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      Michael Schumacher update as F1 simulator used by legend in his last Ferrari season goes up for sale for £20,000

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      A FORMULA One simulator used by Michael Schumacher in his last Ferrari season has gone on sale for £20,000.The racing legend, who has won a joint record seven world titles, last used the device while training for F1 circuits back in 2006.
      A Formula One simulator used by Michael Schumacher is being sold for £20,000Credit: Jam Press/Gormleys Auctions
      The device was used by the racing legend back in 2006 while he prepared for F1 circuitsCredit: Jam Press/Gormleys Auctions
      Schumacher retired from F1 in 2012, before he suffered a severe brain injury following a ski crash in 2013Credit: Alamy
      Shaped like half an iconic Ferrari F1 car, the Italian manufacturers used the simulators to prepare drivers for various circuits.
      It has now gone up for sale for a whopping £20,000 after being updated with all the circuits from the 2012 F1 calendar.
      The device has been used by a number of drivers, but most notably by Schumacher during his last season driving for team Ferrari.
      Auctioneers Gormleys Auctions says the collectible is a unique slice of history.
      MORE ON MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
      The listing reads: “This piece represents a rare opportunity to acquire a unique slice of F1 history, affording the opportunity to sit in the same pod that legendary driver Michael Schumacher will have used during simulated race sessions in advance of the 2006 Season.
      “A former team-owned piece of F1 history, this simulator benefits from the particular association with one of the sport’s most celebrated exponents.
      “This piece is a unique addition to the collection of any serious Ferrari F1 fan, and has been updated with ‘R-factor’ software and all of the circuits from the 2012 F1 calendar, among a number of other International circuits used for testing.
      “In addition, it comes complete with a Force-feedback steering wheel by Bob Salisbury Engineering at Silverstone.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      The auction for the iconic piece ends on November 14.
      It comes after a stunning collection of the F1 ace’s memorabilia worth £1.4million went up for auction in August.
      Schumacher’s iconic 1994 Bell Benetton Formula 1 helmet was part of the collection along with an Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost signed Formula 1 Moet Champagne Bottle.
      The bottle was signed by the pair during the 1989 Formula 1 World Championship and was set to sell for £7,800.
      Two other special helmets from Schumacher’s career were expected to attract bids of up to £20,000.
      One helmet – with a signed visor – was from the 2001 season, where it was worn during the Australian, Malaysian, and Brazilian Grand Prix events.
      Another was from the following season and was used in the Japanese and Hungarian Grand Prix events when he raced for Ferrari.
      The entire jaw-dropping collection was sold by RM Sotheby’s in Monterey, California.
      An RM Sotheby’s spokesperson said: “Among this treasured collection of artwork and automobilia are more than 75 lots of race-worn clothing and equipment spanning the breadth of Schumacher’s career, including a selection of helmets from his earliest days in karting.
      “Full Throttle ­– The Schumacher Collection offers an unrepeatable opportunity to acquire precious automobilia from the career of one of the sport’s true greats—touchstones from the life of a legendary driver who changed the face of motorsport forever”.
      Also in August, Schumacher’s incredible Ferrari F2001b sportscar went up for sale for a staggering £6million.
      The racing legend drove the 220mph 3.0-litre V10 cherry-red Ferrari when he won the 2002 Australian Grand Prix.
      An RM Sotheby’s spokesperson said: “Amongst the most desirable of any modern-era grand prix cars in existence, chassis 215 played a significant role in the early days of the 2002 Formula 1 World Championship.
      Schumacher’s iconic valuables have been listed at auctions after the driver suffered a severe brain injury during a devastating ski crash accident in December 2013.
      He was on the slopes above Méribel in the French Alps when he hit his head on a rock while crossing an off-piste area.
      Doctors said he would most likely have died had he not been wearing the safety gear, and the world champ was airlifted to Grenoble Hospital.
      He was put into a medically induced coma after suffering what was described as a “traumatic brain injury”.
      The former Ferrari and Mercedes driver was brought out of the coma in June 2014 and was released to go and rehabilitate at his home in Gland, Switzerland.
      The 54-year-old now lives a private life with his family with the tragic ski accident coming just over a year after he retired from F1 in 2012.
      He mounted a brief comeback for three seasons with the new Mercedes team after initially hanging up his helmet in 2006.
      In 2021, his family broke their eight-year silence on the seven-time world champion’s condition in a Netflix documentary examining his illustrious career.
      Read More on The Sun
      His wife Corinna explained in the Netflix interview: “We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy.
      “We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable”.
      The device has been updated with all the circuits from the 2012 F1 calendarCredit: Jam Press/Gormleys Auctions
      The simulator is shaped like half an F1 Ferrari racing carCredit: Jam Press/Gormleys Auctions More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s ex-trainer reveals biggest challenge of working with Mercedes star and names hardest F1 track

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’S former trainer has revealed what the biggest challenge of training the Formula One great was. Antti Vierula was part of Hamilton’s support crew between 2011 and 2012 while the Brit was still with McLaren.
      Lewis Hamilton’s ex-trainer has revealed what the biggest challenge of working with him wasCredit: Splash
      Antti Vierula was Hamilton’s trainer between 2011 and 2012Credit: Getty
      Since then Hamilton has gone on to rack up a total of seven F1 world titles, six of which have come at Mercedes.
      However, speaking to OLBG, Vierula has now opened up on what the main challenge to working with him was.
      He said: “You try and get the best out of the time you have, and that’s the case for training any athlete.
      “The racing schedule is so demanding, and the biggest challenge is weaving training into that schedule.
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      “The training can’t hurt the athlete or stress them too much. Training also can’t deplete the energy levels. You learn a lot about the athletes you’re training as you spend time with them.
      “The coach has to adapt training to the specifics of the individual, but that’s something you naturally learn as time goes on.”
      Vierula, who now trains Hamilton’s former team-mate Valtteri Bottas, previously revealed the type of training they got up to.
      He told Grosvenor Sport how Hamilton loved running, while Bottas preferred cycling.
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      The workouts also included intense training for the muscles on his backside.
      Hamilton, 38, paired up with Angela Cullen in 2016, with the duo only going their separate ways ahead of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix earlier this season.
      Following the split, Vierula backed Cullen’s comments that Hamilton “got the best out of everyone”.
      He said: “I liked working with Lewis, it was a joy, he’s a passionate guy on the track. He was brilliant in getting everything out of the car and engineers, he pushes people to get the best out of everyone.
      “He would work hard getting answers from engineers, giving his opinion about what he thinks is right. He had a brilliant will to improve.”
      Hamilton is staring down his second winless F1 season in a row, having always managed to win at least one race every season prior to 2022.
      His W14 Mercedes struggled at last weekend’s Brazil Grand Prix, and he admitted Max Verstappen and Red Bull would likely be the dominant force over the next couple of seasons.
      However, Vierula does not believe Brazil is among the hardest tracks to race on.
      Instead, Vierula declared Japan’s Suzuka Circuit was the most difficult track on the calendar.
      He said: “I’d say the hardest tracks are the ones with high-speed corners. There’s a lot of braking involved, and those kinds of tracks are the most demanding.
      “I’d say Suzuka is the hardest for the neck, the high speed corners give drivers a lot of work.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Also Hungaroring is physically demanding, not many straights really, always turning somewhere.
      “Monaco and Singapore are tough as well, there are a lot of corners and not really any straight lines to rest. It requires a high level of focus all the time.”
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      What is George Russell’s net worth?

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      GEORGE Russell is one of Formula One’s rising stars. But what’s his net worth? Here’s what we know about the British racecar driver.
      Norfolk-born George Russell started driving for Mercedes in 2022.Credit: Splash
      Who is George Russell?
      George Russell is a British racecar driver, for the Mercedes F1 team. 
      He was born in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, to father Steve, and mother Alison. 
      His father had a seed and bean company, that he reportedly sold to support George’s driving career. 
      Russell has two older siblings, a sister called Cara, who works as his personal assistant, and a brother, Benjy. 
      Read more ON GEORGE RUSSELL
      Russell grew up in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, and took up karting as a child at the age of 6, following in older brother Benjy’s footsteps, who was also a keen karting driver, often competing — and winning.
      Russell has previously said that his brother “was a brilliant driver”, but despite starting at only 11 years old, it was already too late for him to pursue a career in the sport. 
      The budding driver moved up to the karting cadet class in 2010, becoming the MSA British champion and British Open champion.
      In 2014, Russell participated in Formula Renault 2.0 Alps championship, finishing fourth, and also the BRDC Formula 4 Championship with the Lanan Racing team.
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      After winning the Formula 4 Championship, he became the youngest-ever driver to win the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award, earning a £100,000 cash prize.
      In his debut Formula 3 championship in 2015, Russell scored three podium finishes.
      After winning the Formula 2 championship driving with the French team ART Grand Prix, Russell moved on to Formula 1, debuting with the Williams team in 2019, at the Australian Grand Prix finishing sixteenth.
      His first win came three years later at the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix after he’d joined the Mercedes team.
      As for his love life, Russell started dating Seychelle de Vries, once linked to Max Verstappen, in 2017. 
      The pair were reportedly together for three years, before a 2020 split. 
      Russell is now dating Carmen Montero Mundt, a finance professional based in London. 
      Carmen shares romantic snaps with boyfriend Russell with her 318,000 Instagram followers, for example, some exotic holiday photos, and a summer trip to Wimbledon. 
      Russell largely sticks to professional driving shots on his Instagram, where he has 3.8 million followers, but posted a photo with Carmen at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. 
      What age is George Russell?
      Russell was born on February 15, 1998 – making him 25 as of November 2023. 
      In 2023 he is driving alongside fellow Brit and F1 legend Lewis Hamilton, born in 1985 and 13 years his senior.
      In an interview with The Times, Russell said of his teammate: “He is so experienced, whereas I’m a 25-year-old who is just totally focused on trying to be the best F1 driver I can be. I’m pretty inspired by what he has achieved.”
      When did George Russell join Mercedes?
      Russell joined the Mercedes F1 team in 2021, replacing Valtteri Bottas.
      In his first race in a Mercedes car, the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, Russell qualified ninth and finished fourth.
      He took his first podium spot with Mercedes at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
      What is George Russell’s net worth?
      Russell has an estimated net worth of $16million, approximately £13.1million.
      His move to Mercedes earned him a £5million payday.
      He previously rented a flat in an affluent part of London, but moved to Monaco, like many other F1 stars before him. 
      Read More on The Sun
      Russell enjoys lavish trips away with girlfriend Carmen to holiday spots St Barts and Santorini.
      Off the racing circuit, the driving star gets around in a  £140,000 car — unsurprisingly, a Mercedes AMG GT. More

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      F1 icon Jenson Button reveals plans to return to motorsport ‘he loves’ including iconic race

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      JENSON BUTTON has lifted the lid on plans to return to motorsport next year. Button was appearing on ITV programme This Morning to promote new Disney+ show Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story.
      Jenson Button lifted the lid on plans to race again next yearCredit: Alamy
      Button was appearing on This MorningCredit: Rex
      Button won the F1 title with Brawn GP in 2009Credit: Getty
      The Brit, who had fans gushing over his appearance, won his only Formula One title in 2009.
      The 49-year-old raced his final race in the sport in 2017.
      Following his F1 exit, Button has competed in a number of other motorsport category’s.
      These include Nascar, Super GT and Endurance racing.
      READ MORE IN F1
      And while on the show, Button revealed he would once again be returning to endurance racing and was eyeing another go at one of the most famous races in motorsport.
      Quizzed on if he would be driving again, he said: “Yes.
      “I will be racing next year in endurance racing.
      “For me that’s where it’s at, I love that team atmosphere [and] fighting for that victory.”
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      Asked specifically about one race, Button confirmed: “Le Mans”.
      The first time Button competed in the event he failed to finish the race.
      Earlier this year he competed in the 24 Hour race for the second time with Hendrick Motorsports in the Innovative class but only finished 39th.
      The 2023 race was won by former F1 rival Antonio Giovinazzi with Ferrari AF Corse.
      During his TV appearance Button also opened up on his mental health struggles throughout the 2009 F1 season and how he tried to leave the team before the season began.
      Button first raced in the Le Mans 24 hour endurance race in 2018Credit: AP
      He then competed again this year but only finished 39thCredit: Getty
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Jenson Button reveals he ‘tried to get out’ of F1 team and spoke to Red Bull chief before winning maiden title

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      JENSON BUTTON has revealed he tried to leave his Formula One team before winning his maiden title.In 2009 Button’s F1 career was thrust into uncertainty with news of Honda’s withdrawal from the sport.
      Jenson Button has revealed he tried to leave Brawn GP before the 2009 F1 seasonCredit: EPA
      Button revealed he held discussions with Red BullCredit: Getty
      Button was appearing on This MorningCredit: Rex
      However, ex-Benetton and Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn stepped in and rescued the team when he bought it for just £1, rebranding it to Brawn GP.
      While appearing on This Morning, Button revealed he actually tried to leave the team before the season with his manager even speaking to Red Bull chief Christian Horner over a potential switch.
      Asked whether he had any idea if the team were going to be as successful as they were, the 49-year-old said: “No. I mean I tried to get out of it because the team didn’t look like it was going to exist.
      “So I asked around and my manager spoke to Christian Horner about a drive at his team and the junior team (Toro Rosso) and they said no all the contracts are done.
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      “So then it’s like okay let’s work hard to make this happen.”
      He added: “We found some people who were interested in owning the team but I don’t think it would have worked out that way.
      “Ross coming in and actually buying the team for a pound with his leadership was a big reason why it worked out.”
      Button went on to win eight races from a possible 17 that season, including six of the first seven.
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      The Brit opened up on his mental health struggles throughout the season as results began to turn sour in the second half of the year.
      However, Button and Brawn held on to claim the drivers and constructors titles, which would prove to be Button’s only title in his F1 career before he raced in the sport for the last time in 2017.
      Brawn had a 75.1 per cent stake purchased in it by engine supplier Mercedes at the end of the season.
      While on the ITV programme, Button also revealed plans to return to motor racing next year.
      Button won his only F1 title with Brawn GP in 2009Credit: Getty
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      My girlfriend dumped me because I bought a Porsche when I retired… now I’m a millionaire and married to a Spice Girl

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      CHRISTIAN HORNER has revealed the time he was dumped by his ex-girlfriend after splashing out on a Porsche.The Formula One Red Bull boss recalled how he was not in the good books of one of his ex-girlfriends’ mothers.
      Christian Horner opened up on his when he was dumped by his ex-girlfriendCredit: AFP
      Horner went on to marry Spice Girls member Geri HalliwellCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      The couple got married in 2014
      Horner shared how her mother wanted her daughter to date a responsible guy with a proper job.
      However, Horner did the opposite when he received his first paycheck while still trying to make his way as a racing driver.
      Speaking on the eff won with DRS podcast, he said: “I had a girlfriend at the time and I remember her mother going, ‘You need to be thinking of being with somebody else, you need a guy with a proper job that’s going to be able to get a mortgage, going to buy a house’.
      “The first paycheck I ever got, I went and bought a Porsche, I’ve shown no responsibility at this point.
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      “I was thinking, ‘You know what, if all goes wrong, then at least I’ve given it a go’.
      “I got £60,000 out of a deal when I stopped racing and the first thing I did was go and buy a car.
      “And that was when the girlfriend dumped me, or the mother told her to dump me.”
      Horner went on to quit from motor racing at the age of 25 when realising he did not have the commitment to make it to the top.
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      It came after he saw ex-F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya go through a high-speed corner at Estoril circuit, Portugal, in 1998.
      The 49-year-old then moved into team management, where he would go on to become the Team Principal of Red Bull racing.
      Under his watch the team have landed seven driver’s titles – four with Sebastian Vettel and three with Max Verstappen – and six constructor’s titles.
      Meanwhile, Horner himself went on to marry Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell, now, Geri Horner, in 2014.
      Horner is estimated to have a net worth of £41.4million.
      Horner has guided Red Bull to six constructor titlesCredit: Getty
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Fans lose their minds over Jenson Button’s This Morning appearance and can’t believe how good F1 icon looks for his age

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      JENSON BUTTON had fans losing their minds with his appearance on This Morning.The 2009 Formula One champion was appearing on the ITV show to promote the new Disney+ show Brawn: The Impossible F1 Story.
      Fans went wild for Jenson Button on This MorningCredit: Rex
      Button was appearing on This Morning to promote Disney+ show Brawn: The Impossible F1 StoryCredit: Rex
      Button won the world championship with the team in 2009Credit: EPA
      Button, 43, won the driver’s world championship with Brawn amid a stunning backstory for the team which had been bought for just £1 by Ross Brawn, before it eventually sold for £150million.
      It is widely seen as one of the biggest shocks in F1 history.
      And while speaking on This Morning, Button revealed the four-part series was the brainchild of Keanu Reeves’ after the Hollywood superstar heard about the remarkable tale.
      Reeves even narrates the upcoming series.
      READ MORE IN F1
      During his appearance on This Morning, Button opened up on his mental health struggles during that year and how he had also tried to get out of the team before the season started, even speaking to Red Bull chief Christian Horner.
      However, fans online were more focused on Button’s appearance and how well he appears to have aged.
      Reacting on X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan said: “Jenson Button has just got better looking since his F1 days!!!!!!!!!!!”
      A second said: “JB looks in fine fettle.”
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      A third said: “Just Googled Jenson Button’s age… And f*** off – he’s not 43!”
      Another said: “Jenson Button is pretty hot.”
      Button also revealed he would be racing in endurance racing next year, including the iconic Le Mans race.
      The speedster is married to Brittny Ward, a model and previously appeared in Playboy.
      Button with wife Brittny WardCredit: Getty
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      Michael Schumacher update as bombshell new documentary to shed light on stricken star 10 years after tragic ski accident

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      FANS of German F1 legend Michael Schumacher will be offered a rare glimpse at his life ten years on from his devastating ski accident.Schumacher, 54, has not appeared publicly nor have details of his health condition been revealed since 2013, when a blow to the head left him in a medically-induced coma for 250 days.
      Seven-time F1 title winner Schumacher was left with catastrophic injuries after a ski accident in 2013Credit: Alamy
      Schumacher’s wife Corinna has since kept details of her husband’s health privateCredit: Alamy
      Schumacher is widely considered one of the best drivers in F1 historyCredit: Alamy
      But a new five-part documentary by German broadcaster ARD may shed some light on what happened all those years ago and how the former Ferrari and Benetton star is now faring.
      The documentary, to be aired on December 28, will explore Schumacher’s early years including his rise to prominence, from a go-karting background to one of the best drivers in Formula One history.
      It will mark the 10-year anniversary of his horrific skiing accident, which occurred in the French Alps on December 29, 2013.
      The new series will follow a 2021 documentary produced by Netflix in which Schumacher’s wife Corinna remained tight-lipped about her husband’s condition, saying only that he was “different” post-crash.
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      Corinna is known to have protected her husband’s privacy to such an extent that only their immediate family and the closest of their friends know any details about how he is doing.
      Recently, in an interview with German magazine Bunte, Schumacher’s brother Ralf shared he now had little to do with the F1 star’s immediate family, including his wife and kids.
      Ralf said: “When I see his children Gina-Maria and Mick, my heart smiles.
      “If someone in the family is looking for my advice, I’m there. They go their own way.”
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      He made clear he still loved his brother’s family and said of his accident: “Unfortunately, sometimes life isn’t fair.
      “We have to accept it.”
      Meanwhile, Schumacher’s pal, former F1 driver Timo Glock, claimed to have kept in contact with the seven-time world champion.
      He told LuckyBlock: “I’ve also known other members of his family for a very long time, but I try not to impose on their privacy.
      “I respect their right to be private, and I don’t discuss Michael’s condition with them.”
      News of the upcoming documentary came mere days after the Schumachers’ family lawyer, Felix Damm, explained why a “final report” on the racing legend’s health post-accident was never made public.
      Speaking to German news outlet LTO, he said: “Of course, we discussed a lot about how this is possible. So we also considered whether a final report about Michael’s health could be the right way to do this.
      “But that wouldn’t have been the end of it and there would have had to be constantly updated ‘water level reports’. Because as those affected, it is not up to you to put an end to the media.
      “They could pick up on such a report again and again and ask, ‘And what does it look like now?’ one, two, three months or years after the message.
      Read More on The Sun
      “And if we then wanted to take action against this reporting, we would have to deal with the argument of voluntary self-disclosure.”
      He said he understood fans’ interest in Schumacher’s health but believed they should be able to respect his family’s privacy.
      The former German Ferrari driver after winning the British F1 Grand Prix in 2002Credit: Alamy
      Schumacher’s wife Corinna previously said her husband was ‘different’ since his crashCredit: Alamy More