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      We live by much-loved UK stadium – it’s been here for 50 years but now it’ll be demolished for 1,500 homes & hotel

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      A MUCH-LOVED stadium is set to be closed down for good – and replaced with 1,500 newbuild homes, a leisure centre, and a hotel.The East of England Showground, home of British speedway team the Peterborough Panthers, has now closed after racing started in 1966.
      Peterborough Panthers Speedway closed on Saturday as the land is set to be redevelopedCredit: Paul Marriott
      The stadium is set to be replaced with 1,500 new build homes, a leisure centre, and a hotel.Credit: aepg
      Peterborough Panthers owner Keith Chapman said it was a “sad night” as the club held its final race at the track.Credit: Facebook/Supporting Peterborough Panthers
      The Peterborough racetrack and its buildings are set to be demolished for a redevelopment project – with 1,500 homes, a hotel, a primary school, and a care home planned for the 165-acre site.
      Fans of the speedway are distraught, calling the demolition “sacrilege” and a “disgrace” and locals want the speedway to stick around, with it bringing in thousands of fans to the town.
      It’s also the second stadium in Peterborough to be bulldozed, as work has started on demolishing its iconic greyhound racing stadium.
      The land the stadium is on is owned by the East of England Agricultural Society, which needs to clear the site as part of selling it.
      Read more Sport
      On Saturday, the Panthers staged a final event in front of thousands of fans at the track, with a 20-heat event and a grand final that ended with a disastrous crash between two of the four riders.
      The riders clipped each other, sending both riders slamming into the back straight fence and crashing down the straight – with a third having to drive into the grass.
      Peterborough Panthers owner Keith Chapman said it was a “sad night” as he spoke to the Daily Star about his disappointment about losing the team’s home.
      “Let’s hope it [tonight’s event] shows the council what they’re going to miss,” he said.
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      “It [the crash] was a bad way for it to end, but these things do happen and I thought the decision by the referee to call the result was the best one, it’s a sad night anyway, but to have that happen in the last race really makes it worse.”
      The Panthers are now looking for a new home for 2024, but all hope is not lost.
      Sport England have submitted an official objection to the redevelopment plans and are in negotiations with Chapman to buy the club.
      Other locals have also objected to the development, with one saying the speedway brought people to Peterborough.
      “Over the years it has attracted more than one million visitors to the track and the city, providing major cash injections to businesses, hotels etc.
      “It has also brought tens of millions of pounds of free publicity to the city because of media coverage, including some 30 years of live TV transmissions of meetings,” the petitioner said.
      Fans of the club have objected to the redevelopment.
      “To let more houses build on this land will be sacrilege and will lose all of the major entertainment in the city. The showground was there long before the houses were built and who needs more hotels,” said one fan.
      “Absolute disgrace!! The landlords should be ashamed of themselves!”
      A statement released by the site’s operator, the Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG), said it understood the disappointment over the arena’s closure.
      They say the site is being sold by the Agricultural Society because it needs to earn income to meet its charitable aims, where the income will go.
      “The arrangement to run speedway at the Showground has only ever been on a season-by-season basis and there has never been long-term commitment on either side to continue.
      Read More on The Sun
      “The discontinuation of Speedway at the Showground is not new news or a surprise to the Peterborough Panthers, and we are sorry to hear the club has not found a new home in this time.”
      AEPG has been appointed by the Agricultural Society to promote the land for sale to developers, create a masterplan, and get council permissions.
      Peterborough Panthers raced at the East of England Arena Peterborough, but will need a new home come 2024.Credit: The Times
      Many locals want the speedway to stay as it brings in visitors and attention to the area.Credit: Facebook/Supporting Peterborough Panthers More

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      Glamorous grid girl rushed to hospital and given ‘lots of morphine’ after freak accident celebrating race win

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      GLAMOROUS grid girl Sophie Wright was rushed to hospital on “lot’s of morphine” after a freak accident while celebrating a race win.Sophie was in attendance at Brands Hatch in Kent for the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season finale with team West Surrey Racing.
      Sophie Wright is a grid girl in the British Touring Car Championship for West Surrey RacingCredit: Instagram
      Sophie shared snaps of her time at Brands Hatch for the BTCC season finaleCredit: Instagram
      But while celebrating a race win for Jake Hill and podium for Stephen Jelly she suffered a freak accidentCredit: Instagram
      In the third race of the day, team drivers Jake Hill and Stephen Jelley completed a double podium as Hill claimed the chequered flag and Jelley finished P3.
      The achievement triggered huge celebration’s from the trackside team as they climbed up the pitwall to cheer Hill and Jelley home.
      But as Sophie overhung on the wall disaster struck as she fell and landed awkwardly.
      This resulted in her getting a broken femur, her thigh bone.
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      Sophie was whisked off to hospital and given “lots of morphine” to help deal with the pain.
      Taking to Instagram, Sophie shared images of her bed-ridden state while at Princess Royal University Hospital in South London.
      She shared photos of her leg in wrapped in plaster, with later images showing her colleagues visiting her.
      Her post was captioned: “Pole position- changed into trainers – climbed pit wall to celebrate win – fell off pitwall – broken femur- lots of morphine 😩💔.
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      “Most importantly lots of AMAZING medics, mechanics, crew, team members, friends, Marshals and the best people in the world getting me thru it ❤️🙏🏻.”
      In her post, Sophie shared a couple of videos of her situation in the hospital, with her saying in the final vid that she had just had her knee put back into place.
      Race winner Hill replied to the post: “Sending you lots of love Soph! ❤️ so so sorry 😢.”
      Sophie has around 4,000 followers on Instagram.
      As well as being a grid girl, Sophie is also a DJ, presenter and writer.
      F1 banned grid and pit girls ahead of the 2018 season.
      In March the FIA also clamped down on F1 team’s pitwall celebrations by forbidding them from climbing on the fences at any time.
      Sophie revealed she had broken her femur after falling from the pitwallCredit: Instagram
      Sophie is also a writer, DJ and presenterCredit: Instagram
      Sophie has around 4,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram More

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      F1 cult hero looks unrecognisable with bushy grey beard after amazing transformation since racing heyday

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      THIS Formula One cult hero is barely recognisable compared to how he looked when competing for world championships.The 56-year-old once whizzed around the F1 track from 1994 to 2003 with his silky hair and clean shaven look.
      This F1 hero looks very different with a huge beardCredit: X
      But the driver is now unrecognisable with a huge bushy beard.
      During his prestigious career, he drove for Sauber, Williams, Jordan, Prost and Arrows.
      In 1997 with Williams, he finished second in the standings behind only Jacques Villeneuve before two years later coming third while racing for Jordan.
      The German earned a podium finish 18 times and won the Grand Prix on three occasions in total.
      READ MORE ON F1
      After leaving F1, the Monchengladbach-born star competed in the DTM and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
      Have you worked out who it is?
      The man now looking unrecognisable is Heinz-Harald Frentzen.
      Frentzen recently reflected on his F1 career and revealed he was disappointed to have never clinched a world championship.
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      He told Beyond the Grid: “First of all, I cannot complain. It could have been better, yes, but at the end of the day I had a great time and that’s how I see it now.
      “I was a bit sad when I stopped in 2003 because I wasn’t happy how I finished.
      “But then after a while, I thought I’d just escaped a bad accident at Canada in 1999, so be happy and take it as it is.”
      Frentzen used to driver for SauberCredit: Reuters
      He won three Grand Prixs in his careerCredit: PA:Press Association More

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      F1 star Sergio Perez slams FIA for ‘absurd’ sudden rule change but Lewis Hamilton loves it

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      IT was a weekend of controversy for Formula One amid the fallout from the Qatar Grand Prix.An alarming number of safety concerns were raised following last weekend’s race after drivers visibly struggled to cope with the 44-degree heat of the Middle East.
      Sergio Perez was not a fan of an abrupt rule change by the FIA at the Qatar GPCredit: Getty
      But Lewis Hamilton insisted the change should be implemented at other tracksCredit: Rex
      Runner-up Oscar Piastri was seen laying on the floor after the race, Lance Stroll took himself to the medical centre fearing dehydration, Esteban Ocon threw up in his helmet mid-race while Logan Sargeant was forced to retire his car citing illness.
      While the FIA said they would be opening an investigation into the safety concerns, there was another matter which had some drivers fuming BEFORE the Grand Prix had even begun.
      F1 was forced to implement a mandatory 18-lap stint limit owing to blowout concerns from Pirelli – who were today announced as the sport’s tyre supplier until 2027.
      But the FIA took more tangible precautions before Saturday’s sprint race by bringing the kerbs around the track further in to try and avoid tyre failure.
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      The introduction of the limits resulted in multiple laps being deleted, notably for McLaren duo Piastri and Lando Norris which elevated Lewis Hamilton up to P3 for the race.
      Red Bull star Sergio Perez was not a fan of the new track limits, telling Sky Sports Italia: “These rules are absurd. I know the rules were the same for everyone, and it’s my fault if I got a penalty.
      “I still think the FIA should look at the circuit before they let us race here. Changing the rules at the last minute won’t make it any better.”
      Yuki Tsunoda shared this perception on the new kerbs, claiming the circuit was now a “floor destroyer track” as a result of the new kerbs, which switched to a pyramid shape.
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      However, Hamilton – who crashed out of Sunday’s race after a collision with Mercedes team-mate George Russell – did not share his rivals point of view.
      He declared: “I think these new kerbs are great.
      “When I went round the track yesterday on the scooter, I thought the kerbs looked quite big.
      “But I think they’re actually really good. When you go beyond the highest point of the kerb you lose time, so I don’t feel like at this track we need to have track limits.”
      He explained Norris’ qualifying penalty for exceeding track limits was harsh because of the new kerbs.
      Hamilton added: “I think we can take these kerbs as a good learning. We can take these kerbs to a bunch of other tracks.”
      After crashing out of the race, Hamilton was also slapped with a £43,000 (€50,000) fine for breaking F1 rules by walking across track to get back to the paddock.
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      British karting star Joe Turney suffers horror injury as ankle smashed by rival kart at FIA World Finals

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      BRITISH star Joe Turney suffered a sickening injury after being hit by a rival kart in a horrifying clash at the FIA World Finals.The shocking incident occurred during lap ten of the race in Franciacorta, Italy.
      Joe Turney had been rolling his kart back on to the trackCredit: https://twitter.com/Presto_Evans
      The 22-year-old has since undergone successful surgeryCredit: https://www.instagram.com/joeturneyracing/
      Turney, 22, had been leading before being overtaken by Gabriel Gomez.
      The tenacious competitor managed to get back in front of Gomez, only for a collision to send both of them off track.
      Despite his chances of winning having evaporated after being overtaken by eight rivals, Turney hauled his kart back on to the track in a bid to get going again.
      As he did so, Spaniard Nacho Tunon came haring round the corner, subsequently running over Turney’s ankle.
      READ MORE IN SPORT
      The Brit winced in agony and was unable to get back to his feet.
      After being assisted by a marshal the race was red flagged and Turney was stretchered off.
      He was later taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery.
      Updating fans, Turney wrote on Instagram: “I want to say a massive thank you to EVERYONE for the support they’ve given with messages etc. it means a lot.
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      “I’ve had a successful operation on my ankle and I’m starting the long road to recovery!
      “Again thank you to each and everyone for all of their support it means the world to me.”
      When the race eventually resumed, Russian Kirill Kutskov was able to claim victory.
      Dutchman Rene Lammers crossed the line in second, with Japanese ace Kean Nakamura-Berta coming third. More

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      Lewis Hamilton slapped with huge fine for dangerously breaking F1 rules during Qatar Grand Prix

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      LEWIS HAMILTON was fined a whopping €50,000 for walking across the race track following his first lap shunt with George Russell.Half will be suspended, so long as he does not make the same mistake between now and the end of the year.
      Lewis Hamilton has been fined for walking across the track during the Qatar GPCredit: Getty
      The Mercedes star crashed out on the first lap after colliding with George RussellCredit: Getty
      It means that €25,000 of the total fine, which was worth about £43,000, will be heading to the FIA coffers.
      Speaking of the FIA, their lavish end of year gala is still due to be held in Baku, despite growing political tensions with Azerbaijan’s neighbours, Armenia.
      Hamilton crashed out of Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix after colliding with Mercedes team-mate Russell at turn one.
      He was forced to retire from the race on the opening lap, while Russell went on to finish fourth despite suffering damage to his car.
      Read More on F1
      After the race, the seven-time world champion took full responsibility for the incident.
      He told Sky Sports: “I think we are a great team. George and I still have a great relationship. We will discuss things and work away.
      “I’m happy to take responsibility as the older guy. I don’t think George had anywhere to go at that point.
      “I was trying to get ahead of both of them and just an unfortunate situation. I had the worst tyre of everyone around me, so I needed to try and get ahead. Big risk, big penalty.”
      Most read in Motorsport
      He later tweeted: “I’ve watched the replay and it was 100% my fault and I take full responsibility. Apologies to my team and to George.”
      Max Verstappen went on to win the race, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris taking the other two spots on the podium. More

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      Max Verstappen’s lavish life with model WAG Kelly Piquet… from £12m private jet bought from famous Brit to £5m car fleet

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      HE’S the three-time world champion – so it’s no surprise Formula One heavyweight Max Verstappen lives a life of luxury away from the track.At just 26 he’s already making history, joining the likes of Ayrton Senna, Niki Lauda and future father-in-law Nelson Piquet by winning the Formula One drivers’ championship for the third time.
      Max Verstappen has clinched his third consecutive Formula One world titleCredit: Rex
      He has been dating Kelly Piquet for the past three yearsCredit: instagram/kellypiquet
      Unstoppable Max has a lot to show for his hard work and talent – including a staggering estimated fortune of £165million.
      He also has a fleet of James Bond-inspired cars, a lavish seafront apartment in Monaco, and a stunning model girlfriend in Kelly Piquet.
      Here, we take a closer look at his enviable life off the grid.
      Eye-watering fortune
      The son of F1 legend Jos Verstappen made his debut at the Australian GP in 2015 and is now one of the top earning drivers in Formula One.
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      Last year he signed a five-year deal with Red Bull which has been described as one of the most lucrative in the history of the sport.
      According to reports his contract is worth £45million a year – and is likely to increase given his impressive winning streak continues.
      Max also benefits from endorsement deals from brands like G-Star RAW, Red Bull and EA Sports.
      The Dutch driver also has his own MV merchandise company, selling caps, clothing and accessories.
      Most read in Motorsport
      Since his debut in 2015, he has been a dominant force in the sportCredit: EPA
      Despite his success, Max has hinted he may retire early.
      Asked if he would like to race into his late thirties like other drivers, he replied: “No, absolutely no – no desire.
      “No, I have my mind already set on what I want to do also outside of Formula 1.
      “It’s a big passion of mine and I want to make that happen as well.”
      Dating daughter of F1 legend
      Max went Instagram official with Kelly in 2021 and called her his ‘love and happiness’Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/
      The couple often post loved-up snaps on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Max has been dating German-born Kelly, 34, the daughter of Nelson Piquet, for the last three years, and she’s regularly seen cheering him on trackside.
      Although her father is worth over £164m, she’s made a name for herself as a model, public relations agent and motoring columnist.
      She attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York where she graduated in International Relations with a major in Political Science and Economics.
      Before her romance with Max she was in a relationship with Russian driver Daniil Kvyat, with whom she shares a daughter, Penelope.
      Daniil made 110 Formula One starts from 2013 to 2020, and ironically when he was given the boot from Red Bull in 2016, it was Max who replaced him.
      Kelly often shares snaps of herself on holiday at exotic destinationsCredit: instagram/@kellypiquet/
      Max shares a kiss with Kelly during a boat ride while her daughter looks into the cameraCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Max and Kelly went Instagram official when he posted a snap of them together on the beach with the caption: “Let’s make 2021 a year to remember in many ways. Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine.”
      Since then they have been photographed together on numerous occasions looking loved up.
      Kelly has graced the covers of several high-profile magazines including Vogue in the Netherlands and has fully embraced life as one of the world’s biggest socialites.
      On Instagram she is followed by 1.2million fans and keeps them regularly updated with glam shots of herself and Max on holiday in exotic locations like St Tropez and Florida.
      In one snap, she can be seen locking lips with the racer while her daughter smiles at the camera.
      She has also uploaded pics of herself at glitzy dos like the Cannes Film Festival.
      Living large
      Max lives in Monaco, which has become a haven for some of the biggest F1 stars
      Max working out on his balcony with his two Bengal cats in the backgroundCredit: Instagram @maxverstappen1
      During his free time, Max takes to the water in a £16,000 jet skiCredit: Refer to Caption
      Like his fellow Formula One racers Lando Norris and Valtteri Bottas, Max has chosen Monaco as his home, where he lives in a £13million rented apartment overlooking the Mediterranean.
      He keeps his physical condition in top condition by working out on the balcony, which is kitted out with gym equipment and a frame for bungee pulls.
      He has shared glimpses of his chic pad, which he and Kelly also share with their two Bengal cats, Jimmy and Sass.
      In his spare time he likes to take the water on a Red Bull-branded jet ski, said to be worth around £16,000.
      For all his travels around the world, Max is said to have bought a private jet from Sir Richard Branson, worth £12million, which costs over £830,000 to maintain.
      Max has made sure the Falcon-900EX is customised to his expensive taste – it has a matt finish and brands Max’s logo of a lion on the tail fin, paying homage to the national animal of the Netherlands.
      He travels in the jet when he has to travel long distances for races and often gives other Monaco-based drivers, like Daniel Ricciardo, a ride.
      Max bought his private jet from Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson
      He has given stars a ride on the jet including Daniel Ricciardo
      The jet has been customised to Max’s expensive taste
      £5million car collection
      Max’s personal car collection, worth an estimated £5m, is nothing short of impressive and rivals that of Hollywood stars.
      After becoming the youngest ever racer to score a podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, aged just 18, Max splashed out on a Porsche 911 GTS R3.
      His car collection has been heavily inspired by James Bond – he owns a 007-type Aston Martin DB11, a follow-up to the DB10, driven in the movie Spectre.
      Read More on The Sun
      Alongside a 2018 Vantage and a DBS Superleggerais, Max is reported to have added an Aston Martin Valkyrie to his collection. According to reports, the vehicle is priced at a whopping £2.2million.
      The manufacturer’s website describes the car as the closest anyone will get to having the Formula 1 experience on the road.
      Max has an impressive car collection, including the £2.2million Aston Martin ValkyrieCredit: Alamy More

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      Max Verstappen claims F1 was made to look ‘silly’ because of farce at Qatar GP – and it could happen again in Las Vegas

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN says F1 was made to “look a bit silly” due to the farce at the Qatar GP.The sport’s bosses gave the track the green light despite it only just being finished on time and without a single test event.
      Max Verstappen won the F1 race in QatarCredit: AFP
      Verstappen was critical of F1 being the first event for the newly laid Qatar trackCredit: Alamy
      It meant that when the drivers took part in the hour-long practice session on Friday, it was the first time any race car had been around the resurfaced track.
      Incredibly, there were no test events – or other races on the bill – as drivers tiptoed around the dusty track that was still too green.
      The reigning world champion said: “Next time that we get into a situation like this, I don’t think F1 should be the first one to drive because it looks a bit silly.
      “Like, [first practice] with cars sliding around having no grip.
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      “It’s important when we go to a track where they’ve put new Tarmac, that at least it’s run in a little.
      “Also, for understanding the tyres, for example, what we had now.
      “That’s why we had these forced, of course, limited laps.
      “So yeah, a few things I think to learn out of this weekend as a whole.”
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      F1 chiefs will need to get their house in order before the inaugural Las Vegas race in November.
      The new track could be hit with similar grip issues, however, closing the roads could prove a problem for the city.
      Vegas has experienced a number of issues setting up the F1 race, including the death of a worker last month.
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