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      Felipe Massa reveals why he’s trying to have Lewis Hamilton stripped of F1 title as he insists ‘it’s not about money’

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      FELIPE MASSA claims his attempts to overturn Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 F1 title are about justice and “not money”.The Brazilian has started a legal challenge based on claims that former supremo Bernie Ecclestone knew details about the “crashgate” scandal.
      Felipe Massa believes their was injustice in 2008Credit: AFP or licensors
      Lewis Hamilton won his first title, pipping Felipe Massa by a point
      Crashgate occurred at the 2008 Singapore GP where Renault’s Nelson Piquet Jr intentionally crashed to assist his team-mate Fernando Alonso in the race.
      The knock-on result was Ferrari stuffed up Massa’s pitstop and ultimately cost him points in the race, which would have been crucial come the end of the season as Hamilton won the title by a point.
      Massa is now seeking his options to have the decision overturned, based on Ecclestone’s failure to act on the information at the time.
      He said: “The first thing when Bernie’s comment [came out] I was really, really surprised, for those comments.
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      “Because everybody knows what happened in the race, everything came out in 2009.
      “We hear after that also that Charlie [Whiting] knew and Max [Mosley] [both from the FIA], so for me it’s the injustice for the sport.
      “It shows that maybe every decision on the legal side, everything that happens, it was not correct in that situation.
      “So I took the decision to study the legal side of everything that happened. I’m not doing this for money but I’m doing this for justice.
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      “Not only for me, but for my friends, my country, my family, Ferrari and Ferrari fans, so in the end there are so many things.
      “You know what a championship does for a country? You can develop the country, we don’t have Brazilian drivers now racing as well, so there are so many things.
      “This is racing, everything that went wrong is part of the game. When you have a problem in the engine or when you have a mistake.
      “You cannot really say ‘I was wrong because my engine broke down’. No. But what happened in that race is a different situation.”
      Felipe Massa wants Lewis Hamilton stripped of the championshipCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Hamilton is a seven-time world championCredit: Reuters More

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      F1 stars and their glam women, from Hollywood stars Anne Hathaway and Cameron Diaz to pop queen Taylor Swift

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      FORMULA 1 has always attracted the rich and famous.From the glitterati of Hollywood’s finest to the latest pop chart sensation, A-listers are drawn to the sport like no other.
      Anne Hathaway was filmed deep in conversation with Daniel Ricciardo
      Ricciardo was a guest at the Met GalaCredit: Rex
      Hathaway admitted she was a huge fan of F1Credit: Rex
      If it’s not the fast-paced action it could be the lure of the handsome drivers that bring the celebrity fans to the paddock.
      Whatever the reason, these are the glam women associated with F1’s driver’s in one form of another.
      Whether they show their love for motor racing at a super-exclusive parties or on the circuit – they are all fans.
      Anne Hathaway
      The Oscar-winning actress let slip she was a huge F1 fan when she met Aussie Daniel Ricciardo at the recent Met Gala in New York.
      Read more on F1
      In a video shared online, Hathaway could be seen shaking hands with the Honey Badger while beaming a huge smile towards him.
      In the clip, she could be heard saying: “Wow. I’m a huge fan of F1.”
      Taylor Swift
      Of course, now Taylor is reportedly off the market and dating 1975 frontman Matt Healy.
      But it was Fernando Alonso who was linked with the Anti-Hero singer first.
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      Rampant rumours online suggested the pair were secretly courting.
      And Alonso did little to stop the talk as he often hinted at a relationship.
      The Spaniard posted a TikTok of himself listening to her music and also avoided questions about the rumours.
      Fernando Alonso fuelled rumours he was dating Taylor SwiftCredit: Instagram
      Swift is now reportedly off the market nowCredit: Getty
      Cameron Diaz
      Something About Mary star Diaz is a huge fan of the glitzy Monaco Grand Prix.
      She was spotted mingling with the Mercedes AMG Petronas team in the paddock before the 2013 race.
      And she must have brought them luck – with Nico Rosberg victorious on that occasion.
      But Diaz has always had a need for speed.
      Speaking about inheriting her mum’s VW van, she admitted: “The moment I got my hands on it, I would get it up to 80mph in the fast lane. It was so big, no one wanted to drive near me. It was a case of ‘Get out of my way.’
      Cameron Diaz takes in the action at the Monaco Grand PrixCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Diaz is glued to the action in the Mercedes AMG PetronasCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Rihanna
      When your mates with Lewis Hamilton, it’s a given you will get an invite to a race.
      The pair were rumoured to have dated, although the seven-time world champion shot those rumours down and confirmed they were just good pals.
      The Umbrella singer got more than to just attend a meet.
      Instead, she closed the Abu Dhabi grand prix by performing an epic concert filled with her greatest hits.
      Rihanna visits Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren garage ahead of the Canada Grand PrixCredit: BBC
      Hamilton and Rihanna are close friendsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Dua Lipa
      What RiRi can do, so can Dua Lipa.
      In 2018 she shared the stage with Dutch DJ Martin Garrix at the Singapore Grand Prix.
      Beforehand, she enjoyed the festivities the race had to offer.
      Interestingly, she also appeared as a FIFA character in an update alongside Lewis Hamilton.
      Dua Lipa was spotted at the Singapore Grand Prix in 2018
      Paris Hilton
      The heiress to the Hilton hotel group and reality TV star is another huge F1 fan.
      Back in 2016, she DJ’d at the Abu Dhabi GP afterparty at VIP Room nightclub with Hamilton.
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      Then last year she was a guest at the Miami Grand Prix, where she hung out with Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo and Serena Williams.
      Hilton was also the owner of a McLaren SLR once upon a time too.
      Paris Hilton is a fan of F1 – attending the Miami Grand Prix
      Hilton met up with Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo and Serena Williams More

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      Lewis Hamilton doesn’t know if he’s invited to King Charles Coronation as he says ‘I haven’t seen my mail for years’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed he has “no idea” if he received an invitation to King Charles’ Coronation. Brits will watch the crowning of a new monarch for the first time since 1953 tomorrow following the Queen’s passing last year.
      Lewis Hamilton has one podium from the opening four races of the season so farCredit: Splash
      King Charles, 74, will be officially crowned tomorrowCredit: EPA
      But Hamilton will be juggling other responsibilities as he looks to get Mercedes’ season back on track at the Miami Grand Prix.
      The seven times world champions said he will try to tune in from the garage tomorrow, but is not sure if he received an invite.
      Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz asked the star, who was knighted in 2021 by King Charles, if had been invited to attend the ceremony.
      Hamilton said: “I have no idea. I have no idea. I don’t see my mail. I’ve not seen my mail in years.”
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      Kravitz responded: “You probably did get an invitation, you know…”
      Hamilton added: “Kind of neat if I did, if I didn’t it’s okay. Amazing I’m going to hopefully have it live while I’m engineering.”

      The 38-year-old has met the new King on multiple occasions previously.
      Even before he was knighted in 2021, Hamilton met the monarch in 1997 when the future F1 star was just a 12-year-old karting prodigy.
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      The driver previously told Vanity Fair: “When I had signed into 1997 and then I went to McLaren, Prince Charles came to open up the factory. And that day I remember having my go-kart and I was sitting there, and Prince Charles knelt down next to me and spoke to me. 
      “I was like, ‘Hey, I’m Lewis Hamilton. One day, I want to be a Formula 1 champion. When I stood up [after being knighted in 2021], he’s like, ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. You’ve come a long way.
      “And I’m like, ‘Yes, honoured to see you, your Highness. Thank you so much for having me and my family, this gesture,’ just telling him how grateful I am for this moment.” More

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      George Russell blasts back at ‘pathetic’ F1 rival Verstappen for ‘spitting his dummy out’ with ‘d***head’ blast

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      GEORGE RUSSELL says Max Verstappen “spat his dummy out” with his “pathetic” blast in Baku.Angry Verstappen labelled Russell “a d***head” after they made contact during the Azerbaijan GP Sprint race.
      George Russell has defended his overtaking move after taking a chunk out of Max Verstappen’s Red BullCredit: Splash
      Live TV cameras caught Verstappen criticising Russell after the sprintCredit: Splash
      The Dutchman confronted the Mercedes man at the end of the race to remonstrate.
      Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Miami GP, Russell said: “It was all a little bit pathetic.
      “I think something you learn as a kid is if you’re going to give something you’ve got to be willing to take it as well.
      “He’s had his fair share of giving moves like that and being tough and hard at racing and it’s a little bit poor to see how he sort of spat his dummy out when it was the first time he probably got something back in the same regard.
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      “From my side there was nothing really to say. I thought it was good racing, exciting racing and that’s the only thing that happened that weekend.
      “We’re both drivers, we’ve both been in the sport a long time now and we have plenty of experience. 
      “We’ll have a chat, everything is fine, move on and I guess we’ll laugh about it one day.”
      Russell and Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel from the very first corner in the revamped sprint before making contact.
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      The Brit had gone down the inside of the two-times world champion on the tight and twisty Baku streets and left Verstappen with missing bodywork after they touched.
      With Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc getting both poles in the qualifying sessions and Sergio Perez winning both the sprint and the Grand Prix, it was Verstappen’s least convincing weekend of the season.
      Some fans have defended Russell’s move and pointed out that Verstappen is known for his own fearless overtakes and uncompromising racing.
      The young drivers could meet on track again this weekend if Mercedes can keep up with Red Bull, something they have failed to do for most of the season. More

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      Lewis Hamilton makes decision on F1 future amid Mercedes contract talks and retirement rumours

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      LEWIS HAMILTON wants to sign a new multi-year contract with Mercedes as he rallies against suggestions he will retire.The seven-time world champion is out of contract at the end of this season but has always stated his intention to stay in F1.
      Lewis Hamilton has made a call on his Mercedes futureCredit: Reuters
      But rather than agreeing a 12-month extension to his deal with Mercedes, worth £40million a year, he wants to open up discussions about a longer-term contract.
      Hamilton, 38, said ahead of this weekend’s Miami GP that he is taking motivation from veteran basketball star LeBron James and NFL’s Tom Brady, by extending his career.
      He said: “I’m not at the end of my career, I’m not in the downhill slope of my career. I’m in my prime.
      “It all depends on how hard I want to work and keep myself in my prime, in terms of physical and mental capability.
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      “If you look at LeBron, if you look at Tom Brady, they have shown that it can be sustained for as long as you are dedicated enough to put the energy and time in.
      “Right now, I don’t plan on changing, I only plan on adding to the drive and the motivation and to being better. I’m massively driven.”
      With his future in the balance – at least contractually – there has been speculation linking Charles Leclerc with a move from Ferrari to become Hamilton’s replacement.
      It is a rumour that Hamilton shot down as he repeated his desire to remain with the Silver Arrows.
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      He added: “I’d be lying if I said I’d never thought about ending my career anywhere else. I started at McLaren, I’d like to think I’ll always be a part of the McLaren family.
      “I started there when I was 13 years old [as a junior driver], so I thought about what it would look like if I was at McLaren one day.
      “I thought about and watched the Ferrari drivers on the screens at the track and of course you wonder what it would be like to be in red…
      “But then I go to my team, to Mercedes, and this is my home. I’m happy where I am. I haven’t signed a contract yet, but we are working on one.”
      Hamilton is now set for the Miami GP this weekend with the track running around the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium.
      He said: “The weather is insane, it’s one of the most gruelling tracks for us. Not only as drivers but also the car with this heat. It’s exciting to be here.
      “But Miami is a dream for us to be here. In the States but also in a big important city like Miami where sports is huge here.
      “You’ve obviously got the Miami Heat, the Dolphins. They are massive sporting fans.”
      Hamilton joined his fellow F1 stars at the Hard Rock StadiumCredit: Alamy More

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      Toto Wolff insists Mercedes are ‘100 per cent committed’ to keeping F1 legend Lewis Hamilton

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      MERCEDES team principal Toto Wolff has said the team are “100 per cent committed” to keeping Lewis Hamilton.Wolff also expects to see the former world champion chase a record eighth Formula One title next year.
      Lewis Hamilton is currently enjoying some down time before the Miami GP this weekendCredit: Getty
      Toto Wolff wants Hamilton to stay beyond this year
      This confirmation of commitment to Hamilton comes as rumours are flying around the F1 paddock.
      There are even some suggestions that Hamilton could perhaps walk away from the sport altogether.
      However, these have been denied by the Brit.
      There has also been speculation that Mercedes will make a move to steal Charles Leclerc from Ferrari.
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      Indeed, gossip emerged that Leclerc and Hamilton could swap places next year.
      However, these have also been put to bed.
      Ferrari are currently in a better place than Mercedes car wise, and so Leclerc will remain “fully committed” to the Italian team.
      The Ferrari poster-boy took his first pole of the season with an impressive performance in the new qualifying format at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix  last weekend.
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      When asked about Leclerc, Wolff said: “I think he’s 100 per cent committed and loyal to Ferrari and it’s his contract.
      “And in the same way we are 100 per cent committed to putting pen to paper with Lewis.”
      Wolff added that no conversations had taken place between Mercedes and Ferrari.
      When pressed on the subject, the Austrian executive responded that the press ‘want that headline’.
      Hamilton will be 39 next year and has not won a race since the December 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
      His team have since fallen behind the dominant Red Bull.
      The seven-time world champion’s contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of the season, but Wolff has now indirectly declared that the team will offer him an extension.
      Discussions about next year will likely come down to Mercedes’ ability to provide Hamilton with a car capable of truly challenging the Red Bull drivers.
      The Mercedes boss added to formula1.com: “That is what it looks like at the moment, and we just need to give him a car that can do that.
      “And hopefully we can get our package to a winning package this season and have something that can bring him his eighth title, and no doubt he is motivated to achieve this.

      “That’s something he wants to do, that’s his ability, we have a great relationship personally.
      “And with the team he’s been a strong pillar over the last 10 years, so we are in a really good place”. More

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      F1 fans brand Red Bull’s one-off livery for Miami GP ‘meh’ – and they also fear it could end in disaster on track

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      RED BULL have revealed a colourful one-off livery for the Miami Grand Prix – but some fans are fearing they could be hit by an F1 curse. The championship leaders have enjoyed a comfortable start to the season with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez clocking up two wins each from the four races.
      Red Bull’s usual livery – as seen in last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix – is set to undergo some changesCredit: AP
      Fans have not been left particularly excited by the blue and pink stripes added along the sideCredit: Twitter@FastestPitStop
      Verstappen is looking to make it three driver’s championships in a row as Ferrari and Mercedes continue to flounder.
      Up next for the team is the second running of the Miami Grand Prix which the Dutchman won last year.
      And Red Bull will be running a special livery to mark the American race.
      The paintwork of the car has not seen sweeping changes but has seen colourful stripes added along the side.

      A light blue strip now runs along the length of the car while a pink strip runs alongside the front.
      It is only a tinker to the livery and fans have been left underwhelmed by the minor changes.
      One fan said: “Are those two stripes the only thing that changed?”
      Another said: “That’s it???”
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      While one simply declared: “Meh.”
      And an even more disapproving fan simply said: “Ugh.”
      F1 watchers have already picked up on Red Bull’s unwillingness to venture too far from their famous colour scheme.
      The only time in recent memory when Red Bull have done something completely different was in the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix.
      In a tribute to outgoing engine partner Honda, the team unveiled a stunning all-white livery.
      Verstappen and Perez finished second and third in the wet-dry race that day, avoiding the F1 curse that has afflicted some teams who run different designs.
      Red Bull’s last one-off special livery at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix was far more eye-catchingCredit: Reuters
      The most famous example is the 2019 German Grand Prix when a dominant Mercedes team had a nightmare.
      Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed in the infamous wet race, with Hamilton also having to endure a 50-second long pit stop after chaos and confusion reigned in the Mercedes garage.
      Daniel Ricciardo was also lapped by his own teammate at the Monaco race in 2021 when McLaren had a new paintjob, while Sebastian Vettel finished 3rd-last in the chaotic Tuscan Grand Prix of 2020 when Ferrari employed a darker red livery.
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      Referencing the curse, one fan said of Red Bull’s new design: “As usual, ‘special livery’ means DNFs [race retirements].” More

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      F1 fans devastated for Fernando Alonso after rumoured girlfriend Taylor Swift finds love with new man

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      FANS are devastated for Fernando Alonso as his rumoured girlfriend Taylor Swift has started dating Matt Healy.The F1 star was believed to be secretly seeing the American pop star according to rampant rumours online.
      Fans are devasted for Fernando AlonsoCredit: Rex
      They had thought he was dating pop star Taylor SwiftCredit: Getty
      But she is set to go public with 1975 singer Matt HealyCredit: Getty
      And Alonso did little to stop the talk as he often hinted at a relationship.
      The Spaniard posted a TikTok of himself listening to her music and also avoided questions about the rumours.
      However, the talk will finally be ended as Swift and 1975 frontman Healy are set to go public with their romance in Nashville, Tennessee, where the US singer ­performs this weekend.
      It comes a month after it was revealed US singer-songwriter ­Taylor, 33, had split from actor Joe Alwyn, 32, after six years.
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      Alonso was also linked with Swift as he announced his split from girlfriend Andrea Schlager at a similar time.
      But fans of the Aston Martin driver are devastated for him online.

      One fan tweeted: “I JUST FELL ON MY KNEES.”
      A second wrote: “I refuse and I refuse to allow and accept Taylor Swift dating anyone other than Fernando Alonso.”
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      A third commented: “No podium, no Taylor. Man, Alonso can’t catch a break this week 😭😂.”
      While a fourth theorised: “What if the cheating rumours are true and Joe Alwyn is a big F1 (Alonso) fan…so Taylor was the one who started the rumour as revenge.”
      Healy is not the first Brit to have dated Swift as she has also been with Harry Styles, Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston.
      Alonso had fuelled rumours that he was dating SwiftCredit: Getty
      She is currently on tourCredit: Getty More