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      Five F1 stars at risk of being BANNED in 2023 including Verstappen as Gasly and Russell hit out at flawed penalty system

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      AS many as five Formula One stars could be BANNED from racing during the 2023 season including world champion Max Verstappen.It’s due to a number of drivers being close to the limit of penalty points allowed on their Super Licence.
      Pierre Gasly has said five drivers could be banned from racing next seasonCredit: AFP
      This might even include double World Champion Max VerstappenCredit: EPA
      But George Russell is critical of the penalty points systemCredit: Getty
      F1 stars are allowed to pick up 12 penalty points over a rolling 12-month period before they must serve an automatic one-race ban.
      And new Alpine pilot Pierre Gasly has predicted a number of his rivals could face bans next season due to being close to their limit.
      The Frenchman also hit out at the way the current system works.
      Speaking via Speedweek, Gasly said: “I don’t see myself as a racing driver who puts others in danger.
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      “Rather, the fact is that I have numerous penalty points due to procedural errors, let’s say by driving beyond the track limit boundary.
      “I really hope we can find ways to rethink the scoring system.
      “I don’t think it can be in the interest of the sport that we suddenly have five banned drivers or, in the worst case, a World Championship without one of the main drivers being able to compete at all.
      “But if we continue with the current system, then sooner or later we will get into trouble.”
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      As it stands, Gasly is most at risk from a ban with 10 penalty points on his licence.
      Canadian Lance Stroll is next with eight points, before World Champion Max Verstappen and former Red Bull driver Alex Albon who have seven points each.
      And a one-race ban could be highly significant for Verstappen in 2023 as he goes for a third championship in a row.
      F1’s governing body the FIA is expected to conduct a review into the system, a move Mercedes driver George Russell supports.
      Following the Brazilian Grand Prix in November, Russell told BBC Sport: “The penalty does not fit the crime, especially in Pierre’s case.
      “The rules aren’t in the right place.
      “They (the FIA) have expressed that were going to have the conversation in the off-season and review all of this.
      “There is a lot to review this season in many different regards, so the FIA are definitely going to have a busy off-season.
      “In sport, you have to be ready and able to adapt, you have regulations in place and it only takes one incident to recognise maybe the regulation isn’t quite right.
      “We need to have the capability to change things and take penalty points away afterwards if we all agree it was incorrect.”
      Fernando Alonso and Yuki Tsunoda both currently sit on six penalty points.
      Russell himself sits on just four points, which is one more than McLaren’s Lando Norris.
      Read More on The Sun
      Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton sat in Gasly’s position back in 2020 but managed to avoid a ban by not accruing anymore penalties before they expired.
      Now he doesn’t have a single point attached to his name, something he shares with Carlos Sainz, F1’s 2023 trio of rookies and the returning Nico Hulkenberg. More

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      Lewis Hamilton compares Verstappen’s row with Perez to the KARDASHIANS and ‘can’t wait to watch it’ on Drive To Survive

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has taken a swipe at Max Verstappen’s row with team-mate Sergio Perez by comparing them to the Kardashians.Despite winning both titles, Red Bull ended the year marred in controversy after the revelation of their cost cap breach as well as a rift between Verstappen and Perez.
      Lewis Hamilton finds Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez’s tiff “entertaining”Credit: Alamy
      Max Verstappen had a heated row with Red Bull team-mate Sergio PerezCredit: Rex
      Hamilton compared the Red Bull pair to the antics of Khloe Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian West, North West, Caitlyn Jenner and Kylie JennerCredit: Getty
      Lewis Hamilton compared Red Bull’s drama to the Kardashians – which includes KimCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It all came to a head at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with the Mexican fuming at the the two-time world champion for refusing to obey a team order to let him through.
      The Dutchman, on the other hand, brought up a grievance he had held against Perez as he felt he crashed on purpose during qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
      Hamilton appears to be loving every minute of it and even claims his rivals’ tiff reminds him of the outlandish drama depicted on the reality series Keeping up with the Kardashians.
      The Mercedes superstar described the situation as “entertaining” and hopes to see more of it on the upcoming season of Drive to Survive on Netflix.
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      Hamilton told Channel 4: “It feels like the Kardashian show, it’s pretty hilarious.
      “Some of the stuff I’ve heard in the past few days has been so entertaining. There was somebody’s mother posting something.
      “It was pretty interesting stuff. I’m sure it’ll be in Netflix, it’s going to be great.”
      Hamilton was presumably referring to a subsequently-deleted social media post from Verstappen’s mother.
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      Sophie Kumpen appeared to suggest Perez had been unfaithful to his wife – a situation the driver has previously addressed.
      British legend Hamilton finished the season sixth with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc second behind Verstappen. More

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      Meet Francisca Cerqueira Gomes, the stunning Portuguese model dating rising F1 star Pierre Gasly

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      FORMULA ONE star Pierre Gasly has reportedly BEEN dating model Francisca Cerqueira Gomes.The rumors started earlier this year when Francisca, 19, was spotted with Gasly in a nightclub in Porto and there were images of them dancing together.
      Formula One star Pierre Gasly is reportedly dating Francisca Cerqueira GomesCredit: Rex
      Francisca Cerqueira Gomes, known as Kika, is a model and actressCredit: Instagram
      Francisca has appeared in popular Portuguese TV seriesCredit: Instagram
      Speculation heated up when the AlphaTauri driver was accompanied by the model at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix paddock last month.
      As it stands, it doesn’t look like the pair have confirmed they are dating yet.
      Francisca, who is known as Kika, was born in 2003 in Portugal.
      She is the daughter of TV presenter and model Maria Vieira de Campos Cerqueira Gomes and supercar driver Goncalo Gomes.
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      She has followed in the famlily trade by becoming a model and also an actress, appearing in Portuguese TV shows.
      Francisca works for Central Models Portugal and has collaborated with several brands such Calzedonia and Natura Portugal.
      And it looks like she will accompany Gasly in a very exciting F1 journey.
      The Frenchman is considered as one of the sport’s biggest rising stars.
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      The 26-year-old icame 14th in this season’s F1 rankings with 23 points.
      Gasly has yet to win a race or climb up the podium, but he certainly looks on the right road to success.
      Francisca Cerqueira Gomes was seen accompanying Pierre GaslyCredit: Instagram
      Francisca Cerqueira Gomes and Pierre Gasly were together at the Abu Dhabi Grand PrixCredit: Instagram More

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      Ferrari chief Mattia Binotto AXED after failing to break 14-year F1 title drought with string of tactical blunders

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      FERRARI have axed boss Mattia Binotto after he failed to guide the Italian F1 team win their first title since 2008.Only last week, Ferrari moved to reject claims that Binotto was being replaced by Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur.
      Mattia Binotto has been axed from FerrariCredit: Reuters
      However, Binotto has now tendered his resignation and will leave the role at the end of the year, having held the position as team principal for four years.
      Binotto, who has worked for Ferrari for a total of 28 years, oversaw the team build arguably the quickest car this season.
      However, a catalogue of strategy and operational cock-ups have cost Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz valuable points.
      Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said: “I would like to thank Mattia for his many great contributions over 28 years with Ferrari and particularly for leading the team back to a position of competitiveness during this past year.
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      “As a result, we are in a strong position to renew our challenge, above all for our amazing fans around the world, to win the ultimate prize in motorsport.
      “Everyone here at the Scuderia and in the wider Ferrari community wishes Mattia well for the future.”
      Binotto, who has been linked with a job-switch with Vasseur, was popular within the team.
      He added: “With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari.
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      “I am leaving a company that I love, which I have been part of for 28 years, with the serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set.
      “I leave a united and growing team. A strong team, ready, I’m sure, to achieve the highest goals, to which I wish all the best for the future.
      “It is right to take this step at this time as hard as this decision has been for me.
      “I would like to thank all the people at the Gestione Sportiva who have shared this journey with me, made up of difficulties but also of great satisfaction.”
      Ferrari finished second in the F1 constructors’ championship, 205 points behind Red Bull.
      Leclerc was second in the drivers’ championship and Sainz was fifth, despite SIX retirements. More

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      Max Verstappen gifted £150,000 Honda NSX Type S by car manufacturer in honour of F1 championships

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      TWO-TIME Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has been gifted a £150,000 Honda NSX Type S in honour of his latest title triumph. The Dutchman turned in a record-breaking 2022 season, winning 15 of the 22 races.
      Verstappen won back-to-back F1 world titlesCredit: Splash
      Honda gifted the Dutchman a £150,000 carCredit: Honda
      Verstappen was presented with the car in JapanCredit: Honda
      He then took the Honda NSX Type S for a spin around Japan’s Motegi circuitCredit: Honda
      Verstappen sealed his second F1 world title in Japan, leaving his competitors, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, scrapping for second place with four races to go.
      And to celebrate Verstappen’s success, Red Bull partners Honda gifted the 25-year-old a £150,000 car at the Honda Racing Thanks Day, held at Japan’s Motegi circuit.
      Verstappen was joined by team-mate Sergio Perez and a host of other motorsport names – including MotoGP’s Marc Marquez.
      Honda chairman Seiji Kuraishi expressed his thanks to Verstappen for winning back-to-back world titles while Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe turned over the keys to the grey NSX Type S.
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      Verstappen said: “It’s an amazing car, so [I’m] very proud to receive it. Thank you very much.”
      He then took his new car for a spin on the track.
      Red Bull are due to celebrate their Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship victories with the people of Milton Keynes in December.
      Team principal Christian Horner said: “We are enormously proud to base our Technology Campus in Milton Keynes.
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      “Ever since we moved into the small factory that we started with in 2005, the local community has supported the Team through all the highs and lows.
      “Oracle Red Bull Racing has grown massively since then and this year’s phenomenal results wouldn’t have been possible without that support.
      “It’s only fitting that we celebrate this record-breaking season with the community we cherish and in the heart of the city we are happy to call home.” More

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      Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton slammed for doing doughnuts in a £155,000 Nissan Skyline supercar in a Japanese car park

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      LEWIS Hamilton has been blasted after “speeding” and doing doughnuts in a £155,000 supercar in Japan.The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, 37, drove a 1998 Nissan Skyline R34 around Tokyo, taking to Instagram to post clips of his late-night drive.
      Lewis Hamilton has been slammed by fansCredit: Instagram
      A clip shows him doing doughnuts in a closed car parkCredit: Instagram
      Smoke could be seen coming from the gear stick at one pointCredit: Instagram
      Hamilton captioned the post: “I only like to drive on track, but I make exceptions.”
      Snapshots from the post appear to show Hamilton’s speedometer at almost 160km/h (99 mph) as he roared around the Tokyo Expressway in Japan – seemingly 60km/h over the speed limit.
      Road traffic laws in Japan restrict cars to 100km/h (62mph) on divided national expressways and 60km/h (37mph) on other roads, unless otherwise stated.
      The highest speed limit in the country is on some sections of the Shin-Tōmei Expressway and Tōhoku Expressway at 120km/h (75mph).
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      After completing several doughnuts in an empty car park smoke can be seen rising from inside the car’s gear stick as Hamilton laughs.
      The racing star has come under fire from Japanese fans for posting the video, with road users in the country telling him his speed was “strictly prohibited”.
      Another said: “Surprised to see him acting so recklessly on public roads.”
      “There are shots of him doing two and a half times the speed limit.
      Most read in The Sun
      “It’s a very cool video, but probably wasn’t the best idea.”
      It’s understood the doughnut stunt was filmed in a closed parking lot.
      Other fans loved the videos, saying: “Get over it, it’s just for fun.
      “It was probably well choreographed for all we know – let the guy live.”
      Another added: “It’s amazing to see him having so much fun”.
      The iconic car, which has a top speed of 165mph, was used in the 2006 film The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift – starring Lucas Black.
      The footage, shot by Hamilton’s personal photographer Timothy McGurr, 38, has gone viral online, racking up over 1.6 million likes.
      In 2007, Hamilton, who holds the record for most race wins in Formula 1 history, was banned from driving in France for a month after cops clocked him doing 123mph.
      Officers chased down the racer after he triggered a motorway speed trap in his £50,000 Mercedes CLK.
      And in 2010 the Mercedes driver saw his car impounded by cops after he did burnouts on the streets of Melbourne.
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      The driver, who was knighted last year, apologised for the 2010 incident and admitted: “I was silly”.
      Hamilton ended the F1 season sixth in the standings, with 2022 becoming the first year in the Stevenage-born star’s career where he has failed to win a race.
      Footage also shows him driving down the Tokyo ExpresswayCredit: Instagram
      The F1 star captioned the post: ‘I only like to drive on track, but I make exceptions’Credit: Instagram More

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      Tanner Foust desperate for McLaren to stay in ‘rallycross on steroids’ Extreme E championship for at least another year

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      TANNER FOUST is hoping McLaren commit to another season in Extreme E – the championship he says is like “rallycross on steroids”.US racer Foust has driven everything from the General Lee in the Dukes of Hazzard films to monster trucks.
      Tanner Foust hopes to see McLaren continue racing in Extreme ECredit: Getty
      But he has been overwhelmed by the all-electric off-road car, called the Odyssey, he drives in the championship.
      He said: “I’ve been fortunate to race in a lot of different stuff in random types of motorsport, but I always underestimate the Odyssey and how quickly it covers ground.
      “It’s a big machine and when you do a track walk here you are trying to estimate where you’re braking and how fast you’ll be going through corners, I’m always completely wrong.
      “The racing format has also kind of gone away from adventure racing in difficult terrain to rallycross on steroids.
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      “You have these machines that can handle way more jumps and damage than a rallycross car.
      “I keep asking anybody who has a McLaren logo on their shirt whether we are committed for next year or not.
      “I have not heard any announcement but Emma Gilmour and I both really hope to be.
      “We’ve really enjoyed this season and feel like we’ve gained some momentum. So hopefully an announcement will come soon.”
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      Foust was speaking ahead of the final race of the season in Punta del Este in Uruguay where part of Extreme E’s plan is to run legacy programmes to help the environment.
      One such project involved marine conservation and him spending some time in the ocean.
      He added: “I’m a biology major and I have not talked about that or done anything with it except try to remember things to teach my daughter.
      “So it’s fascinating to hang out with the scientists and each of these locations. Out here in Uruguay, we went swimming with sea lions, which where I live they’re not the friendliest animals.
      “On this side of the planet they’re quite friendly, inquisitive and fun to swim with strangely, they still smell the same!” More

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      Max Verstappen’s dad drops huge hint F1 world champion could QUIT and claims Red Bull star is ‘done with everything now’

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN’S dad Jos has suggested his son could quit F1 as he is “done with everything now”.The Dutch driver is enjoying the off-season after winning the Driver’s Championship at a canter, a year after he also won his epic battle with Lewis Hamilton.
      Verstappen and Red Bull dominated the 2022 F1 season and left rivals trailing in his wakeCredit: Getty
      The F1 season ended last week in Abu Dhabi as the remaining subplots were wrapped up.
      But the driver’s title was settled at the start of October in Japan with Verstappen crushing the opposition.
      With Ferrari’s challenge for the crown unravelling and Hamilton stuck in an uncompetitive Mercedes, Verstappen finished 146 points clear of second-place.
      He also won 15 of the 22 races contested during the season, breaking an F1 record.
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      Verstappen’s outspoken dad Jos has suggested he’s feeling complete and could soon move on from the sport.
      He told Viaplay, as per the Mirror: ‘He’s just a bit done with everything now. Especially when you have won the championship, then the pressure is off and it becomes less exciting.
      “For Max, I think it was just important that he broke that record with those wins. I think that’s the most important thing.”
      But the 50-year-old added: “To be honest, I do think it will all be a bit closer next year – that is also the intention of these regulations.
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      “I don’t mind. Good battles on track and a good championship until the end would be fantastic.”
      Verstappen himself has previously hinted that he is already considering his future in the sport, despite only being 25-years-old.
      While Fernando Alonso has indicated that he would look forward to racing alongside the two-times World Champion in other series after their time in F1 comes to an end.
      After Logan Sargeant replaced Nicholas Latifi at Williams earlier this week, the entire 2023 grid has now been confirmed.
      The 20 drivers will do battle again in March when the new season begins in Bahrain. More