Charles and Arthur Leclerc will become the first brothers in history to participate in an F1 session as team-mates in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

The Ferrari duo will turn out in the first practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit, with Arthur replacing Carlos Sainz.

According to FIA regulations, all F1 drivers must sit out one FP1 each season to be replaced by a rookie with no more than two Grand Prix starts.

Charles made way for Ollie Bearman in Mexico, but with the incoming Haas driver now having appeared in a further two races, Arthur takes the place of Sainz to fulfil Ferrari's obligations.

Arthur, who raced in Formula 2 last year and ended the season in 15th place, has acted as Development Driver for Ferrari this year, while also racing in the Italian GT Championship and European Le Mans Series.

Currently third in the FIA World Championship, Charles will aim to leapfrog Lando Norris at the final Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi, and secure a second-place finish behind runaway champion Max Verstappen for a second time in three years. 

Charles Leclerc says Ferrari will give the fight for the Formula One constructors' championship their all in the final weekend at Abu Dhabi.

The Ferrari star finished second at the Qatar Grand Prix behind Max Verstappen, but bettered both McLaren drivers' positions, with Oscar Piastri in third and Lando Norris in 10th after he received a 10-second stop-go penalty.

That result means there are now just 21 points separating Ferrari and leaders McLaren in the constructors' championship ahead of the final race.

Leclerc has now finished on the podium 12 times in 2024, his best year in F1, surpassing his previous best of 11 in 2022. He is also now just nine points behind Norris in the drivers’ standings.

Ferrari knows a big result is needed in Abu Dhabi next weekend, and Leclerc is looking forward to seeing how things pan out.

"It's difficult to know [how Ferrari will perform in Abu Dhabi]," he said.

"I think we are all close, so I think it's going to be very tight, but it's exciting. Twenty-one points is still a lot, and everything is possible. We will give it our all.

"I'm really happy, I mean honestly, I would have signed a paper that told me that we will finish second after a weekend like this.

"Especially on a track like this because our car's characteristics is not fitting very well with this track, and we knew it was going to be a difficult weekend compared to McLaren, but in the end, we managed to take some points from them, so yeah, the fight will be all the way to the last race in Abu Dhabi next week."

Leclerc's team-mate Carlos Sainz finished in sixth after he suffered a puncture on lap 36 due to debris on the track.

"Honestly, I don't know if it was the debris or the way the kerbs are. I just ignored it because I knew that there was too much performance in it, and I was just hoping to not have a puncture myself as well," Leclerc added.

"For the debris, I was staying left on the straights, hoping it wouldn't bite me, and it didn't. It's a shame for Carlos. Obviously, as a team, it would have been great to be further up with Carlos, but it's the way it goes, and it's still a positive weekend for the team."

Lando Norris was happy to "bounce back" from his disappointment in Las Vegas as he took pole position for the sprint in Friday's qualifying session in Qatar.

The Brit finished sixth in the last race behind Max Verstappen, who claimed a fourth consecutive world championship in the process.

However, five days later, he impressed by topping all three segments of sprint qualifying to claim a dominating pole at the Lusail International Circuit.

He finished 0.063 seconds ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, who denied McLaren a one-two by pipping Oscar Piastri over the line.

McLaren currently have a 24-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors' championship, and Norris is determined to make sure they stay on top over the course of the weekend.

"It's so quick around here. It feels like the quickest circuit of the year. The final sector feels like you're hanging on," he said.

"A great qualifying, especially to bounce back from where we were in Las Vegas. It's a nice thing to do.

"It was a decent lap. I made too many mistakes on my second lap. We were coming here to get pole, and we did that, so job done today.

"I want to win. We want to win every session as drivers. Our target is a one-two. We want to maximise points for the constructors'. We want to go for it.

"We know it will be a battle. Mercedes will be quick; Ferrari will be fast. I'm not expecting an easy one, probably an exciting one for everyone watching, so looking forward to [Saturday]."

Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in qualifying, having initially started strongly in the sole practice session.

They failed to mount a real challenge to Norris in the third qualifying session though, leaving Leclerc frustrated with their showing when it mattered.

"We gave it our all and are only P4 and P5, which is not great considering how important this weekend is," Leclerc said.

"Let's say, for whatever reason, FP1 was a lot above our expectations. This I will say is in line with what we expected. We are coming back to reality.

"Obviously, after FP1 there were hopes we could do something better, but we didn't."

Asked if Ferrari could challenge McLaren in the sprint, he added: "If we look at FP1, clearly yes. If we look at qualifying, no. For now, the most representative session is qualifying. We are not in the best position.

"You never know. It's always different in the races."

World champion Verstappen finished sixth, while Lewis Hamilton sits one place further back, complaining he was "just slow". 

Charles Leclerc said he has cleared the air with Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix. 

Leclerc was left furious after Sainz overtook the Monegasque driver for the final place on the podium at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, despite being told to hold his position. 

The 27-year-old vented his frustrations to his team in an explosive rant on the team radio, missing out on valuable points to close the gap to Lando Norris in the drivers' standings.

And while not keen to dwell on last Sunday, Leclerc said he and Sainz had talked about what happened and there were no problems between them.

"I don't want to go back to what happened in Vegas," said Leclerc.

"The last two races of the season, and we need to do absolutely everything in order to get that Constructors' Championship. That's all that matters and whatever happened in Vegas we discussed it.

"I have a really good relationship with Carlos, and we've sometimes had races where things don't go exactly the way we want, but the most important thing is that we discuss it, and we go forward.

"It's very clear for both of us that we just want to win the constructors' and it's by working as a team that we achieve that. I'm sure there won't be any problems with it."

This weekend's penultimate round at the Lusail International Circuit marks a huge one for the Scuderia in their quest for their first constructors' title since 2008. 

Ferrari find themselves 24 points behind McLaren at this stage of the season, but have reason to be confident in their two drivers who have impressed so far this campaign. 

Leclerc has now finished on the podium 11 times in 2024. If he achieves one more, it will be the Monegasque's best year on the podium in Formula 1 (also 11 in 2022).

With his fourth place finish in Las Vegas, Leclerc is already enjoying the best season of his career in terms of points scored (319, surpassing 308 in 2022).

Sainz, meanwhile, has 26 podiums in his Formula 1 career, eight of which have come in 2024. If he achieves one more, he will equal his best year in the competition (nine in 2022).

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.