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Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry is a volatile landmine and a changing of the F1 guard, claims Damon Hill

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LEWIS HAMILTON’S rivalry with Max Verstappen has all the ingredients of an instant classic.That is according to British former racing driver Damon Hill, who described Hamilton and Verstappen’s feud as a ‘very volatile landmine’.
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry is heating upCredit: EPA
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton crashed at the British Grand Prix
Hill also claims this tug-of-war will mark the ‘changing of the guard’ just like in 1994 when Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna butted heads.
The former Williams driver told the F1 Nations Podcast: “The conflict between Lewis and Max has created a very volatile landmine in the sport.
“The rivalry we are seeing is the changing of the guard for the future of the sport.
“Lewis is hanging on at the end of his career, whereas Max wants to go on and win world championships.
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“Lewis definitely has the mentality of ‘I want to stay and win even more and put the record further out of reach’. But he still hasn’t cracked Schumacher’s total.
“This is what’s going on in the heads of these drivers. This is the clash we see.
“We see a man who won’t let go, who won’t give up on a world title because it’s the last icing on the cake. And Max is going to try and stop him.
“And that’s where we saw Michael Schumacher coming on the trail of Ayrton Senna in ’94.
The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt
” It’s great when you can achieve dominance, but there’s always someone new coming up. That’s worth fighting for, but you know time is against you.
“A new era will be someone else. And actually letting go of your position, your identity as the man, is pretty hard.”
The rivalry between Mercedes’ Hamilton and Red Bull’s Verstappen reached boiling point at the British Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Damon Hill claims Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry has all the makings of an instant classicCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The two Formula One stars crashed at Silverstone when the Brit tagged the rear right of the Dutchman’s car and sent him hurtling into the barriers at 180mph.
The hefty impact was measured at a G-force of 51G and understandably led to a red flag as he was picked out of the wreckage.
Verstappen was sent to hospital for additional checks and Red Bull boss Christian Horner accused Hamilton, who won the race, of putting his driver’s life in danger with his ‘desperate’ driving.
Dramatic F1 fan footage shows brutal impact of Max Verstappen’s 180mph crash as Lewis Hamilton is blamed for collision More

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    Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry is a volatile landmine and a changing of the F1 guard, claims Damon Hill

    LEWIS HAMILTON’S rivalry with Max Verstappen has all the ingredients of an instant classic.That is according to British former racing driver Damon Hill, who described Hamilton and Verstappen’s feud as a ‘very volatile landmine’.
    Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry is heating upCredit: EPA
    Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton crashed at the British Grand Prix
    Hill also claims this tug-of-war will mark the ‘changing of the guard’ just like in 1994 when Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna butted heads.
    The former Williams driver told the F1 Nations Podcast: “The conflict between Lewis and Max has created a very volatile landmine in the sport.
    “The rivalry we are seeing is the changing of the guard for the future of the sport.
    “Lewis is hanging on at the end of his career, whereas Max wants to go on and win world championships.
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    “Lewis definitely has the mentality of ‘I want to stay and win even more and put the record further out of reach’. But he still hasn’t cracked Schumacher’s total.
    “This is what’s going on in the heads of these drivers. This is the clash we see.
    “We see a man who won’t let go, who won’t give up on a world title because it’s the last icing on the cake. And Max is going to try and stop him.
    “And that’s where we saw Michael Schumacher coming on the trail of Ayrton Senna in ’94.
    The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt
    ” It’s great when you can achieve dominance, but there’s always someone new coming up. That’s worth fighting for, but you know time is against you.
    “A new era will be someone else. And actually letting go of your position, your identity as the man, is pretty hard.”
    The rivalry between Mercedes’ Hamilton and Red Bull’s Verstappen reached boiling point at the British Grand Prix two weeks ago.
    Damon Hill claims Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry has all the makings of an instant classicCredit: Getty Images – Getty

    The two Formula One stars crashed at Silverstone when the Brit tagged the rear right of the Dutchman’s car and sent him hurtling into the barriers at 180mph.
    The hefty impact was measured at a G-force of 51G and understandably led to a red flag as he was picked out of the wreckage.
    Verstappen was sent to hospital for additional checks and Red Bull boss Christian Horner accused Hamilton, who won the race, of putting his driver’s life in danger with his ‘desperate’ driving.
    Dramatic F1 fan footage shows brutal impact of Max Verstappen’s 180mph crash as Lewis Hamilton is blamed for collision More

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    Man Utd vs Brentford: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for pre-season friendly

    MANCHESTER UNITED face Brentford as they continue their Premier League preparation.The Red Devils were stunned by QPR 4-2 last time out and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer will be hoping for a better performance against the Prem newboys.
    Anthony Elanga netted against QPR and will hope to do the same against the BeesCredit: Reuters
    When is Man Utd vs Brentford?

    This friendly clash will be held on Wednesday, July 28.
    Kick-off is at 8pm BST.
    Follow all the action right here with SunSport’s live blog from 6.30pm.

    Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
    You can catch all of the action live on MUTV.
    A monthly pass to watch the channel both online and on TV is £7.99, or you can currently bag a special annual pass for £29.99.
    MUTV is available via the official app, or on Sky and Virgin TV.

    What is the team news?
    The majority of United’s first-team squad are still unavailable after their Euro 2020 and Copa America exploits.
    That means Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw and Fred will all sit this one out.
    Donny van de Beek returned to training this week but it seems unlikely he will feature here.
    Expect Tom Heaton start between the sticks, while there could be starts for Jesse Lingard, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Elanga.
    New Brentford signing Kristoffer Ajer is set to feature, while Mathias Jensen and Christian Norsgaard are yet to return from international duty. More

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    Spain vs Argentina: Live stream free, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Olympic Football group game

    SPAIN and Argentina clash in an Olympic showdown with qualification from Group C still in the balance.Neither side have been in top form so far in the tournament, with the Spanish topping the group despite being held 0-0 by Egypt in their first match.
    Pedri will be hoping to inspire Spain to Olympic gold after a slow start to the tournamentCredit: AP
    Argentina meanwhile were stunned by the Australians in their first match, but hit back with a 1-0 win over the Egyptians to keep their gold medal dream alive.
    When is Spain vs Argentina?

    This final group game will be held on Wednesday, July 28.
    Kick-off is at midday BST.
    Follow all the action with SunSport’s live blog right here from 10.30pm.

    Which TV channel is it on and can I live stream it free?
    You can catch all the action live on Eurosport 5 here in the UK.
    Streaming is also available on Discovery+ and the Eurosport Player.
    You can get a three-day FREE trial of Discovery+, which will automatically convert into a regular £29.99/year subscription if not cancelled before expiry.

    What is the team news?
    Spain have a fully hit squad to choose from as they face Argentina knowing victory will see them top the group.
    Ariel Ortega is back available for the Argentinians after missing their last game through suspension.
    Claudio Bravo played well in his place last time out however and could keep his place in the starting XI.
    Match odds

    Spain to win – 17/20
    Draw – 12/5
    Argentina victory – 14/5

    *All odds from Betfair and correct at time of publication. More

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    Wayne Rooney’s future as £4.5million Derby County boss on a knife edge over leaked photos of him passed out in hotel

    WAYNE Rooney’s £4.5million Derby County job was on a knife edge tonight over leaked pictures of him passed out in a hotel.The club is furious after images of the sozzled England legend, 35, and semi-naked girls went viral.
    Rooney’s £4.5million Derby County job is on a knife edgeCredit: Paul Tonge
    Footage taken at 5.15am shows Rooney walking to the £60-a-night Staycity hotel with two blondes, including stunning Tayler
    A source said: “It’s 50-50. As manager he must lead by example.”
    Wife Coleen, also 35, is standing by him.
    Pictures went viral showing the former England star, 35, passed out and surrounded by semi-naked girls in a hotel room.
    A source said: “How can he lead a group of young men when he cannot appear to control himself in public during a night out? This type of behaviour hurts the club’s reputation.”
    Rooney returned to pre-season training on Monday and was seen putting players through their paces.
    🔵 Read our Wayne Rooney live blog for the very latest updates
    But he could now be fired before the Rams’ Championship campaign gets under way on August 7.
    Club executives had imposed a zero-tolerance policy to restore Derby’s tarnished image after star players Tom Lawrence, 27, and Mason Bennett, 25, were convicted over a drink-drive smash in 2018.
    Rooney was expected to play a key role in the policy — but could now lose his job.
    A source said: “It’s 50-50. The club is extremely upset by the images that have emerged. As ­manager he must lead by example, on and off the field. That is the very least they expect from him.
    “There is absolutely no suggestion of sexual impropriety on his part. But Wayne is clinging on and is desperate to keep hold of the job.
    “His salary is one of the biggest in the Championship. To lose it now would be a massive setback.”
    ‘MASSIVE SETBACK’
    Bleary-eyed dad-of-four Rooney, wed to Coleen, 35, headed into Manchester after his team lost 2-1 to Salford City in a friendly on Saturday.
    He and his pals went to the exclusive Chinawhite nightclub and were escorted to a VIP booth where they spent the night boozing.
    Rooney is said to have sent a security guard to invite model Tayler Ryan and her pals Elise Melvin and Brooke Morgan, all 21, to join them. They partied through the night before leaving together at 4am.
    And footage taken at 5.15am shows Rooney walking to the £60-a-night Staycity hotel with two blondes, including stunning Tayler.
    England’s record goalscorer joined the girls inside the hotel room moments later and posed for selfies with them. But he soon passed out on a chair before the giggling girls decided to whip off their clothes and parade around in front of him in their undies.
    Rooney woke up at 6am and made a quick exit after texting a pal begging for a lift — but the girls decided to post snaps from their “wild night” on Snapchat.
    Tayler, who has 13,000 Instagram followers, posted a photo of her ­sitting with Rooney on the settee.
    She used a filter to decorate some of her snaps, scrawling the word “cute” across her face. Other images showed the group stripping off for a series of prank pictures.
    The images were leaked online and went viral within hours, although friends of the girls insisted no sexual activity had taken place.
    Rooney said they were taken without his knowledge or consent and claimed he had been “set-up”. But tonight Cheshire Police said it was satisfied that no offences had taken place.
    They also claimed “the person involved has also stated they do not wish to take the matter any ­further”.
    But sources close to Rooney say he is dismayed at the suggestion he wanted no action to be taken.
    Meanwhile, long-suffering wife Coleen is standing by him, with Rooney believed to be holed up at the family’s £20million mansion in Knutsford, Cheshire.
    ‘INUNDATED WITH MESSAGES’
    A friend said: “Coleen has told friends everything between her and Wayne is fine and that she has no doubts over his version of events that night.
    “She has been inundated with messages from friends about the pictures but maintains there is no trouble between them. Coleen is a strong woman and has faced far worse but she won’t stand for any nonsense.”
    She continued a family hol in Abersoch, Gwynedd, yesterday. Rooney joined Derby as ­player-coach in January 2020 after a spell at DC United in the US.

    His arrival at Pride Park immediately sparked controversy after it was revealed part of his big-money wage deal would be footed by web casino 32Red, the club’s main sponsor.
    As part of the agreement Rooney wore the number 32 shirt. He retired in January to become full-time boss and signed a deal until summer 2023.
    Rooney vowed to get them in the Premier League and write ­history as a boss in the way he had done as a player. They narrowly avoided relegation last season
    Long-suffering wife Coleen is standing by himCredit: instagram
    Rooney is said to have sent a security guard to invite model Tayler Ryan to his table
    Rooney joined Derby as ­player-coach in January 2020 after a spell at DC United in the USCredit: Rex Features
    Wayne Rooney seen walking with two blondes back to budget hotel where he passed out More

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    Lewis Hamilton will donate £20MILLION to help young Brits after launching commission into lack of diversity in F1

    SIR LEWIS HAMILTON will donate £20MILLION to help under-represented young people in Britain.The seven-time Formula One champion launched his own commission to identify the causes of the lack of people from diverse backgrounds in motorsport.
    Lewis Hamilton will donate £20million to help under-represented young people in BritainCredit: Splash
    Earlier this month he published their report – The Hamilton Commission, run in association with the Royal Academy of Engineering – which identified shortcomings in education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths.
    Now Hamilton has pledged to pump his money into a new foundation, Mission 44, to act on the report’s findings.
    He said: “Supporting the ambitions of under-represented young people has always been important to me and Mission 44 represents my commitment to create real change within this community.
    “In my early life, I experienced first-hand how coming from an under- represented background can affect your future but, luckily for me, I was able to overcome those odds through opportunity and support.
    “I want to ensure that other young people from similar backgrounds are able to do the same.
    “The findings of The Hamilton Commission and its recommendations have provided us with a fantastic basis to begin our work.
    “Change within the industry is long overdue but we are now firmly on the journey towards transforming it for the better.”
    Hamilton, 36, has also formed Ignite, a joint charitable partnership with his racing team Mercedes.
    The multi-million-dollar fund will continue his work.
    FIGHT FOR CHANGE
    Hamilton remains the only black driver in F 1. And he added: “Mercedes have long supported my ambition to improve diversity and inclusion within the motorsport industry.
    “I am so thrilled that, through Ignite, we are able to work together to achieve this.
    “Diverse workforces are not only more successful but are also the morally correct approach for any industry.
    “The findings of The Hamilton Commission have provided us a fantastic base to begin our work and I am confident that Ignite will result in real, tangible change within motorsport.
    “For 15 years I have remained one of the few black employees within Formula One and I am proud that my work with Mercedes is going to change that for the better.”
    Hamilton, who has signed a new two-year deal with Mercedes, has the full backing of team boss Toto Wolff.
    Wolff said: “We are delighted and proud to be standing alongside Lewis.
    “Lewis has long spoken about the challenges he has faced in motorsport.
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    “His determination to turn his experience into such powerful and decisive action is a measure of both his character and unwavering commitment to support people to fulfil their potential.
    “At Mercedes, we have listened and worked closely with Lewis over the last year to understand how we can help open up our sport to achieve a more diverse and inclusive workforce within our own team.
    “The opportunity is both exciting and challenging.”
    Dramatic F1 fan footage shows brutal impact of Max Verstappen’s 180mph crash as Lewis Hamilton is blamed for collision More

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    Wayne Rooney photo girl ‘dumped’ by fiancé after she posed next to footie legend in hotel

    ONE of the girls who took prank pictures as Wayne Rooney dozed off was “dumped” by her fiance in the wake of the viral snaps, it was claimed last night.Trainee accountant Elise Melvin, 21, posed next to the England legend, 35, after he fell asleep on a chair inside a budget hotel room.
    Elise Melvin has been dumped by her fiancé after taking pictures next to Wayne Rooney in a hotel, friends claim
    Elise Melvin posed beside the seated ex-England captain in a budget hotel room on Sunday morning
    Pals Brooke Morgan and model Tayler Ryan, both 21, also took pictures with the retired Manchester United captain on Sunday morning.
    But friends said Elise’s husband-to-be, Stuart Rodger, 26, was so upset he called off their engagement hours later.
    One said: “Stuart ended it because it was all over the internet. It’s not nice.”
    The mechanical engineer declined to comment at the couple’s home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
    ‘RASCAL’
    Stunning Elise’s car was parked up outside but she was unavailable.
    His and her parents both declined to comment when approached. Friends hope they can patch things up.
    The trio remained in hiding last night after Cheshire Police confirmed no offences had been committed.
    A relative of Tayler branded Rooney a “rascal” and questioned why the former ace went back to the hotel with a group of 21-year-olds.
    🔵 Read our Wayne Rooney live blog for the very latest updates

    He said: “He’s a rascal. This is textbook for him – he’s got form.”
    Meanwhile, bosses at paper producers Kimberly Clark denied claims Brooke had been sacked for bringing the firm into disrepute.
    They said they were offering her “our full support”.
    The football ace is ‘very clear’ he’s not done anything wrong – but is worried he’s been ‘set up’Credit: Paul Tonge
    Wayne Rooney seen walking with two blondes back to budget hotel where he passed out More

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    Diego Costa ‘considering £50k-a-week Besiktas transfer offer’ after seven months without a club following Atletico exit

    DIEGO COSTA has been handed a career lifeline after Besiktas offered him a contract, according to reports.The former Chelsea striker, 32, terminated his contract at Atletico Madrid in December 2020 after slipping down the pecking order.
    Diego Costa has been offered a two-year deal worth £50,000 a week by Besiktas, say reportsCredit: PA
    Luis Suarez’s arrival from Barcelona the summer before, combined with Moussa Dembele’s loan move to the Wanda Metropolitano that winter, saw Costa ask to leave.
    However, he failed to find a new home in the January transfer window, despite being linked with Benfica, Marseille, Atletico Minero, Sao Paulo and Palmeiras.
    Costa hasn’t kicked a ball professionally in SEVEN months now but has been offered a lifeline by Turkish giants Besiktas, according to Nicolo Schira.
    The transfer guru reports that Costa has been offered a TWO-YEAR deal worth around £50,000 per week.
    Now Besiktas are waiting to hear back from the former Spain and Brazil international.
    Schiro tweeted: “Talks ongoing with the free agent #DiegoCosta.
    “The Turkish club have offered a contract until 2023 (€3m/year).
    “[They] now are waiting for the choice of the striker, who is reflecting on the bid.”
    It will prove a monster pay-cut for Costa, who was on a reported £270,000 at Atleti.
    Costa had been keen to leave in pursuit of first-team football, but the LaLiga champions were more than happy to be rid of his wages having been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
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    It’s believed Costa has demanded too much from potential suitors as deals continued to crumble.
    Earlier this year, then-Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas let slip the forward was demanding roughly £260,000 a week.
    But after seven months in the wilderness, Costa may accept £50,000 per week to get back into the game.
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    Red Bull launch official protest against Lewis Hamilton’s ‘lenient’ British GP penalty for Max Verstappen crash

    LEWIS HAMILTON is set for an explosive showdown with Max Verstappen ahead of the Hungarian GP.Red Bull are livid that the Brit was given a “lenient” 10-second penalty after being found guilty of crashing into Verstappen on lap one of the British GP and want the incident reviewed.
    Red Bull and Max Verstappen were furious with the ‘light’ punishment Lewis Hamilton received for their first-round crashCredit: PA
    Max Verstappen’s Red Bull car suffered around £1.3m of damage from this crash
    World championship leader Max Verstappen crashed out of the British GP after a first lap collision with eventual winner Lewis Hamilton
    The 180mph shunt at Copse corner sent Verstappen into the barriers with the impact measured at 51G.
    The Dutchman was flown to hospital for MRI and CT scans to assess his injuries while Red Bull say it caused £1.3million of damage to his F1 car.
    In the wake of the incident Red Bull boss Christian Horner said Hamilton’s penalty was “light” and, “given the severity of the incident and the lenient penalty”, they were reviewing all their options.
    And the team have now officially protested the stewards’ decision, with the review being heard by the FIA in Budapest ahead of this weekend’s race.
    Horner was also critical of Hamilton’s over-exuberant celebrations in front of 140,000 fans as he went on to win the British GP, with Verstappen still in hospital.
    In his column on the team’s website, he added: “I am also still disappointed about the level of celebrations enjoyed in the wake of the accident.
    “The Mercedes team were aware of the gravity of the crash with Max widely reported as having been hospitalised and requiring further checks”.
    Red Bull’s decision to take action will rival Mercedes, who accused Horner of making “personal” attacks on Hamilton for criticising his driving.
    Horner believes the occasion got to Hamilton, as he bungled his move on the opening lap knowing he needed a victory to remain in the championship.
    Verstappen’s retirement and Hamilton’s victory helped him reduce the Red Bull man’s advantage in the championship to eight points.
    And Wolff too senses that their on-track rivalry has gone up a notch since his driver’s home GP – and says he expects more collisions between the two.
    Wolff said: “I think that the intensity has increased since Silverstone.
    The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt
    “It certainly will not be the last time they fight for position and hopefully they can do it in a sportsmanlike way. And, if not, we will see more collisions.”
    Meanwhile, Verstappen is eager to regain his missed points in this weekend’s race at the Hungaroring and says he is feeling fine after his shunt.
    He said: “I’m happy to get back on track in Hungary this weekend, especially after the last race result.
    “I’m a little bruised of course but that’s normal after such a big impact but I’m training and feeling good.
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    “I did a 24hr sim race this week and it was a good test to see how my body would react to spending time sat in one position for a long time.
    “I felt absolutely fine, which makes me feel positive heading into the weekend.”I know what happened at Silverstone and feel a certain way about how my race ended, but now I’m just focusing on making sure we are the best we can be so we can stay ahead in the championship.
    “The team can take care of the official side of things and anything that needs looking into after the crash but my job is the same as always – to be the best I can and try to win on Sunday.”
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