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      F1 could be set to switch to new channel after 17 years on Sky Sports as company eye up staggering £2BILLION A YEAR deal

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      FORMULA ONE could be set to change channel as Apple consider a huge £1.6BILLION bid for the rights.Sky Sports currently boast the rights having originally obtained them in 2012.
      Formula One could change broadcasters in the coming yearsCredit: Reuters
      And they have a deal in place to show the sport until 2029.
      However, Business F1 magazine are now reporting Apple are weighing up the possibility of submitting a bid to become the exclusive streaming rights holders.
      A £1.6bn offer would double the amount the F1 receive for their global TV rights.
      It would likely sit “alongside MLS and Apple TV+ in the Apple TV app” as a standalone subscription service.
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      The idea comes following the success of the MLS Season Pass – which would be replicated for F1.
      The F1’s US rights are not available for purchase until 2025 when ESPN’s deal comes to an end.
      Apple’s interest comes as they continue to build a portfolio of motorsport content.
      They are developing a huge F1-related film starring Brad Pitt – who was recently seen in the paddock at Silverstone in July.
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      And a documentary about seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton is also in the works.
      Amazon are understood to be considering the purchases of several sports rights deal.
      They already offer an MLS Season Pass and MLB Friday Night Baseball, but are also understood to be interested in the NBA, NFL and Premier League. More

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      F1 on course for chaos next season with staggering 14 drivers out of contract in 2024 including Sergio Perez at Red Bull

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      SERGIO PEREZ is one of 14 F1 drivers out of contract in 2024.The sport is on course for a chaotic summer next season as drivers are dropped and change teams in a major shake-up.
      Sergio Perez is one of 14 F1 drivers out of contract in 2024Credit: Getty
      With six races remaining in 2023, Max Verstappen looks set to win his third straight world title.
      However, the contract situation of more than half the drivers means next year is looking far less certain.
      Whilst Verstappen is tied down to a long-term deal with Red Bull, his team-mate Perez is out of contract in 2024.
      Perez’s situation is expected to impact on much of what happens with other drivers.
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      The Mexican is reportedly unlikely to sign a new deal with Red Bull and could prompt them to secure his replacement early.
      Although McLaren and Mercedes have their drivers contracted beyond the end of next season, the rest of the spots on the grid are seemingly up in the air.
      Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are yet to pen new contracts but are both expected to commit to extensions.
      Fernando Alonso’s future with Aston Martin is not yet finalised, with the constructor hoping their project is enough to keep hold of him.
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      Although the Spaniard has had a good season, Aston Martin’s performances have regressed, causing doubts he will extend his deal.
      Lance Stroll is expected to renew his contract with Mike Krack’s team, though.
      Pierre Gasly is understood to have done enough to earn a new deal with Alpine, but Esteban Ocon could depart.
      The Frenchman has been tipped as a potential replacement for Lando Norris at McLaren if he is snapped up by Red Bull to replace Perez.
      Williams are hopeful they can retain Alex Albon beyond the end of 2024 but he has yet to put pen to paper on an extension.
      His team-mate Logan Sargeant is expected to stay on for 2024, but the rookie will only be handed a one-year renewal, leaving his long-term future up in the air.
      A decision from Haas on their drivers could be one of the last, with both Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg handed one-year extensions for next year.
      It is currently believed that the duo will be retained for 2025, however, with few valuable alternatives available to Haas.
      Formula 2 star Oliver Bearman has been suggested as a potential arrival if Guenther Steiner decides to shuffle his pack.
      AlphaTauri are another team who could be impacted by Perez’s contract situaton.
      Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda have been announced as their 2024 line-up and will both be hoping to replace Checo at Red Bull.
      If one of them can earn that goal then AlphaTauri will join the list of constructors looking for replacements, with reserve driver Liam Lawson a potential target.
      Finally, Alfa Romeo face considerable uncertainty ahead of their 2026 rebrand under Audi.
      Zhou Guanyu is at risk of losing his place on the grid after a cycle of one-year renewals.
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      F2 prospect Theo Pourchaire has been lined up as a possible replacement for the Chinese driver.
      Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas has under-performed since signing from Mercedes and may also slip off the grid if he does not improve.
      Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are yet to extend their Ferrari dealsCredit: Getty
      Valtteri Bottas could leave Haas at the end of next yearCredit: Getty More

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      New F1 team tipped to poach Brit driving ace dubbed the ‘Jude Bellingham of racing’

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      LANDO NORRIS has been dubbed the “Jude Bellingham of Formula 1” who can be the poster boy for Audi’s 2026 entrance into the sport.The Brit has starred for McLaren since entering the grid in 2019.
      Lando Norris is the main man at McLarenCredit: PA
      Jude Bellingham has had an amazing start to life at Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Last year he penned a new £50million contract with McLaren running until the end of the 2025 season.
      Contemplating Norris’ F1 future, Sky Sports’ Craig Slater said: “Lando Norris, he’s the Jude Bellingham of Formula 1 in transfer terms.
      “If he were a footballer, I think he’d be in the 100 million category. He’s young, he’s talented, he’s marketable as well.
      “Consider another couple of factors, he is McLaren’s senior driver now, he is in his sixth year at the team. Five years as an F1 driver, but he had been in development terms before that as well. He’s the leader of the team.
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      “The other big question in terms of what his transfer value is, does he have a release clause in his contract? Not to my knowledge, to any great degree, which means anyone wanting to sign him up would have to pay top dollar for his services.”
      McLaren chief executive Zak Brown addressed his star man’s future earlier this year, telling Sky: “He has zero exit clauses.
      “Ultimately, when his contract is next up, if we are not performing and he doesn’t feel he can win races and can compete for the championship, then I think anybody, driver or team member for that matter [would be considering leaving], we are all here to win.
      “He has got a contract with us and, most importantly, he is very happy here and he sees the progress that we are making, and he is a team player.”
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      Slater, however, reckons that Norris could sign up with Audi ahead of their 2026 arrival, as they aim to make a big splash upon their entry into F1.
      He added: “Are McLaren ready to let him go? Absolutely not. Is there a team out there that desperately needs to sign Lando Norris? Well maybe not right now.
      “Ferrari seem to be well enough covered, Mercedes look like they’ll continue to work with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for the years ahead. And Max Verstappen is firmly ensconced at Red Bull.
      “Audi could be interesting in a couple of years’ time. When they come into Formula 1, they will want a big name to be the face of their team.
      “Might Lando Norris fit the bill in that regard? Might he link up again with this former boss at McLaren Andreas Seidl? But a lot of depends on where McLaren are at in a couple of years.”
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner was coy when asked about Norris by Sky Sports this week.
      He said: “Lando’s a great driver. He’s a big talent, big personality and of course he’s one of those drivers that you keep an eye on.
      “But there’s many drivers that you keep an eye on as well. There’s a generation of drivers out there at the moment that have got a huge amount of talent.
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      “Now, being Max’s team-mate is never going to be easy and some drivers may be up for that challenge, some may not be. But, of course, as well as the drivers we have in-house we keep an eye on all the driver market.
      “As you can imagine, there’s quite a bit of interest from certain sectors about driving a Red Bull car.”
      Christian Horner was coy when asked about Lando Norris this weekCredit: Rex More

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      F1 legend Eddie Jordan names two drivers Red Bull should consider as Perez replacement

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      FORMULA ONE legend Eddie Jordan has named two potential replacements for Sergio Perez at Red Bull.Perez’s contract expires at the end of the 2024 season and boss Christian Horner has made it clear he will be exploring new driver options.
      Eddie Jordan has revealed Liam Lawson should replace Sergio PerezCredit: Getty
      Jordan also tipped off Oscar Piastri would be another optionCredit: Getty
      And F1 icon Jordan reckons Red Bulls should look at Liam Lawson and Oscar Piastri to fill the Mexican’s seat.
      Perez, 33, has struggled this season and is already a massive 177 points behind team-mate, and runaway title leader, Max Verstappen in the driver’s standings.
      That form has seen Perez’s future be called into question with reserve driver Lawson tipped to take over.
      Lawson, 21, made his F1 debut this month, for Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri, standing in for injured Daniel Ricciardo in Singapore and Japan.
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      His ninth-place finish in Singapore was the team’s best of the season, and he followed it with an 11th in Japan.
      But it wasn’t enough to earn him a permanent seat next season, as AlphaTauri confirmed Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will return.
      But Jordan was impressed and suggested on his Formula For Success podcast that Lawson would be a perfect fit for Horner’s team.
      He said: “Lawson finishing 11th – and he just keeps doing it – in a car that really shouldn’t be there, scoring points in Singapore, and he’s on the case all the time.
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      “Lawson deserves a chance in Formula 1, you can only win the championship with one driver.
      “And, in my opinion, if you are going to change Checo Perez, I would change them for somebody absolutely new who has a really bright future.
      “I think Lawson because it’s the same kind of feeder team, isn’t it?
      “Where Sebastian Vettel came from and Lawson has that ability. I think he, either next year or the year after, should wind up in Red Bull.”
      While he clearly rates Lawson, Jordan admitted he would go for someone else if he were in charge of Red Bull.
      Former team owner Jordan added: “I think Piastri is the real deal.
      “Full marks to McLaren, they’ve signed him ’til ’26 because they needed to because he will be a very sought-after driver.
      “If I was in Red Bull, and I was thinking of replacing Checo, he’d be the one I’d have in my mind.” More

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      Inside jetset life of F1’s hottest new racer Jessica Hawkins – from TV star girlfriend to ‘nearly killing’ James Blunt

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      BRITISH racing driver Jessica Hawkins is quite literally living life in the fast lane after becoming the first woman in five years to test a Formula One car.The 28-year-old Aston Martin ambassador made history last week when she drove 26 laps of the Hungaroring in Budapest in the AMR21.
      Jessica Hawkins became the first female in almost five years to drive a modern Formula One car during a recent test in BudapestCredit: PA
      The 28-year-old is an Aston Martin ambassadorCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      As Jessica breaks down barriers, we take a look at her jetset life on and off the track – from a James Bond role to the time she “nearly killed” James Blunt…
      The former karting champion made her professional motorsport debut in British Formula Ford at Silverstone in 2014 in a one-off event, claiming two top 10 finishes.
      She joined the Aston Martin F1 team in an ambassadorial role in 2021, and is a regular face around the paddock.
      Prior to that she worked as a stunt driver, spending much of 2017 on Fast and Furious Live –  a global live-action show based on the film franchise, featuring super cars and acrobatic stunts from the movies – all performed live.
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      Jessica landed a plum role as a stunt driver in James Bond movie No Time to Die in 2021.
      Sharing a string of behind-the-scenes snaps on Instagram, where she was seen driving a classic Aston Martin, she wrote: “The best experience with the best people in the world. An unforgettable experience!”
      Her stunt driver career happened by chance, after a friend tagged her in a Facebook post advertising for a female driver with “good car control”.
      “I stopped racing a good few years before W Series purely because I’d run out of budget to continue on my motorsport journey,” Jessica told the Mirror.
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      Jessica on the red carpet at the No Time to Die premiereCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Jessica driving the James Bond car in the No Time to Die movieCredit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram
      “Bond was actually my first movie. There was quite a lot of pressure, but I was confident in my ability and I had an incredible team around me.
      “I’m super proud of what I’ve done.”
      Rubbing shoulders with famous faces
      Last year Jessica took part in a test drive for the new Range Rover Sport with Anthony Joshua.
      In a clip the professional boxer was seen behind the wheel as Jessica sat in the passenger seat.
      As part of the launch, Jessica completed a dramatic world-first climb up a flooded dam in Iceland in the motor.
      She said: “Driving into it, knowing that a 90-metre drop was waiting for me at the bottom of the slope if things went wrong, made this the most challenging drive I’ve ever undertaken.”
      Jessica also featured in James Blunt’s music video for his 2021 single Love Under Pressure, starring as a driver attempting to kill the singer.
      Posting a picture with the musician, she joked: “Not every day you find yourself trying to kill @jamesblunt for his new music video!”
      Jessica was also part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, behind the wheel of a Land Rover to drive down the Mall.
      Jessica took part in a test drive for the new Range Rover Sport with Anthony Joshua last yearCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      She featured in a James Blunt music video in 2021Credit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      Jessica captioned this snap of her driving at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations ‘a special car for a special event’Credit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram
      Glam TV star girlfriend
      Jessica is in a relationship with Abbie Eaton, who is also a British racing driver.
      Abbie is also a TV star, having starred as the test driver for the second and third series of Amazon’s The Grand Tour.
      James May revealed that “she was the fastest and the best” driver that had been tested.
      In 2015 she appeared on ITV’s Drive, coaching rapper Professor Green in a string of racing car challenges.
      Jessica and Abbie, who both race in the W Series, have been together for over three-and-a-half years after meeting through the sport.
      Abbie, 31, said: “I met Jess before the W Series. Motorsport is a small world, especially for the female drivers.
      “I remember crossing paths with her at Goodwood and seeing what she was up to but when I came to W Series we got to know each other a bit more.”
      When it comes to competition between them both, Abbie explained: “We’re always competitive – we’d be rubbish racing drivers if we weren’t.
      “But if one of us is having a difficult time or our confidence is tested, we’re always there to support each other.
      “Ultimately, we both want each other to do well. The dream is to be at the front together.”
      Jessica’s girlfriend Abbie is also a TV starCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      Jessica is in a relationship with Abbie Eaton, who is also a British racing driverCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      Lavish trips
      Jessica’s career has taken her around the world – and she often documents her work trips on Instagram.
      Over the past few years she’s jetted off to the likes of Miami, Iceland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
      She was also photographed at the Monaco GP earlier this year, posing with fellow racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff.
      Jessica enjoys travelling during her time off, too. Last summer, she spent some time on the Greek island of Rhodes with Abbie.
      The couple also made a trip to Wembley last summer to cheer on England’s Lionesses as they beat Norway 8-0 during the Euros.
      Jessica with fellow racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff at the Monaco GPCredit: naomischiff/instagram
      Jessica and Abbie cheered on England’s Ladies in the EurosCredit: abbieeaton44/instagram
      Jessica often documents her work trips on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      ‘Wild journey’
      Jessica got into motorsport from a young age, telling Glamour that she “begged” her dad to let her have a go at karting after spotting a kart track while playing golf.
      She explained: “Luckily for him, I was too small at the time. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea of me going karting.
      “But then we went back a few months later, and they’d moved the height restriction down, much to my dad’s despair. I had a go and absolutely fell in love with it.”
      She continued: “And I’ve never, ever intended, or it was never supposed to happen, that I’d still be here 20 years later having made or making a career from it.
      “I’m not quite where I want to be just yet, but I’m very proud of where I have come.
      “And a highlight of my career was obviously signing for Aston Martin Formula One team a couple of years ago. So yeah, it’s been a wild journey.”
      Jessica with Aston Martin F1 driver Fernando Alonso
      Jessica, pictured with Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, is a regular sight around the F1 paddock
      Jessica’s performance at Silverstone in 2014 saw her picked up by Falcon Motorsport to compete in the 2015 MSA Formula Championship.
      In 2016 she moved into single-make racing and competed in the Volkswagen Racing Cup series.
      Jessica crossed over to the Mini Challenge in 2017 before returning to the VW Cup in 2018.
      She moved to the W Series in 2019 and a year later, she made her debut in the 2020 British Touring Car Championship.  
      This week Jessica followed in the footsteps of Colombia’s Tatiana Calderon, who drove with with Sauber – now Alfa Romeo – in Mexico City in 2018, by taking the Aston Martin AMR21 for a spin.
      Susie Wolff, the wife of Mercedes team principal Toto, was the last woman to compete in a practice session in 2015 – however a female driver has not started an F1 race since Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976.
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      Jessica admitted that it’s taken “blood, sweat and tears to get here”, but that it has been a “dream come true”.
      She added: “I’ll keep pushing for more and, in the process, I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream no matter what it is.”
      Jessica got into the sport from a young ageCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      She enjoyed a holiday to Greece last yearCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Jessica living it up in MexicoCredit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram More

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      Lewis Hamilton earned No1 spot at Mercedes – George Russell is very ‘polite’ but inside car he’ll be ‘fuming & steaming’

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      PUNDIT Anthony Davidson believes George Russell is inwardly raging as Lewis Hamilton is the main man at Mercedes.In the recent Singapore and Japan Grand Prixs, the British drivers both battled hard on the tracks.
      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have been involved in on-track battles in recent racesCredit: Getty
      They nearly collided in Japan at the weekendCredit: Splash
      Russell sustained tyre damage and spun off in Singapore as he raced Hamilton for thirdCredit: Twitter @SkySportsF1
      At the Marina Bay circuit, Russell pushed Hamilton for the last spot on the podium during the final lap.
      But the seven-time world champion held off pressure before his understudy crashed.
      And Sunday’s race at Suzuka saw similar when both fought hard on lap six and nearly collided.
      Again, Hamilton came out on top to finish in fifth with his team-mate two places behind.
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      According to Davidson, the veteran has earned his spot as No1 at the Silver Arrows but it must be angering Russell.
      He explained on Sky Sports’ F1 podcast: “There’s definitely a hierarchy in that team.
      “You know, Lewis has earned that status in that team as a seven-time world champion and George can’t argue against that.
      “George is still the understudy and he’s doing a very good job on those occasions where he’s got the speed over Lewis to really take the fight to him.
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      “But he’s doing it in such a George Russell polite way, which is quite humorous to watch, because I know inside the car, he’ll be fuming and steaming.
      And that’s why we see the near misses, the drivers coming, almost to blows, almost to contact, but then he’s a good boy on the radio, he’s very British about it.
      “And there are layers to him, to the annoyance, I think. It always comes over as, ‘I’m okay with this, but if you could please, very thankfully, let me through with the next couple of opportunities, it’d be much appreciated.’
      “And we’d hear maybe a bit more vocal if things were different. But I think for now, I think he knows where he is in the team.”
      Russell outscored Hamilton in his debut season at Mercedes last year.
      But this term it is the 38-year-old who is ahead by 75 points with six races to go. More

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      Meet Aston Martin’s Jessica Hawkins who’s the first woman to test a F1 car in five years and was James Bond stunt driver

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      MOTORSPORT ace Jessica Hawkins is no stranger to breaking down social barriers. Hawkins, 28, is a former British karting champion and was a stunt driver in James Bond movie No Time To Die.
      Jessica Hawkins drove Aston Martin’s 2021 F1 car last ThursdayCredit: PA
      Hawkins became the first woman to test an F1 car since 2018Credit: PA
      She used to drive in the W SeriesCredit: Getty
      Hawkins said the drive made all the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ worth itCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      She joined Aston Martin in an ambassadorial role in 2021Credit: PA
      But last week she battered down another door by becoming the first woman to test an F1 car in half a decade.
      Aston Martin revealed Hawkins had been given the chance to get behind the wheel of their 2021 F1 car at the Hungaroring, the venue of F1’s Hungarian Grand Prix, last Thursday.
      Hawkins alternated the driving with Felipe Drugovich, the reserve driver of Aston Martin and McLaren and the 2022 F2 champion.
      The Brit raced for 26 laps in the F1 car, and was lost for words after her drive.
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      On the opportunity, Hawkins said: “I want to say a big thank you to everyone at AMF1 Team for having the trust in me, believing in me, and for giving me this opportunity.
      “It’s taken me every bit of blood, sweat and tears to get here. When I first heard it might be a possibility, I could hardly believe it.
      “I’ve had to keep it secret for months now – which was pretty hard!
      “It’s been absolutely worth it and it’s given me really valuable insight.
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      Hawkins, pictured here alongside Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, is a regular sight around the F1 paddockCredit: Hugo Boss via Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins is a British karting championCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins said ‘nothing will compare’ to her experience driving an F1 carCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins dazzled at an awards ceremonyCredit: Alamy
      “Nothing will compare to the acceleration and braking of a Formula 1 car and, having looked at the data, I’m really proud of my performance.
      “Getting to drive the AMR21 has been a dream come true for me and one I’ve been ready to fulfil for a long time.
      “I’ll keep pushing for more and, in the process, I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream no matter what it is.”
      Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack was also pleased with how Hawkins had done.
      He said: “We were really impressed by Jessica’s preparation for the test – she worked incredibly hard with our simulator team and that made it an easy decision to put her in the AMR21.
      “Jessica approached the opportunity with great maturity; she was up to speed quickly and found a nice rhythm.”
      Lack of Woman in F1
      The last woman to be handed the opportunity to drive an F1 car was Colombian Tatiana Calderon with Sauber – now Alfa Romeo – back in October 2018 at the Hermanos Rodriguez track in Mexico City.
      Susie Wolff – the wife of Mercedes team principal Toto – was the last woman to compete in an F1 practice session, doing so in 2015.
      However, the last time a female driver started an F1 race was back in 1976, when Italian Lella Lombardi drove for RAM Racing.
      Barriers are being broken down, however, albeit slowly.
      German driver Sophia Floersch currently competes in F3 and became the first woman to score points in the series at the Belgian feature race.
      Before her opportunity in the AMR21, Hawkins had been practising in the simulator at their base in Silverstone.
      She joined the Aston F1 team in an ambassadorial role in 2021 and has often been seen around the paddock over the course of race weekends.
      James Bond stunt driver
      But it has not been all fun and games, and one of the most extreme opportunities for her arose from a Facebook post she was tagged in.
      Hawkins had fallen victim to the most common killer of motorsport careers, a lack of funds.
      However, when she was notified about a role as a stunt driver it allowed her to raise funds before becoming a W Series driver, and it even landed her a part in James Bond movie No Time To Die.
      On her stunt driver career, she told the Mirror: “I stopped racing a good few years before W Series purely because I’d run out of budget to continue on my motorsport journey.
      “A friend then tagged me on a Facebook post which said they were looking for a female driver with good car control.
      “At the time, it didn’t say what it was for, but I just thought ‘I’ll send them my CV and see what happens’.
      “It turns out that it was for a show called Fast and Furious Live. All of the stunts that were in the movie, we performed live.”
      She continued: “Bond was actually my first movie.
      “There was quite a lot of pressure, but I was confident in my ability and I had an incredible team around me.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “I’m super proud of what I’ve done.”
      Hawkins was seen in behind-the-scenes footage driving a Range Rover for the film, describing it as “so fun”.
      Hawkins was also a stunt driver for James Bond film No Time To DieCredit: PA
      The 28-year-old did 26 laps at the test in HungaryCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins has 138,000 Instagram followersCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins More

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      Lewis Hamilton SLAMS Mercedes for tactical blunder which ‘made no sense’ during F1’s Japanese GP

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has slammed Mercedes for a strategy call at the Japanese Grand Prix which almost derailed his race.Hamilton managed a P5 finish while team-mate George Russell finished P7 at the Suzuka circuit.
      Lewis Hamilton slammed a Mercedes strategy decisionCredit: AP
      Mercedes asked Hamilton to help George Russell defend from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by slowing down to give him a speed boost with DRSCredit: Rex
      Hamilton finished P5 in the raceCredit: AP
      But it was a call in the later stages of the race involving Russell which Hamilton was less than pleased about.
      Having pitted onto a set of new hard compound tyres, Hamilton was trying to chase down Charles Leclerc, while Russell had opted to gamble on a safety car and stay on his older set of hards.
      However, upon coming up the back of Russell with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz breathing down his neck, Russell wanted to use Hamilton as protection from Sainz by giving him DRS (drag reduction system).
      Russell did eventually invert positions with Hamilton, but asked Hamilton to help by slowing down and giving DRS, with the Mercedes pitwall asking Hamilton to help his team-mate out.
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      Regardless, Sainz overtook Russell on the next lap, leaving Hamilton precariously close to the Spaniard in the dying laps of the race.
      After the Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen, Hamilton was confused by the strategy and was critical of the decision.
      He said: “When they suggested it to me, I knew that they obviously thought of it from the last race but it made no sense.
      “I needed to get as far clear as possible. I was on my way, around two seconds ahead and they asked me to give George DRS and I had to come off the gas down the straight.
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      “Then he got overtaken by Sainz. He then got past George and he was right on my tail which was not ideal.”
      The seven-time world champion did manage to hold off the Singapore Grand Prix winner but in less comfortable circumstances than he would have liked.
      Hamilton remains in the hunt for a first race win since 2021.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen can clinch his third driver’s title in a row in the Qatar sprint shootout on October 7.
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More