F1 French Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Hamilton LEADS after second turn following Verstappen error – stream, TV channel

LEWIS HAMILTON is leading the French Grand Prix after Max Verstappen made a major error out of turn two, gifting the Brit an open door.

The Dutchman started the race on the front of the grid, but defending champ Hamilton was breathing down his neck in second.

  • Race time: 2pm Sunday, June 20
  • TV channel: Sky Sports F1
  • Stream: Now TV and Sky Go

Follow ALL of the latest updates below…

  • Ben Hunt

    TYRE TALK

    Hamilton has been radioing his team over the past two laps to complain about the tyres.

    "Tyres getting hot" is his most recent message. He has been telling his team they won't be lasting very long.

  • Ben Hunt

    LAP 7

    Bottas sets the fastest lap as the rest of the field struggle with a lack of grip. Heavy cars on a green track. But Bottas is looking comfortable in third.

  • Ben Hunt

    VERSTAPPEN TO HIS RED BULL TEAM

    "I couldn't keep the car under control so I couldn't turn to the right," said Verstappen on the radio.

    He is an unhappy man in second place. A poor mistake from him. I wonder if he had a braking problem. He was sat for such a long time at the front of the grid.

  • Ben Hunt

    WHAT A START FOR HAMILTON

    With all eyes on his mistake in Baku, it is Verstappen who mucks up on the first lap and gifts Hamilton first place.

    The Dutchman is in second. Bottas third. Perez in fourth.

  • Ben Hunt

    GREEN LIGHT. WE ARE GO IN THE FRENCH GRAND PRIX

    Verstappen was waiting a long time for the lights to go out. He goes in to turn 2 and locks up. He loses position to Hamilton, who moves in to first place.

  • Ben Hunt

    FORMATION LAP – HAMILTON IS THE KING OF FRANCE

    The world champion has an impressive record at the Paul Ricard Circuit.

  • Ben Hunt

    HAMILTON IS READY

  • Ben Hunt

    A REMINDER OF THE GRID

    All set in France

  • Ben Hunt

    THE FAMOUS TROPHIES HAVE ARRIVED

  • Ben Hunt

    WEATHER COULD PLAY A PART TODAY

    There is a risk of rain. The wind has picked up and the track is much cooler.

    That could shake things up in France.

  • Joshua Mbu

    MORE HAM

    Hamilton, 36, added: "The cars are built around us and normally you do not feel the difference? but you do start to wonder if there are any differences. But we got a great result and it proves it is all the same.

    "I heard that Paul was saying something about the chassis and then created a question about whether our chassis are the same.

    "As you can see, I managed to do a great job. We just struggled with everything and it is proving tricky.

    "It is not a case of putting the car on the track and it works everywhere. It is a great challenge and we will continue to keep our heads down."

    Merc boss Toto Wolff added: "It's a difficult weekend because we are just lacking the pace, that is the truth.

    "It looked much worse than where we ended up. But we just need to gain pace everywhere."

  • Joshua Mbu

    CHASSIS SWAP

    While Red Bull are brimming with confidence, Mercedes were battling questions as to why Bottas and Hamilton swapped chassis' for this week, writes BEN HUNT.

    The Finn failed to score a single point in the last two races while Hamilton was unhappy with the performance of his car in Monaco and Baku.

    But former Merc driver and 2016 world champ Nico Rosberg labelled the switch "weird".

    There was growing speculation too, as Hamilton struggled in France while Bottas looked revived.

    Rosberg, who had a bitter feud with Hamilton as his team-mate at Mercedes, added fuel to the fire by saying Bottas' pace was "maybe down to the swapping of the chassis".

    However, Hamilton immediately addressed the issue and challenged fellow sceptic, ex-Formula One driver Paul di Resta, and said his second place disproved it was down to him getting a superior chassis.

    Britain's seven-time world champ said: "It's been a really, really hard weekend. Mentally, and just trying to get the car into a happy place.

    "You wouldn't believe how many changes I've made since practice, going round and round chasing our tails.

    "I saw Di Resta come up with some myth, and so I was happy to be able to prove it wrong.

    "The quality of our engineers' work, all the cars are exactly the same."

  • Joshua Mbu

    HEAD-TO-HEAD

    Red Bull turned up the heat in their battle with Mercedes, as Lewis Hamilton tried to silence "myths" about his chassis swap, writes BEN HUNT.

    Championship leader Max Verstappen blasted his way to a scintillating pole position.

    And Red Bull boss Christian Horner said it would prove his team can "beat Mercedes anywhere" if they win today's French Grand Prix.

    Bullish Horner praised his team's performance as Verstappen qualified ahead of Merc duo Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, who dominated the previous two French GPs.

    Horner said: "It's fantastic. It's our first-ever pole in France so a great performance by Max.

    "He's been quick in most of the sessions throughout the weekend.

    "And as a team they have been improving the car with each session. It certainly gives us more confidence. This circuit has been such a stronghold for Mercedes over the recent years.

    "So, if we can beat them here, then really we can beat them anywhere!

    "There's a lot at stake but the whole team is just working incredibly well, working long hours.

    "To see the whole team coming together as it is and putting this pressure on Mercedes is phenomenal."

    Verstappen, 23, said: "It's a great day. We have to finish it off in the race and try and get the 25 points we lost in Baku ? but I am confident because the car feels good."

  • Joshua Mbu

    FRENCH GP PICS

    Just an hour to go until the race gets underway!

    Verstappen, in particular, needs to get a good result to keep him at the top of the driver standings (105).

    Hamilton trails by four points (101).

    Lewis Hamilton talking to Mick Schumacher, son of legendary F1 driver Michael SchumacherCredit: GETTY IMAGES
    Credit: GETTY IMAGES
  • Joshua Mbu

    PIT START

    Yuki Tsunoda will start the French Grand Prix from the pit lane after being forced to change parts to his car.

    The AlphaTauri driver brushed the barriers in qualifying, damaging the car.

  • Joshua Mbu

    TWO HOURS TO GO

    It's nearly here!

    The French Grand Prix is due to get underway at 2pm, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen starts from P1.

    Mercedes pair Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas occupy P2 and P3 respectively.

  • Joshua Mbu

    BIG BUX

    Formula One is a very lucrative sport!

  • Joshua Mbu

    PEREZ'S STRUGGLE

    Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner has explained why Sergio Perez has struggled in the first part of the season.

    Horner believes that understanding how the tyres work is key to a driver settling in.

    Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Horner said: "Every car harmonises differently with the tyres.

    "These cars are extremely complicated. It takes time to understand what you need to do with the car to influence the tyres to work properly.

    "With the exception of Carlos Sainz, each of the switchers had their problems."

  • Joshua Mbu

    RACE DAY

    Four hours to go until the French Grand Prix!

  • Joshua Mbu

    APOLOGY

    Michael Masi, FIA race director, has issued an apology to all drivers for making the Azerbaijan Grand Prix slower after Max Verstappen's crash.

    According to Auto Motor und Sport, Masi's slow reaction to deploy the safety car a minute and a half after the crash wasn't well received.

    And his slow reaction was brought up in the driver briefing.

  • Joshua Mbu

    F1 CALENDAR

    Max Verstappen starts in pole position this afternoon as he looks to draw level on wins with seven-time F1 champ Lewis Hamilton!

    It's Austria for the next two weeks, with the shoehorned Styrian Grand Prix replacing Turkey, before the schedule moves on to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.

  • Joshua Mbu

    ONE OF THE GREATS

    Lewis Hamilton starts in P2 today, behind rival Max Verstappen!

  • Joshua Mbu

    MISSION FAILED

    Fernando Alonso failed the cone challenge!

  • Joshua Jones

    GOOD MORNING F1 FANS

    Max Verstappen took pole for the French GP with a fine display in qualifying on Saturday.

    Lewis Hamilton finished second ahead of team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

    While Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly made up the rest of the top six.

    And Red Bull chief Christian Horner believes victory at the French GP will prove his team can ‘beat Mercedes anywhere’.

    Horner said: "It's fantastic. It's our first ever pole in France. So a great performance by Max.

    "He's been quick in most of the sessions throughout the weekend. And I think as a team, they've been improving the car with each session.

    "It certainly gives us more confidence. This circuit has been such a stronghold for Mercedes over the recent years. So, if we can beat them here, then really we can beat them anywhere!

    "There's a lot at stake but the whole team is just working incredibly well, working long hours.

    "To see the whole team coming together as it is and putting this pressure on Mercedes is phenomenal."

    Finally, Toto Wolff admits Mercedes need more luck and speed on their side to compete this season.

    He said: "It's a difficult weekend because we are just lacking the pace, that is the truth.

    "It looked much worse than where we ended up, but we just need to gain pace everywhere."

  • Anthony Chapman

    CONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

    Talk about dodgy driving… how many cones did Fernando Alonso take out here?!

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