Motorsport

CHRISTIAN HORNER broke down in tears and was comforted by wife Geri Halliwell after Red Bull sealed another title. The team boss was snapped after Max Verstappen crossed the line to win the US Grand Prix on an emotional weekend for the team.
An emotional-looking Horner left the pitwall with wife Geri HalliwellCredit: Grab
It was an emotional weekend for Red Bull with the death of their founder and their first Constructors’ Championship win in nine yearsCredit: Rex
Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz died at the age of 78 ahead of the race in America.
Throughout the weekend, the team paid tribute to his huge contributions to Red Bull and motorsport as a whole.
Verstappen then dedicated his victory to the late Austrian billionaire with his win – alongside team-mate Sergio Perez’s fourth-place position – sealing the Constructors’ Championship.
The victory is Red Bull’s first team crown since 2013 and follows Verstappen winning the Driver’s Championship in Japan last month.
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Horner was spotted by Sky Sports’ cameras looking teary as he left the pitwall alongside wife and Spice Girls star Geri.
Shortly after the race win, Horner said over team radio: “Max Verstappen you are the world champion. We are the world champions.
“Thank you so much and thank you to Dietrich Mateschitz.”
It had been a hard-fought victory for the team and far from the straightforward procession Verstappen has enjoyed in other races this season.
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The Dutchman beat pole-sitter Carlos Sainz off the start line and would have seen the Spaniard being spun around by George Russell in his rearview mirror.
But then he had Lewis Hamilton on his tail as the pack were bunched together after two safety cars – the second of which came after a high-speed collision between Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso.
Verstappen’s day then took a turn for the worse after a botched pit stop saw him fall behind Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
But the 25-year-old fought back and showed impressive speed to pass both drivers, with his move on Hamilton coming only six laps from the end. More

FERNANDO ALONSO is on collision course with the FIA as Formule One prepares for another row with the race stewards.The Spaniard was launched into the air at 200mph during Sunday’s race following a dangerous move from Lance Stroll.
Fernando Alonso’s Alpine was launched into the air after the high-speed collisionCredit: Sky Sports F1
Alonso managed to miraculously drag his damaged car up the grid despite the crashCredit: Rex
⚠️ SAFETY CAR! ⚠️There’s a high-speed collision between Alonso and Stroll, and we have another Safety Car! Stroll is out of the race. Both drivers are okay. pic.twitter.com/81IgKXe0iR— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 23, 2022

Amazingly, Alonso carried on racing to come home in seventh place, despite suffering excruciating back pain as a result of the shunt.
However, following a post-race protest from the Haas team, the two-time world champion was slapped with a whopping 30-second time penalty that dropped him down to 15th.
Haas argued that Alonso’s car was in an unsafe condition as its right-hand wing mirror became loose and fell off following his collision.
Alonso’s Alpine team have now launched an appeal which will be heard this week ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix.
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He wrote on Instagram: “Thanks for all the messages I received yesterday and today.
“It’s one of those rare times in sport that I feel we are all on the same page and share the same opinion towards the rules and regulations.
“Therefore Thursday is an important day for the sport that we love so much, as the decision will dictate if we are going in the right direction for the future. Thanks again for all your support.”
Alpine criticised the decision and are also expected to argue that Haas’ submission came too late.
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A statement said: “BWT Alpine F1 Team is disappointed to receive a post-race time penalty for Car No14 from the United States Grand Prix, which unfortunately means Fernando moves to outside the points positions.
“The team acted fairly and deemed the car remained structurally safe as a result of Fernando’s incident with Lance Stroll on lap 22 of the race with the right-side rear view wing mirror detaching from the chassis as a result of accident damage caused by Stroll.
“The FIA has the right to black and orange flag a car during the race if they consider it unsafe and, on this occasion, they assessed the car and decided not to action the flag.
“Moreover, after the race, the FIA technical delegate considered the car legal.
“The team also believes due to the protest being lodged 24 minutes past the specified deadline, it should not have been accepted and therefore the penalty should be considered as invalid.
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“As a result of this point, the team has protested the admissibility of the original Haas F1 Team protest.”
The row comes after a succession of blunders and delays from the FIA while Red Bull are at loggerheads with the governing body over their cost cap row. More

LEWIS HAMILTON and Charles Leclerc were caught on camera having a private chat after the thrilling US Grand Prix.The seven-time world champion, 37, was in the lead in the closing stages of the race before fierce rival Max Verstappen surged past him with just six laps to go.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were overheard holding a private conversation after the US Grand PrixCredit: Twitter
Hamilton’s dogged performance in his Mercedes gave him a chance of victory but it eluded him in the endCredit: Rex
The nail-biting race had an unpredictable ending as safety cars and botched pit stops left the Grand Prix in the balance.
Hamilton, who hasn’t won a race all season, looked set for victory before being caught by his old title rival.
After the race he told Leclerc, who finished third, how much he was pushing for the win.
And Sky Sports cameras picked up their conversation in the cool down room.
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Hamilton said: “I tried so hard to stay ahead and beat him.”
Leclerc then asked about his Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz, who was tapped and spun off the road by Hamilton’s pal George Russell.
The Monegasque racer said: “What happened to Carlos [Sainz]?”
Hamilton responds bluntly: “George [Russell] took him out.”
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Their collision was the first act of an entertaining race in Austin.
Sainz took a superb pole on Saturday but his hard work came to nothing when Verstappen took the lead through the first corner – and was then tapped by Russell.
The spin was enough to force the Spaniard to retire.
Multiple safety cars then raced onto the scene to recover Valtteri Bottas’ beached Alfa Romeo after the Finn spun off track.
Only a few laps after the restart, Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso were involved in a terrifying crash, with the race again grinding to a halt.
A botched pit stop on Verstappen’s car then saw Hamilton take the lead.
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But the Red Bull driver – who was crowned this season’s champion earlier this month – passed Leclerc and then his Brit rival for victory.
Hamilton has since praised his team for their efforts after a difficult season. More

IT was fitting that Red Bull wrapped up the F1 constructors’ title in Texas on Sunday given their ongoing row with the sport’s governing body.Controversy has been a pillar of the energy drink’s success, put there by its co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died on Saturday.
Red Bull wrapped up the F1 constructors’ title in Texas on SundayCredit: Rex
Mateschitz was once asked about a Red Bull utopia and was quoted as saying: “Nobody tells you what you have to do — only what you don’t have to do.”
Nothing could be more relevant to Formula One, a sport governed by an over-complicated rulebook, which Red Bull are challenging in relation to the cost cap.
Mateschitz’s impact in motorsport was massive and his death could have big consequences.
His company owns two F1 teams, one race track in Austria and has had a hand in the careers of seven drivers out of 20 on the F1 grid.
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Red Bull’s logos and — more importantly — money have cropped up in dozens of motorsport championships all across the world.
No wonder the team’s F1 boss Christian Horner says Mateschitz can be listed as one of the most influential people in the sport’s history.
After the Austrian tycoon’s passing was marked ahead of Sunday’s race, Horner said: “The tribute was a big moment. It demonstrates how many people he has affected and supported in Formula One.
“He’s always given youth a chance. He gave me a chance as a 31-year-old team principal. He’s given all these young drivers a chance. He’s given engineers a chance.
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“So many owe him so much. (The legacy) is enormous. I don’t think there’s anyone other than probably Enzo Ferrari who has done so much for Formula One.
“He was a fan, he was passionate about the sport. He followed his dreams and he encouraged us to do the same.
“He was there on the tough days as well as the good days.
“Hopefully he enjoyed that race from above, looking down. But his legacy will continue.
“His spirit is embodied throughout the team and that will continue to shine brightly.”
The question is, what happens to Red Bull? Mateschitz’s death means the drinks brand, which sold 9.8 billion cans last year, would be some acquisition.
What happens if it was sold? Would the new owners continue their support of motorsport?
The subsequent prize money for winning the constructors’ title, plus already lucrative sponsorship deals, means financially Red Bull Racing are in good health.
Red Bull Racing is a separate division to the beverage business, so a potential split is unlikely to worry them.
The big question is whether they will keep the energy drink’s name and branding.
ALONSO’S EASY STROLL
FERNANDO ALONSO showed amazing restraint not to blast Lance Stroll for his dangerous move which sent him flying at 200mph in Texas.
Perhaps it is because he is joining Aston Martin next season which, of course, is owned by Stroll’s dad.
I’m not sure he will be able to hold his tongue in Mexico this week when asked why the stewards handed him a 30-second time penalty for his car not being in a “safe condition to race” because of the smash.
PITT STOP
BRAD PITT was in Austin to do some research for his upcoming F1 film.
But he might need to do some more after trying to fob-off Sky F1’s Martin Brundle.
Pitt swept aside the commentator’s advances, making painful viewing.
F1 BLOW TO W SERIES
NEWS broke on Saturday night that F1 are planning to launch their own female racing series.
It would be a  blow to the FIA-endorsed WSeries, which lost the final two races due to funding.
If F1 wants to get their championship ratified, it could be a sticking point with the governing body.
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MOTOGP CROWN 
PECCO BAGNAIA’S victory in Malaysia saw him inch closer to the MotoGP crown.
Reigning champ Fabio Quartararo’s third place delayed celebrations.
The title will now be decided in Valencia in the final race of the season. More