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    Lewis Hamilton handed brutal warning by F1 rival Fernando Alonso after ‘slow’ jibe leaves pair in hysterics

    LEWIS HAMILTON received a hilarious warning from Fernando Alonso after their battle at the Canadian Grand Prix.Seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton, 38, got the better of ex-team-mate Alonso, 41, with a lightning fast start in Montreal.
    Lewis Hamilton brilliantly mocked Fernando Alonso for his slow startCredit: Twitter

    Alonso took the jibe in good jest and fired back with a remark of his ownCredit: Twitter
    But the Spaniard ended up having the final say as he worked his way back into second place, pushing Hamilton down to third.
    And the pair, who boast nine F1 world titles between them, enjoyed a friendly, competitive exchange while conducting separate interviews after the race.
    An interviewer began by telling Hamilton: “Hi Lewis, another podium and it was a phenomenal start. You immediately overtake this guy [Alonso].”
    Alonso was stood next to Hamilton conducting his own media duties when Hamilton turned to him and said: “Yeah, his reaction’s a little bit slower because he’s a bit older now. It’s an age thing.”
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    Alonso acknowledged the comment, before Hamilton and Alonso broke into laughter.
    The Aston Martin driver then responded: “In Austria, two weeks time.”
    The Austrian GP is the next race on the F1 calendar at the Red Bull Ring on June 30.
    Alonso sits third in the drivers’ championship on 117 points – 15 ahead of Mercedes man Hamilton in fourth.
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    Sergio Perez’s advantage over Alonso has been cut to just nine points following his disappointing sixth place in Canada.
    But reigning world champion Max Verstappen is already running away with the world title after securing yet another victory on Sunday.
    The Dutchman, 25, has now won six of the eight races in 2023 and each of the last four.
    He sits 69 points clear of Red Bull team-mate Perez – who has won the only other two races so far this season.
    Alonso, back, and Hamilton, front, enjoyed a superb battle on SundayCredit: AP More

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    Fernando Alonso set for explosive reunion with Honda after infamous rant as engine suppliers team up with Aston Martin

    FERNANDO ALONSO and Honda are poised for an explosive reunion after the Japanese manufacturer agreed a deal to supply Aston Martin with F1 engines.Alonso savaged Honda when he was driving for McLaren, forcing the F1 team to eventually terminate their partnership with the company.
    Fernando Alonso is set for a reunion with Honda at Aston MartinCredit: Getty
    The Spaniard publicly mocked the reliability and performance – much to Honda’s fury.
    However, they could now team up once more after Alonso’s Aston Martin team joined forces with Honda to supply them engines from 2026.
    It comes after world champions Red Bull announced that they would be ditching Honda in favour of a tie-up with Ford.
    Honda bosses say they have “no objections” to working with the two-time world champion, despite his criticism in the past.
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    Koji Watanabe said: “Our stance remains unchanged in thinking the selection of the drivers is fully up to the team members and not something that a partner and supplier like us is supposed to be making.
    “So, we’ll be leaving the driver selection to the team.
    “We have been accelerating our development during all our recent time in Formula One, (including) while working with Alonso, and that enabled us to win the world championship [with Red Bull].
    “I believe he’s such a brand and respectable driver, but, like I said, the selection of drivers is up to the team to decide.
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    “So, if the team decides we’ll have Alonso as a driver again, we will have no objections whatsoever in him driving.”
    Alonso, 41, drove for McLaren between 2015 and 2017 when he famously called the Honda power unit a GP2 engine at their home race in Suzuka.
    Meanwhile, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll says the Honda deal is “the final piece in the jigsaw” to establish them as one of F1’s top teams.
    He said: “Aston Martin and Honda have a lot in common, including engineering excellence and a long-term commitment and passion to win.
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    Alonso had an explosive relationship with Honda back in his McLaren daysCredit: Getty
    “Honda and its engineers are racers and love to develop its products in competition. Racing is part of its DNA and always has been.
    “Racing has also a part of Aston Martin’s DNA for the last 110 years and together, we will win.
    “Aston Martin is the fastest growing team in the sport and on social media, tripling our fanbase in the last two years.
    “Our partnership with Honda is the final piece in the jigsaw to establish Aston Martin as a top team capable of winning world titles.” More

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    Inside Wayne Rooney’s incredible car collection with Bentley, Lambo and James Bond-style Aston Martin

    WAYNE ROONEY has amassed a huge fortune of around £136million through his illustrious football career – so it’s no surprise he has treated himself to an impressive collection of motors.The former England captain is understood to have owned a Bentley, a Lamborghini and a James Bond-style Aston Martin.
    Wayne Rooney has an incredible supercar collectionCredit: AFP
    The United legend in his Bentley Continental GTCredit: Cavendish Press
    Rooney’s most expensive car is a £175,000 orange Bentley Continental GT, which has a top speed of 198mph.
    The Continental GT is favoured by the global jet set, with 13 models made for the Sultan of Brunei.
    Wayne’s has also been seen driving a £148,000 black Lamborghini Gallardo, a classic Noughties supercar which can reach 201mph.
    The Manchester United legend also used to own an Aston Martin Vanquish S with the same top speed – the same car which Pierce Brosnan’s 007 drove in Die Another Day.
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    Whereas Bond’s Vanquish was invisible, Rooney’s was a glittering silver before he sold it in 2016.
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    Rooney owns a third British car on top of the Bentley and the Aston Martin – a luxury Range Rover Evoque customised by footballers’ favourite Overfinch.
    His cheapest motor is understood to be the Audi Q7, which at £35,000 cost him a fraction of his weekly wages as United’s record goalscorer.
    The Q7 is marketed as a versatile SUV with a spacious interior and a top speed of 155mph.
    It comes after Rooney named his “Mount Rushmore of United legends” – leaving himself out of the top four.
    Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn also revealed that Rooney texts him asking for fights.
    Rooney driving his Lamborghini GallardoCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    The former England captain filling up his Aston Martin Vanquish SCredit: Eamon and James Clarke More

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    Inside Formula 1 drivers’ luxury car collections – including Max Verstappen’s James Bond car and Hamilton’s £13m garage

    FORMULA 1 drivers definitely live life in the fast lane – on and off the track.As some of the highest-paid sports stars in the world, they have huge mansions, designer outfits, and an impressive supercar collection to show for it.
    Lewis Hamilton shows off his Mercedes-Benz GLC SUVCredit: LewisHamilton/twitter
    Carlos Sainz with his Ferrari 600 LT SpyderCredit: mclarenautomotive/facebook
    And as many of them have shown, driving for some of the world’s biggest carmakers like Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Mercedes-Benz comes with incredible perks.
    Just ask Lewis Hamilton, whose partnership with Mercedes has netted him some of the manufacturers’ most amazing vehicles.
    Here, we take a peek into the garage of some of Formula 1’s biggest stars to see what they drive when they are not competing on the grid.
    Sergio Perez
    Sergio’s private car collection is said to be worth £4.3millionCredit: Rex
    His Bugatti Chiron cost a mind-blowing £2.5millionCredit: bugatti
    Although Sergio is yet to win a major championship, he’s still one of the most recognisable Formula 1 stars and is the fourth highest-paid driver on the grid right now.
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    The Mexican reportedly has five luxury cars to his name including a Bugatti Chiron, which retails from a mind-blowing £2.5million.
    Other cars in his collection include a McLaren 720S, a Mercedes Benz AMG, a Porsche Panamera, and a BMW X7.
    In total, the Red Bull racer’s cars are said to be worth over £4.3million.
    Charles Leclerc
    Charles Leclerc is one of the richest stars on the grid todayCredit: AP
    His vast collection includes a Rolls Royce WraithCredit: AFP
    Monte Carlo-born Charles is one of the grid’s most talented stars, with an estimated net worth of £42.5million after signing a deal with Ferrari in 2019.
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    He has one of the most impressive collections of private vehicles said to be worth £5.6million, including the powerful Bugatti Chiron and a Rolls Royce Wraith, worth £811,180.
    He also has a Ferrari GTC4 in his garage, which reportedly set him back £689,000, and a McLaren GT, which retails at £649,000.
    But that’s not all – the 25-year-old owns a Ferrari F8, a Land Rover Discovery, and a Jaguar XF.
    Max Verstappen
    Max’s collection is inspired by James BondCredit: Max33Verstappen/twitter
    Max also owns an Aston Martin Valkyrie, said to give drivers an F1 experienceCredit: Reuters
    The Red Bull driver is one of the highest-paid stars in Formula 1 and has a private car collection inspired by James Bond.
    Max owns a 007-type DB11, a follow-up to the DB10, driven by the fictional secret agent in Spectre.
    The Dutchman is reported to have added an Aston Martin Valkyrie to his collection. According to reports, the vehicle is priced at a whopping £2.1million.
    The manufacturer’s website describes the car as the closest anyone will get to having the Formula 1 experience on the road.
    Lewis Hamilton
    The Mercedes-Benz driver has several cars made by his teamCredit: MercedesAMGF1/twitter
    He says he no longer drives many of his supercars for environmental reasonsCredit: Xposure
    As a seven-time champion, it is no surprise that Lewis Hamilton likes to travel in style with a collection of some of the most luxurious vehicles.
    He has owned a 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and a Ferrari LaFerrari.
    But these days, he prefers to be a bit more low-key as he takes the environment into consideration.
    In 2020, he told Reuters: “I don’t drive any of the cars that I own anymore. I only drive my [electric Mercedes] EQC.”
    It’s been reported that he also has a Mercedes-Benz G63, a GLC SUV, a McLaren P1, and a Pagani Zonda 760. According to reports, his private car collection is worth over £13.8million.
    Carlos Sainz
    Carlos Sainz has proudly shared snaps of his McLaren 720S on social mediaCredit: mclarenautomotive/facebook
    The star also has a McLaren 600 LT SpyderCredit: mclarenautomotive/facebook
    Carlos’ net worth is estimated to be £6.4million, meaning he has the means of securing himself an enviable car collection.
    It includes a Ferrari 812 Competizione, worth nearly £488,000.
    The Ferrari driver also has two McLarens – a 720S and a 600 LT Spyder – and has proudly shared snaps of them on social media.
    At £177,310, his Ferrari Roma is the least expensive vehicle in his possession.
    Fernando Alonso
    Fernando has several supercars including a McLaren
    Before switching teams from Alpine to Aston Martin, Fernando, 41, used to travel around in an Alpine A110 but has since upgraded.
    He now drives an Aston Martin DBX luxury SUV, which Fernando says is his dream car – the car doesn’t come cheap either, with the 2022 version boasting a starting price of £158,000.
    According to Slash Gear, the Spaniard’s garage includes a La Ferrari, a Porsche 918 Spyder, and a McLaren P1, which costs a staggering £895,000.
    Other cars in his collection are a Maserati GranCabrio, and the Ferrari 599 GTB Fernando Alonso Edition, which only had 40 units and typically sells for £244,000.
    Lance Stroll
    Lance Stroll is worth £41.6million and and owns a range of supercarsCredit: Splash
    His Ferrari California set him back a staggering £290,000Credit: Alamy
    Although Lance Stroll is worth £41.6million, his father Lawrence, who is a part owner and executive chairman of Aston Martin has a £2.4billion wealth.
    Lance’s car collection is one of the most incredible and is said to include a Ferrari California, which set him back £290,000.
    The Canadian also owns a Lamborghini Huracan, a Mercedes Benz AMG GT-R, and an Aston Martin Vantage, which is sold for about £131,000.
    His father, on the other hand, has a £50million Ferrari 250 GTO – the world’s most expensive car, and a £200million superyacht.
    Lando Norris
    Lando Norris has been living a glam life ever since swapping the UK for MonacoCredit: Getty
    Lando drives a powerful McLaren 720S, with a £248,800 price tagCredit: Getty
    He was seen driving a Fiat 500 Jolly in MonacoCredit: Norrislandofans/twitter
    He left the UK for Monaco when he got an extension to his McLaren deal last year and has been living the glam life ever since.
    Lando’s supercars includes a £248,800 McLaren 720S, which has the capability to go from 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 212 mph.
    Staying loyal to his team, he also owns a McLaren 570 GT, which comes with a £169,000 price tag.
    He isn’t all about the big cars, however – he has been spotted driving around Monaco in a cute Fiat 500 Jolly, which has sparked a ton of memes and TikTok videos.
    Valtteri Bottas
    Valtteri Bottas has a £25million fortune and a number of carsCredit: EPA
    Valtteri owns a McLaren 765LT, which sells for £310,000
    Vatlterri, 33, who spent most of his career at Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate, has a £25million fortune in his own right and takes home £8.6million a year driving for Alfa Romeo.
    It’s no surprise then that he can afford a car collection that includes a McLaren 765LT Spyder, which goes for £310,000.
    There’s also a Mercedes Benz AMG GT Black Series for nearly £286,000, and an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifogilo for £74,736
    The least expensive car in the Finnish racer’s collection is a Mercedes AMG C63 for £69,000.
    George Russell
    George Russell with his Mercedes AMG GT that cost £97,000Credit: Instagram @georgerussell63
    He also owns a Mercedes C63 S Coupe and posted a picture on social media of him washing itCredit: Instagram @georgerussell63
    As a driver for Mercedes, George, 25, has an array of supercars he could choose from, including his Mercedes AMG GT, which costs £97,000.
    Powered by a 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, it can go from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 and has a top speed of 190 mph.
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    The British racer also owns a Mercedes C63 S Coupe which is on the market for £63,482.
    He has even shared pictures of himself on social media washing the car himself by hand. More

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    Why Lewis Hamilton could suffer huge F1 blow if Fernando Alonso is in the running for World Championship

    LEWIS HAMILTON could suffer a major blow if Fernando Alonso stays in contention for the Formula 1 world championship.The Brit’s old rival and former McLaren team-mate has had a stunning start to the 2023 campaign after switching from Alpine to Aston Martin.
    Fernando Alonso has earned two consecutive podiums
    Lewis Hamilton has endured an underwhelming start to the seasonCredit: AFP
    Alonso, 41, has earned two podiums in the opening pair of races this year – only being beaten by the Red Bulls.
    Hamilton, meanwhile, has finished fifth in both Grands Prix – with Mercedes’ new car not having the pace to compete with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
    What will frustrate the seven-time world champion even more is that Aston Martin have seemingly built a quicker car with many of the same parts.
    The Silverstone-based team has the same engine, gearbox and rear suspension as Mercedes.
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    While their car also uses the same wind tunnel.
    Due to their affiliation with Aston Martin, Mercedes would rather them be the nearest challengers to Red Bull, if it can’t be them.
    Spanish outlet The Objective even claim that the Silver Arrows could prioritise giving their customer team their highest performing power units – in what would be a huge blow to Hamilton and team-mate George Russell.
    Hamilton, 38, has been in a bad mood with his car this season.
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    He has even been linked with a sensational move to Ferrari, with Merc boss Toto Wolff admitting he’d understand if Hamilton wanted to leave if the Silver Arrows couldn’t provide him with a winning car.
    Hamilton has tried to quash the rumours, saying: “I’m not focused on that — I love this team and I’m so grateful for everyone that’s been on this journey with me.
    “I don’t envisage being anywhere else, I don’t see myself quitting.
    “I wouldn’t say it’s giving me a lot. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. But I am trying to be patient and work with the team to get us to a good place. I must keep trying.”
    When Russell was promoted to third-place following a time penalty for Alonso at the weekend’s Saudi Grand Prix, which was later overturned, Hamilton said: “George did great and is up there on the second row.
    “But I don’t feel connected to this car and no matter what I do, no matter what I change, I can’t get confidence in it.” More

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    ‘I hope he wins’ – Max Verstappen incredibly tips rival to challenge him at top of F1 podium after Bahrain GP heroics

    MAX VERSTAPPEN has tipped Fernando Alonso to challenge for race wins this season.The Aston Martin driver claimed his 99th career podium with an impressive drive at the Formula One season opener in Bahrain.
    Fernando Alonso has been backed to win races this seasonCredit: Rex
    Max Verstappen believes Aston Martin have a ‘really strong’ carCredit: Rex

    Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
    The Silverstone-based team surprised many by topping the time charts in testing and in free practice ahead of the race.
    And this quick pace has seen Verstappen tip Alonso to rival him for a spot at the top of the podium.
    Verstappen said: “I hope so for Fernando as well because he has had a few years where there was not really a possibility to fight at the front so I’m happy to see him sitting here already in race one.
    “I think also again, I mentioned it before, but at Aston Martin, they really have the spirit and drive, they want to win and they’ve hired a lot of good people.
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    “So I guess it can only get better for them. And I think for this year, difficult to say if they’re going to challenge for the championship, but race wins are definitely on the table.”
    However, the Dutchman thinks the race wins will be limited for Alonso, and compared his time racing against Lewis Hamilton during his dominance.
    Verstappen added: “I’ve been in the same position where some races I’m finishing 20 to 40 seconds behind the winners and you still win two or three races a year.
    “Sometimes there are some tracks which really suit your car and everything just comes together and you can win a race with maybe sometimes a bit of help or luck.
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    “But for sure they (Aston Martin) have a really strong package. And now of course it’s all about developing it further.”
    Two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi has also backed Alonso to produce a “very strong” title challenge.
    Alonso is already a two-time world champion, winning titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006. More

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    Max Verstappen warned he faces ‘very strong’ challenge for F1 title… but not from Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes

    TWO-TIME Formula One champion Emerson Fittipaldi has warned Max Verstappen he could face a “very strong” challenge to his title bid. Verstappen cruised to victory at the season opener in Bahrain, with team-mate Sergio Perez a comfortable second.
    Max Verstappen cruised to victory at the Bahrain Grand PrixCredit: The Mega Agency
    But he has been warned he faces ‘very strong’ opposition by Emerson FittipaldiCredit: Rex
    Fittpaldi won his two F1 titles in 1972 and 1974Credit: Getty

    Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
    Everything thus far points to another easy championship for the flying Dutchman.
    However, competition could come from an unusual source this season.
    Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso claimed the final podium spot at the race.
    And Fittipaldi, who won the 1972 and 1974 F1 titles, has warned Alonso could pose the biggest challenge of the season.
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    Speaking to VegasInsider, Fittipaldi said: “Fernando Alonso’s podium was an unexpected one.
    “I think the Aston Martin’s performance even surprised Fernando and everyone in the team.
    “If you look at the mid-corners and slow-speed corners, Fernando was able to have different lines than the competitors. That means he had extra grip there.
    “When he overtook, he was very manoeuvrable on the slow, mid-speed corners. That means the car has a very good grip and handling.
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    Fittipaldi reckons Fernando Alonso could put up the biggest fight this seasonCredit: Rex
    “Lance Stroll was quick. With all the problems he’s had, he was running very strong, very quickly.
    “That means they’ll be a challenge in this year’s Championship. No doubt.”
    Over the last decade, Red Bull have duked out titles mainly with Mercedes and Ferrari.
    However, the regulation changes which came into effect last year saw Lewis Hamilton’s team dramatically drop off the pace of the front of the order.
    Meanwhile, consistency issues in both strategy and reliability have ensured Ferrari have not truly been able to compete on race day.
    Therefore, in 2023, Alonso and Aston Martin could pose the most significant threat to Verstappen achieving a three-peat.
    An incredible omen also suggests Alonso could land his third title before Verstappen, with the winner of the opening race in the last six years NOT going on to win the championship.
    Though the legality of the Aston Martin has now been openly questioned.
    Lewis Hamilton is not likely to challenge this seasonCredit: PA More

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    ‘Three Red Bulls on podium’ – Team chief questions legality of Aston Martin F1 car after Fernando Alonso’s third place

    DESPITE a storming weekend for Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin, questions have been raised over the legality of their car. Alonso scored his 99th career podium in Formula One at the season opener in Bahrain, adding £250million to Aston Martin’s share price in the process.
    ‘Three Red Bulls’ were on the podium at the Bahrain Grand PrixCredit: Rex
    Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin has had it’s legality questionedCredit: AFP
    The Spaniard overtook Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz on track before scoring a third-place finish behind Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
    However, Red Bull chief Helmut Marko could not help but question the specification of the car.
    Speaking to Servus TV following the race, Marko said: “We had three Red Bulls on the podium, only the last one with a different engine.”
    Indeed, the Silverstone-based outfit recruited Red Bull’s former head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows in 2022.
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    Perhaps unsurprisingly it has led to some similarities being drawn between the two concepts.
    But Marko has been left wondering whether there is any foul play involved.
    He added: “It’s true that what Fallows had in his head cannot be erased.
    “Copying the focus is not prohibited, but can you copy in such detail without having documentation of our car?”
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    Despite Marko’s serious tone on the matter, Perez and team principal Christian Horner have taken a more light-hearted approach.
    During his post-race press conference, Perez joked: “It’s nice to see three Red Bull cars on the podium.”
    Meanwhile, Horner said: “They say imitation is the biggest form of flattery, and it’s good to see the old car going so well.”
    Aston have previously landed themselves in hot water with a similar situation a few years ago.
    When they were still known as Racing Point, the team were accused of copying Mercedes’ 2019 car design in 2020.
    This led to their car being nicknamed: “The Pink Mercedes”.
    Following a protest from Renault – now Alpine – the FIA slapped Racing Point with a £359,000 (€400,000) fine and a 15-point deduction in the constructor’s championship.
    This was because they had been found guilty of copying Mercedes’ rear brake ducts from 2019.

    Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More