McLaren's Oscar Piastri seized the first proper pole position of his Formula One career at the Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday with the fastest lap yet around the Shanghai International Circuit.
Bernie Ecclestone says his money is still on Red Bull's Max Verstappen to win the Formula One championship
Verstappen crossed the line in his Red Bull for his 64th Grand Prix victory to a huge ovation from the 115,000 crowd some 1.4 seconds ahead of McLaren's championship leader Lando Norris in second place.
The Brawn GP owner, whose team tops both the drivers' and constructors' standings with two wins from two races, told reporters at the Malaysian Grand Prix that his rivals' difficulties were a direct result of last year's title battle.
The seven-time world champion, the sport's most successful driver with 105 grand prix victories and 202 podiums, said at an event for Ferrari partner Puma on Tuesday night that the excitement was building.
McLaren's Lando Norris swept to victory in a wet and wild Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off defending champion Max Verstappen in a white-knuckle finish to a Formula One season-opener littered with crashes and safety cars.
It was the first time in seven races that Ferrari had failed to get at least one of their cars into the top 10.
Charles Leclerc won the US Grand Prix in a Ferrari one-two with Carlos Sainz on Sunday as Formula One championship leader Max Verstappen dealt Lando Norris a significant setback in their title battle.
The 40-year-old, who won six of his world championships at Mercedes, also unveiled a new bright yellow helmet, as he continues his first official week at Ferrari which began at the team's headquarters on Monday.
Seven-times World champion Lewis Hamilton appeared in Ferrari red for the first time outside of Italy as Formula One put on an unprecedented and spectacular 10-team season launch in front of 15,000 fans on Tuesday.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame joined Max Verstappen on stage when the Red Bull driver collected the F1 champion's trophy for the fourth year in a row.
McLaren have no fears about losing Fernando Alonso to Mercedes after Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg's sudden retirement, the team's new executive director Zak Brown said.
Hamilton told reporters at pre-season testing in Bahrain that he had yet to broach the subject of 'Hammer Time' with race engineer Adami.
Lewis Hamilton raced one last time for Mercedes on Sunday, Formula One's most successful driver and team partnership ending in a cloud of tyre smoke
Force India have extended their partnership with McLaren until the end of next year and appointed Andrew Green as technical director, the Formula One team said on Friday.
Danish Formula One driver Kevin Magnussen is leaving McLaren after being informed by email on his birthday that the team had no place for him.
Mercedes' George Russell celebrated a surprise Austrian Grand Prix win on Sunday after Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen and McLaren's Lando Norris collided late in the race
Red Bull make changes to car after discussions with FIA
The McLaren Formula One team have argued successfully in Britain that a record 32 million pound fine they paid after a 2007 spying controversy should be tax deductible.
Triple Formula One world champion Jackie Stewart advised Lewis Hamilton on Saturday to stay at McLaren and 'the devil you know' rather than risk a move to Mercedes for next season.
The 30-year-old, who could clinch his third world title within a matter of weeks, told British reporters at the Russian Grand Prix that he would always owe an immense debt to his former McLaren boss Ron Dennis.
Mercedes driver George Russell has been disqualified and lost his Belgium Grand Prix win on Sunday, after his car was found to be underweight, and his teammate Lewis Hamilton was promoted to first place.
McLaren's Lando Norris hailed the best qualifying lap of his career after beating F1 leader Max Verstappen to pole position at the US Grand Prix.
British rookie Lewis Hamilton finished second in the Malaysian GP to hand McLaren their first one-two since 2005.
It is doubtful there has been a more popular winner of a Formula One race in recent years than McLaren's Lando Norris, who was celebrated by everyone from Max Verstappen to Donald Trump following his victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday.
The win was a first for Ferrari in Mexico since 1990 and fourth of Carlos Sainz's career.
Button said he was confident the team would overcome its "current difficulties" to achieve great successes in the future.
'I know some people didn't understand it at the time but I was right to make the move then and it's the feeling I have again now. I'm excited to see what I can bring to this new opportunity and what we can do together.'
Red Bull's Max Verstappen equalled Ayrton Senna's record of eight pole positions in a row.
Max Verstappen, who could seal his fourth successive championship on Saturday, will line up fifth on the starting grid
The Briton said McLaren are giving him the same chance of winning the title this season as team mate Fernando Alonso.
Double world champion Fernando Alonso hopes to get his McLaren career off to a winning start on Sunday in an Australian Grand Prix that is far more than just a season-opener.
Formula One champions Mercedes expect to be beaten by Ferrari this season and also see McLaren catching up fast after a dismal 2015 for the Honda-powered team, engine head Andy Cowell said.
McLaren unveiled their 2013 Formula One car with a literal blast from the past on Thursday as they celebrated 50 years in grand prix racing and looked forward to returning to the top this season.
Britain's 2009 world champion Jenson Button has signed a new multi-year contract with McLaren, the Formula One team announced on Wednesday.
Rishabh Pant has been nominated for the prestigious Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award.
The Briton said his stunning success is creating some tension between him and McLaren team mate Fernando Alonso.
Formula One leader Max Verstappen celebrated a record-equalling ninth successive victory on Sunday after beating the rain to win a chaotic and red-flagged Dutch Grand Prix for the third year in a row.
Ferrari and McLaren stand to lose millions as a result of the collapse of the Marussia Formula One team, the Sunday Telegraph newspaper reported.
