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      Former Ferrari and Williams engineer Antonia Terzi killed in horror car crash aged 50 as F1 teams pay tribute

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      FORMER Ferrari and Williams technician Antonia Terzi has been killed in a horror UK car crash, aged 50.The ex-aerodynamicist – who was born in Italy – was famous for creating the ‘Walrus nose’ in the 2004 season.
      Former Ferrari and Williams technician Antonia Terzi has tragically died in a car crash aged 50Credit: Williams Racing
      Her career began in F1 with Ferrari where she worked until 2001 – with Michael Schumacher among others -before moving to Williams.
      She played a key role in their race-winning push following an engine partnership with BMW.
      Terzi caused a stir at the start of the 2004 campaign when the Williams FW26 was unveiled with the new nose concept.
      She then moved away from motorsport to become the head of aerodynamics at luxury car manufacturer Bentley.
      The Italian moved into being a teacher in later years at universities in the UK and Netherlands.
      Last year, Terzi was appointed professor at the Australian National University in Canberra.

      She was planning to move there from Great Britain once the Covid-19 travel restrictions had eased.
      After the sad news emerged, Williams tweeted: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former colleague and chief aerodynamicist, Antonia Terzi.
      “Our thoughts go out to Antonia’s friends and family at this difficult time.”
      Twitter user Ivan wrote: “During my PhD at Imperial College, I used to pass quite frequently by a 50 per cent model scale made in aluminium of Williams’ walrus nosebox, sitting next to one of our wind tunnels.
      “I always wondered who came up with that idea. It is rather sad to learn it this way. RIP Antonia Terzi.”

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      Mercedes boss wants Lewis Hamilton to LOSE F1 World Championship to Max Verstappen as ‘it’s time for someone else’

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      MERCEDES DTM boss Hubert Haupt wants Max Verstappen to win the F1 World Championship over Lewis Hamilton.Verstappen, 24, leads the Brit by 12 points with just five races to go.
      12 points separates the two title rivalsCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Should Verstappen become champion, it’ll be Red Bulls’ first since 2013, and it would end Mercedes’ seven-year domination.
      And Haupt thinks ‘it’s time’ for someone other than Hamilton to be top of the F1 mountain.
      Haupt competes in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) championship with three Mercedes cars for HRT, the team he owns.
      He told Sport1: “I think it’s time for someone other than (Lewis) Hamilton to become world champion.
      “In terms of Formula 1, it would be huge for Red Bull to win the title, so I hope Verstappen manages it.
      “There are still a few more circuits that suit Mercedes, but if Max scores well in the next two races, he will have the nerve to hang onto it.”

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      Mexico, Brazil, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi will be the battlegrounds where the title is decided.
      Hamilton won the last time F1 was in Mexico City back in 2019, but Verstappen has a knack for winning on the track too.
      Verstappen won in back-to-back seasons before Hamilton’s win.
      And the Dutchman also won in Brazil in 2019.
      Verstappen is ‘very relaxed’ as the title race nears a close.
      He told the New York Times: “Sometimes people take F1 too seriously, like it’s a life-or-death situation.
      “[Drivers think] ‘if I don’t make it to F1, my life is over,’ or something like that. For me, that was never the case and never will be. 
      “I’m very happy that I am in F1 now, but even if I wasn’t, I would still do something else – racing-related stuff to have fun, to have a good time.”
      The dream is always to win the championship, but you need to have a bit of luck.Mex Verstappen
      He continued: “I know that if my car is fast enough until the end of the season, I will win the championship.
      “But if it’s not, then we probably won’t win it. At the end of the day, it’s not going to change my world.
      “Of course the goal, the dream is always to win the championship, but you need to have a bit of luck, you need to have the right car for it to be at the right time of the season or across the whole season.
      “It’s a dream from when I was a little kid together with my dad [former F1 driver Jos], to get to F1 in the first place and then trying to fight for a title.
      “For sure, it would mean a lot if we can win it.”

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      Lewis Hamilton stuns group of kids by ditching disguise and giving inspirational speech More

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      ‘Behave like actors’ – Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes boss Wolff slams Red Bull rival Horner as F1 title race hots up

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      TOTO WOLFF has taken a pop at Red Bull boss Christian Horner by accusing him of “behaving like an actor”.The Mercedes boss and Horner are frequently at loggerheads and exchange comments in public.
      Toto Wolff thinks his Red Bull rival Christian Horner is ‘a protagonist in the pantomime’Credit: PA
      Christian Horner thinks Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is under ‘a different type of pressure’Credit: Rex
      Horner recently suggested the Austrian was coming under a “different type of pressure” as Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton battle Red Bull and their driver, Max Verstappen, for the title.
      But Wolff says the behaviour of his opposite number, particularly on the popular F1 show, ‘Drive to Survive’, has him marked down as a “protagonist in a pantomime”.
      “What Christian says about me feeling pressure — no, not at all,” Wolff told the Daily Mail.
      “I feel he is one of the protagonists in a pantomime, part of the Formula One cast, and for me as a stakeholder, as a team owner, it’s great that he creates these kinds of stories.
      “But it’s irrelevant. People have a microphone in front of them or a camera on them and they start to behave like little actors, like Hollywood.
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      “It’s very good that they fill in the blanks and make it pantomime. That’s good for the sport and good for Netflix because they want to portray the people, not just the stopwatch.
      “People have realised they are being quoted if they say controversial things. It gives them media time, it gets their picture in the newspapers.
      “In many ways, we are going back to our roots because what Bernie Ecclestone created back in the day was racing and soap.
      “And when there was not enough racing he made soap, he was always good for a headline. So we’re back there.
      “But I don’t get drawn into it. I find it amusing, but it doesn’t touch me.
      “Look, I’ve had so many hard years in my life that this — fighting for a Formula One championship — is not on the scale.”

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      Lewis Hamilton enjoys action packed break as F1 ace gets pelted by bugs in jeep in wild ride More

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      Lewis Hamilton takes break away from F1 title race to attend WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards with Ryan Reynolds and Co

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      SUPER-STYLISH Lewis Hamilton sported a jazzy blue suit and turtleneck combo as he took a break away from the Formula One title race to attend the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards. And as well as the dashing blue number, he completed the typically-fashionable look with a pair of black boots and white laces.
      Lewis Hamilton gave a speech at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards in New YorkCredit: Getty
      Kim Kardashian West and Ryan Reynolds were among those to attend the eventCredit: Getty
      The reigning world champion, 36, is locked in an intense battle with Max Verstappen for the 2021 crown.
      But always keen to use his voice to support people, organisations and movements away from the track, Hamilton took time out of his busy schedule to attend the awards in New York.
      And the British driver was joined on Monday night by a host of other celebrities at the event including Kim Kardashian West, Meadow Walker and Ryan Reynolds, fresh from his trip to Wrexham.
      Lil Nas X, Maya Lin, Kristina O’Neill, Kim Jones, Colston Whitehead, Sherrie Westin and Demi Moore were also in attendance.
      It came in the week after Hamilton was the cover star on the WSJ Magazine.
      He opened up on the pain he felt being racially abused by F1 fans who turned up in blackface at a race in Spain.

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      The supporters showed up to the 2008 Grand Prix in blackface while wearing shirts that read ‘Hamilton’s Family’ – but he did nothing about it because he ‘didn’t have anyone’.
      The Stevenage hero said: “I remember the pain that I felt that day, but I didn’t say anything about it – I didn’t have anyone.
      “No one said anything.
      “I saw people continuing in my industry and staying quiet.”
      The lack of diversity in F1 is an issue Hamilton feels passionately about.
      So much so he has sought to find answers as to why there’s a lack of black people taking part in the sport.
      Hamilton set up and funded his own investigation after looking at the end-of-season F1 team photos, where he says he was reminded about the lack of diversity.
      He returns to racing this weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix.
      The Mercedes man reckons the next two races – in Mexico City and Sao Paulo – both favour rivals Red Bull.
      And that could give Verstappen a healthy lead going into the final three races of this thrilling season in the Middle East.
      Hamilton looked dapper in a stylish blue suit complete with black bootsCredit: Getty
      The F1 star caught up with Meadow Walker at the awards nightCredit: Getty
      He resumes his rivalry with Max Verstappen and Red Bull this weekend in MexicoCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton stuns group of kids by ditching disguise and giving inspirational speech More

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      Six F1 sprint qualifying races in 2022, more points could be awarded and number may increase despite mixed views of fans

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      FORMULA ONE chiefs could make their new sprint qualifying format the standard at future grands prixs.Fans have been mixed over the new format that sees a short Saturday race dictate the grid for Sunday’s GPs.
      There have been two sprint races so far this season – with mixed reviewsCredit: Reuters
      Ross Brawn has revealed there will be more next seasonCredit: PA
      Managing director, Ross Brawn, however, says promoters have been lapping up the extra race, which was trialled at Silverstone and Monza.
      Both races saw high-profile crashes between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen and Brawn says the appetite for the sprint qualifying has been huge – so much so, there will be a further six sprint races in 2022.
      He said: “It’s open. It could evolve that way, but if it does, it will be because it’s the best thing to do.
      “We are taking it carefully step by step and off the back of six you can decide whether you want to increase the number.
      “I don’t think we should be afraid of doing that because, if we did that, it would be a measure of the success of the sprint.
      “And if that is the format for the future then we have gone about it the right way.
      “Equally, we may conclude that having it as a showcase event adds interest to the season.”
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      Brawn however, admits that the decision to award pole position to the winner of the sprint race – rather than the fastest driver over one lap – was a mistake.
      Among the changes, he said that the number of points available in the sprint races could be increased to make it more appealing.
      He added: “Talking to the drivers about the sprint, they’ve said Friday is great now because they get in and get an hour of practice and they have to go for it.
      “Friday had pretty uniform support from most of the drivers. The only ones who were a little apprehensive were the rookies who didn’t get as much running as they might have enjoyed.”

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      Daniel Ricciardo ‘dating Heidi Berger – daughter of former F1 star Gerhard – after being spotted with stunning actress’

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      McLAREN F1 racer Daniel Ricciardo is reportedly dating actress Heidi Berger – the daughter of ex-F1 star Gerhard. The Italian-Australian is currently fifth in the standings with rival Max Verstappen leading.
      Daniel Ricciardo is reportedly dating actress Heidi BergerCredit: Alamy
      Heidi Berger is based in AmericaCredit: https://www.instagram.com/heidiberger_/?hl=en
      The aspiring actress is the daughter of Austrian F1 driver GerhardCredit: https://www.instagram.com/heidiberger_/?hl=en
      Heidi Berger is said to have been spending time with Daniel Ricciardo in New YorkCredit: https://www.instagram.com/heidiberger_/?hl=en
      And Ricciardo is known for keeping his personal life private, but according to gossip site Deux Moi, he has been dating 24-year-old Heidi.
      The aspiring performer is based in America, studying at New York University, and is the daughter of Austrian F1 driver Gerhard. 
      Gerhard, now 62, formerly raced for Ferrari and won ten Grands Prix over ten seasons before retiring in 1997.
      His daughter is believed to have recently celebrated Ricciardo’s 32nd birthday together in Austria. 
      The report also claims they were spotted together in New York in the past week, shopping and enjoying brunch, before entering a hotel. 
      Ricciardo in September celebrated victory at the Italian GP – which won him a bet with McLaren boss Zak Brown.

      Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger drove for 14 seasonsCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      The Aussie struck a deal with Brown that if he were to achieve a podium in his first season with the team, he’d get to drive one of the cars in Brown’s private collection.
      Ricciardo, 32, had his eye on Dale Earnhardt Sr’s 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR.
      Brown agreed to the wager at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, saying ‘get us that podium, and the drive is all yours’.
      After Ricciardo’s victory in the Italian GP last month, Brown honoured his word, tweeting ‘a deal is a deal’.
      Ricciardo’s victory in Monza was his first Grand Prix win since Monaco in 2018, in his one season with Aston Martin.
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      ‘Race hard, but no contact’ – George Russell must respect ‘boundaries’ when he joins Hamilton at Mercedes, warns Wolff

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      GEORGE RUSSELL has been warned by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff he must respect ‘certain boundaries’ when he joins from Williams.The 23-year-old driver was confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate for the 2022 season last month, replacing Valtteri Bottas.
      Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has told George Russell he must respect ‘certain boundaries’Credit: PA
      Williams driver Russell will take Valtteri Bottas’ seat at Mercedes next yearCredit: PA
      And the British star has declared that he is not joining Mercedes to be Hamilton’s No 2.
      Having previously been referred to as a “wingman” for the 36-year-old Hamilton by Wolff, Russell stated he intends to compete for the Formula One World Championship with his compatriot.
      And former F1 star David Coulthard believes that the pair will clash due to Russell’s eagerness to win.
      It is something that Wolff is desperate to avoid following Hamilton’s fiery rivalry with ex-team-mate Nico Rosberg, before the German quit in 2016 after winning the world title.
      Not looking for history to repeat itself, Wolff has insisted that no driver is bigger than the team.
      Wolff told the Daily Mail: “This is Mercedes. We have no place for the genius jerk. Even a superstar driver has to respect team values.

      “But with Lewis, we’ve been eight years together now. He’s not an arrogant, spoiled little kid.
      “He’s a mature racer who has won seven titles, six with us, so we can take those moments, it’s part of our role to be a trash bin for the driver sometimes.
      “In the car, you can get very frustrated and emotional. You are racing at 200mph, in the rain, you have no idea about the overall picture of the race and decisions are being made that you cannot understand. In the early years, I would bite back at Lewis.
      “He was very young and I had to make the point that I wouldn’t allow the driver to bad-mouth the team. But we’ve been moved on from there a long time.
      “Still, I wouldn’t hesitate in the future if a driver talked bad about the team or wasn’t appropriate, I would first deal with it internally and if that didn’t yield results I would take the driver out of the car. On the bench, yes.
      “I don’t think that would ever be Lewis. He’s a team member, not a contractor, a driver that comes and goes.
      “We’ve been together since 2013. We know each other so well, there’s so much trust and respect. I was close to putting a driver on the bench when it was Lewis and Rosberg. Twice. In 2014 and 2016.
      “I said I would judge over 48 hours whether one needed to sit out. I still don’t know who it would have been.
      British star Russell has stated he isn’t joining Mercedes to be Hamilton’s No2Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      “But that was long ago. It is unimaginable given the relationship I have with Lewis today that it could happen now.”
      He added: “And George Russell is another intelligent young man. He will slot into the team but that doesn’t mean he has to hold back when driving. You can’t expect a lion in the car and a puppy out of it.
      “But there are certain boundaries within the team that must be respected and George knows them very well. Once the lights are green, only the drivers are responsible. 
      “I can’t interfere, manage, or remote control them, but one thing is of ultimate importance — don’t touch. That’s your responsibility. You can race hard, but no contact.

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      “I’ve been there before with Nico when it wasn’t just a rivalry. There was a lot of animosity and that’s not going to happen.
      “This is about showing respect for each other and it can be hard because if you race on the same spot on the race track you will eventually come across each other — but there is an integrity we expect that no one is ever bigger than the team.
      “The drivers know that. You represent 2,000 people who work for us and 350,000 people who work for Mercedes. So again, you are the solar system and the Mercedes star — that’s the sun.”
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      Lewis Hamilton reveals all over ‘horrendous’ first F1 world title as Mercedes star battles it out with Max Verstappen

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed that his first Formula One world title win was a ‘horrendous’ journey that he was ill-prepared for.Hamilton became the youngest-ever F1 champion at the tender age of 23 when he scooped the prestigious title back in 2008.
      Hamilton and Verstappen are locked in a battle for the title this seasonCredit: AFP
      Hamilton’s first title came back in 2008Credit: AFP
      But although it was meant to be one of the best days of his life, Hamilton, who’s gone on to win six more titles, remembers it being a nightmare experience.
      At the time Hamilton was still getting his feet wet in the racing game and felt he lacked the right mentality, team and tools which made the road to success a difficult one full of curves and bends.
      The Brit relayed how he felt about his first championship to Sky Sports and said: “My first title? It was horrendous.
      “I didn’t have a great structure around me in terms of management, I didn’t have help to know how to handle all these curveballs sent at me.
      “I didn’t have all the experience, I didn’t have all the tools – except the ones in the car.
      “But I was learning all these other tools in order to how to be a great team-mate, work with a group of people and help them elevate, and all these kind of things. Which was different for me then.”
      However, looking back in hindsight, Hamilton wouldn’t of had it any different as those tough experiences made him a better driver who knows how to build a successful, cohesive team.

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      He added: “I’m grateful I’ve had the experiences, I know how to build my team, I know how to win with my team and I know how to enjoy the ups and downs with my team.”
      This year, things are a bit different and Hamilton’s locked in a title race with bitter rival Max Verstappen who stands in his way of winning his coveted eighth title.
      Verstappen is 12 points ahead of Hamilton with just five races to go after the Dutchman’s epic win at the US Grand Prix.
      While Hamilton’s been embroiled in 10 title battles, this is Verstappen’s first one in the six years he’s been at the wheel.
      And Hamilton reckons the time difference in their success gives Verstappen an advantage because he should be better prepared for a title win than he was two years into his career, adding: “But he’s what, six years in? I was in my second year.”
      The bickering pair have been at each other’s throats for most of the season, and some of their spats have nearly turned physical.

      🏁 F1 2021 calendar: practice times, dates and racetrack info
      But despite all their drama, Hamilton claims he’s not worried about Verstappen and has both eyes firmly focused on his own journey.
      When asked about his nemesis, Hamilton said: “I don’t spend a moment thinking what might or what might not be a distraction for him, that doesn’t bother me either way.
      “If I do my job to the best of my abilities, I don’t have a problem. That’s how I approach my job.”
      Lewis Hamilton enjoys action packed break as F1 ace gets pelted by bugs in jeep in wild ride More