

In a March report by human rights organization Grant Liberty (h/t Ruth Michaelson of The Guardian), Saudi Arabia has spent "$1.5 billion on high-profile international sporting events in a bid to bolster its reputation."

F1, the PGA Tour, WWE and the annual Saudi Cup horseracing competition are among the notable sports organizations that have held events in the country in recent years. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund also completed a takeover of ownership of the Premier League's Newcastle United in October. 

Hamilton has been outspoken in the past over his concerns about human rights issues in multiple countries where F1 holds races. 

"Naturally, the human rights issue in so many of the places that we go to is a consistent and a massive problem," Hamilton told reporters last November prior to a race in Bahrain.

Lewis Hamilton made history Sunday, winning the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom to become the first Formula One racer ever to reach 100 victories.

Hamilton's win put him back in the lead of the championship ahead of Max Verstappen, who finished in second place.

Sunday's race was highlighted by a late rain shower that resulted in a wild finish. Lando Norris led for most of the race but decided not to pit his vehicle when the rain started coming down. Norris made the decision despite his McLaren team calling for him to come in for the intermediates.

"I made the decision as much as the team, more they thought I should box and I decided to stay out," Norris told reporters after the race. "My decision, I thought it was the way to go."

As the weather intensified, Norris struggled to control his car and ended up losing his lead when he finally pitted. Norris was four laps away from the first Formula One win of his career when the rain started, but he had to settle for seventh place.

After initially ignoring Mercedes' first request to pit, Hamilton pitted in the intermediate and took advantage of Norris' mistake. He navigated the wet conditions to earn the win after starting the race from fourth in the pole position. Hamilton now holds a two-point lead over Verstappen in the standings.

Verstappen took second place after starting the race from 20th. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finished third after holding a lead in the first segment of the race.     

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton invited Black designers Theophilio, Kenneth Nicholson and Jason Rembert to sit at his table for the 2021 Met Ball Gala.

“We’re living in a time where diversity and inclusion is so important, and that’s why I started this organization [The Hamilton Commission] within my own sport,” Hamilton told Liam Hess of Vogue. “I realized it’s very similar in the fashion industry. A lot of young brands and designers don’t have the same opportunities, so that’s what really set me off.”

The Met Ball is perhaps the biggest night of fashion in the mainstream, with fashion designers often paying thousands of dollars for celebrities to have tickets to the event and wear their items.

“The Met is the biggest fashion event of the year, and for this theme, I wanted to create something that was meaningful and would spark a conversation, so that when people see us all together, it will put these Black designers at the top of people’s minds," Hamilton said.

The British driver has won seven Formula One championships, including the last four. He is the most successful Black driver in motorsports history, a sport that has long been dominated by white drivers and has a long history of racism. 

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton signed a two-year contract extension with Mercedes' AMG Petronas F1 Team on Saturday that runs through the 2023 season.

ESPN's Laurence Edmondson reported details of the new deal for Hamilton, whose future in the series was "in doubt" until he worked with team CEO Toto Wolff on the extension.

The 36-year-old British superstar posted a statement on social media:  

pic.twitter.com/r2EJzzW63c

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) July 3, 2021

Hamilton, who didn't sign his contract for the 2021 season until February, accepted an adjusted salary for the campaign because of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic but will return to his prior earnings of around £40 million annually in the new deal, according to BBC's Andrew Benson.

Wolff said the veteran driver is still at the "peak of his powers" and noted the team worked quickly to get the agreement finalized so they can focus on the Formula One season.

"We are relishing the battle we have on our hands this year—and that's why we also wanted to agree this contract early, so we have no distractions from the competition on track," Wolff said, per Benson. "I have always said that as long as Lewis still possesses the fire for racing, he can continue as long as he wants."

Hamilton sits second in the standings (138 points) heading into Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. Max Verstappen (156) leads the way in what's shaping up as a two-team race with third-placed Sergio Perez yet to crack the 100-point mark (96).

Verstappen (four wins) and Hamilton (three) have won all but one of the eight races so far during the 23-event season.

Hamilton, who won his first Formula One title in 2008, is the series' four-time defending champion. His seven championships are also tied with German legend Michael Schumacher for the most in history.

The 98-time race winner, the only Black driver in F1, has also led a push for more diversity in the sport and explained in March it's time to take the new step following silent protests such as taking a knee:

I don't think it's the most important thing that everyone takes the knee, it's more the action we take in the background. Things pass and die down. It's important it continues to be an issue that affects my day to day life and so many people.

It's really important to continue having that conversation, continuing to hold uncomfortable conversations with people. Because change is possible and change is needed. We will see how we can collectively work together so we are leading more in this sport and it is not necessarily having to be taking the knee.

Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 after six years with McLaren to begin his Formula One career.

With his deal with Mercedes due to expire at the end of the 2021 season, Lewis Hamilton is still planning to remain in Formula One for the 2022 campaign. 

Speaking with reporters Thursday, Hamilton said he's "pretty spontaneous" but that he "plan(s) to be here next year."

Hamilton turned 36 in January and he already has seven Formula One titles to his name, tied with Michael Schumacher for the most all time. A record-setting eighth title might be forthcoming this season, with Hamilton's 44 points good enough for first place in the driver standings through two races. Max Verstappen is in second with 43 points.

Between his contract situation and the possibility of passing Schumacher, it would be a fitting point for the British star to walk away. He'd have nothing left to prove, and few legendary athletes get to retire while they remain at the top of their respective sport.

That Hamilton continues to drive at a high level could just as easily convince him to carry on through at least the 2022 campaign.

Six-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is hoping to return for Sunday's final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. 

Hamilton posted a video on Tuesday announcing that he is feeling "great" after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on Nov. 30. 

Love and appreciate you all🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/Y4qs5sYlYg

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) December 8, 2020

The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team said in a statement on Dec. 1 that Hamilton tested positive and would be unable to participate in the Sakhir Grand Prix on Dec. 6. 

Per ESPN.com, Hamilton has to have a "negative test result for COVID-19 in line with the FIA's testing procedures" and "comply with government guidelines in both Bahrain and Abu Dhabi in order to travel from Bahrain to the United Arab Emirates and arrive at the track."

ESPN also noted that in order for Hamilton to race in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he must complete at least one practice session on Friday or Saturday or the qualifying session on Saturday. 

Despite missing one race, Hamilton has a commanding lead in the overall F1 standings and has already clinched the championship with 332 points with 11 wins in 15 appearances. Valtteri Bottas is second in the overall standings with 205 points. 

Hamilton's seven titles is tied with Michael Schumacher for the most in F1 history. The 35-year-old has never finished lower than fifth in the points standings during his 14-year Formula One career, including eight straight years finishing first or second.