Motor Racing-Hamilton puts on a big finish in the 300th race
Lewis Hamilton's dream result in France on Sunday would be to end the longest win drought of his record-breaking career and celebrate his 300th Formula One race, and it's not an impossible one.
The seven-time world champion was once dominant at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet but the new rules see his Mercedes team struggle with a bouncing car behind pace-setters Red Bull and Ferrari. It is now 12 races since the Briton last won but he showed at Silverstone this month, when he finished third after leading, that the gap had narrowed.
"I really believe we can win a race this year," said the 37-year-old after the latest race in Austria, where he finished third. "Paul Ricard is fine," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, whose team will have some upgrades for the weekend and look competitive. "It's a smooth circuit, a bit like Silverstone, fast corners, and at least on paper it looks like we can do well there."
Hamilton is the only driver to win the race every season, and his 104th career win would continue that streak even if he had to beat teammate George Russell. Red Bull, winners of every race this season and Ferrari will win again. On a track on a plateau with the Mediterranean Sea in the distance - with temperatures forecast to be around 40C - their prospects for a scorching weekend are fancy.
Max Verstappen won from pole in June last year, passing Hamilton on the final lap of a race decided by tactics and tire wear. Like Red Bull then, Ferrari were chasing a third consecutive win after Carlos Sainz's Silverstone win and Charles Leclerc's success. in austria
Ferrari last completed such a hat-trick in Singapore in 2019, a victory that turned out to be the Italian team's last so far this season. We have closed the gap we had in terms of speed.
Saenz's engine could be punished after retiring after setting fire to a car in Austria. Dutch driver Nick de Vries, the reigning Formula E champion, will take Hamilton's place in the first Friday practice as part of a new requirement for each team to run.
Drivers exceeding track limits could again be a problem after 43 infringements were recorded in Austria, including a massive run-off at Le Castellet. That said, you've got acres of tarmac out there, so it invites you to step off the line.
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