Max Verstappen produced a sensational display in Sunday’s Austrian Grand Prix to deny Charles Leclerc a first win of his career – passing the young Ferrari driver with just two laps to go.

The victory will go down as one of the most incredible comebacks in Formula One history, with the Red Bull driver reigning triumphant in a sweltering Spielberg.

Getty Images – Getty

Just like in Saturday’s qualifying there was another controversial incident, with Verstappen’s winning move angering Leclerc – with the former stating it was merely ‘hard racing’.

“What the hell is that?” Leclerc yelled over the team radio following the Dutchman’s move. Verstappen protested his innocence.

“It is hard racing, otherwise we have to stay at home,” said Verstappen when informed he was under investigation.

“If those things are not allowed in racing, then what is the point in being in Formula One?”

Leclerc said: “I will let the stewards decide. I was on the outside of the corner the lap before.

“He left the space, but he didn’t on the next lap. I had to go wide and didn’t have a chance to come back at him.”

Getty Images – Getty

After a prolonged period of deliberation the FIA upheld the the result with no penalty.

Verstappen began alongside Leclerc on the front row but dropped to seventh following a torrid start.

The Dutch driver was then running in fourth place with 20 laps to run, but passed Sebastian Vettel, Valtteri Bottas and finally Leclerc in a stunning end to the race.

Bottas finished third for Mercedes, while Vettel fought his way past Lewis Hamilton on the penultimate lap to take fourth.

Hamilton will head to his home race at Silverstone in a fortnight’s time, 31 points clear of Bottas in the championship.

British teenager Lando Norris finished sixth for McLaren, equalling his career best.

Getty Images – Getty

Leclerc did not put a foot wrong, and his initial cause was aided by troubles for his rivals.

As Leclerc roared down to the first corner, Verstappen, who started alongside the Ferrari driver on the front row, staggered away from his marks, losing five places to seventh.

Vettel made up five spots, and was running in fourth when he made his first stop, but his Ferrari crew were not ready for him.

As the mechanics came running out from the garage with Vettel’s tyres, one almost got mowed down by Bottas’ Mercedes.

He stayed on his feet, but the stop took three times longer than it should have, and the German fell down the order to eighth.

Getty Images – Getty

Then, with Hamilton mounting a charge, he ran off the road, damaging his wing.

That left Leclerc leading from Bottas, Vettel, Verstappen and Hamilton at the midway stage.

Verstappen, at Red Bull’s home race, then began to make amends for his slow getaway.

Turning on the style, he roared past Vettel on lap 50. Five laps later he dived underneath Bottas to take second place, with Leclerc five seconds up the road.

Surely, he couldn’t do the unthinkable?

An angry Kimi Raikkonen gave Lewis Hamilton the middle finger after he was blocked by the British driver during qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Formula 1 world champion was penalised three grid places ahead of Sunday’s race at the Red Bull Ring for blocking the Alfa Romeo driver.

Sky Sports

Hamilton should have been on the front row but has dropped down to fifth

He had just left the pits when Raikkonen, who was on a quick lap, came across the Briton’s slow Mercedes at the top of the hill on the approach to Turn 3.

Getty Images – Getty

Hamilton saw Raikkonen at the last minute, but in attempting to get out of the fast-approaching Finn’s way, instead crossed his path and thwarted his lap.

“Hamilton completely blocked me,” said an angry Raikkonen on the team radio after giving Hamilton the middle finger.

Hamilton was hauled in front of the stewards. After hearing from the world champion, and reviewing video evidence, they deemed he “unnecessarily impeded” Raikkonen, throwing him down the grid.

Lewis Hamilton has been in dominant form once again this season and leads the Formula 1 championship.

The British driver is looking for his third consecutive F1 title and if he does seal it again in 2019 then it will be five years out the last six.

Getty Images – Getty

The 34-year-old has won six of the eight races in 2019, while the other two have gone to Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Hamilton is looking for another win to add to his collection on Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix but Charles Leclerc was on pole after qualifying.

The five-time world champion has been dominating F1 over the last six seasons.

Getty Images – Getty

One stat that illustrates just how much better he has been than everyone else is his win percentage over those six years.

Hamilton has won 52.8 per cent of all the F1 races since 2014 while Mercedes have won more than 75 per cent of races during that time.

In the driver standings for 2019, the British driver is top on 187 points ahead of team-mate Bottas on 151.

Lewis Hamilton faces a three-place grid penalty at the Austrian Grand Prix after a qualifying incident with Kimi Raikkonen, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will start on pole position for just the second time in his career.

Leclerc, 21, blew away the field at the Red Bull Ring with a superb display to leave the opposition trailing in his wake ahead of the next race.

Getty Images – Getty

Hamilton set the second fastest time, 0.205 seconds adrift of the young Ferrari driver, but will be hauled in front of the stewards for allegedly blocking Alfa Romeo driver Raikkonen.

Sebastian Vettel’s torrid time continued after a mechanical issue ruled him out of the pole shootout.

The German, already 72 points behind Hamilton in the championship race, did not set a lap, and is set to start from ninth.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen qualified third ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, but both could be bumped up the grid if Hamilton is penalised.

The flashpoint arrived in the opening phase of qualifying here at the Red Bull Ring.

Raikkonen was on a quick lap when he came across a slow Hamilton at the top of the hill on the approach to Turn 3.

Getty Images – Getty

The British driver appeared to see Raikkonen at the last minute, and in attempting to get out of the fast-approaching Finn’s way, instead crossed his path.

“Hamilton completely blocked me,” said an angry Raikkonen after giving Hamilton the finger.

McLaren driver Carlos Sainz was handed a five-place grid penalty for a similar incident in Canada, blocking Alexander Albon.

The world champion has been called to see the stewards at 5pm.

“Charles has been quick all weekend,” said Hamilton, paying tribute to the young Monegasque. “We have not been able to keep up with them here.

“I am going to fight the young drivers tomorrow,” he added. “I am representing the old guys.

The first round draw for this year’s Wimbledon has been made with defending champion Novak Djokovic set to face Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Djokovic is the top seed, with eight time winner Roger Federer in the second spot for the tournament that begins on July 1.

Getty Images – Getty

French Open champion Rafael Nadal was named as the third seed, a decision the Spaniard was not overly happy with.

“It’s just Wimbledon that does it,” he said. “If everyone did it, I think it would be appropriate or correct.

“Either way, being second or third seed, I have to play at the best level to aspire to the things I aspire to.

“It is better to be second than third, but if they consider that I have to be third, I will accept.”

Getty

In the women’s draw, Ashleigh Barty holds the No. 1 seed following her incredible French Open victory.

Noami Osaka takes second while seven time winner Serena Williams is 11th seed.

British hopefuls Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta are seeded 30th and 19th in their respective draws.

Getty Images – Getty

Nadal faces a potential tough second round clash with Nick Kyrgios if he can get get past Japan’s Yuichi Sugita.

Meanwhile, Nadal and Federer could meet in the semi-final of the competition after both were drawn in the same half.

LATEST SPORT NEWS

Angry

Bairstow hits out at pundits ‘waiting for England to fail’ and Vaughan strikes back

MAGNIFICENT

Why Andy Murray’s triumph at Queen’s is a truly remarkable achievement

FLOORED

Tyson Fury tells hilarious story claiming he knocked down cocky US sparring partner

rumour round-up

WWE gossip column: Undertaker’s WM36 plans, new creative roles announced

finally

World’s oldest golf club invites female members for first time in 275-year history

RESPONSE

Fury ruthlessly blasts back at Joshua and Hearn after criticisms of Schwarz fight

bearjew

Paul Craig talks Alonzo Menifield and the UFC light heavyweight division

If Ya Smell

Mark Henry reveals early unknown stories of The Rock in WWE

The Swiss star opens up again South African Lloyd Harris and could be facing Britain’s Jay Clarke in the second round, who takes on American qualifier Noah Rubin in the first round.

Edmund takes on Jaume Munar in the first round and could face seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round if he makes it that far.

Getty Images – Getty

The rest of the British contingent in the first round have also found out who they will face.

Cameron Norrie was drawn against Denis Istomin, Dan Evans has Federico Delbonis and James Ward faces Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Nineteen-year-old wild card Paul Jubb makes his Wimbledon debut against Joao Sousa.

In the women’s draw, top seed Barty will face China’s Zheng Saisai while Serena Williams has Italian qualifier Giulia.

Getty

Defending champion Angelique Kerber has drawn Dajana Maria in the first round.

Johanna Konta will begin her tournament against Ana Bogdan while fellow Brit Heather Watson has drawn Caty McNally.

It will be a big test for 15-year-old sensation Cori Gauff who has drawn the veteran Venus Williams after she made it through qualifying.

Source: TalkSport.com Tennis

Cast your mind back to January where it looks as though Andy Murray was going to say goodbye to tennis once and for all following his first-round exit from the Australian Open.

In true Murray fashion, he pushed Roberto Bautista Agut but lost in a gruelling five-set encounter just days after the Scot admitted this year could be his last in the sport.

getty images – getty

A hip problem which had dogged him since Wimbledon 2017 is the reason why Murray’s future in tennis is still unclear and it looked like this would finally be the end.

But Murray is no ordinary player.

He’s a man who has managed to compete at the highest level and win three Grand Slams as well as back-to-back Olympic Gold medals in an era with three of the greatest men’s players of all time in Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Following surgery on his hip at the end of January, Murray defied the odds once again.

On his competitive return to tennis, Murray won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon’s annual curtain raiser Queen’s alongside doubles partner Feliciano Lopez.

It’s an outstanding effort when you consider what state Murray was in physically and mentally.

getty images – getty

Murray, 32, did not look like a player who had been diagnosed with early onset arthritis and is in good condition ahead of the 2019 championships at the All England Club.

However, despite the early success of Murray’s hip surgeries there are risks that come with his return.

talkSPORT.com, in association with Betway, has taken a look at the risks involved for Murray that having an operation usually done on over-50s can have on his return to elite level tennis.

Surgery was a last resort for Murray but when you consider he was struggling to do basic day-to-day activities like play with his two daughters and even put on his own socks, it was an avenue you suspected he was always going to pursue.

“There’s no turning back from now,” Winston Kim, a hip surgeon from Manchester Hip and Knee Clinic told Betway.

“It was clearly a very carefully considered decision. He will have had an awareness of the intended benefits of resurfacing.

“If it fails, the next option would be a hip replacement. I’m sure he didn’t take the decision lightly – the vast majority of hip surgeons would be nervous about performing a hip resurfacing because of the potential risks, particularly in such a young, elite athlete.

LATEST SPORT NEWS

Angry

Bairstow hits out at pundits ‘waiting for England to fail’ and Vaughan strikes back

route to victory

Wimbledon draw: Nadal and Federer set up for potential semi-final

FLOORED

Tyson Fury tells hilarious story claiming he knocked down cocky US sparring partner

rumour round-up

WWE gossip column: Undertaker’s WM36 plans, new creative roles announced

finally

World’s oldest golf club invites female members for first time in 275-year history

RESPONSE

Fury ruthlessly blasts back at Joshua and Hearn after criticisms of Schwarz fight

bearjew

Paul Craig talks Alonzo Menifield and the UFC light heavyweight division

If Ya Smell

Mark Henry reveals early unknown stories of The Rock in WWE

The resurfacing involves the implantation of a metal cap onto the ball of the hip joint and a metal socket into the ‘cup’ of the hip joint, which divides opinion among surgeons.

The medical risks of a ‘metal on metal’ procedure are heavily debated, particularly for someone of Murray’s age and status as a top-level tennis player.

“Fit young men who want to get back to impact activity are one sub-group of patients who probably benefit from hip resurfacing, but that’s balanced with the risk of metal wear leading to raised metal ion levels,” said Adam Hoad-Reddick, a hip surgeon at the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Manchester.

Murray, 32, is not in the average age for resurfacing, so to make a return to playing tennis at the highest level is uncharted territory.

getty images – getty

“Research says that 90 per cent of runners in their early 50s who undergo hip resurfacing are able to return running,” said Kim. “That’s just runners and I’m not even giving you a time frame, and it’s still just a 90 per cent return.”

If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Murray since he turned pro in 2005, he’s determined.

However, Kim is surprised he’s made a return less than five months after surgery.

“Naturally, surgeons are cautious. Lots would say: ‘Take it easy, maybe think about six months’ time,’” Kim said.

“One should consider what the worst-case scenario is. If he rushes his recovery, the danger is that he sprains a muscle around the joint, which results in tearing a muscle. He has to balance those risks, it’s a very difficult call.”

Murray will take comfort from American doubles player Bob Bryan, who described Murray as his ‘bionic brother’.

getty images – getty

Bryan, 41, had his hip resurfaced in August 2018 and won the Miami Open this year.

But perhaps it’s Murray’s return as a doubles player which is the main reason behind his success on his comeback as the fitness requirements are less demanding in the singles game.

There are whispers that he could make a return to men’s singles in time for the US Open in August.

At Wimbledon 2019 he will only play in the men’s doubles tournament which is probably a wise decision considering the injury hell he’s been through for the best part of two years.

Murray will know that he’ll have to take things one step at a time.

getty images – getty

Source: TalkSport.com Tennis

British motorsport legend Damon Hill has urged Formula 1 to listen to Lewis Hamilton, after the world champion called for bosses to make the sport more exciting.

Following his French Grand Prix victory – his sixth win in eight races this season – the Mercedes driver responded to the grumbles from F1 fans about his team’s domination.

The 34-year-old, widely expected to claim his third straight world championship title with the silver arrows, says neither he nor his team are to blame and instead pointed the finger at the sport’s bosses, particularly former chief Bernie Ecclestone.

Getty Images – Getty

“Don’t point fingers at the drivers, we don’t write the rules,” said Hamilton, whose team-mate Valtteri Bottas has won the other two races.

“We have nothing to do with money shifting, all that kind of stuff. You should put the pressure on the people at the head, who should be doing the job.

“This is a constant cycle of Formula 1 for years and years and years, even before I got to F1, and it’s because the way Bernie had it set up and the decisions they were making back then. It’s still the same.

“Until that management structure changes, it will continue to be the same, in my opinion. That’s not my job to do that. My job’s to come here and do the best I can as a driver.”

LATEST FOOTBALL HEADLINES

transfer news

Spurs agree club-record deal, Everton sign Gomes, Lampard to Chelsea latest

on the verge

Tottenham agree club-record £65m deal to sign Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon

deal close

Leicester set to land first signing of the summer on Wednesday

deals

Arsenal transfer news live: Torreira set to ignore AC Milan, £27m Saliba talks

paper talk

Wan-Bissaka grew up supporting Man United, Torreira happy to stay, plus more

done deal

Everton confirm £22m signing of Andre Gomes from Barcelona

deals

Liverpool transfer news live: Reds favourites to sign United target, Palace plot bid

not for me

Mourinho rules himself out of Newcastle job: ‘Finishing ninth not in my nature’

accused

Sevilla Atletico striker ‘charged with homicide’ after crash that killed two people

boyhood fan

Wan-Bissaka pictured wearing iconic Man United kit as a child

RIDICULOUS CLAIMS

Celtic hit back at Baggies director over claims about Burke treatment

RAFA’S RAGE

Benitez in the dark about Newcastle exit announcement? Big Sam is not surprised

And, speaking to talkSPORT host Jim White on Tuesday, Hill insisted Formula 1 chiefs should sit up and take note, saying the structure and balance of the sport is wrong.

“I think they should [listen], he speaks from the heart,” said the 1996 F1 champion.

“I think what he’s referring to is not necessarily the current incumbents; I think what he’s saying is that the sport has never really taken on board the beliefs, the knowledge and the desires of the people who compete.

“In football you have the PFA, but in our sport the decisions about how the sport goes and the direction which things are done are predicated on what the teams and manufacturers want.

“F1 is divided into two championships – the Constructors’ Championship and the Drivers’ Championship. This is where the problem arises.

getty

“The Constructors’ Championship has taken over in importance over the years, far more so than the Drivers’ Championship, even though the people who watch Formula 1 are not interested in the Constructors’ Championship!

“What Lewis is saying is the structure is wrong, the balance is wrong.

“What is needed is input from the athletes, the people actually in the arena doing the racing, to have an influence on the show, the event itself. There isn’t enough input.

“Obviously Lewis did another brilliant job at the weekend, he dominated the race, but unfortunately for all of us it was a big yawn.

getty

“I can’t complain, I also drove cars in a dominant era and every driver wants to have a bit of an advantage, but the races I’ve loved and the races people remember are the closely fought races where the cars are evenly matched.

“The thing that attracts young people to go and race is the racing itself. And the racing decisions, the way they try to bring about cars that are satisfying to race and spectacular to watch, both good for the drivers and good for the fans and, those tend to take second place to the other considerations.”

Listen back to talkSPORT’s interview with Damon Hill IN FULL above

Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport

Andy Murray completed a remarkable winning return to tennis with victory in the doubles at Queen’s Club alongside Feliciano Lopez.

The Scot, who was close to retiring five months ago due to the hip injury which left him struggling to walk without pain, let alone play tennis, strolled off with the silverware at his first attempt back.

Murray and Lopez – the latter ‘fresh’ from winning the singles title less than an hour earlier – beat Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram of the United States 7-6 (6) 5-7 10-5 after a third-set match tie-break.

Murray had insisted after their first-round victory that winning was not his number one priority this week. After all, it was only five months ago that the former world number one tearfully announced that the Australian Open could be his last tournament.

Lewis Hamilton won the French Grand Prix with a dominant performance to continue his best ever start to a Formula One season.

Hamilton crossed the line a stunning 18 seconds clear of Valtteri Bottas in the sister Mercedes following an emphatic performance at the Circuit Paul Ricard.

Getty Images – Getty

On a perfect afternoon, the five-time world champion extended his lead over Bottas, his closest title challenger, to 36 points.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc ran Bottas close in the final stages, but stayed in third ahead of the Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

“I have been racing a long time but it never gets old,” said Hamilton.

“I couldn’t do it without the team. We are creating history together and I am so proud to be a part of it. I am happy.

“It wasn’t easy at all. There are always things happening and we are on the edge. This has been the best start to a year so we have got to enjoy it.”

LATEST SPORT NEWS

‘OH MY GOD’

Hilarious moment Tommy Fury finds out about AJ’s loss to Ruiz Jr on Love Island

KNUCKLE SANDWICH

Malignaggi loses bare-knuckle debut to McGregor teammate Lobov

DUPED

George Foreman vows to ‘get’ trolls who got him to retweet picture of killer

Rumour round-up

WWE gossip column: Superstar signs new deal, Alexa Bliss’ retirement fears

LATEST

Ruiz Jr criticises Joshua, Wilder vs Fury rematch next with winner facing Whyte?

EXCITING TIMES

Hearn expects Wilder vs Fury rematch next with Whyte to fight winner

ALLEZ

French Grand Prix: Hamilton pips Mercedes team-mate Bottas to pole position

TALENTED

Aaron Chalmers at Bellator London – Reality stars who had good sporting careers

Following his heavy defeat, Bottas said: “It is something I need to have a look at. He [Hamilton] is not unbeatable, I know that, I just need to work hard.”

Sebastian Vettel took the chequered flag a distant fifth, a full minute down on Hamilton. Vettel may have claimed a bonus point for the fastest lap, but he is a morale-sapping 76 points adrift of Hamilton in the championship race.

Hamilton has now triumphed six times from the opening eight rounds, dropping just 21 points along the way.

A sixth world title, which would move him to within one of Michael Schumacher’s record, is becoming an inevitability.

The combination of Hamilton and his Mercedes machine is proving unstoppable. Here, he was unchallenged from pole position, leading every lap en route to recording his 79th career win.

Getty Images – Getty

The Briton requires 13 further victories to topple Schumacher’s win record. There are 13 races left this year.

Ferrari have been no match for Mercedes this season, and have endured arguably their worst weekend of the season in France.

They failed in their appeal to overturn Vettel’s penalty which lost him the Canadian Grand Prix a fortnight ago. Vettel could qualify only seventh, before making up just two places.

At one point, the four-time champion was told to go to “Plan F”. Plan A is a distant memory for the Scuderia.

In a race of rare action, British teenager Lando Norris was unable to build on his career-best qualifying of fifth.

Getty Images – Getty

The 19-year-old novice lost out to McLaren team-mate Carlos Sainz on the race down to the opening bend, before Vettel’s Ferrari cruised past him on lap five.

Then, he was forced to nurse a suspected hydraulics issue to the line.

Norris looked as though he would hang on to seventh but cruelly lost three places on the final lap, to Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen and Nico Hulkenberg, finishing 10th and taking just one point.

Norris’ fellow British rookie George Russell finished last as he was beaten by Williams team-mate Robert Kubica for the first time this season.

Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton is in a great position to extend his lead in the Formula 1 standings after qualifying in pole position at the French Grand Prix.

The reigning champions produced a one-lap masterclass to pip Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas to top spot.

Getty Images – Getty

Formula One’s all-conquering team proved the class of the field yet again to lock out the front row, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc a distant third, and Sebastian Vettel a miserable seventh.

British teenager Lando Norris finished an impressive fifth, the best qualifying result of his young career.

Hamilton, who is 29 points clear of Bottas in the race for his sixth world crown, has won five of the seven rounds staged this season.

And the 34-year-old British driver will be expected to add to that tally at the Circuit Paul Ricard on Sunday after claiming the 86th pole of his life – now 20 more than any other driver.

Getty Images – Getty

Bottas had appeared to hold a slight edge over his team-mate this weekend but Hamilton pieced together a fine effort to finish 0.286 seconds clear, improving his laps as the pole shootout wore on.

“I was just chipping away, and the last two laps were the ones,” said Hamilton. “I am happy I got the potential out of the car.

“We are all working our butts off out there. Valtteri had the edge through Q1 and Q2 and I was still dialling in the car, but once I got to Q3 I knew where I had to find the time.

“The first lap was fantastic. I went out for the second run, and I was on for one of the best laps I have done for a long time – I was up four and a half tenths – but it is windy out there and I lost the back end through the penultimate corner.

“I am grateful to be where I am. It is going to be a close race.”

For Vettel, his underwhelming campaign hit a new low after he could manage only seventh.

The four-time world champion, already 62 points behind Hamilton in the standings, lost control of his Ferrari through the chicane and had to abort his opening flying lap.

He failed to hook up a second lap, and crossed the line an eye-watering 1.4 seconds slower than Hamilton, and behind both McLarens.

Norris has not been fazed by Formula One life, and the British teenager continued his encouraging start by putting his McLaren fifth on the grid.