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      Watch Sky F1 host’s hilarious reaction as she cuts off from Daniel Ricciardo interview to celebrate Lewis Hamilton pole

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      A YOUNG Sky Sports presenter hilariously paused her interview with Daniel Ricciardo to celebrate Lewis Hamilton’s pole position on Saturday.Hamilton, 38, achieved his first pole position in 595 days with a sensational flying lap in the final seconds of qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
      A Sky Sports reporter was interviewing Ricciardo when she became distracted by HamiltonCredit: Sky Sports F1
      She then revealed ‘Hamilton’s my favourite!’ after the Mercedes star took pole positionCredit: Sky Sports F1
      The lap saw him pip Red Bull rival Max Verstappen to the line by just 0.003 seconds, subsequently leaving both fans and the paddock in shock.
      During Q3, newly-appointed AlphaTauri driver Ricciardo – who was eliminated in the previous round after qualifying in 13th – was being interviewed by Sky Sports’ F1 Juniors presenter Ruby.
      The young reporter opened the chat by asking: “Hi Daniel, how does it feel to be back in the car after such a long break?”
      To which the Aussie responded: “It feels really fun. When it’s so long, you really miss something.
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      “When you do something every day I don’t think you really appreciate it as much, so to miss it for six-seven months I think it made it more enjoyable. I’m very happy.”
      Ricciardo was then asked about who his best friends in the paddock were, but midway through the conversation both the interviewer and the interviewee became distracted after noticing that Hamilton had qualified in pole position.
      Ruby excitedly exclaimed “Look, Hamilton” before letting out a big cheer.
      She added: “Hamilton’s my favourite!”
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      Hamilton’s impressive qualifying result will see him start Sunday’s race on pole position for the first time since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP.
      After securing the fastest lap, the seven-time world champion said: “It’s been a crazy year and a half. I have lost my voice from shouting so much in the car.
      “We have been pushing so hard to finally get a pole and it just feels like the first time.
      “I didn’t expect to be fighting for pole so when I went into that final run I gave it everything.
      “It has been massively challenging for everyone in the team. We have been focusing so much on trying to improve.
      “We have been losing so much time in Turns Four and 11 compared to the others, so I just sent it. It has been so tough and it is going to continue to be tough after this, but this just shows we can do it.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton on pole for first time in 595 DAYS after stunning qualifying lap at F1 Hungarian Grand Prix

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      LEWIS HAMILTON took a sensational pole position for the Hungarian GP – beating Max Verstappen by 0.003 seconds.Verstappen, who has dominated this season to open up a 99 point lead in the championship, will start in second place.
      Lewis Hamilton is on pole for the Hungarian Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Max Verstappen and Red Bull were pipped to pole position by Lewis HamiltonCredit: Rex
      It is the 104th pole position of the Brit’s career – and an emotional one – as there are now signs that Mercedes are back in the mix after a terrible 18 months.
      Hamilton, who has won this race eight times before, scored his first pole since Saudi Arabia 2021.
      Lando Norris extended McLaren’s upward trajectory by qualifying in third place and his teammate, Oscar Piastri will line up in fourth.
      Daniel Ricciardo had a successful return to F1 after qualifying in 13th place – comfortably ahead of his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
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      Ricciardo has been handed his way back by Red Bull after being dumped by McLaren at the end of last year.
      The Aussie replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri – Red Bull’s sister team – and scored their best qualifying result since the Monaco GP in May.
      Meanwhile, George Russell suffered a miserable qualifying – leaving Merc boss Toto Wolff furious.
      The Austrian slammed his fist into the desk as he watched Russell eliminated at Q1 – a result that will see him start in 18th on the grid.
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      Russell was waiting in line to start his final flying lap but as the clock counted down, he was leapfrogged in the queue of cars by THREE other drivers.
      Not only had he lost time and track position but the extra delay to create a gap to the cars ahead also punished his tyres as the temperature dropped off.
      As a result, his first sector was slow and he was unable to improve meaning he was dumped out of qualifying at the first hurdle. More

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      Inside F1’s most outrageous driver Daniel Ricciardo’s lavish life with stunning girlfriend ahead of Hungarian GP return

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      DANIEL Ricciardo is Formula 1’s most entertaining star – and his rollercoaster career hasn’t been short of drama either.While the Aussie racer has won eight Grand Prixs, last August he hit a career low, getting ditched by McLaren and failing to secure a seat for the 2023 season.
      Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo has joined AlphaTauri for the remainder of the 2023 season and is set to make his comeback at the Hungarian GPCredit: Getty
      Away from the race track, Ricciardo lives a very luxurious lifestyle with glam girlfriend Heidi BergerCredit: danielricciardo/instagram
      However, this weekend the 34-year-old is set to make a sensational F1 return with AlphaTauri at this weekend’s Hungarian GP, having filled Nyck de Vries’ spot for the remainder of the season.
      Away from the grid he’s one of the most popular professionals in the sport – regularly pictured larking about with the likes of former team mates Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, and new team mate Yuki Tsunoda.
      No doubt fans will be thrilled to see Daniel – nicknamed the Honey Badger – back, especially with glamorous girlfriend Heidi Berger in tow.
      And despite his dip in form, some reports suggest Ricciardo is still worth an impressive £38million – which means he’s been able to maintain a very luxurious lifestyle while away.
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      Here, we take a closer look inside Daniel’s lavish life away from the grid, including a £15million property portfolio and a very, very impressive multi-million pound private car collection.
      Love in the fast lane
      When Daniel was dropped by his team last year, at least he could rely on the support of his super stunning girlfriend, Heidi, 26.
      She already knows a thing or two about the F1 life too, as her Austrian father Gerhard Berger is a retired driver, who competed for 14 seasons.
      Speaking last year on the Fitzy & Wippa podcast when asked if he was in love, Daniel said: “Yeah mate, I’m in love, I got a good thing going, so yeah. I’ve got a good balance in life right now.
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      “I think love eliminates stress, yeah absolutely.”
      Actress Heidi, who studied at New York University, has posted plenty of photos from the track presumably supporting her beau, and while the couple are incredibly private, they went public with their romance last August.
      They were spotted enjoying a getaway to Venice in May, and also shared a special intimate moment from the romantic holiday on social media last month, showing they’re still very much loved-up.
      Heidi is an aspiring actress, and the daughter of former F1 driver Gerhard BergerCredit: instagram.com/heidiberger
      Heidi has been a huge support for her beauCredit: heidiberger_/instagram
      Daniel Ricciardo and his girlfriend Heidi Berger have been able to spend more time together latelyCredit: BackGrid
      £15m property empire
      Regardless of form, a career in F1 can be short-lived, so Ricciardo has already made the sensible move into property investment, and boasts a staggering £15million portfolio already.
      He owns a one-bedroom pied-à-terre in Monte Carlo, which is home to plenty of other drivers including Max Verstappen and Charles LeClerc.
      Speaking about the Monaco Grand Prix, Ricciardo said: “It feels like a real racetrack, and I’m not thinking ‘there’s a cafe I eat at’ or ‘there’s a street I ride my Vespa down’ or whatever.
      “You wake up in your own bed, kick around your apartment and then start the journey to work.” 
      Not forgetting his roots, Daniel also has an impressive abode in his native Perth, Australia, which is said to have an underground garage (of course) and pool.
      Even more impressively, he also snapped up a stunning five-bed, five bath mansion in Los Angeles in 2018.
      Daniel Ricciardo’s LA home is where he enjoys spending time during summer breaks in particularCredit: Realtor.com
      The driver loves the US, and owns a home in LACredit: Realtor.com
      His mansion boasts an outdoor pool, five bedrooms and five bathroomsCredit: Realtor.com
      As a result he is said to enjoy spending most of the summer in LA, telling the West Australian: “The weather, having the beaches close by, I feel like you can escape the madness of it all.” 
      He paid a whopping £10million for the modernised 1960s Beverly Hills home, which also has an outdoor pool and a two-door garage for his luxury cars.
      Multi-million pound private car collection
      Unsurprisingly given their need to impress on the race track, F1 drivers are also known to boast very impressive private car collections – and Ricciardo is no exception.
      Speaking about his passion for motors to Top Gear, he said: “I am fascinated by some modern cars and how close they can be to a race car.
      “If I accelerate away from a set of traffic lights in a quick car, sure it feels fast, but I’m not exactly high-fiving my mate in the passenger seat.
      “That’s why I’m starting to warm towards the older stuff. It’s completely different. The H-pattern gearboxes, the vibrations and all that – I appreciate that.”
      Unsurprisingly, Ricciardo boasts a very impressive private car collectionCredit: gopro
      The racing pro’s motors are thought to be worth millionsCredit: danielricciardo/instagram
      He often drives a McLaren 720S, said to be worth around £215,000, and when he’s back in Australia, he cruises around his hometown in a Toyota HiLux – his first car and a gift from his parents.
      He also owns an Aston Martin Valkyrie, reportedly worth a whopping £2.5million, a Porsche 918 Spyder and a Porsche GT3 RS.
      Luxury holidays
      For work Daniel obviously has to travel the world, but when he’s not racing he also enjoys the finer things in life and visiting exotic locations.
      Last year he went Instagram official with Heidi while holidaying in the US, where they enjoyed hiking in the mountains and horse riding, and earlier this year they were pictured looking loved up in Venice.
      Previously he’s been seen living it up onboard a yacht in the Mediterranean, and earlier this year he was spotted partying in Las Vegas.
      And it seems Ricciardo made the most of his break away from the track, recently writing in a LinkedIn post: “This is the first year in as long as I can remember that my goals aren’t going to be 100 per cent about racing and competing.”
      Either way, it seems he was always destined for this career, saying: “Two, three years old, I’ve got faint memories of being at the track, putting the earmuffs on and that was like the first kind of attraction where I was kind of like scared by the noise.
      Read More on The Sun
      “But I also loved it, because I knew that represented like the speed and there was excitement that was with that.”
      Daniel and girlfriend Heidi recently enjoyed a loved-up getaway to Venice togetherCredit: heidiberger_/instagram
      In between racing, Ricciardo makes the most of the breaksCredit: danielricciardo/instagram More

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      Sergio Perez CRASHES just five minutes into Hungarian GP practice leaving car a wreck while he fights for his job

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      SERGIO PEREZ crashed his Red Bull just five minutes into the first Hungarian Grand Prix practice session on Friday.The 33-year-old had just started his first flying lap of the weekend when his front-left wheel dipped on to the grass, causing his car to spin out and crash into the barrier.
      Perez crashed his car into the barrier during the first Hungarian GP practice sessionCredit: EPA
      The Red Bull star was visibly frustrated after the accidentCredit: EPA
      His car was left severely damagedCredit: Getty

      Checo was left unharmed by the accident, although he appeared to be very frustrated with his mistake.
      Perez currently sits second in the Drivers Championship, but he has failed to reach Q3 in each of the last five race weekends.
      His poor qualifying form has subsequently had an impact on his race results, therefore casting doubt over his future at Red Bull.
      And he now finds himself under pressure from Daniel Ricciardo, who was named as AlphaTauri’s new driver last week.
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      Ricciardo, 34, replaced rookie Nyck de Vries, who was axed by Red Bull’s sister team following his poor start to the season.
      The Aussie is set to make his F1 return at the Hungarian GP this weekend, but he hopes to eventually work his way back into contention at Red Bull.
      On Thursday, he said: “I had enough time off to reset but also kind of enjoy it again. I already felt that on the simulator so far this year but then also that’s why I wanted to drive the car and really make sure that it is still truly what I love doing most.
      “I was up to speed really quickly and it felt so good again and obviously tasting the Red Bull car (at Silverstone after the British GP) got me pretty excited.
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      “I knew also with everything that happened the last few years, getting back into the sport after taking some time off, I knew it would be very hard to go back at the top.
      “Of course that was my wish but you also need to be realistic at some point and say ‘OK, if I want to get back to a Red Bull seat then it’s going to take a bit of a process or a path’. This for me is the best path at the moment.”
      Championship leader Max Verstappen has revealed that he would be happy to see his former teammate return to Red Bull.
      When asked about the possibility of a reunion earlier this week, he said: “I mean, I never actually wanted him to leave!
      “No, I mean, all of these things, we know that we get on very well, and if Daniel, of course, does well where he is now, then, of course, he has the opportunity to go back up.
      “It’s all open, to be honest.” More

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      Shakira and Lewis Hamilton are ‘inseparable’ and enjoying ‘hot summer romance’ as singer steps out in red mini dress

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      SHAKIRA and Lewis Hamilton have become “inseparable” as they embrace a “hot summer romance”, an insider claims.The Colombian star and F1 ace have sparked dating rumours after being spotted getting cosy at a string of events in recent months.
      Lewis Hamilton is rumoured to be dating ShakiraCredit: Instagram – Mustafa
      The singer stunned in a red mini dress at the 2023 Premios Juventud AwardsCredit: Getty
      Shakira, 46, split from her long-term footballer boyfriend Gerard Pique last year but is now claimed to be “fast-tracking” her apparent love affair with Hamilton.
      A source told In Touch: “She’s over Gerard and fast-tracking her romance with Lewis.
      “They’re inseparable. It’s definitely a hot summer romance.
      “She believes in love and is very open to see what the future might hold for them.”
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      Shakira watched from the Mercedes team’s VIP area as seven-times champ Lewis Hamilton, 38, sped to a podium finish on his home circuit at Silverstone earlier this month.
      Revving up dating rumours, she was also pictured beaming at the Spanish Grand Prix last month as she cheered the Mercedes driver to second place.
      Afterwards he was snapped with his arm round her waist as they had cocktails with friends in Barcelona.
      In May, Shakira also watched Hamilton race in Miami – her new home town since moving to the US earlier this year.
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      The British speed ace was pictured speaking to her at a restaurant in the city, sparking a frenzy of speculation.
      Days later Lewis picked her up from the back of her £12million beach mansion at the start of a cosy boat trip together.
      But despite claims the pair are tied at the hip, they have been pictured on different continents this week.
      Shakira ended a party-filled European trip as she returned to Miami, where she lives with her two sons – Milan, nine, and Sasha, seven.
      On Thursday, she was pictured stepping out in a stunning red mini dress as she collected eight awards at the 2023 Premios Juventud Awards.
      She matched the figure-hugging gown with a pair of fiery red sunglasses as she beamed on stage.
      Meanwhile, her rumoured beau Hamilton is enjoying downtime in Ibiza with 20-year-old tennis-player and heiress Jenny Stray Spetalen and Mexican actress Eiza Gonzalez.
      But Hamilton isn’t the only sports star Shakira appears to be getting close to, as she was last week seen on what appeared to be a date with NBA ace Jimmy Butler.
      She and Butler, 33, were pictured leaving Novikov Restaurant & Bar in London just two minutes apart – with the singer escorted to her car by his entourage.
      It comes as the Hips Don’t Lie singer faces a tax probe in Spain.
      Officials confirmed on Thursday a court near Barcelona had agreed to investigate the singer-songwriter for suspected 2018 tax breaches.
      Shakira will return to the Catalan capital again in November for the beginning of her £12.5 million tax evasion trial.
      Read More on The Sun
      Her legal team said she had not received any notification and found out about the new case through the press.
      Lewis Hamilton and Jenny Stray Spetalen pictured in IbizaCredit: Splash
      Shakira collected eight awards on ThursdayCredit: Getty
      She wowed crowds in her fiery outfitCredit: Getty More

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      Fire erupts at Lydden Race Circuit as black smoke billows from paddock

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      A FIRE has erupted at a UK race track – with black smoke billowing from the paddock ahead of the World Rallycross Championship this weekend.Video shared on social media showed the blaze engulfing several cars at the Lydden Race Circuit near Canterbury in Kent.
      Smoke could be seen billowing from a lorryCredit: Twitter – @BartholomewHll
      A fire has broken out at Lydden Race CircuitCredit: Twitter – @Kent_999s / Peter Rosenberg
      The track is set to host the FIA World Rallycross Championship this weekendCredit: Lydden Hill
      Five fire engines and crews wearing special breathing kit are now tackling the vehicle fire.
      A clip shared online showed smoke billowing from a lorry in the track paddock – with locals told to shut their windows.
      The mile-long circuit has been branded “The Home of Rallycross” – and is the shortest road-racing circuit in Britain.
      The track is due to host the massive FIA World Rallycross Championship this weekend.
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      A spokesman confirmed that the fire broke out in the Special ONE Racing team area of the track.
      KentOnline reports that one of the cars is thought to belong to Special ONE driver and nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb.
      Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “People near to Lydden Hill, in Wootton, Canterbury, are advised to close windows and doors due to smoke coming from a vehicle fire.
      “Five fire engines are in attendance at a commercial premises, where crews wearing breathing apparatus are using main jets and compressed air foam to extinguish a fire involving several vehicles.”
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      “If you’re travelling on the A2 near to incident, please take care as the smoke may impact visibility.
      “Please share this advice with anyone in the affected area who may not have access to social media. Thank you.”
      The FIA World Rallycross Championship said: “A fire broke out in the Special ONE Racing team area at Lydden Hill this morning ahead of the FIA World Rallycross Championship event at the track.
      “Fire crews are on-site. The venue is not open to the public today and no injuries have been reported.
      “Further updates will be communicated as we continue to assess and monitor the situation.”
      Locals have been warned to shut their windowsCredit: Twitter – @Kent_999s / Peter Rosenberg More

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      Sky Sports presenter shows off her tan in swimsuit in ‘Baywatch’ snap leaving fans stunned

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      NATALIE PINKHAM wowed fans with a stunning snap of her recent trip to the beach.The Sky Sports presenter has built quite the following on social media due to expert on-air reporting and dynamic personality.
      Sky Sports’ Natalie Pinkham regular shares behind the scenes photos to her InstagramCredit: INSTAGRAM@NATALIE_PINKHAM
      The 45-year-old’s job takes her to some swanky places around the globeCredit: INSTAGRAM@NATALIE_PINKHAM
      Pinkham recently went on a family holiday and shared a snap of her wearing an orange bikiniCredit: INSTAGRAM@NATALIE_PINKHAM
      Pinkham, 45, has also boosted her following with behind-the-scenes footage and photos from Formula One races and several of the other sports she covered down the years.
      And she recently treated her legion of followers to a rare insight into her personal life with a series of holiday snaps on Instagram – which include a bikini photo.
      Her accompanying caption read: “Long time, no sea.”
      Pinkham’s followers were quick to comment, with one saying: “How beautiful!!!!”
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      Another said: “Love.”
      And another said: “You’re such a beautiful woman Natalie.”
      One remarked: “You look amazing.”
      Another chimed in: ” Stunning.”
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      Natalie Pinkham is part of Sky Sports’ Formula OnCredit: REX
      She interviews some of the biggest names in the sportCredit: REX
      One of Pinkham’s 306,000 followers said: “Baywatch.”
      Another chimed in: “Gorgeous.
      Pinkham is married to Owain Walbyoff, the Managing Director at Endemol Games.
      The couple were engaged in November 2010 and ended up tying the knot in July 2012.
      They have two children together, a son named Otto – born in January 2015 – and a daughter named Willow, who entered the world in June 2016.
      Pinkham’s broadcasting career is said to have earned her a net worth of £1million
      Her salary is reportedly over a cool £100,000 a year. More

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      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell demand tougher penalties for F1 teams breaching spending cap after Red Bull fine

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      LEWIS HAMILTON and George Russell are demanding tougher penalties for teams that break Formula One’s spending limit.The sport is poised to be rocked by the latest breaches, with reports claiming THREE teams exceeded the $140million limit in 2022.
      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have called for harsher penaltiesCredit: Getty
      Red Bull were fined $7m last year and given a ten per cent reduction in wind-tunnel time as a punishment for breaching the $145m limit in 2021.
      But the row caused a bitter stink and Hamilton feels the penalty was not strict enough.
      He said: “It’s a concern. I mean, it wasn’t really a big punishment last time so there’s no real deterrent.
      “There’ll be people that will probably go for it again and know they’re just going to get slapped on the wrist.”
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      Asked what would be appropriate, Hamilton added: “I’m not going to say what it should be, it’s not my job.
      “We’ve people in place to police it but it doesn’t surprise me. It wasn’t a big penalty before.”
      His Mercedes team-mate Russell also called for greater punishment for repeat offenders.
      He added: “If anybody has breached any regulation, you want the punishment to represent the crime.
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      “Previous breaches, it didn’t. We don’t want to see it happen again. And if it’s a second-time offender, the punishment should be even greater. I trust the FIA, they won’t let anybody get away with something that shouldn’t have happened under their watch.”
      Meanwhile, Hamilton is closing on a new Mercedes deal, worth near £100m.
      The seven-time world champion is out of contract at the end of the season and says his new agreement — expected to be for two years — is in the hands of the lawyers.
      Hamilton, 38, was quizzed by SunSport ahead of this  weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix over the extension.
      He said: “I actually like these questions, so you can keep them going . . . it’s very, very close.”
      Asked if it would be tied up before the summer break — after next week’s Belgian GP — he added: “Nope . . . it might be announced at the end of the year. I might keep you waiting!
      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have spoken outCredit: Rex
      “It continues to be with the lawyers, back and forth. I’ve not been part of it the whole time. I’ve been removed from it from the beginning.
      “I’ve been wanting to focus on all the other things I have going on. The team has been working on it.
      “There’s no negotiation left. It’s just all the small bits.” More