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      McLaren snap up karting sensation Ugo Ugochukwu, 13, to help teen follow in Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps to F1 stardom

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      FORMULA ONE team McLaren have signed a long-term agreement with teen karting sensation Ugo Ugochukwu.The American, 13, has caught the eye with his performances on the track and won the 2020 FIA OKJ European Championship.
      McLaren have a signed a deal with karting starlet Ugo Ugochukwu
      The F1 team will provide guidance and retain options on the 13-year-old
      The deal sees the British marque retain options on the youngster’s future and echoes the arrangement between Lewis Hamilton and Ron Dennis as the seven-time world champion began his career.
      A young Hamilton approached McLaren’s then-boss about racing for him and was soon signed up and guided towards F1 glory – a story that the team would be keen to repeat with Ugochukwu.
      After the agreement was announced, the racer said: “I’m honoured to be signed by such an iconic team as McLaren Racing so early in my career.
      “To have the support of McLaren is fantastic and what any young driver dreams of. I’m focused right now on developing as a driver and racer, so having McLaren by my side can only help me on and off the track.”
      Ugochukwu was born in New York to Nigerian supermodel Oluchi Onweagba and Italian fashion designer Luca Orlandi.
      He is also said to have signed up to the same management agency that represents F1 star Lando Norris.
      His mother, who has modelled for Gucci, Victoria’s Secret and many others, welcomed the news with an enthusiastic Instagram post.
      Onweagba, 40, wrote: “Thank you GOD! Angels in the heavenlies thank you! Watch over your Son.”
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      Ugochukwu has won several karting titles including the 2020 FIA European Championship
      The youngster is following in Lewis Hamilton’s footsteps in signing up with McLarenCredit: PA:Press Association

      McLaren’s young driver programme has helped the likes of Hamilton, Norris, Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne race in F1.
      Team CEO Zak Brown said: “We’ve been watching Ugo’s progress with interest, so when the opportunity to sign an agreement with him became available, we had no hesitation moving on it.
      “Now we’ll focus on giving Ugo the right support when he needs it to help him fulfil his potential.”

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      Bernie Ecclestone claims Black Lives Matter USING Lewis Hamilton for money and ex-F1 boss wouldn’t let drivers take knee

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      BERNIE ECCLESTONE has controversially claimed Lewis Hamilton is being used by Black Lives Matter – and says he would ban the F1 champ from taking a knee.Following a row with the Mercedes superstar last year, the former F1 boss has again criticised his links to anti-racism campaigners.
      Lewis Hamilton donned a number of Black Lives Matter shirts last yearCredit: Getty
      Bernie Ecclestone has continued his criticism of the campaignCredit: Getty
      Hamilton, 36, made a number of statements in support of BLM and other causes, including the Justice for Breonna Taylor campaign, en route to winning a seventh world title in 2020.
      But Ecclestone, 90, hit back at suggestions of racism in the sport.
      After being told by the Brit that he ‘lacked understanding of the deep-rooted issues’ being campaigned against, Ecclestone doubled down.
      And in an interview with the Telegraph ahead of the 2021 season commencing in Bahrain on Sunday, he continued his criticism of BLM.
      The Suffolk-born businessman said: “I don’t think he really understood what I was saying.
      “I agree we need to give more people a chance. Don’t forget I was the first person to put a black guy in a Formula One car.
      I’ve said: ‘Lewis is being used by the people who are supporting this BLM and they are taking a lot of money from it’.Bernie Ecclestone
      “And I supported him and have supported an awful lot of black people. But Lewis is entitled to his view.
      “But I’ve said to his father, ‘Lewis needs to be careful. Because he’s being used by the people who are supporting this Black Lives Matter and they are taking a lot of money from it. And nobody knows where it goes’.”
      Sports Personality of the Year winner Hamilton was asked last year if he was afraid how people would react to him taking a public stand.
      He insisted: “There is no way that I could stay silent.
      “And once I said that to myself, I didn’t hold any fear”.
      Ecclestone would not allow F1 drivers to take a knee, were he still in charge of the sportCredit: Getty

      Hamilton will continue to show his support for anti-racism causes in the new season although it is not known whether drivers will take a knee before races as many of them did during 2020.
      And Ecclestone, a huge figure in F1 since the 1970s, says he would ban the champ’s displays were he still in charge.
      He added: “If I’d have still been around there wouldn’t have been anyone wearing [anti-racism] T-shirts on the podium, that’s for sure.
      “One hundred per cent, there wouldn’t have been this business of kneeling before races.
      “I agree the sport should do more to encourage diversity but it shouldn’t be used as a [political] tool.”

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      Lewis Hamilton admits he works with people ‘far smarter’ than him as F1 champ reveals secret to success

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed the secrets behind his astonishing Formula One success. Britain’s seven-time world champion admits he surrounds himself with “far, far smarter” people.
      Lewis Hamilton has revealed the secret to his successCredit: AP
      And he is not afraid to ask “dumb” questions to help his Mercedes engineers build him the best car, which he then studies inside and out so he knows his “s***”.
      Then, once in the cockpit, he never lets his mind wander from the “life or death decisions” he makes as he races his 200mph machine round grands prix circuits.
      Hamilton, 36, is favourite to land a record-breaking EIGHTH world crown this year to cement his position as the greatest F 1 driver in history – despite some testing problems with his new Mercedes W12 supercar.
      And he declared: “Team dynamics is definitely key to winning.
      “Imagine 2,000 people in a rowing boat. If one person is rowing in the opposite direction, it slows you down.
      “So getting everyone moving in the right direction helps.
      “I am always analysing how I motivate individuals around me to raise our performance.
      “You need to have the talent – but you have to adapt to different situations and the pressures around you.
      “It’s having the confidence in your ability and just knowing your s***. I know everything about the car, I study it every year.
      “I make sure I work with people who are far, far smarter than me and make them educate me every year.
      “If I don’t understand something simple and it sounds dumb because I don’t understand, I don’t care.
      “I still ask the question, so that I can give them better explanations of what I want from a car.
      “When you have that collaboration, it helps you build the best car and win races.”
      That is something he has done throughout his glittering career, winning a record 95 grands prix, claiming 98 poles, 165 podiums and amassing a staggering 3,778 points from his 266 races.
      Hamilton will be out to improve those stats when the season gets underway in Bahrain on Sunday.
      However, his achievements have often been targeted by claims he is only a multiple champion because he has always had the best car.
      Hamilton starts his title defence this weekend in BahrainCredit: AFP
      Triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart insisted Hamilton would not figure in his all-time top three greatest drivers – and claimed his “car and engine are so superior that it’s almost unfair on the rest of the field”.
      Former F 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya echoed Stewart by claiming: “In F 1, the driver with the fastest car wins. Period.”
      McLaren star Lando Norris belittled Hamilton’s phenomenal record, insisting: “He is in a car which should win every race.”
      But the champ dismissed the jibes and said he could also have won world titles in rival cars.
      Hamilton added: “I won my first championship in 2008 (with McLaren).  The Ferrari was the fastest car and I beat them.
      “In 2018 I would have won in the Ferrari which, again, wasn’t the fastest car.
      “But if you look at every champion in the past, there is not one who hasn’t won the championship without a great team and a great car.”
      Four-time champ Sebastian Vettel insisted his rival is “the greatest driver of our era”.
      But Hamilton admitted he cannot afford to switch off for even a millisecond on the track. He added: “There is no time to have crazy thoughts.
      “You’re not thinking, ‘Have I got groceries at home?’.
      “You cannot afford to think of something else because it’s life-or-death decisions you are making.
      “Every millisecond counts, you are constantly focused.”
      However, he confessed he has “no idea” what he would have done had he not carved out a career as a Formula One driver.
      In a Q&A session with AMG Private Lounge members, he revealed: “I tried different jobs when I was a teenager and I was terrible at many of them!
      “I didn’t have a lot of patience when I worked in a clothes store, in a pub.
      “But I always loved building things like tables, or taking things apart like TVs.
      “Dad had a bunch of stuff in the garage so I was always in there being mechanical with my radio-controlled cars, taking things apart and putting them back together.
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      “So, maybe I would have been a techie.”
      He also revealed he has endured some “bad hair” days on the podium and sings in the shower.
      Now he is ready to clean up again on the track.
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      John Crichton-Stuart dead at 62: Jeremy Clarkson leads tributes to ex-F1 driver and 7th Marquess of Bute after illness

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      JOHN CRICHTON-STUART the 7th Marquess of Bute has died aged 62 after a short illness, his family has confirmed.His family issued a statement describing him as a ‘devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, son and grandfather and loved by all’.
      Ex-F1 star John Crichton-Stuart has died at the age of 62 following a short illnessCredit: Getty
      Crichton-Stuart partnered Ayrton Senna at Lotus’ F1 teamCredit: Rex
      The former F1 driver was a Scottish peer whose ancestral family residence is Mount Stuart House on the Isle of Bute.
      Crichton-Stuart was born on the island, where his family said his ‘heart was firmly rooted’, in 1958 and entered the world of motorsport in 1986.
      He joined Team Lotus and partnered up with Brazilian F1 legend Ayrton Senna, taking part in 16 races – picking up three career points.
      After inheriting his family’s vast wealth, he ranked among Scotland’s richest people.
      Crichton-Stuart leaves behind his wife Serena Wendell and four children – three of whom were from ex-spouse Carolyn Waddell.
      His family’s statement read: “The indomitable spirit and energy which Johnny brought to his life will be greatly missed, and the immense warmth and love with which he embraced his family.
      “His heart was firmly rooted on the Island of Bute where he spent much of his time.
      “Johnny chaired the Board of Mount Stuart Trust from its active inauguration in 2005 when Mount Stuart and its gardens opened to the public, and its rural estate was vested into the charitable trust.
      FFS. Now cancer has got poor old Johnny Bute. So sad.— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) March 22, 2021

      Crichton-Stuart’s family revealed the tragic news of his passing on MondayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Crichton-Stuart had an ‘indomitable spirit and energy which will be greatly missed’, say his familyCredit: Rex

      “He was a moderniser and an inspirational thinker, transitioning a family home to a progressive, working visitor facility and estate.
      “His island projects include the internationally respected Bute Fabrics and, most recently, the Kerrylamont Centre for Rural Excellence and Bute Yard.
      “He was a philanthropist through his foundation, particularly focusing on Scotland and the West Coast.
      “His family request privacy at this time.”
      Jeremy Clarkson was among the first to pay tribute to Crichton-Stuart on Twitter.
      The Grand Tour host tweeted: “FFS. Now cancer has got poor old Johnny Bute. So sad.”
      The Guild of Motoring Writers added: “We are very sorry to see that Honorary Member Johnny Dumfries, the 7th Marquess of Bute (who was team-mate to Ayrton Senna with Team Lotus in 1986 – AND won the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans) has passed away, aged just 62. #RIP”
      As well as his time in F1, Crichton-Stuart took part in the Le Mans 24-hour race five times – winning once with Jaguar in 1988.
      He also raced in Formula 3000 and British Touring Cars.
      Crichton-Stuart raced in F1, Le Mans and Touring Cars during his careerCredit: PA:Press Association
      In other tributes, one fan wrote: “Just heard the sad news that our very own Johnny Dumfries has passed away.
      “Lovely bloke always willing to pass the time off day with the ordinary punter.
      “Sad loss to all who knew him and @F1 racing back in the day.”
      Another said: “Sad news about Johnny Dumfries. I implore you all to read the recent @Motor_Sport article on him, as well as listen to @TomClarksonF1’s Beyond the Grid podcast interview with him.
      “He was very good, just hampered by circumstance.”
      A third tweeted: “Pretty tough news to learn of the passing of Johnny Dumfries.
      “Forever remembered. Always in our hearts and minds Johnny. May #GodSpeed on your final lap.”
      We are very sorry to see that Honorary Member Johnny Dumfries, the 7th Marquess of Bute (who was team-mate to Ayrton Senna with Team Lotus in 1986 – AND won the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans) has passed away, aged just 62. #RIP— The GoMW (@gomw_uk) March 22, 2021 More

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      Ronnie O’Sullivan snubs Lewis Hamilton from seven-man sport GOAT list despite F1 world champion bagging knighthood

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      RONNIE O’SULLIVAN reckons Lewis Hamilton can’t be considered one of sport’s greats because his car gives him an unfair advantage.The snooker world champion snubbed Hamilton from his list of all-time greats because Formula One is not ‘a level playing field’.
      Ronnie O’Sullivan dismissed Lewis Hamilton as one of sport’s greatsCredit: Getty Images
      Lewis Hamilton won his seventh F1 world title in the 2020 seasonCredit: Getty Images
      Hamilton, 36, won his seventh world title with victory to equal Michael Schumacher’s incredible record in the 2020 season.
      Immediately after the record-equalling success, there were calls for the Mercedes driver to be knighted, with the Brit later named in the New Year Honours list.
      But O’Sullivan told the Daily Star: “It is fantastic for Lewis to win seven world titles, but if your car is going around quicker you can afford to make a few mistakes and still get away with it.
      “It’s a bit like driving around smoking a cigar with one finger on the wheel!
      “I think it’s difficult to say where he is (among the greats).
      “A lot of the sports I watch – the people that have done it, you have to look whether it’s a level playing field.
      “If you have a car that is going a second a lap quicker than the other cars, in theory all he has to beat is his team-mate Bottas – who seems to be comfortable and happy playing second fiddle.
      “I wouldn’t have felt as good about my career in snooker if I had been playing on a table where the pockets I was using were bigger than my opponents’.”
      O’Sullivan went on to name seven great sports stars which he claimed dominated on a level playing field, unlike Hamilton.

      The six-time world snooker champ said: “It doesn’t mean as much as say a sport like tennis with Federer playing everyone on a level playing field, or Kipchoge running against everyone on a level playing field.
      “Snooker is like that, too, with a level playing field.
      “In boxing certain boxers avoid certain fighters so that makes it hard for them to have credibility unless they fought the best.
      “That’s why you have to give credit to people like Tyson Fury because you know they won’t duck anyone and will fight anyone anywhere at any time.
      “I just think sport is where there is no advantage.
      “You don’t get to choose your opponent or have better equipment.
      “So for me, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Phil Taylor in darts, Tiger Woods, Messi, Ronaldo… it’s there to see.”
      Hamilton won the Turkish Grand Prix in stunning style to clinch his seventh world titleCredit: Reuters
      Ronnie O’Sullivan won his sixth World Snooker Championship last yearCredit: Rex Features
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      Lewis Hamilton wants F1 legacy and to be ‘game changer’ ahead of new season while sharing adorable throwback snap

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed he wants to be considered a ‘game changer’ in Formula 1 ahead of the upcoming season.The 35-year-old has spearheaded the sport’s ‘Race as One’ campaign over the past 12 months which aims to end racism in F1 and wider society.
      Hamilton wants his legacy to be centred around his off-track impactCredit: Getty
      The initiative will continue in 2021 and while Hamilton is seeking a record-breaking eighth world title, it is his off-track work that he wants to be remembered for.
      “Game changer”, Hamilton told Sky Sports after being asked how he would like to be remembered.
      “Or voice for equality. Something like that.”
      He added: “I would argue that last year was the bravest [decision I’ve made in F1].”
      Hamilton, the only black driver in F1, didn’t hold back last year about speaking about problems in the sport regarding diversity, and the world as a whole.
      The Brit spearheaded drivers taking the knee before races – not something all of them did for various reasons.
      He also regularly wore Black Lives Matter t-shirts and other slogans to bring attention to racial inequality.
      Mercedes showed their support for their star driver, turning their usually silver car black – something that continues this year.
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      Meanwhile, the British racing legend is looking to surpass Michael Schumacher by winning an eighth world title in 2021.
      The upcoming campaign, which would be a fifth successive triumph for Hamilton if he can come out on top, begins in Bahrain this weekend.
      And the Briton seems relaxed ahead of the first race of the season, posting a picture of himself as a child for his Instagram followers over the weekend.
      Alongside the photo, he added a caption: “Mans garms were fresh since day 1.”
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      Hamilton posted an incredibly cute picture of him as a young boyCredit: https://www.instagram.com/lewishamilton/

      Hamilton recently signed a new £40million one-year deal with Mercedes.
      The team struggled in the pre-season testing as the likes of Red Bull showed a real improvement.
      But Hamilton remains unfazed by that and is happy for his rivals to be tipped for the title.
      He said: “They can be favourites if they want. I mean, they’re looking strong. I don’t really focus on that kind of stuff and they’ve had some really good running.
      “Both the drivers have been looking quite strong.
      “They’re going to be a different machine or animal this year with a really good, strong line-up for two drivers and a really good car.”

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      Red Bull’s Max Verstappen topped the final day of testing earlier this month while Hamilton finished in fifthCredit: AFP
      “They can be favourites if they want. I mean, they’re looking strong. I don’t really focus on that kind of stuff and they’ve had some really good running.
      “Both the drivers have been looking quite strong.
      “They’re going to be a different machine or animal this year with a really good, strong line-up for two drivers and a really good car.”
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      Valtteri Bottas reveals he nearly quit in anger after Mercedes team orders let Lewis Hamilton win Russian GP

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      VALTTERI BOTTAS has revealed he nearly QUIT Formula One after the infamous Sochi Grand Prix in 2018.That season, Lewis Hamilton – the Finn’s Mercedes team-mate – was locked in a fierce tussle for the World Championship title with then-Ferrari star Sebastian Vettel.
      Bottas revealed he nearly quit F1 after Mercedes ordered he let Hamilton pass him at Sochi in 2018Credit: Getty – Contributor
      With Bottas leading the race in Russia, Mercedes chiefs popped up on the radio to ask him to move aside to allow Hamilton through.
      While Bottas obeyed the controversial team order, he has now revealed it led to him considering his future in the sport – with the Finn almost retiring there and then.
      Speaking on Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’, Bottas revealed: “Sochi 2018, that was a pretty tough race.
      “It was tough to accept. I was pretty angry.
      “Honestly I was thinking ‘Why do I do this?’
      “I was thinking of quitting [F1], of giving up.
      “Straight after the race, I said I would not do it again.”
      Immediately after the race, Bottas was seemingly forgiving of Mercedes’ decision.
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      At the time, he acknowledged: “Lewis is fighting for the drivers’ championship and I’m not.
      “From the team’s point of view it was the ideal result today. Maybe not ideal for me but for the team, yes.”
      Even Hamilton claimed it was not a win he was proud of – even though it helped him go on to seal the 2018 crown.
      After the race in Russia, Hamilton said: “It is definitely a win on my list of wins that I am least proud of.
      “The strangest day I can remember in my career. I want to win the right way.
      “As racing drivers we exist to win; if you tell us we can’t, it is like you are taking our life away.
      “I would never wish it on someone else and I would never ask for it ever.
      “I made sure in a meeting that they knew this is not how I want to win.”
      Mercedes boss Toto Wolff continued by calling it a ‘harsh reality’ of F1.
      Hamilton went on to win the race, with Bottas left mulling over his futureCredit: Reuters
      Lewis Hamilton is F1’s biggest earner
      Wolff said: “It’s deflating for drivers and for a team but there is a harsh reality also.
      “On a day like this you can extend the lead by seven points more in a championship that has been very tough and difficult at times, so you have to take it.”
      Bottas would ultimately finish the season in fifth – just four points off third, with the win in Sochi enough to have seen him end up in the top three.
      In the same episode of Drive To Survive, Bottas revealed he is fighting to be an equal member of the Mercedes team and not just a ‘No2’.
      Bottas added: “If your team-mate wins and you are second, you feel like you lose.
      “I know I’ve been second in the past, but I want to prove I’m not just a No2.
      “In the team, even though many wouldn’t admit it, maybe unconsciously they have a No1 and No2.
      “Sometimes the team members had to question themselves: ‘Are we giving equal treatment to Lewis and Valtteri?’”
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      Lewis Hamilton slams ‘unacceptable’ Catholic church’s same-sex marriage stance after Elton John’s ‘Rocketman’ criticism

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has taken aim at the Catholic church after the Vatican refused to bless same-sex marriages.Hamilton, who is a Catholic, took to Instagram to repost Elton John’s condemnation of their decision, which was made earlier this week.
      Lewis Hamilton has called out the Catholic church for its stance on same-sex marriageCredit: Splash
      Elton John’s criticism was reposted by the British racing driverCredit: Getty
      The singer wrote: “How can the Vatican refuse to bless gay marriages because they ‘are sin’, yet happily make a profit from investing millions in ‘Rocketman’ – a film which celebrates my finding happiness from my marriage to David?? #hypocrisy.”
      And F1 champ Hamilton reposted the comment and said their refusal to accept same-sex marriages was “unacceptable”.
      He wrote: “Standing in solidarity with Elton John and the whole LGBTQ+ community on this issue.
      “It is unacceptable that in this day and age, anyone should face prejudice or discrimination based on the person they love, especially in the name of God who we are told loves us all equally.
      “It is incredibly sad that many will now feel they have to choose between their faith and being their true self, and I want my followers to know that I stand with you and I support you, and you deserve happiness.
      “Love is love, don’t let anyone tell you differently.”
      Hamilton has found an increased voice in recent years fighting for greater social equality and diversity.
      Taking a knee before F1 races last year while wearing Black Lives Matter shirts in the paddock, he spoke of finding fresh energy through commitment to these causes.

      He said in December: “I had this extra drive in me this year to get to the end of those races.
      “It was a different drive than what I’ve had in me in the past.
      “To get to the end of those races first so that I could utilise that platform and shine the light as bright as possible.”
      The defence of his seventh world title begins in Bahrain on March 28.
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