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    Max Verstappen strolls to Monaco GP win to continue F1 dominance as rain causes chaos and helps Hamilton finish fourth

    NOT even a sudden downpour could stop Max Verstappen’s Monaco masterclass.The Dutchman was simply sublime in the dry during Saturday’s qualifying as he snatched pole right at the death to deny Fernando Alonso.
    Max Verstappen breezed to yet another race win in 2023Credit: Getty
    Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon completed the podiumCredit: Getty
    Lewis Hamilton had a drama-free ride around Monte Carlo despite the rainCredit: AFP
    And he played it beautifully here on Sunday as he excelled in the dry and kept his nerve in the wet – albeit coming extremely close to barriers on numerous occasions.
    Verstappen now has won four of the opening six races and has amassed a whopping 39-point over his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
    It looked all so straightforward until a shower two-thirds into this race threatened to turn it on its head, but the world champion weathered the storm.
    Verstappen, who overtook Sebastian Vettel on to a record 39 race wins for Red Bull, said: “It was a difficult one. The rain was coming and we didn’t know what was going on with the tyres.
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    “It started to rain lap by lap a bit more and it was incredibly slippery. You don’t want to push too hard and you don’t want to lose too much time.
    “I hit the barriers a few times, but that’s Monaco. It is super-nice to win it in this way, in the weather and stay super-calm and bring it home.”
    Verstappen made a clean start and managed to remain ahead of Alonso, who came close to hitting the barriers at turn one.
    But his Red Bull team-mate Perez was not having so much fortune, starting dead last.
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    The Mexican, who won this race last year to earn a new contract with the team, was caught up in a tangle with fellow backmarkers Nico Hulkenberg, Guanyu Zhou and Lance Stroll.
    Perez was forced to make a pitstop on lap one, dropping him further behind while Hulkenberg was hit with a five-second penalty for causing the mess.
    Carlos Sainz was next to make a mistake as he clattered into the back of Esteban Ocon while running in fourth place.
    The Spaniard locked up and lost part of his front wing after going to the Alpine driver.
    Out in front Verstappen was soon catching the backmarkers as he threaded his way through the congested streets like an on-the-clock food delivery driver.
    He was soon lapping his team-mate, who despite his best efforts was still languishing near the back.
    And so we settled in for the usual procession that sadly this once-thrilling spectacle can become.
    While Saturday’s qualifying session will remain the best of the season – as Verstappen and Alonso traded places with such mesmeric driving – Sunday’s race day has become somewhat tiresome and reliant upon some freak weather or an accident.
    First, the rain clouds moved away as they teased to help shuffle the order, but they did return to the Principality with a vengeance on Lap 52 of 78.
    The rain livened things up as drivers and teams panicked. Verstappen was noticeably agitated over the team’s radio.
    Verstappen was well clear and finished 27 seconds ahead of AlonsoCredit: AP
    Tom Holland and Neymar headed to the race as VIP guests of Red BullCredit: Getty
    Maria Sharapova and Orlando Bloom were also in Monte CarloCredit: Getty
    As he tiptoed his way around the wet track on slicks, incredibly Aston Martin called in Alonso and Stroll for new tyres at the end of lap 54 – but they bizarrely opted for new slicks.
    It was a terrible move and resulted in both drivers being forced to make another pit stop a lap later for intermediate tyres to cope with the standing water.
    It was the opposite for Mercedes, who played it smart and put both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on intermediates.
    Meanwhile, Verstappen was still on slicks and was forced to reduce his lap time after coming so close to striking the wall at Portier.
    It made it even more incredible that Aston had bungled their strategy as the Dutchman was a sitting duck – but only had Alonso been on the correct tyre.
    The rain continued to make things tricky while Verstappen eventually made it back to the pits for intermediate tyres.
    Sainz spun, Russell clattered into Perez, earning him a five-second penalty – and Stroll crashed out of the race.
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    But Verstappen held his nerve and while Aston’s tyre mistake made it easier, he was able to come home in first place 27 seconds clear of Alonso.
    Ocon made it home in third and Hamilton managed to move up to fourth place ahead of Russell after Ferrari’s tyre strategy dropped Charles Leclerc to sixth.
    Verstappen could enjoy the stunning setting in the principality with his massive leadCredit: Getty
    The Dutchman led the drivers off from pole position ahead of Fernando AlonsoCredit: Getty
    Kevin Magnussen struggled to cope with the downpourCredit: AFP More

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    Fans say ‘protect Martin Brundle at all costs’ after F1 presenter’s embarrassing gaffe while speaking to ex-Chelsea star

    FANS called for Martin Brundle to be “protected at all costs” after his latest hilarious blunder on the F1 grid walk.The Sky Sports F1 pundit did his famous stroll ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, stopping to speak to some famous celebrities along the way.
    Martin Brundle mistook Thibaut Courtois’ nationality at the Monaco Grand PrixCredit: Sky Sports
    But towards the end of his latest venture, he spoke to Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
    However, he mixed up his nationality and asked how he was looking forward to watching Spanish ‘compatriots’ Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz in Monte Carlo.
    But Courtois has 101 caps for… Belgium.
    A hesitating Brundle said: “Thibaut, Martin Brundle, Sky F1, good to see you.
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    “As a Spaniard, you’ve got Fernando Alonso and the lovely Carlos Sainz.”
    However, the Champions League winner handled it well.
    Courtois replied: “Yes indeed. In Spain, we are rooting a lot for this 33rd victory of Fernando.
    “He has a good starting position today so let’s see what can happen.”
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    Brundle then wrapped up and said: “Thank you very much.”
    But as he walked away, he added: “And of course, he’s Belgian not Spanish but anyway.”
    Fans watching on at home were loving the gaffe, though.
    One said: “Did Martin Brundle just call Thibaut Courtois a Spaniard? Please protect Brundle at all costs.”
    Another wrote: “Martin Brundle calling Thibaut Courtois Spanish perfectly sums up his grid walk.”
    A third added: “Martin Brundle mistakes Thibaut Courtois as being Spanish. Courtois is so polite he just goes along with it. Lovely stuff.”
    And a final user commented: “Martin Brundle calling Thibaut Courtois Spanish – this guy’s grid walks never fail to disappoint.”
    Earlier on, Brundle had chatted with Kylie Minogue, Orlando Bloom and Tom Kerridge.
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    However, he got into an x-rated altercation with a Red Bull crew member, who told him he could not let Brundle walk past otherwise he would get into “f***ing s***” – forcing the host to apologise.
    That all came a day after fans joked he “pulled an 89-year-old” when he got chatting to a veteran photographer before qualifying.
    Brundle earlier got into a row with a Red Bull crew memberCredit: Sky Sports More

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    Sky Sports’ F1 pundit Martin Brundle forced to apologise after Red Bull staff’s X-rated blast on live TV

    SKY SPORTS’ Martin Brundle was forced to apologise after a Red Bull crew member’s X-rated blast live on TV.The popular F1 pundit – who ‘pulled an 89-year-old’ yesterday – was doing his famous grid walk ahead of this afternoon’s Monaco Grand Prix.
    Martin Brundle was stopped in his tracks by a Red Bull crew memberCredit: Sky Sports
    A Sky producer told him they were live on airCredit: Sky Sports
    After already speaking to Kylie Minogue and then Orlando Bloom, Brundle tried to walk forwards.
    But the Red Bull staff blocked his path and stood in his way, ushering him away and shaking his head.

    The bloke, standing right in front of Neymar, Maria Sharapova and his boss Christian Horner, said: “No, no. I’m going to get in f***ing s***, dude.”
    A panicking Sky producer can then be heard repeating: “We’re live,” before putting his finger to his lips to signal for the crew member to be quiet and stop swearing.
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    Brundle then bundles past him and adds: “Yeah, sorry for the language there everybody,” before interviewing Horner.
    Incredibly, that was not the end of the drama for Brundle.
    Later on, he spoke to singer Beverley Knight and chef Tom Kerridge.
    But he then approached Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for a chat.
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    A hesitating Brundle said: “Thibaut, Martin Brundle, Sky F1, good to see to you.
    “As a Spaniard, you’ve got Fernando Alonso and the lovely Carlos Sainz.”
    Except, the ex-Chelsea stopper is actually Belgian – not Spanish.
    However, the 101-cap star and Champions League winner handled it well.
    Courtois replied: “Yes indeed. In Spain, we are rooting a lot for this 33rd victory of Fernando.
    “He has a good starting position today so let’s see what can happen.”
    Brundle then wrapped up and said: “Thank you very much.”
    But as he walked away, he added: “And of course, he’s Belgian not Spanish but anyway.”
    The Red Bull staff member dropped two swear words live on airCredit: Sky Sports
    Brundle apologised and managed to speak to Christian HornerCredit: Sky Sports More

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    F1 Monaco Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Verstappen wins by country mile as Hamilton fourth – latest

    MAX VERSTAPPEN has won the Monaco Grand Prix with ease – despite the rain showers rolling in.Lewis Hamilton worked his way up to fourth, but narrowly missed out on a podium.
    Celebrity A-listers were out in force in Monte Carlo for the most glamorous race on the F1 calendar.
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    Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
    Verstappen celebrates another win
    Max Verstappen keeps his record of finishing in the top two places in every Grand Prix this season.
    The Monaco Grand Prix ending up being a testing experience when the rain threw all the drivers a huge curve ball.
    With his Red Bull teammate pretty much out of this race due to his Q1 crash in qualifying, not many could see this race going any other way today.
    Credit: Getty
    Monaco Grand Prix has French podium finish
    Esteban Ocon has got himself a podium finish and scoops himself the driver of the day award in the process.
    It has been a good weekend for Ocon and he had to work hard to hold off the two Mercedes cars.
    Credit: @F1
    Monaco Grand Prix race results
    A testing race due to the rain but here are the results:

    Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
    Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
    Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
    Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
    George Russell (Mercedes)

    Max Verstappen wins the race by some 27 seconds from Fernando Alonso in second place.
    Max Verstappen wins Monaco Grand Prix
    Lap 77/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Hamilton still holds the fastest lap of the day.
    He must be happy with the upgrades to his car with a fourth placed finish today.
    George Russell still sits in fifth position and has an 11.5 second gap between himself and Charles Leclerc.
    Pierre Gasly is in seventh place with Carlos Sainz behind him.
    Lap 75/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Ocon could be in line for driver of the day today.
    If he can hold on to get himself a podium finish he will surely be in with a good shout.
    The two Mercedes have put pressure on him for long periods.
    Verstappen has now opened up a 26.7 second lead.
    Lap 73/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Max Verstappen has a huge lead in this race now.
    Apart from a monumental mistake, this is a sure win for the defending champion.
    Hamilton and Russell are managing to hold off Charles Leclerc.
    The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton still has his sights set on Esteban Ocon in third place.
    Credit: AFP
    Lap 71/78 – Verstappen leads, Ocon third
    Esteban Ocon is managing to open up more of a gap over Lewis Hamilton now.
    Meanwhile at the front of the race, Max Verstappen seems to have made all the right choices with his tyres today.
    As conditions changed rapidly it did create a situation for all drivers out on the track.
    Verstappen now has a 24 second lead on second place.
    Lap 69/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Lewis Hamilton, now in fourth place, has clocked the fastest lap of the day.
    Esteban Ocon will be focussed on trying to hold off the British driver to get himself a podium finish.
    There is a yellow flag in place in sectors 1 and 2 currently.
    Lap 67/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    The rain seems to have stopped now, whether the track will dry out in the short time left remains to be seen.
    It does seem to be drying quickly though.
    Verstappen looks nailed on for victory here with a 21.4 second lead over Fernando Alonso.
    If conditions change, Verstappen has enough of a lead that he can react and pit.
    Lap 65/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Max Verstappen has managed to open up a 19 second lead on Fernando Alonso.
    The Spaniard’s choice to not take the intermediate tyres will cost him any chance of challenging the Dutch driver.
    Had it panned out the other way, it could have been a race winning decision.
    These are the fine margins we deal with in Formula 1.
    Credit: AP
    Lap 63/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Lance Stroll is the first retirement of this race.
    Lewis Hamilton and George Russell find themselves in fourth and fifth place currently.
    Esteban Ocon sits in third place with a good distance between himself and fourth place.
    Russell has a five second penalty to serve still.
    Lap 61/78 – Verstappen leads, Russell comes off
    George Russell struggles on the first turn and comes off into the run off where Magnussen finds himself also.
    This wet weather is causing all sorts of problems for the drivers now.
    Despite struggling a few laps ago, Fernando Alonso has started to pick it up again and is shaving some time off Verstappen’s lead.
    The Spaniard is only 15 seconds behind the race leader now.
    Lap 59/78 – Verstappen leads, Magnussen hits wall
    Magnussen was due to come into to change to wets but before he has chance to, he slides into the wall.
    His car seems to come to a complete standstill but fortunately he gets it restarted and manages to drive into the pit.
    That would have changed everything if the safety car had come out.
    Fernando Alonso is managing to open up a gap on third place again.
    Meanwhile George Russell is penalised for an unsafe entry from the pits.
    Lap 57/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    The two pit stops for Alonso have caused him all sorts of problems as Ocon, Hamilton and Russell are all within touch of him.
    Fernando Alonso is now 22 seconds behind Max Verstappen.
    The Spanish driver could be struggling to hold onto his second place as Esteban Ocon gains on him all of the time.
    Lap 57/78 – Verstappen leads, rain causing issues
    In sector 2 the track is absolutely soaking and it is treacherous.
    A yellow flag has come out, teams are trying to get their drivers on intermediate tyres.
    Alonso opted for dry tyres and is having to come in to pit for the second time in three laps.
    Absolute carnage in Monaco.
    Credit: EPA
    Lap 55/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Sections of the track are now very wet.
    It means that drivers on worn tyres are having to crawl through these sections.
    Verstappen’s team tell him it may be a case of just taking it easy in the wet sections.
    Fernando Alonso has decided to come into the pit lane.
    Lap 53/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    The rain is starting to come down now as Max Verstappen tells his team about the weather.
    On very worn medium tyres this could be an issue for the Dutchman.
    Both Alonso and Verstappen are caught up in quite a bit of traffic now.
    The circuit is starting to look very slick with the rain coming down.
    Lap 51/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    There have been no retirements in this race so far today.
    We have never seen a Monaco Grand Prix end with no retirements whatsoever.
    There is some rain starting to sprinkle down with it threatening to break into a shower.
    Lap 49/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Both Verstappen and Alonso have yet to pit in this race.
    As the teams get more info on potential rain heading over, it is forcing the drivers to stay out there.
    George Russell is now in third place.
    Lap 47/78 – Verstappen leads, Gasly third
    After Charles Leclerc’s pit this has allowed Pierre Gasly to take third place.
    With George Russell now in fourth position.
    Max Verstappen is some 34.5 seconds ahead of third place.
    The weather radar is constantly changing and now no rain is expected for the remainder of the race.
    Credit: Reuters
    Lap 45/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Max Verstappen has done brilliantly to do this many laps on the graining medium tyres.
    He tells his team that he will try and keep going on them for as long as he can.
    Importantly, if he were to pit now, they could send him out onto a very clear track.
    Waiting could change this and may play into the hands of Alonso.
    Meanwhile, Leclerc was complaining about his tyres and has come into the pits.
    He returns to the track in eighth position.
    Lap 43/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Fernando Alonso is currently 20 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in third place.
    Aston Martin are keen for him to open up such a lead in excess of 21 seconds to allow him to pit and come back out ahead of the Ferrari.
    With 78 laps in the race, having not pitted yet, it would take some drive to do it on one set of tyres.
    Lap 41/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Verstappen has clear road in front of him now.
    Red Bull are concerned that if he pits, he will still come out behind Fernando Alonso.
    With the Spaniard on hard tyres, he could take them through to the finish.
    Lewis Hamilton has clocked the fasted lap of the day but still sits in eighth place.
    Lap 39/78 – Verstappen leads, Alonso second
    Lance Stroll is causing a lot of drivers headaches today.
    He has a lot of coming togethers with other cars so far.
    Verstappen is edging ahead of Alonso once again on very worn medium tyres.
    Some great driving from the Dutch driver on very grained tyres.
    Credit: Getty
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    Watch shocking moment F2 star Victor Martins almost hits fire marshal on track in horror near miss ahead of Monaco GP

    VICTOR MARTINS almost hit a fire marshal during this morning’s Formula 2 Monaco GP.The terrifying incident occurred as Martins failed to slow down under a yellow flag.

    Victor Martins was just inches away from hitting a marshal at high speedCredit: F1 TV
    Martins was involved in a terrifying incident at this morning’s F2 Monaco GPCredit: F1 TV
    The Frenchman subsequently received a drive-through penalty – with fans left disgusted on social media.
    One wrote: “Victor Martins will be lucky to not get a race ban for this, inches away from a horrible incident.”
    While a second opined: “Disqualification is the minimum for this, a drive through is way too light.”
    A third fumed: “That was stupid and dangerous as f***.”
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    And a fourth tweeted: “Far too close for comfort!”
    Another then added: “Yeah that was bloody close.”
    Jack Doohan’s car set on fire following a crash during lap 22, prompting a double yellow flag to be waved.
    Fire marshals entered to extinguish Doohan’s car, before nearly being struck.
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    Martins, 21, had not slowed significantly enough to avoid an extremely dangerous situation.
    And his onboard camera subsequently showed just how close he was to a tragic incident.
    Following his penalty, the Alpine academy driver dropped to eighth in the order.
    Martins, 21, received a drive-through penaltyCredit: Getty More

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    World’s sexiest tennis player Maria Sharapova joins no bra club as she awards Max Verstappen pole prize at Monaco GP

    MAX VERSTAPPEN was presented with the prize for pole position at the Monaco Grand Prix by Maria Sharapova.The Dutch driver will start tomorrow’s race at the front of the grid.
    Maria Sharapova presented Max Verstappen with his pole position tyreCredit: Getty
    The Russian tennis ace opted for a yellow outfitCredit: Getty
    The pair shared a joke on the platformCredit: Getty
    He pipped Fernando Alonso by just 0.084sec – despite clipping a wall on his flying lap.
    And two-time F1 world champ Verstappen received his trophy tyre from none other than the former Wimbledon champion.
    Sharapova, previously dubbed the world’s sexiest tennis player and the four-time hottest athlete, is now sporting a fresh new look with brunette hair rather than her iconic blonde locks.
    And the glamorous Russian opted for a long yellow outfit which revealed she was not wearing a bra on the stage in Monte Carlo.
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    Sharapova, 36, has proven she is still a star attraction despite retiring from tennis in 2020 and is now a mum to baby Theodore.
    The Florida-based former athlete has become a successful businesswoman since ending her playing career three years ago – and was at the recent F1 Accelerate Summit in Miami.
    She was one of the best players of her generation, winning Wimbledon aged just 17 in 2004.
    She is one of just ten women ever to lift all four Grand Slams – completing her set at the 2012 French Open which she won again in 2014.
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    Sharapova’s on-court performances saw her earn £31million in prize money.
    But it was off the court she raked in the money with a further reported £231m in sponsorship and modelling deals with the likes of Nike, Evian, Porsche and TAG Heuer.
    In fact, Sharapova was the highest-paid female athlete in the world across all sports between 2006 and 2016.
    However, despite being one of the greatest female players of her generation, her legacy was tainted in 2016 as she received a 15-month ban for failing a drugs test with meldonium in her system.
    Verstappen pipped Fernando Alonso to the front of the gridCredit: EPA
    Sharapova retired in 2020 but is enjoying life in business and as a mumCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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    Max Verstappen grabs Monaco GP pole ahead as Lewis Hamilton finishes sixth in new Mercedes after horror practice crash

    MAX VERSTAPPEN produced a thrilling final lap to deny Fernando Alonso pole position for the Monaco GP.The Dutchman left it late – and clipped a wall – but clinched P1 by just 0.084sec.
    Fernando Alonso was so close to pole before Verstappen’s epic late lapCredit: Getty
    It spoiled a perfect run from Alonso, who looked to have taken his first pole since 2012.
    Alonso will line up in second on the grid ahead of Charles Leclerc in a pulsating qualifying session.
    Esteban Ocon was fourth and Carlos Sainz fifth while Lewis Hamilton will start in sixth.
    Hamilton had only just scraped into Q2 after getting caught up in traffic and making a mistake at the chicane in Q1.
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    He recovered in time while his Mercedes team-mate George Russell will line up in eighth place on the grid.
    However, Sergio Perez was less fortunate and will start last after crashing out during Q1.
    The Mexican, who won this race last year and is second in the championship, lost control at Turn One.
    He slammed hard into the barriers sideways, bringing an early end to his qualifying session.
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    George Russell heads to Monaco GP with girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt after shock revelation on Lewis Hamilton’s future

    ROMANTIC George Russell arrived at the Monaco Grand Prix with his arm around girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt.The loved-up pair rocked up in style at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo.
    George Russell arrived at the Monaco GP alongside Carmen Montero MundtCredit: Getty
    The pair hopped on a Mercedes boat to the race trackCredit: Alamy
    They were all smiles in the sunshineCredit: Alamy
    Lewis Hamilton arrived in a yellow outfitCredit: Getty
    They were all smiles as they stepped off a boat together and then strolled towards the paddock.
    Russell wore a white Mercedes T-shirt with white shorts while his glamorous partner Carmen stunned in a strapless white top and a long blue skirt in the Mediterranean sunshine.
    It was a short commute into work for Russell, who moved to the principality over the winter after his first year as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate.
    And he was in a bullish mood on home turf in the wake of the bombshell news that Hamilton is set to sign a new £50million deal with the Silver Arrows.
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    In theory, that keeps Russell as the so-called No2 in the team.
    But the King’s Lynn ace does not see it that way, especially after finishing above Hamilton in the drivers’ standings last season and outqualifying the seven-time world champ in four out of five races so far this year.
    Russell told the Daily Mail: “I don’t care at all whether Lewis stays or Lewis goes, because I believe I can beat anyone on the grid.
    “You couldn’t choose to be in a better position than to go up against Lewis.
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    “What a way to test myself. While we’re in this position, he is invaluable to me. There can be no excuses on either side. He’s pushing me, I’m pushing him. I am here to beat everybody.
    “I never had any self-doubt and having these 15 months alongside him has reinforced that. My confidence has grown.
    “We have a good relationship and it would be great if we could turn this around and help the team to winning ways.
    “Lewis is very good with people. He’s very caring, he works exceptionally hard. He’s comfortable travelling a lot, doing a lot of activities. It wouldn’t be a lifestyle many athletes want.
    “It may not be this year or next that everything falls into place. But look at Fernando [Alonso], aged 41. So I have at least 15 good years left in me.
    “You have to be patient, keep working, doing your thing, and no doubt my time will come.”
    Russell and Hamilton have continued to be left flagging in an inferior car against the likes of Red Bull and now Aston Martin.
    Their W14 machine has undergone major surgery in recent weeks with £1m spent on new parts alone to try and compete once more.
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    But just a day after lauding the efforts of the engineers in the Mercedes factory, Hamilton crashed into the wall during third practice – damaging his front left wheel just hours before qualifying.
    The Monaco GP gets underway tomorrow at 2pm UK time as Russell and Hamilton try and cut away at rival Max Verstappen’s championship lead.
    Russell’s team-mate Lewis Hamilton crashed into the wall during practiceCredit: Getty
    Russell is confident he can beat anyone on the track, including HamiltonCredit: Splash More