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      Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen F1 decider turns into real life version of Squid Game in winner-takes-all showdown

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’s title fight with Max Verstappen has turned into a real life Squid Game.Hamilton has overcome the odds in a fierce battle to rival the hit TV series on Netflix where the characters take part in bloody contests to achieve glory.
      Lewis Hamilton is gunning for a world record eighth world titleCredit: Splash
      Max Verstappen is rivalling Hamilton for the F1 crownCredit: Getty
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner compared the race to a real-life Squid GameCredit: Splash
      F1 will host their own version of the red-light, green-light game on Sunday in Abu Dhabi in a winner-takes-all contest.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner says the scintillating finale is beyond the dream of Hollywood filmmakers – PLUS he also fired another barb at Hamilton.
      He said: “The way we have fought. The way we have pushed in this campaign, no-one has come close to challenging Mercedes in the last eight years and here we are, in the final race with a shot.
      “A long shot in the constructors’ championship and an equal shot with the drivers’ championship.
      “We have pushed to the limit. Pushed each other and pushed our competitors and here we are at the final race for the showdown.
      “It almost feels like Squid Game that we have ended up here on equal points. It is going to make compelling viewing on Sunday.”
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      Both drivers are level on points and have been warned by the stewards in no uncertain terms they will have points deducted – or even banned for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
      They came to blows last out in Saudi Arabia to add to the high-profile crashes at Silverstone and Monza.
      Verstappen was punished as a result of two flashpoints in Jeddah, not to mention the five-place grid penalty he received in Qatar for ignoring double-waved yellow flags.
      To add insult to injury, Hamilton escaped with only a ticking off for the same infringement last weeked.
      The Brit also labelled Verstappen a “f****** crazy guy” – with Horner suggesting his driver has been made a victim of the Mercedes PR juggernaut.

      In a stinging attack the Red Bull chief added: “Lewis has a standing within the sport and what he says carries a lot of weight.
      “He has used every tool available to him to put Max under pressure this year.
      “He is backed up by the Mercedes media machine – a huge amount of pressure has been placed on Max.
      “Max is he’s just a young lad. He’s a 24-year-old who drives with bravery, with passion, with skill and he’s up against not only Lewis but a huge machine in Mercedes-Benz.
      “All credit to him the way he’s handled that pressure this year and hasn’t been drawn into it, hasn’t been sucked into it.
      “As Lewis Hamilton indeed called us, we’re just an energy drinks company going racing.
      “The Mercedes Formula One team have become a machine. They have the weight and power of the parent company behind them.
      “I can’t believe it’s particularly comfortable being beaten by an energy drinks manufacturer!
      “We’re a team of racers, we’re going racing, we’ve got a phenomenal driver who has driven his heart out this year, and it’s been intense on track and off track.
      “I do think that the spotlight, even the narrative of this last week of this Mad Max scenario, calling him crazy, there’s been a very clear narrative.”
      It almost feels like Squid Game that we have ended up here on equal points. It is going to make compelling viewing on Sunday.Christian Horner
      Horner shared an awkward handshake with Toto Wolff in a toe-curling stunt for a televised press conference.
      And while Merc boss hailed the FIA for their pre-race warning to both drivers Horner says his driver will NOT change his approach to racing.
      He said: “On occasion Max has been treated harshly. I think he has come under scrutiny that we haven’t seen applied consistently with other incidents. And he feels aggrieved by that.

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      “The problem for Max is the scrutiny is on him. He has the spotlight positioned on him, he’s running at the front.
      “He’s driven fantastically well. Max drives in a manner that ignites passion.
      “It has brought fans into the sport and we do not want him to change. We want him to drive in exactly the manner that he has that has put him on the precipice of competing with Lewis for this world championship.”
      Meanwhile, Hamilton topped the second session of practice here at the Yas Marina Circuit.
      The reigning champion was over half a second quicker than the Red Bull man who was only fourth fastest.
      Hamilton said: “It’s been a decent day, I like the changes they’ve made to the track – it’s made it free-flowing and more enjoyable.
      “It’s obviously close between us all and a little unknown in terms of relative pace but I’m sure it’s going to be super close, as it has been in the previous races.
      “The car doesn’t feel too bad. Now we just need to crunch through the data and try to figure out how we can improve, the target is always moving.”
      Both Hamilton and Verstappen have raced competitively against one another this seasonCredit: AFP
      Horner says Max Verstappen won’t change his driving style for the title deciderCredit: Getty
      F1 star Max Verstappen arrives in Abu Dhabi for nail bitting show down with Lewis Hamilton More

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      ‘Very bad taste’ – Red Bull fume at Sky Sports for showing Max Verstappen’s horror crash in ‘Merry Christmas’ advert

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      RED BULL have blasted Sky Sports F1 over their “Merry Christmas” advert showing Max Verstappen crashing into the barriers at Silverstone.The short clip posted on social media features the Dutchman’s high speed shunt at the British GP where he collided with Lewis Hamilton at speed on the first lap.
      Sky Sports’ Christmas ad shows Verstappen sliding off the track at Silverstone
      Max Verstappen crashed into the tyres at Silverstone and was taken to hospital
      Such was the impact of the accident that Verstappen was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.
      It is staggering that after so many flashpoints this season the broadcaster would pick the footage to accompany their merry Christmas graphic.
      A Red Bull spokesperson told Dutch publication De Telegraaf: “We are extremely disappointed that images are being used of a crash, in which someone ended up in hospital.
      “This is in very bad taste. We hope it will be removed soon.”
      Sky, who will show this weekend’s race live on Channel 4, have since taken down the video.
      Both Verstappen, 24, and Hamilton, 36, go into the final race of the season able to win the Driver’s Championship.
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      Hamilton drives ahead of Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi second free practice sessionCredit: AFP
      Hamilton has won the last three F1 races and is level on points with the Red Bull man.
      The Brit arrived in Abu Dhabi yesterday in preparation for the big race.
      Hamilton arrived in the paddock wearing a purple outfit – with the words “F*** off” on the back. More

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      Nine most explosive F1 title-deciding finales including Schumacher driving on two wheels ahead of Hamilton vs Verstappen

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      IT will go down to the final race.Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen go head-to-head in Abu Dhabi level on points in the drivers’ standings.
      Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton go head-to-head in the most exciting climax to the F1 season in yearsCredit: PA
      It promises to be the most exciting F1 race in years, with the winner taking all.
      But we’ve seen explosive title-deciding finales in the past that have had motorsport fans on the edge of their seats.
      Here’s nine of the best that have gone down in history.
      Juan Manuel Fangio, 1956
      Monza was the venue for the final race of the 1956 season.
      Three drivers were in contention for the tile, Ferrari’s Fangio and Peter Collins, as well as Maserati’s Jean Behra.
      Behra was forced to retire, while it looked dicey for Fangio when a broken steering arm forced him into the pits.
      However, in an incredible moment of sportsmanship Collins gave him his car to finish second and claim the crown.
      No22 Fangio leads Stirling Moss at Monza in 1956Credit: Getty
      John Surtees, 1964
      Again, it boiled down to the final race – this time in the heat of Mexico City.
      British drivers Surtees, of Ferrari,  BRM’s Graham Hill and Lotus’ Jim Clark were all vying for the World Championship.
      Clark led for 63 of 65 laps until his engine failed on the final lap.
      Hill could have been champion, if Lorenzo Bandini hadn’t driven into the back of him and dropped out the points places.
      Surtees, in the end, got through to finish second and pip Hill by one point in the standings.
      John Surtees clinches the 1964 World ChampionshipCredit: LAT Photographic
      Emerson Fittipaldi, 1974
      This was the last and only other time two drivers have been level pegging on points going into the final race in the World Championship.
      However, it wasn’t quite the Grand Prix at Watkins Glen with a damper problem meaning Fittipaldi’s rival  Clay Regazzoni finished in 11th.
      The Brazilian finished fourth, winning his second title by three points.
      However, the win was overshadowed by the fatal crash of Austrian racer Helmuth Koinigg.
      Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi celebrates finishing fourth at the US Grand Prix to clinch his second championshipCredit: Getty
      James Hunt, 1976
      So good, and involving two great personalities, it made the astonishing film Rush.
      Niki Lauda and James Hunt fought it out at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix in a thrilling climax to the season.
      Lauda, who two months earlier had a suffered the horror fiery crash at the German Grand Prix, retired on lap two because of the horrific weather conditions.
      Hunt, however, prevailed in the rain and managed to finish third to get the four points he needed to be champion.
      The appalling weather conditions made the Japanese Grand Prix in 1976 hell for the driversCredit: LAT Photographic
      James Hunt pipped rival Niki Lauda to the titleCredit: Getty
      Michael Schumacher, 1994
      It was a move that looked like it belonged in an action movie.
      Adelaide was the setting for Britian’s Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher to lock horns and even cars.
      The German was leading when he turned sharply at the East Terrace corner on lap 36.
      He then pulled sharply across Hill, who tried to work his way up the inside as they approached the next corner.
      Schumacher was knocked onto two wheels and out the race. However, Hill’s suspension forced him out allowing him to win over his Williams rival by one point.
      Michael Schumacher is knocked onto two wheelsCredit: Sutton Motor Sport Images
      Jacques Villeneuve, 1997
      Another unsavoury incident involving Schumacher that saw him disqualified from the year’s drivers’ standings.
      Williams’ Villeneuve was behind the Ferrari driver by one single point as they headed to Jerez.
      On lap 48, Villeneuve spotted Schumacher had left the door open for him to pass, but he sharply turned into him – ricocheting off the Williams car and into the gravel.
      Schumacher couldn’t get out, and the Canadian went on to finish third.
      Jacques Villeneuve and Michael Schumacher collideCredit: Sutton Motor Sport Images
      Lewis Hamilton, 2008
      The most extraordinary final lap in Hamilton’s driving career.
      Lewis went to the Brazilian Grand Prix leading by seven points from Felipe Massa.
      Massa was brilliant and won the race – his second ever home win.
      However, Hamilton saw Timo Glock slow down and zipped past him right at the end to claim fifth and four points for his first title.
      Lewis Hamilton finishes in fifth to claim his first titleCredit: EPA
      Sebastian Vettel, 2012
      Interlagos, again, provided a remarkable season finale.
      Vettel and Fernando Alonso were up against one another – with Vettel leading by 13 points in an era when 25 points were given for a win.
      Alonso fought hard, going from sixth in the grid to end up with a respectable second placed finish.
      Vettel, however, performed a miracle after dropping from 22nd following a crash with Williams’ Bruno Senna.
      He somehow finished sixth to claim his title.
      Sebastian Vettel celebrates winning his title in nail-biting fashionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Nico Rosberg, 2016
      Hamilton has previous in Abu Dhabi, this time with Rosberg who led by 12 points going into their battle at the Yas Marina circuit.
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      Needing just a podium finish, Hamilton started the race from pole and won it.
      However, Rosberg was keen to sit just behind his team mate to secure the title.
      Afterwards, the German-Finnish driver announced his retirement from Formula One.
      Nico Rosberg retired after winning the title in 2016 in dramatic styleCredit: EPA
      F1 star Max Verstappen arrives in Abu Dhabi for nail bitting show down with Lewis Hamilton More

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      F1’s top 10 best-paid drivers of 2021 revealed with Lewis Hamilton earning way more than title rival Max Verstappen

      by

      THE thrilling 2021 Formula One season comes to a close this weekend.Lewis Hamilton will be desperate to get his hands on a record eighth crown after fighting back to draw level on points with rival Max Verstappen.

      But even if he doesn’t win the title, the British star, 36, comfortably tops the rich list.
      In 2021, Hamilton has earned a staggering £47million in wages, bonuses and add-ons, according to Forbes.
      The Mercedes star earns £40m in wages and is said to have raked in £7m in bonuses this year – with another £4m on the way if he wins the title, SunSport understands.
      That’s miles ahead of second-placed Verstappen, whose £32m pales in comparison.
      Veteran star Fernando Alonso (£19m) comes in third thanks to his sky-high wages at Alpine.
      Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (£14m) and Aston Martin racer Sebastian Vettel (£11m) complete the top five.
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      Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (£9m) sits ahead of Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas (£8m).
      That means Hamilton earned a staggering £39m MORE than Bottas this year alone.
      McLaren pair Daniel Ricciardo (£8m) and Lando Norris (£7m) join Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz (£6m) in completing the top ten.
      But for now it’s all eyes on Abu Dhabi as Hamilton and Verstappen go toe-to-toe one last time with the title on the line. More

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      How much prize money will Lewis Hamilton win if he clinches F1 world title?

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON stands on the brink of F1 greatness this weekend as he takes on Max Verstappen in the final race of the season.Hamilton and his Dutch rival are tied on 369.5 points at the top of the standings ahead of their last duel in Abu Dhabi.

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      Verstappen can win his first ever title at the age of 24, while Hamilton is gunning to win an historic EIGHTH championship.
      It’s been a long, frantic season, but finally the 2021 season’s champion will come to the forefront on Sunday.
      And if Hamilton wins, he’s set to get a hefty bonus.
      How much money will Lewis Hamilton receive if he wins the F1 title?
      While Hamilton won’t receive a fee from F1, his ‘prize money’, so to speak, will come from his constructors Mercedes.
      It’s Mercedes who pay Hamilton a bumper £40m-a-year and it’ll be them paying up if their man is victorious on Sunday.
      Hamilton is already one of the richest sportsmen in the world, with an estimated net worth of £244million, according to Forbes.
      And a win at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi would trigger a cool £4m bonus for the 36-year-old.
      Hamilton and Verstappen are battling it out for this season’s F1 titleCredit: AFP
      A Hamilton win would also release an eye-watering £17.5m in bonus money to be paid among Mercedes staff working at their Brackley HQ 
      It’s estimated that just under 2,000 staff would receive around £10,000 in bonus money EACH.
      Verstappen is paid roughly £18.5m-a-year by Red Bull and will also likely receive a big bonus if he wins on Sunday.

      The racing stud has been leading for the majority of this season’s title race but Hamilton has clawed back the points, winning his last three races.
      A fourth win in a row would give him his eighth title, one more than current record-holder and F1 legend Michael Schumacher.
      @font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Motorsport.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);} More

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      F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix LIVE: Updates as Lewis Hamilton LEADS after FP2, Verstappen in FOURTH – latest from Yas Marina

      by

      FORMULA ONE rarely gets weekends like this – and we have a truly epic season finale in store.But this is a motor racing year like no other, as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen slug it out one final time in Abu Dhabi.
      The weekend gets underway with today’s practice at Yas Marina circuit before qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday.
      Brit Hamilton, 36, and Dutchman Verstappen, 24, are level on points going into the final race with 369.5 points apiece.
      If both drivers crash out of Sunday’s race or they both finish on the same points then the title will come down to who has won the most Grands Prix this season, meaning Verstappen would take the title.
      Stay up to date with all the latest from Yas Marina in our live blog…
      HAMILTON REACTS
      Lewis Hamilton feels “great” after the second practice session but insists the Mercedes team will keep working hard ahead of Sunday’s title decider.
      Hamilton said: “It doesn’t feel too bad.
      “It started off good but got a bit worse in P1, then started off better in the second session with some changes we made.
      “But yes, now we just have to crank through the data and try to figure out how we can improve, where we home in. The target is always moving, but yes. Otherwise, I feel good.
      “I feel good, I feel great in my body and as I said I think we made some positive steps set-up wise, so we’ll try and perfect it tonight and come back hard tomorrow”
      PRACTICE 2 LATEST
      Alfa Romeo star Kimi Raikkonen hit the barriers at Turn 14 close to the end of Practice 2.
      The collision has caused quite some damage to his car but thankfully Raikkonen seems to be well
      GETTY IMAGES
      GETTY IMAGES
      PRACTICE 2 LATEST
      And here’s how the back of the line looks after the second practice in Abu Dhabi:

      PRACTICE 2 LATEST
      Lewis Hamilton fought back in the second practice session and finished first ahead of Esteban Ocon.
      Hamilton’s rival Verstappen finished fourth behind Valtteri Bottas and ahead of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez

      PRACTICE 2 LATEST
      Alfa Romeo star Raikkonen has caught a lift back to the pits.
      Not how the way he wanted his final weekend in Formula One to go
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      The session ends and all eyes are on Raikkonen’s Alfa Romeo.
      The driver has thankfully come out and confirmed he’s well
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Alfa Romeo’s Raikkonen has hit the barriers at Turn 14.
      The legendary driver, who will retire after the Grand Prix, has sustained quite significant damage done to his Alfa Romeo.
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      The chequered flag is out!
      We are close to the finish line
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Two more minutes to go and Hamilton continues to lead.
      Bottas is still ahead of Verstappen in third, while Ocon is second
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Verstappen remains fourth but is the fastest man on track at the moment, lapping in a 1:28.1 on five laps on the soft tyre.
      Hamilton and Bottas have been running on the slower medium tyre
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Ten more minutes to go in Yas Marina!
      Hamilton continues to lead whereas Verstappen is fourth, expect him to pick it up though
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Less than 15 minutes to go in Abu Dhabi!
      Drivers will now focus on keeping their tyres in check for the twisty final sector
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      The battle for first place remains quite stable with Hamilton leading and Ocon behind him.
      Bottas is third and is followed by the Red Bull drivers, of which Verstappen is fourth
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Let’s have a look at the back.
      Mazepin remains last behind Haas team-mate Schumacher and Williams’ Latifi
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Hamilton overtakes Ocon by 0.3secs and leads the pack!
      Verstappen is fourth behind Bottas and Perez follows in fifth
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Alpine are showing tremendous improvement in Abu Dhabi.
      Alonso threatened Hamilton and Verstappen in the first session, now it’s Ocon who currently leads
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      But what do you know, Alpine’s Ocon takes the lead!
      This is quite an exciting practice session
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Bottas retains the lead with Hamilton registering 0.021sec down
      Verstappen drops to fourth
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Bottas overtakes Hamilton after fitting the soft tyres.
      His Mercedes team-mate follows in second with Verstappen third
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Verstappen has dropped to fourth, with Bottas and Ricciardo ahead in second and third respectively.
      Hamilton continues to lead comfortably
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      There we go!
      Hamilton is stretching his lead, despite Verstappen climbing up to second.
      The Mercedes superstar sets what is by far the fastest lap of the day as he goes down to a 1:24.126, which is almost a full second quicker than his rival’s 1:25.065
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      And we have another clash!
      This time it’s Williams’ Latifi in the final sector, he limps back to the garage to check his rear wing
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Bottas has just clashed into the barrier at Turn 14 with his right-rear wheel.
      The Finn continues but he suffered a heavy impact and is back in the pit lane to gets his wheel checked
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Hamilton is currently leading the pack with Norris and Leclerc behind him.
      Verstappen is ninth and had his lap deleted for track limits
      PRACTICE 2 LIVE
      Hamilton has registered a first lap at 1:25.127, so already close to the quickest from first practice.
      The drop in temperature helps drivers go faster
      Load more entries… More

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      How Lewis Hamilton can finish ahead of Max Verstappen but still LOSE F1 title in incredibly unlikely scenario

      by

      LEWIS HAMILTON and Max Verstappen head into this weekend’s title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix level on points after the Brit’s action-packed win in Saudi Arabia.The championship-leading Dutchman was forced to give first-place up after a collision with Hamilton on lap 37.
      Verstappen was forced to give up first-place after a collision with Hamilton in lap 37Credit: GETTY IMAGES
      Hamilton came away with minor wing damage at the front of the car and went on to winCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      As Verstappen slowed, Hamilton clipped the back end of his rival’s car – damaging his front wing.
      Nonetheless, Hamilton held his nerve and won the Saudi GP convincingly to claim his third victory in a row.
      Verstappen was also given a ten-second penalty after the race, but it didn’t change his place on the podium.
      The win saw Hamilton draw level on points with Verstappen with just Abu Dhabi to go.
      But can Verstappen and Hamilton end the season level on points and if so, who will be crowned champion?
      How can Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen finish level on points?
      The two title challengers can finish level on points if the pair finish in ninth and tenth position.
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      Ninth picks up two points in the championship and tenth only generates one.
      But should the tenth-placed driver set the fastest lap of the race, they will pick up an extra point, meaning both pick up two for Abu Dhabi – therefore finishing level on 371.5 points.
      Who wins the championship if they are level on points?
      If Hamilton were to finish one place ahead of Verstappen, with them in 9th and 10th respectively, but the Dutchman claims the fastest lap bonus, the Brit would LOSE the title battle.
      In a scenario where they end the season level on points, Verstappen would finish top by virtue of having nine GP wins to Hamilton’s eight across the course of the 2021 season.
      Should the Dutchman come out on top, it would be Red Bull’s first championship since 2013 when Sebastian Vettel won his fourth in a row.
      It would also prevent Hamilton winning his fifth title in a row, stopping him from drawing level with the legendary Michael Schumacher, who managed the feat between 2000-04.

      Who wins the F1 drivers’ world championship title if they both crash out?
      If both crash out in Abu Dhabi, forcing both to retire from the race, Verstappen will be crowned champion.
      Neither will pick up any points for finishing below 11th.
      And with Verstappen, having nine GP wins to Hamilton’s eight, he will take the F1 crown.
      Alain Prost, who knows a thing or two about fiery title feuds, says you ‘can’t rule out such a scenario’ where one or both drivers crash out.
      Prost’s feud with Ayrton Senna led to a crash at the 1989 Japanese GP. A repeat happened at the same track a year later too.
      He told Bild: “Something like that could happen. That is why it is important not to cross the line. 
      “The situation could arise where the drivers know at one corner or another ‘I will either win or lose the World Championship right here’.
      “It’s already so tense, and the tension has only been rising for some time. So you can’t rule out such a scenario.
      “I look at Monza, where if Max hadn’t tried to overtake Lewis he would have lost the race, so do you accept the risk or not?
      “It’s not easy in a win or lose situation like this.”
      Lewis Hamilton trumps his rival Max Verstappen in almost every category
      Both have got too close for comfort numerous times this season.
      Most notably at Silverstone and Monza.
      Verstappen was forced to retire from the race at the British GP after being clipped and sent crashing into the wall at 160-miles-per-hour.
      Hamilton went on to win the race, but Mercedes’ celebrations afterwards came under fire after the accident left Verstappen knocked out and led to the 24-year-old being air-lifted to hospital.
      The pair then clashed at the Italian GP, which saw Verstappen’s car end up on top of Hamilton’s.
      The halo ring safety feature – introduced in 2018 – prevented Hamilton from walking away with a serious injury, or possibly worse.
      Verstappen was clipped by Hamilton at Silverstone and was sent crashing into the wall at 160MPHCredit: SKY SPORTS F1
      The title contenders clashed at Monza too, with both retiring from the raceCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Hamilton’s halo ring potentially saved his lifeCredit: AFP More

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      Max Verstappen backed to BEAT Lewis Hamilton to F1 title by Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso

      by

      FORMER world champs Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso BOTH want Max Verstappen to beat Lewis Hamilton to the Formula One title.Mercedes man Hamilton, 36, can surpass Michael Schumacher with an eighth F1 title if he finishes ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi finale.
      Hamilton and Verstappen go head to head on Sunday with the Dutchman backed by two iconsCredit: AFP
      Schumacher’s fellow German Vettel has got his legendary countyman’s interests at heart when it comes to Sunday’s showdown.
      Vettel, who is a four-time world champion himself, said: “Michael is my hero.
      “For that reason I probably don’t want Lewis to win but the truth is they have both had a strong season.
      “I’d be happy if Michael’s record still stands but even if Lewis wins, to me Michael is still the greatest.”
      Brit Hamilton’s old team-mate Alonso said: “Max is driving, in my opinion, one step ahead of all of us.
      “Mercedes deserve the constructors’ championship because the car is superior.
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      “But Max, overall in the year, was driving one step ahead of everyone.”
      Hamilton has another incentive for winning on Sunday apart from being statistically the greatest driver ever.
      It has emerged he is set to pocket a staggering £3.4million bonus if he wins the 2021 F1 title.
      The bonus will be a nice cherry on top to go with the £40million salary he receives from Mercedes.
      He is the sport’s higest paid driver, earning £22m more than closest rival Verstappen. More