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      Charles LeClerc becomes fifth F1 driver to test positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating with mild symptoms

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      CHARLES LECLERC has become the fifth Formula One driver to test positive for Covid-19.
      The Ferrari ace had been on holiday in Dubai and upon his return to his Monaco home discovered that he had come into contact with a positive case.

      Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc has tested positive for Covid-19Credit: PA:Press Association

      A subsequent test returned a positive result and the 23-year-old has now confirmed he is suffering with ‘mild symptoms’.
      He said on his Instagram: “I want to let you know that I have tested positive for Covid-19.
      “I am regularly checked according to my team’s protocols.
      “Unfortunately, I learned that I have been in contact with a positive case and immediately went into self-isolation, notifying anyone I had contact with.

      “A subsequent test I took has come back positive. I am feeling ok and have mild symptoms.
      “I will remain in isolation in my home in Monaco in compliance with the regulations set by the local health authorities. Stay safe and take care.”

      The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt

      Lando Norris and F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton both picked up the disease when in Covid-ravaged Dubai.
      Sergio Perez missed two races at Silverstone last season.

      While Lance Stroll was forced to sit out of the Eifel Grand Prix after complaining of being unwell, which was later diagnosed as coronavirus.

      Charles Leclerc reveals girlfriend Charlotte Sine had to join Twitch to get him to open door after he left her stranded for 25 mins More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes to keep anti-racism black livery for new season despite doubts over unemployed Brit’s future

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’S Mercedes car will once again be painted black for the new season despite continued doubts surrounding the Brit’s future.
      The 36-year-old urged his team’s hierarchy last year to change its traditional silver livery in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

      Lewis Hamilton had urged Mercedes to change its traditional silver liveryCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The German manufacturer will keep black livery for the 2021 seasonCredit: Daimler AG

      Hamilton revealed last month that BLM gave him ‘extra drive’ to win races.
      He was also seen at races wearing T-shirts and masks with anti-racism slogans and took the knee on the winner’s podium.
      And Mercedes will continue to show their support by retaining the same colour scheme when Hamilton targets a historic eighth world championship.
      But before March’s opening race in Bahrain, the racing icon must sign a new contract after his deal with the German manufacturer expired last year..

      Hamilton – technically currently unemployed – has always maintained his desire was to stay with the Silver Arrows with a new deal expected to be worth £40million a year.
      And Mercedes boss Toto Wolff recently claimed he’s unfazed by Britain’s seven-time world champion still not agreeing a new contract.
      He told Autosport: “It doesn’t worry me at all, because I will always respect Lewis’s decisions.
      ‘Whether this is staying with us for a long time, or whether that means leaving the sport and pursuing different interests.

      “I think we need to be ready for all kinds of curveballs being thrown at us.
      “But at the same time, we talk a lot, and we are very transparent with each other. I think there is more to achieve together.”
      In contrast to the delays over Hamilton’s deal, Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas sorted out an £8m one-year contract last August.

      F1 star Lewis Hamilton wakes up on birthday unemployed as new £40m-a-year Mercedes deal rumbles on More

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      F1 chiefs refuse to delay introduction of new rules to make races more competitive after Lewis Hamilton’s dominance

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      FORMULA ONE chiefs will not delay the introduction of their new rulebook for another season – despite the ongoing pandemic.
      New car design rules were set to be brought in for 2021 to make the racing more competitive with world champion Lewis Hamilton continuing to dominate.

      World champion Lewis Hamilton has dominated F1 in recent yearsCredit: AP:Associated Press

      However, those regulations were shelved until 2022 due to the difficulties caused by the COVID 19 pandemic.
      There were some suggestions that F1 could defer them an extra year to 2023, however, the sport say they will not wait another 12 months.
      An F1 spokesperson said: “Any suggestion the 2022 regulations will be delayed is wrong and has not been discussed.
      “The new regulations are designed to improve competition on track and give our fans closer racing.

      “This combined with the new financial regulations will improve Formula 1 and create a healthier and stronger business model for the whole sport.”
      Meanwhile, Aston Martin boss Otmar Szafnauer has backed Sebastian Vettel’s experience to help deliver success to the newly-rebranded team.
      Szafnauer says the German, who was axed by Ferrari, can also benefit his team-mate Lance Stroll.
      He added: “In Sebastian, we have a proven four-time world champion with experience of helping teams become race-winning and championship-contending outfits.

      “That’s why he is such an important signing for us. He brings a winning mentality and we will all undoubtedly learn a lot from him on this journey.
      “In Lance, we have a young and talented, hard-working driver who enjoyed his best campaign to date last year and really made strides in all areas of his racing.
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      “We know if we give him the tools, he’s more than capable of helping the team reach its goals.
      “We also think Sebastian will bring out the best in Lance, with Lance pushing Sebastian hard in return, so we’re delighted with our 2021 line-up.
      “It’s the ideal blend of experience, race-winning knowhow, and raw talent.”

      The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt

      F1 star Lewis Hamilton wakes up on birthday unemployed as new £40m-a-year Mercedes deal rumbles on More

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      Lewis Hamilton by far F1’s top earner on a staggering £40m a year, way ahead of rivals Alonso, Verstappen and Vettel

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      LEWIS HAMILTON is set to once again be Formula One’s top earner on a truly staggering £40million pay packet.
      Mercedes star Hamilton – who tops the Sunday Times’ Sports Rich List – will earn well over twice as much as every other driver when he agrees to a contract for 2021.

      Sebastian Vettel was the second highest-earner in 2020 but has traded his £37m Ferrari pay packet for a more modest £12.5m at Aston Martin.
      Returning legend Fernando Alonso is set to pocket £15m when he gets back into the Renault, known as Alpine in 2021.
      Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is on a £14m contract that will likely dwarf new team-mate Sergio Perez’s deal.
      The Mexican’s 2021 salary is unknown but expected to be around the £2.5m he earned at Racing Point last year.

      Daniel Ricciardo comes in at fifth on a £12.5m deal with McLaren, a reduction on his £16m Renault wage with a heavily bonus-based agreement at his new home.
      Charles Leclerc’s £8m Ferrari salary puts him sixth, ahead of Valtteri Bottas at world champions Merc on £6.5m.
      Scuderia newboy Carlos Sainz is one of few drivers to earn a pay rise ahead of 2021 with a bump up to £5.3m as he swaps Ferrari from McLaren.
      Kimi Raikkonen, Lance Stroll and Esteban Ocon are the only other drivers thought to earn seven-figure sums.

      Lewis Hamilton just needs to put pen to paper on his £40million deal to race in 2021Credit: PA:Press Association

      The new season will see a handful of rookies enter the paddock in Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin and Yuki Tsunoda.
      Racing gets underway in Bahrain on March 28 with a three-day test set for the Sakhir circuit from March 2-4.
      The Australian Grand Prix has been put back to November with Imola remaining on the calendar after a successful return to the historic venue in 2020.
      Saudi Arabia and the Dutch circuit Zandvoort are on the calendar, with no place for the highly anticipated Vietnamese GO.

      F1 star Lewis Hamilton wakes up on birthday unemployed as new £40m-a-year Mercedes deal rumbles on More

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      Racing driver turned porn star Renee Gracie banned from Instagram as social media site ‘censors’ sexy influencer

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      FORMER racing driver turned porn star Renee Gracie hit out at Instagram after she was banned from the platform.
      Influencer Gracie, 26, claimed the social media site had deactivated her account and she was being censored.

      Renee Gracie has been banned from InstagramCredit: Instagram

      The sexy influencer claims she is being censored with the moveCredit: Instagram

      Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia, the Aussie beauty pleaded her innocence by stating her raunchy pics were no worse than bikini models – even adding she had taken extra care to be vigilant in recent weeks.
      Gracie, who had 750,000 Instagram followers before her forced pit stop, said: “I just woke up and I can’t log in. They [Instagram] haven’t given me any reason which I think is the hardest thing [to deal with].
      “I was cautious with the things I was saying in my comments. The photos I was uploading. All that sort of stuff.
      “The work we’re doing isn’t illegal. If we were drug dealers or something I get it.

      “Our stuff isn’t worse than what companies are uploading with girls in bikinis.
      “It’s a bit crazy to think that it’s that strict. It’s a wild time to be alive.
      “The sex industry and the sex work industry is something that has been around longer than Instagram.”
      Gracie – who planned to make a return to the track last year – believes the move will cost her thousands of pounds per month.

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      The ex-racing driver had 750,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @renee_gracie

      She pleaded her innocence by claiming the photos were no worse than models in bikinisCredit: Instagram

      The tattooed star quit motorsport for the porn industry due to the financial struggle, barely making £10,000 a year as the first full-time Australian female Supercars driver.
      Once nicknamed the Devil Princess, the native Queenslander began driving as a teenager and had dreams of racing in a US NASCAR championship.
      In 2015, Gracie was part of an all-female team that took part in the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race.
      Her dreams came to a screeching halt after finishing 14th place in the same Mount Panorama race in 2016 before a series of poor displays saw her replaced.
      But her popular OnlyFans account means she can rake in more than £1million from paying subscribers viewing her content.
      However, she is concerned about how her and her counterparts’ wallets will be hit by the Instagram clampdown.
      Gracie added: “It will impact me financially in some areas.
      “[For some girls] Five, ten to $15,000 dollars a month easily. It would be devastating for people who lost their accounts.”

      Gracie was Australia’s first full-time Supercars driver before she quit the sportCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      She opted for a career change and started earning big money in pornCredit: Instagram / @renee_gracie

      Her OnlyFans account is thought to rake in more than £1million for herCredit: Instagram / @renee_gracie

      Gracie reckons she will miss out on thousands of pounds without her Insta accountCredit: Instagram / @renee_gracie

      Who is Renee Gracie and why did the pro driver switch to porn? More

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      F1 badboy Nikita Mazepin has been labelled ‘a lout’ – but with backing from his billionaire dad – does he even care?

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      HE has not even raced in Formula One yet but already there are people calling for him to be banned.
      He’s been labelled “a lout” by Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz and the hashtag #SAYNOTOMAZEPIN is regularly trending on Twitter.

      Mazepin has not even made his debut in F1 yet

      Yet some want him banned alreadyCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The rich kid will be driving for Haas Credit: Instagram @nikita_mazepin

      Not the impact that 21-year-old Nikita Mazepin – or indeed his Haas team – would have expected or wanted back in December when he was confirmed as their driver for 2021.
      Mazepin is a slightly-better-than-average racer who finished last season in fifth place in the Formula 2 championship.
      But the question mark over the Russian’s talent is only a minor worry compared to his behaviour, which is the cause for concern and the social media outcry.
      Mazepin is no stranger to controversy, yet when he posted a video on social media groping a female’s chest, people really took notice.

      The incident occurred shortly after he was confirmed by Haas and there was a subsequent apology and the video deleted.
      More recently, he made disparaging remarks about his new teammate Mick Schumacher and posted a stupid message wishing Covid a ‘happy birthday’.
      He has also previously been banned from racing for punching Callum Ilott in the face after the Brit spoiled one of his flying laps during a practice session.

      Mazepin likes to show off his lavish lifestyle

      He has over 100,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram @nikita_mazepin

      He came fifth in Formula 2 last yearCredit: Instagram @nikita_mazepin
      Let’s be honest here, had some other racing driver displayed such behaviour, he’d not come close to an F1 seat.

      The difference here is Mazepin’s dad, Dmitry, is a billionaire and that sort of backing is likely to have caught Haas’s attention.
      So, given Haas’s decision to pick – and stick – with Mazepin, what can they do to ensure he changes his attitude?
      There is education, something that Haas boss Gunther Steiner said they would do, saying: “We need to work on it to give him the best opportunity to learn from this, concentrate on his racing and ensure he doesn’t do it anymore.
      “He knows that. He realises that what was done wasn’t right. I’m not the type of guy who kicks in the face someone who’s on their knees – that’s not right.
      “This is a young man who needs to grow up and for sure we have dealt with this and we will continue to deal with this.
      “We are not saying that this was OK and letting him get away with it. We are educating him and will keep on educating him for his future.”
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      Mazepin sparked serious controversy when he posted a video of him groping a woman – he later apologisedCredit: Instagram @nikita_mazepin

      The 21-year-old is backed by his billionaire fatherCredit: Instagram @nikita_mazepin

      The acid test will be if he again causes controversy, for the fear is his card has already been marked.
      We have seen how drivers in F1 quickly earn a name for themselves for their actions both on and off track and that is sometimes hard to shake.
      Take outgoing Haas driver Romain Grosjean, once labelled a “first lap nutcase” by Mark Webber, it stuck with the Frenchman during his time in F1.
      Will Mazepin’s “lout” tag remain now for the rest of his racing career?
      Ultimately, it is now up to him to convince the world otherwise, and one wonders if he will or indeed if he actually cares.
      Until now, there appears little remorse, yet then again, he has not been presented to the world’s press to deliver a heartfelt apology.

      The concern is that, given his lengthy misdemeanour sheet, Mazepin will move on unopposed and without changing his ways.
      In which case the only way he will listen is if F1 or the FIA speak up and call him to account.
      Only then is he likely to act and for that, the sport and the governing body need to find some balls.

      Mazepin will partner Mick Schumacher for Haas in the upcoming seasonCredit: Instagram @nikita_mazepin

      F1 star Lewis Hamilton wakes up on birthday unemployed as new £40m-a-year Mercedes deal rumbles on More

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      Jenson Button’s wife Brittny Ward reveals incredible post-baby body two-weeks after giving birth in emotional post

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      JENSON BUTTON’S partner Brittny Ward has shown off her body just two weeks after giving birth.
      The Formula One superstar, 40, and his fiancee welcomed baby girl Lenny to the world on December 27.

      Brittny Ward showed off her post-baby body on Instagram

      Ward has been documenting her pregnancy throughout to her 302,000 Instagram followers, often modelling her baby bump.
      And now the former Playboy model has taken to the social media site to share her experience alongside an inspirational post to other women.
      Alongside a picture standing in a bikini she wrote: “Embracing my #postpartumbody. I realise some people don’t think that I’m a ‘real person’…. but guess what?! I f****** am.
      “This body is definitely not what I’m used to, I have always been an athlete my entire life and not being able to be active for the time being has been tough.

      “But I’ve learned to embrace this time, soak up all the cuddles with my little ones.
      “I have learned to love my body at any stage bigger or smaller. I have learned to thank my body instead of criticize it. There’s so much pressure on women to snap back too quickly or compare our bodies to other women.
      “I’m here to say you are beautiful just the way you are ladies!

      Brittny Ward is a former Playboy model

      The pair have been dating each other since 2016

      Brittny posted this picture five days after giving birth

      Brittny Ward was named as the Playboy Playmate of the Month in January 2015

      “If you are on a mission to get healthier I encourage you, if you are on a mission of self love and acceptance I encourage you. Our bodies are truly a temple and are absolutely amazing”

      Ward has been dating the 2009 Formula One World Champion since 2016.
      The loved-up couple became parents to son, Hendrix, in 2019 and have now welcomed a daughter to their lives.

      Jenson Button and ex-Playboy model fiancee Brittny Ward reveal 10-month-old son has undergone surgery for hip dysplasia More

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      F1 star Romain Grosjean shows off gruesome hand injuries as bandages finally come off following miracle fireball escape

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      ROMAIN GROSJEAN has shown off the gruesome damage done to his hands after his bandages were finally removed six weeks after his horror smash.
      The former Haas racer, 34, crashed at 140mph at last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

      Grosjean has shown off the damage done to his hands after his horror crash at last November’s Bahrain GPCredit: Instagram @grosjeanromain

      Grosjean enjoyed a cuddle with pet cat Petrus as he shared pictures of his burns on InstagramCredit: Instagram @grosjeanromain

      Grosjean was trapped in his flaming Haas for 28 seconds after his crash in BahrainCredit: Splash News

      Grosjean’s car split in two and instantly burst into flames.
      The Swiss-Frenchman was only saved by his Haas’ halo device and his racing suit, new for the 2020 season and designed to withstand flames for 20 seconds.
      Grosjean confessed he ‘saw death coming’ after smashing through the safety barriers.
      But he has shown off his miraculous recovery on Instagram, sharing an image of himself enjoying a cuddle with pet cat Petrus.

      So painful-looking are his injuries even to this days, Grosjean even included a warning to followers before swiping through his latest upload.
      Grosjean captioned the post: “My hands are back and Petrus isn’t too unhappy about it!
      “It’s not yet pretty so please don’t swipe right if you don’t feel like it.”
      Shortly after his crash, Grosjean described his escape as a ‘second birth’.

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      Grosjean’s Haas was torn into two pieces after smashing through the barrierCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Grosjean miraculously survived with only nasty burns to his handsCredit: Splash News

      He said: “To come out of the flames that day is something that will mark my life forever.
      “I have a lot of people who have shown me love and it has touched me a lot, and at times I get a bit teary-eyed.
      “I don’t know if the word miracle exists or if it can be used, but in any case I would say it wasn’t my time [to die].
      “It felt much longer than 28 seconds. I saw my visor turning all orange, I saw the flames on the left side of the car.
      “I thought about a lot of things, including Niki Lauda, and I thought that it wasn’t possible to end up like that, not now. I couldn’t finish my story in Formula One like that.
      “And then, for my children, I told myself that I had to get out. I put my hands in the fire, so I clearly felt it burning on the chassis.
      “I got out, then I felt someone pulling on the suit, so I knew I was out.”
      Grosjean has three children – Sacha, Simon and daughter Camile – with wife Marion.
      And he revealed his desire to get back to his family helped him escape.
      Grosjean confessed: “I was more afraid for my relatives, my children in the first place, but also my father and my mother.
      “I was not really afraid for myself. I saw death coming, I had no other option but to get out of there.”

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