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      Who is Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend Charlotte Sine and when did Ferrari F1 star start dating her?

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      CHARLES LECLERC is in full swing at Ferrari as he looks to challenge Max Verstappen for the F1 title.And while promising things are expected of him inside the car, the Monegasque has had a huge charge off the track – boasting a new girlfriend in Charlotte Sine.
      Leclerc and Sine have only recently started dating following his break-up with ex Giada Gianni
      Who is Charlotte Sine?
      Charlotte is a Monegasque resident and current architecture student.
      She has lived in Monaco all her life, with her new boyfriend also hailing from the principality.
      Charlotte was born on September 19, 1999, and speaks French, English and Italian.
      She is on Instagram with nearly 33k followers – regularly posting photos of her travels and with Leclerc.
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      Charlotte Sine regularly posts of her travels around the world on her Instagram account
      Sine is a Monaco native, also home to her boyfriend and F1 star Leclerc
      When did they start dating?
      It’s no secret that the pair are dating, with Charlotte’s Instagram showing posts of the pair together.
      Although the first photo shared was taken 10 weeks back – they have reportedly been dating for a few months.
      Leclerc however, has not yet posted any pictures with his new girlfriend in-sighting a potential ‘secret relationship’.
      Everything you need to know about F1 this season

      Sine is an architectural student
      Who is Charles Leclerc’s ex?
      Charles Leclerc’s ex may be a face more familiar to fans of the Monaco driver.
      Charles dated Italian-born Giada Gianni, spending over four years together and were rumoured to have been engaged.
      But it was reported that the Ferrari star broke up with Giada to focus on his Formula One career – with the Italian stating in an Instagram video: “Charles left me. He wants to devote himself only to Ferrari.”
      But the Formula One driver did not take long to form a relationship with his new girlfriend Charlotte.

      Charles Leclerc was dating Italian bombshell Giada Gianni More

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      ‘I’m in love’ – Lewis Hamilton believes he is closing in on first F1 win of season and hints at snubbing retirement

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      LEWIS HAMILTON believes he is finally closing in on achieving his first win of the year ahead of this weekend’s Belgium GP.Hamilton is currently on the longest winless run of his F1 career – a streak that stretches back to the Saudi GP last December.
      Sir Lewis Hamilton is on the longest winless run of his F1 careerCredit: SPLASH
      But the Brit is confident his drought will soon come to an endCredit: Splash
      But the 37-year-old, who has won at least one race in every year he has competed in F1, is confident of finally breaking his duck in 2022.
      Hamilton, who was second in Hungary, said: “We’ve been improving, we’ve had this consistency of the recent races and great progress that the team is making, everyone pulling together and continuing to push.
      “The car is becoming more of a racing car, which is not particularly what it was at the start of the year!
      “It’s more like a normal racing car in terms of its characteristics so that’s positive.
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      “The last race was the best showing we’ve had so far. That for us was a huge boost, that we can close that gap.
      “It’s naturally going to be tough, we’ll keep our heads down.
      “The other guys are doing an amazing job but I do believe we can close the gap.”
      Hamilton also says he has no plans to quit the sport, despite his soul-searching trip to Africa during the F1 summer break.
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      He added: “There’s still plenty to achieve here, personally.
      “Maybe not that many records, but still a lot of ground to cover with the team.
      “I am still deeply in love with the sport.

      “And I particularly like the direction and the things that we’re doing within it.
      “But of course there’s lots more outside that’s continuing to grow as well. So it’s an exciting time.”
      Meanwhile, F1 chiefs are expected to confirm on Friday that Audi will be coming into the sport in 2026.
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      The German car brand have taken a majority stake in the Sauber team, who are currently badged as Alfa Romeo.
      Audi is just one of the car brands owned by the Volkswagen group, with Porsche also expected to forge links with Red Bull.
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      I don’t see a woman in Formula One in next five years unless a METEORITE hits the earth, says F1 boss Stefano Domenicali

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      A METEORITE would need to hit earth for there to be a woman in F1 in the next five years, says the sport’s boss Stefano Domenicali.While saying that motorsport has taken several steps to include more women, he admits they have a long way to go.
      Stefano Domenicali believes that we will not see a woman in Formula One in at five years for sureCredit: Splash
      Many have been calling for female British driver Jamie Chadwick to receive a seat in at least Formula Two or Formula Three.
      The 24-year-old races in the all-women single-seater championship, the W Series, and has already won the championship twice since her debut in 2019.
      The challenge for women like Chadwick to join the currently all-male series lies in sponsorship and funding for the seat, along with the current male dominance.
      Domenicali claims that motorsport fans will soon start seeing more opportunities for female drivers in Formula Two and Formula Three.
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      But he also admitted that it is highly unlikely that any woman will make it to Formula One in the next five years.
      The F1 CEO said: “We believe that it is crucial in this moment to try to give the maximum possibility to women to come to Formula One.
      “We believe that for girls to be the same level of competition with the guys they need to be at the same, or more or less the same, age when they can start to fight on the track at the level of Formula Two or Formula Three.
      “So we are working on that to see what we can do to improve the system.
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      “And you will see soon some action.
      “Realistically speaking, I don’t see a girl in Formula One in the next five years unless something like a sort of meteorite comes into the Earth.
      “That is very unlikely.
      “But we want to build up the right parameters with the right approach, step by step, for them to start to race against the guys at the right age and in the right car.
      “That’s what we’re working on.”
      So far, there has only ever been two women that raced in F1: Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958 and Lella Lombardi in 1975 and 1976.
      In 2022, Alpine launched a programme called Rac(H)er in the aim of helping more women make it into F1.
      The programme is spread over a span of eight years and amongst the drivers participating is Jamie Chadwick herself – who also forms part of the Williams drivers academy.
      Alpine want to increase their female workforce to 30 per cent over the next five years from the current 12 per cent.
      They also revealed how only 10 per cent of the F1 British-based teams’ workforce is female.
      Jamie Chadwick told Sky Sports her views on why women are struggling to make it into the sport.
      Among the reasons are the physical demands of Formula One and how naturally some women struggle with that.
      She said: “The ultimate goal is to be in those Championships, ideally Formula Two and then Formula One.
      “I don’t know what is actually possible.
      “To get into Formula One you have to go through the feeder series – Formula Three and Formula Two – and it is extremely physical.
      “Formula One is extremely physical, and we don’t know exactly what women are capable of in the sport.
      “If you are aged 15 or 16, and go into car racing, without power steering and driving big heavy cars, a lot of women do struggle, even though they have been successful in go-karting.
      “We like to think that women can make it – and I am happy to be the guinea pig and will do my best to push and explore the options to Formula One – but we don’t know.
      “There hasn’t been a woman in the recent era that has done it.
      “I am trying to understand whether that is to do with the physical side.
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      “If it is physically possible, and women can compete against men, how do we make that happen?
      “However, if it is physically too hard, but the sport wants women to compete, than we have got to bring it back and understand why.” More

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      What is the F1 halo and how does it save lives?

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      THE HALO cockpit has been part and parcel of F1 for the last few seasons – for good reason.It helped save Lewis Hamilton from serious injury after he crashed out of the Italian Grand Prix last year.
      Zhou Guanyu crashed at the first turn of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone but the Halo saved his lifeCredit: AP
      And it appears to have saved Zhou Guanyu’s life after he crashed during the start of the British Grand Prix in 2022.
      What is the halo cockpit system?
      Safety is paramount in Formula One and sadly down the years, some haven’t been as lucky as Roman Grosjean at the Bahrain GP last year.
      Jules Bianchi was killed after a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, losing control of his Marussia in treacherous conditions.
      And his mother was quick to point out that the halo – which wasn’t a feature of the cars six years ago but was being worked on by the FIA – had ‘saved Romain’s life’.
      The halo was introduced back in 2018 and is an added safety feature now included on all F1 cars, acting as a titanium ring of protection around the driver’s cockpit.
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      It is designed to prevent drivers from getting injuries from flying debris or suffering head trauma like in the tragic case of Bianchi.
      The F1 governing body took a long time to research and test the design, which does slightly impact the field of view for drivers.
      When it was launched there was also criticism from some fans, who believed the hefty new structure around the cockpit meant they couldn’t see the racers properly.
      World champion Lewis Hamilton revealed back in 2018 that he felt it could be the first step towards a closed cockpit around the driver, but that hasn’t yet come to fruition.
      He said: “I think we’re moving towards a closed cockpit, I think that would look better, there’s some really great concepts online of a closed cockpit.
      “It’s a difficult one as when they introduced it, talked about it, they mentioned a 17 per cent improvement in safety and it’s difficult to really ignore that.
      “It definitely doesn’t look good, we know that, we’ve said that.”
      Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen crashed in Monza
      Everything you need to know about F1 this season

      How did the halo save Grosjean in his Bahrain crash?
      Grosjean’s car snapped clean in half at the force of the crash, with the impact measured at a scarcely-believable 53G.
      Despite the fireball that consumed the wreckage of his vehicle, Grosjean was saved from major burns by his four layers of protective clothing and was able to jump to safety.
      The sturdily-built halo is designed to take the full force of impact first, protecting the drivers’ head from serious injury.
      The halo was still visible after Grosjean’s horror crash
      In this case, it appears to have worked with Grosjean suffering just minor burns to his hands and miraculously avoiding serious trauma to either his body or head.
      Ross Brawn, F1 managing director, was adamant after the race that without the halo we could have been looking at another tragedy.
      He said: “There is absolutely no doubt the halo was the factor that saved the day – and saved Romain.”
      And world champ Hamilton said after winning the race in Sakhir: “It was such a shocking image to see.
      “His car, the cockpit, I don’t know what Gs he pulled, but I’m just so grateful that the halo worked.
      “I’m grateful the barrier didn’t slice his head off. It could have been so much worse.”
      Grosjean was immediately air-lifted to the hospital after the crash and praised the F1 safety system for saving his life.
      He said: “I wasn’t for the halo some years ago, but I think it’s the greatest thing that we brought to Formula 1 and without it, I wouldn’t be able to speak to you today.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton has ‘shot at winning races’ after Mercedes ‘out-develop rivals’ with ‘big, big upgrade’ during break

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      LEWIS HAMILTON and team-mate George Russell now have a shot at winning races.That’s according to Juan Pablo Montoya, who claims that Mercedes have had a “big, big upgrade” during the F1 break.
      Lewis Hamilton will now have a shot at winning races, says Juan Pablo MontoyaCredit: Getty
      The seven-time champ posted a photo on social media to declare that he was back driving after the F1 breakCredit: https://www.instagram.com/lewishamilton/
      There are still nine races left on the calendar this season and Brit racer Hamilton sits sixth in the individual standings.
      The upcoming Belgium Grand Prix on Sunday signifies the end of the month-long break for the drivers.
      Hamilton, 37, whose father Anthony is of Grenadian descent, took the time to travel across Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania on a self-discovery mission.
      The seven-time champ has not won a race since December last year, but legendary driver Montoya thinks that may change soon.
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      He told Vegas Insider: “The rumour is that Mercedes has a big, big upgrade coming for their cars.
      “And, if that is the case, Mercedes really comes up with a car, which is really cool to see from Mercedes.
      “It is very exciting. Mercedes is still gonna get better, against everybody else, but everybody else in the field is gonna stay very constant.
      “Because they all keep developing and making the cars better to drive, easier to drive.
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      “Everybody is getting a little more comfortable with the new package, and understanding the new package.”
      “So I think the way everybody is developing the cars is going to be very similar, but I still think that Mercedes out-develops everybody else. That is my two cents.” 
      “The question is, is Mercedes’ step so big that they start winning every race, and they are going to win the last nine races, and they are going to do one, two, seven or eight times, and you know, they have a shot at the Constructor Championship, while everybody else fumbles?”
      I see Mercedes might have a shot at winning a couple of races this year if their developing goes wellJuan Pablo Montoya
      “Or their step is, ok, we are starting to fight against Red Bull and Mercedes, and we are just there? That is the more realistic version of what I see coming.
      “I see Mercedes might have a shot at winning a couple of races this year if their developing goes well.”
      Hamilton said he was “transformed” by his trip through Africa.
      And it could prove to be the perfect reset after a tough start to the season where he remains winless – and on the longest drought of his F1 career.
      He has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian GP last December, but said the break was “some of the best days of my entire life”.
      Legend Montoya thinks that Mercedes ‘out-develop’ the rest over the course of the seasonCredit: Getty – Contributor More

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      Daniel Ricciardo AXED by McLaren and given £10m pay-off with Oscar Piastri lined up as replacement

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      DANIEL RICCIARDO has been given the boot by McLaren – paving the way for them to sign Oscar Piastri as Lando Norris’ teammate for next season.Ricciardo only joined the team in 2021 and is the only driver to win a race for the Woking team since 2013.
      Daniel Ricciardo has been given the boot by McLarenCredit: Splash
      He’s set to be replaced by Oscar Piastri who will link up with Lando Norris in Ricciardo’s absenceCredit: Getty
      However, he has been consistently out-performed by Norris, forcing McLaren to swoop to sign Piastri, who was wanted by Alpine to replace Fernando Alonso.
      Ricciardo’s early exit from his contract is believed to have cost McLaren around £10million.
      Ricciardo, who won the 2021 Italian GP prompting the team’s CEO Zak Brown to get a tattoo to commemorate the achievement, said: “It’s been a privilege to be a part of the McLaren Racing family for the last two seasons.
      “But following several months of discussions with Zak and Andreas Seidl we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season.
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      “I’ll be announcing my own future plans in due course but regardless of what this next chapter brings, I have no regrets and am proud of the effort and work I gave McLaren, especially the win in Monza, last season.
      “I’ve enjoyed working with everyone at McLaren both trackside and back in Woking and will be giving my all on and off track as we enjoy the remainder of the season together.
      “I’ve never been more motivated to compete and be a part of a sport that I love so much and look forward to what comes next.”
      Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren Racing, added: “Daniel has been a great addition to McLaren, and it’s been a pleasure working with him. I’d like to thank him for all of his efforts over the last two seasons both trackside and back at base.

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      “It’s no secret that we hoped we could achieve more together but seeing him stand on the top step of the podium as a McLaren driver was a highlight. We wish him well for the future and let’s go enjoy the rest of the season together.”
      Ricciardo, who has also raced for HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull and Renault, could switch back to Alpine – the rebranded Renault team, or could find a seat at Haas. More

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      ‘I’m not the same man I was’ – F1 star Lewis Hamilton ‘transformed’ by Africa trip and raring to go for Belgium GP

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      LEWIS HAMILTON returns to work this weekend at the Belgium GP after being “transformed” by his trip through Africa.Hamilton, whose father Anthony is of Grenadian descent, travelled across Namibia, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania on a self-discovery mission.
      Lewis Hamilton says he was ‘transformed’ by his trip to AfricaCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton
      Hamilton has not won a race in F1 since December last yearCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton
      Hamilton says it was a much needed breakCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton
      F1 is back this weekend in SpaCredit: Getty
      The 37-year-old explored with a bunch of mates, including Daniel Forrest, known as Spinz, who documented Hamilton’s travels on social media.
      And it could prove to be the perfect reset after a tough start to the season where he remains winless – and on the longest drought of his F1 career.
      Hamilton, who has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian GP last December, said the break was “some of the best days of my entire life”.
      He added on social media: “I’m not the same man I was before this trip, all the beauty, love, and peacefulness I experienced has me feeling fully transformed.
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      “No amount of photos could capture how I’m feeling now and what I’m trying to say. Just know, where words fall short, emotions run deep.
      “I connected with my roots and my history and I feel my ancestors with me now stronger than I ever have before.”
      Hamilton’s trip saw him take a hot air balloon ride, visit the Pokot people in Kenya and take in an animal sanctuary, as he crammed a lot into F1’s three-week break.
      However, he will be back on duty this weekend at the Belgium GP where he is going in search of victory after finishing second last out in the Hungarian GP.

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      World champion Max Verstappen’s victory at the Hungaroring saw him extend his lead over Charles Lecelerc to 80 points while Hamilton is a whopping 112 points behind the Dutchman.
      Mercedes boss Toto Wolff will hope that Hamilton’s expedition through Africa will not have rekindled thoughts about retirement.
      Hamilton has spoken about quitting and has given it some serious thought, but during this season, there appears to have been a u-turn.
      Wolff first mentioned that he was speaking to Hamilton about extending his stay in the team beyond 2023, when his current deal is set to expire.
      The Austrian said at the French GP – Hamilton’s 300th race in F1 – that their partnership could go “about five to 10 years”, so “we can go to 400 [races]”.
      And Hamilton too recently said in a recent Vanity Fair interview that he’d “be lying if I said that I hadn’t thought about extending”.
      Mercedes and Wolff will be praying that still remains the case.
      Meanwhile, Belgium GP bosses will show off the circuit’s £80million overhaul, including resurfacing, which promises quicker lap times.
      However, as yet, there is no contract in place with the historic circuit meaning this is the last Belgium GP as it stands.
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      Last year, the race turned into a farce as heavy rain forced the start to be delayed multiple times.
      The race lasted for only one lap – the shortest in F1 history with fans left upset and feeling short-changed. More

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      Daniel Ricciardo ‘holds talks with Haas boss Guenther Steiner’ as he is offered F1 lifeline after McLaren struggles

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      DANIEL RICCIARDO could be handed a lifeline by Haas if he is dumped by McLaren.Rumours persist that the Aussie is set to lose his seat for next season to Oscar Piastri.
      Daniel Ricciardo is potentially left without a seat for 2023 unless he accepts Haas’ Guenther Steiner’s offer
      Ricciardo, 33, has struggled to get the better of Brit Lando Norris since joining McLaren last season.
      He has one year left on his contract which entitles him to a yearly salary of £17.5million.
      And if McLaren were to release him to make way for rising F1 star Piastri, then the former Red Bull star could demand a wage pay-out after being left to look for a seat.
      However he might not be looking for long, amid reports Haas team principal Guenther Steiner is interested in offering the eight-time Grand Prix winner a seat alongside Kevin Magnussen for 2023.
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      The Express reports that Steiner called Ricciardo ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix to discuss opportunities with him, despite having this year’s seat filled by Mick Schumacher.
      It seems highly unlikely that the Honey Badger will be driving in the McLaren next season but he is determined to keep racing in F1.
      As reported by The Mirror, Ricciardo said: “I could probably keep going, I believe I still thrive off it because I still believe I belong [in Formula 1] and can do it.
      “That’s what really gets me jacked.
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      “And the love of it, as well as knowing that any weekend that could be there [a win], like it could be around the corner, you know.
      “The truth is, the highs you get are just so high because so much goes into it.
      “So then the high and the reward is pretty amazing and pretty spectacular.”

      Ricciardo has also been linked with a return to Alpine – previously called Renault – but he is not the only one linked with that seat.
      Schumacher Jr has still not renewed his contract – which runs out at the end of the season – with Haas and his uncle Ralf Schumacher told Sky Germany that “he would be a candidate” for the Alpine seat.
      Ralf also went on to say that believes that Ricciardo “would not get another chance in Formula 1.”
      The Alpine seat became available after Aston Martin announced that two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso will be making a shock move to the Silverstone-based team.
      Mick – whose the son of seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher – had a rocky start to his first two seasons in Formula One.
      He finished the 2021 season with no points while being paired up with Nikita Mazepin.
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      In 2022, he crashed twice and caused Haas some financial headaches as they had to keep within the budget cap to fix the car, and this caused him to miss out on upgrades for the race in the Hungaroring.
      He is now redeeming himself by scoring points for Haas and achieving better qualifying position to start in races. More