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      I used to be an F1 driver… but now I’m a billionaire and in charge of the world’s biggest pasta company

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      FORMER F1 driver Paolo Barilla is now a billionaire in charge of the world’s biggest pasta company.The Italian enjoyed a solid motor racing career before retiring to go into the family business in 1990.
      Paolo Barilla was an F1 driver before becoming deputy chairman of the Barilla GroupCredit: 2016 Getty Images
      Roger Federer has been in adverts for Barilla pasta
      He has since become the deputy chairman of the Barilla Group – the world’s largest pasta producer.
      Alongside his brothers Guido and Luca as well as their sister Emanuella, Barilla shares an 85 per cent stake in the company.
      As a result, he was listed as a billionaire by Forbes in 2018 with a net worth of $1.1billion (£910million).
      Before his success with the family business, though, Barilla competed in both Formula Two and Formula 3000 during the 1980s.
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      He later raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning in 1985 for New-Man Joest Racing.
      Alongside co-drivers Klaus Ludwig and Louis Krages, the trio tasted glory in their Porsche 956B but failed to finish the race the following year.
      Barilla then went on to race in F1 with Minardi, but his time in the sport was marred by his habit of not qualifying.
      From his 15 race entries, Barilla made just nine starts, with a best finish of 11th coming at the 1990 San Marino Grand Prix.
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      Barilla competed for Minardi between 1989 and 1990Credit: 2016 Getty Images
      He left Minardi later that year and joined the family business, which had been founded in 1877 by his great-grandfather Pietro Barilla Sr.
      The company has since been passed down through three generations and now does business in over 100 countries around the world.
      Barilla did make a brief return to racing in 2014, winning the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco in the Formula Three class. More

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      F1 bosses considering huge format change with radical new plan slammed as ‘bulls***’ by Sebastian Vettel

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      FORMULA ONE chiefs are re-considering the introduction of a reverse sprint grid – a move Sebastian Vettel called “bulls***.”CEO Stefano Domenicali described the idea as necessary to prevent the sport from stagnating.
      The current sprint race format was introduced in 2021Credit: Rex
      Vettel has previously hit out at the idea of reversing the gridCredit: Getty
      This means that drivers would start the sprint race in reverse order.
      Using the current standings, Max Verstappen would start last, while Daniel Ricciardo would start at the front of the pack.
      F1 bosses are prepared to consider reverse grid sprint races amid growing concerns that the current format has been unsuccessful in creating enough excitement. 
      Fans showed a lack of interest in the ‘boring’ United States GP Sprint race as ticket sales suggested a clear drop in demand.
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      A report from Autosport explains that team bosses have begun informal discussions about the changes.
      It would involve either the top ten being switched or even the entire order being shuffled back to front.
      But Vettel has previously hit out at the idea of reversing the order.
      He told Motorsport: “I think it is complete bullshit, to be honest.
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      “I don’t know which genius came up with it, but it is not the solution. It is completely the wrong approach.”
      While seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has also been critical of reversing grids.
      Hamilton said in 2020: “The people that proposed that don’t really know what they are talking about.”
      While Mercedes boss Toto Wolff feels it is a flawed idea, as F1 has long been known for its purity of competition.
      Wolff told Autosport: “I’m conservative in racing. I’d rather have no sprint races than meddling.
      “Even more with reverse grid races, we are going towards Formula E where sport follows entertainment, while entertainment should follow sport.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton announces next career move away from F1 as fans rejoice ‘I’m loving this direction’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has announced he is launching a new career for when he leaves F1.The seven-time world champion has founded Almave – a unique non -alcoholic spirit.
      Lewis Hamilton has launched his own non-alcoholic tequilaCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton
      The former world champion is planning for life after F1Credit: Reuters
      While he yearns for Mercedes to return to form, Hamilton has unveiled his latest business venture.
      He has collaborated with Mexican distillers Iván Saldaña and Casa Lumbre to introduce Almave.
      The British ace took to social media to tell fans that the product is the world’s first and only non-alcoholic spirit created from real blue agave – the plant used to make tequila.
      The crafting process mirrors tequila-making, omitting only the fermentation stage when the drink becomes alcoholic.
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      Hamilton posted on his Instagram: “It’s finally here. Almave is for people like myself, who are always pushing the limits of what’s possible.
      “Who enjoy the taste of tequila but are focused on balance, longevity, and living fully.
      “When I first met Ivan two things became clear: we both like tequila and something was missing from the market.
      “I’m so proud to be a founder and hope you approach it with an open mind.”
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      And fans have rejoiced at the Mercedes driver’s one-of-a-kind innovation.
      One fan wrote: ” I’m loving this direction.”
      Another said: “It’s alcohol free? Where can I sign up for a taste test?”
      A third wrote: “This is perfect!”
      A fourth declared: “Congratulations champ, I can’t wait to try it.”
      There had been rampant speculation that Hamilton could call time on his career soon.
      But the F1 ace is not giving up just yet, after signing a £100m contract extension with Mercedes in August.
      Hamilton will eventually retire as an all time great More

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      Ferrari chief turns into Jurgen Klopp with outrageous excuse for Charles Leclerc’s US GP disqualification

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      FERRARI sporting director Diego Ioverno cited wind as one reason why Charles Leclerc was disqualified from last weekend’s US Grand Prix.Leclerc, 26, had finished P6 in the latest Formula One race before he and Lewis Hamilton – who had finished P2 – were disqualified for running illegal floors.
      Charles Leclerc was disqualified from the US Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Ferrari chief Diego Ioverno cited a list of reasons why the disqualification had happenedCredit: Getty
      Their race results were canned after the planks on the floor of their cars were found to have failed to meet F1 regulations for the minimum thickness allowed.
      The planks, which run along the centre of the floor on the car, are designed to protect the bottom of the car from scraping along the ground which sometimes causes sparks to fly as seen on TV.
      Ride height can heavily impact aerodynamic performance, but cars have to be a certain height to meet safety standards, which Hamilton and Leclerc’s cars failed to do.
      In a post to the team’s social media page, Ferrari chief Ioverno explained what had caused the failure, citing lack of practice, set up time and track bumpiness on the list of reasons for the ruling.
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      The 49-year-old said: “The sprint weekend is very peculiar and you have very little time to prepare the car [with] basically only one session and then you go in parc ferme (when only minor adjustments are allowed).
      “It means that from that moment onwards you cannot touch the car any more. On top of this, Austin is a super nice track but it is extremely bumpy.
      “Bumpiness is a difficult topic for drivers and for cars, in the past almost everyone failed the suspension and failed the chassis.
      “We knew it would have been tricky and this is the reason why we also lifted the car throughout FP1, and from our consideration it should have been OK.”
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      In a similar vein to Jurgen Klopp famously blaming weather for a Liverpool defeat, Ioverno then said wind as another reason for the penalty.
      He continued: “As a matter of fact, it turned out we were anyhow too marginal and also because of the wind that changed direction and had a stronger intensity than what was forecasted, this brought our car to not be legal at the end.
      “There is not a lot to say and not a lot in this moment that we can do.
      “With hindsight, rewinding the weekend we may have lifted even more the car but we would have lost performance, and we are here always to try to optimise our own performance.”
      Reacting to the post, one fan said: “Unbelievable.”
      A second said: “You have to be safe than sorry. This marginal change disqualified a car and Ferrari lose important points. Have to be more careful next time.”
      A third wrote: “Irresponsible from a big team like Ferrari to let something like this happen, especially when their driver starts on pole.”
      However, it should be noted margins in F1 – a sport constantly on the edge – such as weather changes and track temperature can make a world of difference to performance.
      Following the disappointment, Leclerc and seven-time F1 champion Hamilton shared a joint post on Instagram of them looking miserable, captioning the post “mood”.
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      Ex-F1 star and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle questioned why the remaining cars were not tested, given half of the checked cars had turned out to be illegal.
      F1 returns next weekend at the Mexican GP.
      Ioverno’s wind excuse echoed Jurgen Klopp’s own weather-based excusesCredit: Rex
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Man rushed to hospital after huge explosion at Formula E testing as garage catches fire & scared staff scream ‘get out’

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      FORMULA E’s pre-season testing has been halted as a man was rushed to hospital after an explosion set a team garage on fire.The accident took place at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo and was probably caused by a battery explosion.
      A huge explosion took place during Formula E pre-season testingCredit: Splash
      A man was rushed to hospital but is believed to have escaped serious damageCredit: Splash
      A loud bang was heard from inside the Williams garage, who supply the batteries for the series.
      A man was then rushed to the medical centre after appearing to suffer from smoke inhalation and potential burns.
      However, it has been reported that he escaped without any serious damage.
      Members of staff were seen running away from the garage shouting, “Get out, get out” as the fire brigade rushed to the scene.
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      A Formula E statement read: “In a break between practice sessions, a fire was detected in the pit lane and garage area which has been contained.
      “The on-track Incident Response Team acted immediately to contain the incident while the main pit building and garages were quickly evacuated.
      “One person has been assessed by medics and has been transported to hospital for precautionary checks.
      “Formula E, the FIA and local fire authorities are investigating the cause and will provide a further update in due course. Fire crews remain on site to put out the blaze.”
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      The incident occurred after the Formula E cars returned to the garage following their first three-hour session.
      About 3,000 staff members, teams and journalists were present for the first day of the pre-season test.
      An eye-witness said: “There was a huge bang and everyone started running from the garages.
      “We couldn’t believe how quickly it escalated, there were people sprinting away, others tried to run back but couldn’t because of the smoke. We were evacuated from the pit lane really quickly.” More

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      Martin Brundle blasts FIA after Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification from US Grand Prix as he questions ‘grey area’

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      EX-FORMULA ONE star Martin Brundle has questioned the FIA after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from the US Grand Prix.Hamilton and Leclerc broke their silence on social media with a one-word post following the decision to disqualify them after they were found to have run illegal floors during the race in Austin, Texas.
      Lewis Hamilton was disqualified after being found to have run an illegal floor at the US GPCredit: Splash
      Martin Brundle questioned why the FIA only checked four cars after half were found to be illegalCredit: Getty
      The Mercedes and Ferrari drivers were two of four stars picked for random spot checks after the race.
      And they were disqualified due to their cars failing to hit the minimum thickness of the titanium skidblock, or planks, that are legally allowed to run along the centre of the floor on the car.
      In theory, it means they were able to run their cars closer to the ground and get better speed in the corners.
      However, with half of the selected cars failing to stay legal, it led Sky Sports presenter Brundle to question why the FIA did not then check the remaining 17 cars which finished the race.
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      In his post-race column for Sky Sports, he said: “At a bumpy track like Austin, and with only one practice session, setting a ride height for the duration of the event is quite a challenge with regard to performance, and driver and car tolerance, and of course plank-wear legality, especially with a full fuel tank.
      “If they simply raised the car to be cautious, they’d lose so much performance they may as well pack up and go home.

      “After the race four cars were checked, including [Max] Verstappen’s Red Bull and [Lando] Norris’ McLaren, and both Hamilton’s Mercedes and Leclerc’s Ferrari were found to have too much wear, for which the only remedy is disqualification, however minimal the indiscretion.
      “There can be no grey area on this.”
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      He continued: “The next big question, however, is that if 50 per cent of the tested cars failed, then shouldn’t all the finishers have been checked? The answer must surely be yes.
      “It must be said that the FIA checks pre and post-race are beyond comprehensive.
      “The published list includes over 50 separate and detailed checks mostly on all classified finishers, and a few on randomly selected cars.”
      Leclerc was also unhappy with the decision, liking a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, which echoed Brundle’s thoughts.
      The post from F1 content creator Tom Bellingham said: “The fact only four cars get checked and half of them were illegal makes you wonder if anyone else would have failed this?
      “Surely it can’t just be the (bad) luck of the draw of getting checked.”
      The 26-year-old, who was celebrating his 100th race in F1 at Ferrari, later unliked the post.
      F1 returns next weekend at the Mexican GP.
      Hamilton and Charles Leclerc posted a shared Instagram picture togetherCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Lewis Hamilton breaks silence on social media in cryptic one-word post alongside F1 rival Leclerc after disqualification

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      LEWIS HAMILTON broke his silence after being disqualified from the USA Grand Prix.Hamilton finished a close second behind Max Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas on Sunday.
      Lewis Hamilton had finished P2 at last weekend’s F1 GPCredit: Reuters
      But Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified for running illegal floorsCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton
      However, he and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc were sensationally disqualified from the race after being found to be running an illegal floor in a random spot check after the race.
      The skidblock, commonly known as the plank, is designed to protect the bottom of the car from scraping along the ground with the two cars failing to meet FIA regulations for the minimum thickness allowed.
      The part, which also provides the sparks seen on TV, has to be a certain thickness and the two cars did not meet the requirement.
      Following the race, the pair took to Instagram in a joint post, with a one-word caption accompanying an image of them looking miserable.
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      The post, already liked by two million people, simply said: “Mood.”
      Following the race, 38-year-old Hamilton said: “It is of course disappointing to be disqualified post-race but that doesn’t take away from the progress we’ve made this weekend.”
      Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff added: “Set-up choices on a sprint weekend are always a challenge with just one hour of free practice – and even more so at a bumpy circuit like COTA and running a new package.
      “In the end, all of that doesn’t matter; others got it right where we got it wrong and there’s no wiggle room in the rules. 
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      “We need to take it on the chin, do the learning, and come back stronger next weekend.”
      Hamilton will be in action next weekend at the Mexican GP.
      He is chasing Sergio Perez in P2 for the championship and currently sits 39 points behind him.
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      F1 fans obsessed with Kelly Piquet’s hilarious blanket as Verstappen’s model girlfriend shares stunning snaps from US GP

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      KELLY PIQUET has F1 fans obsessed with her Max Verstappen blanket.The Brazilian model showed it off as she shared a series of snaps from the United States Grand Prix.
      F1 fans have been left obsessed with Kelly Piquet’s Max Verstappen blanketCredit: Instagram @kellypiquet
      Kelly shared a series of snaps from the United States Grand Prix with her followersCredit: Instagram @kellypiquet
      Kelly, 34, had been in Austin, Texas to cheer on Verstappen as he claimed his 15th win of the season.
      As they left the USA, Kelly posted a number of pictures from the trip to Instagram.
      She posed in a towel in her hotel room along with several glamorous pictures from the race weekend.
      However, it was a snap of herself smiling whilst wrapped in a Verstappen blanket which caught the attention of fans.
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      One follower commented: “The Max blanket pic is just a bit cute.”
      Another added: “THE BLANKET!”
      A third fan also wrote: “The blanket. I love it!”
      Meanwhile, one more asked: “Where do we buy the blanket omg.”
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      The Brazilian model looked glamorous in the paddock in Austin, TexasCredit: Instagram @kellypiquet
      She congratulated her boyfriend Verstappen after his 15th win of the seasonCredit: AFP
      Kelly’s smiles came after she had watched her boyfriend secure yet another race victory.
      She had earlier been caught on camera looking unimpressed, though, as Verstappen was awarded his trophy.
      The model looked nonplussed in the crowd at the Circuit of the Americas as fans cheered on the Dutchman.
      Verstappen, 26, has won all but three of the 18 races so far this season and wrapped up the Drivers’ Championship in the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race earlier this month.
      He and Kelly first started dating in late 2020, with Kelly having a strong connection to F1.
      Her dad Nelson Piquet is a legend of the sport, while her brother Nelson Jr. also raced for Renault.
      Verstappen first started dating Kelly in late 2020Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/
      Kelly has 1.3million Instagram followersCredit: Getty More