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    As the biggest ever Formula One season approaches, one rebranded team is ready to shake things up on the grid

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    IT’S EASY to pinpoint what everyone wants from the 2024 Formula One season, after last year was so dominated by a certain Dutch driver. We want unpredictability, novelty, excitement.

    Where will we find that when the same 20 drivers will race against each other and the regulations remain unchanged?
    There is one big change on the grid that should shake things up: the Stake F1 Team. 
    Its new and distinctive livery signals that at least one of Formula One’s pit garages has been given a thorough makeover and new energy in the off-season.
    Need for speed
    Stake F1 Team is the new identity for a racing outfit which, since 2019, we’ve known as Alfa Romeo.
    And since Stake itself is a world-leading betting, entertainment and lifestyle brand, it will be looking to inject freshness, dynamism and thrills back into a sport that can be relentlessly serious and more than a little corporate.
    Stake’s co-founder Edward Craven recently shed more light on what to expect: “Fuelled by deep passion for speed, innovation, and pushing boundaries, we are now ideally positioned to take the team to unprecedented heights from 2024 and beyond. 
    “The upcoming years will be a thrilling ride with some mind-blowing activations planned that will redefine excitement on and off the track.”
    Stake F1 Team has grounds for optimism in 2024 – in its last season as Alfa Romeo, the team finished ninth in the constructors’ championship, but it will be looking to bag a much larger haul of points this year.
    Most read in Motorsport
    Its new car should help in that mission: it will be the first developed under well-respected technical director James Key, who joined in September 2023.
    As Stake F1 Team’s managing director Alessandro Alunni Bravi told Motorsport Week at the end of last season: “Next year’s car will not be an evolution of this year’s car; we will really have a completely new car from chassis to suspension, everything, all the areas.”
    Chinese challenge
    It’s an exciting year for Stake F1 Team driver Zhou Guanyu, too. 
    The only Chinese driver ever to compete in Formula One, he will be racing in his home country for the first time, as the Chinese Grand Prix returns on April 21.
    Once again, Zhou will have to race one of the most experienced team-mates on the grid, in Valtteri Bottas. 
    The Finn has ten race wins under his belt and two finishes as championship runner-up.
    Stake F1 Team will have the first chance to assess its 2024 car under race conditions at the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain from February 21-23, at pre-season testing.This is the moment when the anticipation of a new Formula One season begins to build among fans.
    The season proper will kick off in Bahrain just a week later, followed the next weekend by Saudi Arabia, then Australia after a two-week hiatus. 
    The return of the Chinese Grand Prix means that the 2024 season will feature 24 races, the most ever.
    One to watch
    The joy of Formula One is that anything can happen. 
    While Stake F1 Team enters 2024 as the plucky underdog, its refreshing new identity, along with James Key’s technical nous, make it the one to watch.
    Its dynamic and fan-centric approach will bring a breath of fresh air to a grid that steadily moved closer together in terms of lap times as the 2023 season progressed.
    Read more on The Sun
    As Craven says: “Brace yourselves and stay tuned, as Stake F1 Team accelerates towards an exciting future!” 

    Follow the Stake F1 Team on Instagram for the latest updates, and kick.com/stakef1team for exclusive behind-the-scenes content More

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      The South Tyneside girls’ club where Jill Scott’s football journey began – and future stars are getting their chance

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      WHEN youth worker Paul Smith founded a girls’ football team in South Tyneside in 1992, he little realised the small number who showed an interest would develop into a thriving club and produce two trophy-winning England players. When the FA took over the women’s game a year later, there were still just 183 teams around the country.
      Boldon Community Association Girls continually punches above its weight
      Today there are over 12,000 and the game is enjoying a boom, largely thanks to the success of the Lionesses and superstars like Manchester City captain Steph Houghton and former England midfielder Jill Scott.
      Amazingly, both Houghton and Scott were graduates of Boldon Community Association Girls in its early years.
      “There’s a lot of pride in Jill here and she’s definitely somebody for the girls to look up to and aspire to be,” says club treasurer Adam Kennedy. “We hope to produce more Jill Scotts.”
      Last year, the BBC took Scott back to the club that nurtured her. She told them, “Football was literally our life when we played here. I always class it as home.
      “I don’t think I’d have gone on to play for England without Paul. Grassroots football here gave me my happiest memories.”
      Boldon, a community club in a former mining area north of Sunderland (denoted by a colliery wheel on its crest), continually punches above its weight, regularly competing and winning in top-level competitions.
      Several of its girls’ team play in boys’ leagues; one girls’ team famously went undefeated all season.
      “There are not so many girls teams in the region, so the decision was made to enter some of the girls into the boys’ league, and they’ve gone from strength to strength ever since,” says Kennedy, an electrical technician.
      Most read in Football
      Parents do their best to fundraise, but having a big lump sum like that makes a huge difference
      “It’s made them a lot tougher and a lot more confident. The boys always know they’re in for a game with us.”
      Boldon has six teams through the age ranges, plus a women’s side.
      Last year, its U-10s applied for funds through the local Tesco Community Grants scheme.
      Working in partnership with charity Groundwork, the supermarket has awarded over £100million to more than 50,000 local projects through its funding programmes across the country, including 6,000 schools, over 2,000 sports teams and 2,300 other youth organisations.
      Customers can participate by voting in their local stores to support projects or even nominate them.
      An allocation of £1,000 to Boldon was used to buy training equipment.
      This helped set the team up for an impressive season in which it reached two national finals, including one played at St George’s Park, a match they only lost on penalties. They also reached the final of the National Futsal championship.
      £1,000 helped Boldon to buy training equipment
      “The money was vital. It allowed our coaches to carry out more technical training drills and refresh tired equipment,” says Kennedy.
      “Parents do their best to fundraise, but having a big lump sum like that makes a huge difference.”
      This summer Tesco launched a grant programme, Stronger Starts, committed to giving £5.3million to schools and children’s groups to fund healthy food and activities.
      “It’s clubs like Boldon who see first hand the difference these opportunities can make to young people’s lives when they’re moving, motivated and mentally energised,” says Christine Heffernan, Tesco group communications director.
      “That’s why it felt right to extend the reach of our Stronger Starts funding to grants to ensure any child can play football and take away the worry about paying for subs or kit.”
      The supermarket has also teamed up with The Sun’s Footie For All to help it find local clubs in need.
      The Sun launched the campaign in September after charity Sported revealed that a worrying 94 per cent of clubs nationwide are struggling. It also found that young players were dropping out because parents could not cover subs.
      “Obviously you can’t ignore the problem at a community-based club like ours,” says Kennedy.
      “We made a decision at the beginning of the season not to raise subs because of the cost of living.
      “We even made sure we spent the Tesco money at a local sports shop rather than with an online chain. We’re proud of the role we play in the community.”

      Stronger Starts is open to any local club or charitable scheme. Add your support by voting for local groups using the blue tokens in your Tesco branch.
      To find out more, head to tescoplc.com/strongerstarts More

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      Grassroots football scores £millions so any kid can play

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      THE NATION’S grassroots football clubs are the heartbeat of the game. They are also a vital part of every local community.But clubs are suffering. The cost of living crisis means there’s less and less money to go round.
      Grassroots football is the heart of the game
      Kit, equipment, league affiliation fees, match subs, referees – it all adds up.
      Supporters often go above and beyond to raise money.
      Tesco’s community grants have supported thousands of small community projects since 2016, including more than 6,000 schools, over 2,000 sports teams and 2,300 youth organisations.
      Programmes like Bags of Help, which used money raised from the carrier bag charge, have supported thousands of local projects and clubs like Mendip Broadwalk FC.
      Andy Williams of Bristol’s Mendip Broadwalk FC
      “Grants are massively important to little clubs like ours,” says Andy Williams, club secretary and president of Bristol-based Mendip Broadwalk FC. “Especially in a deprived area of Bristol, because you can’t keep going cap in hand to players and parents – they don’t have the money to spare.”
      This summer, Tesco launched its new grant programme Stronger Starts, which is committing a further £5.3million to schools and children’s groups to fund healthy food and activities this year.
      Tesco runs the scheme with the help of Groundwork, a charity that works with corporate businesses and the public sector to identify deserving community projects.
      “We’ve been working with Tesco for seven years now, making sure their commitment to communities reaches the people who need the help the most,” says Graham Duxbury, chief executive of Groundwork. 
      “We also have a network of local community workers across the country who are on hand to promote the Stronger Starts programme, to help groups who might be struggling to apply.”
      From his living room Andy Williams can see the junior team trophies of Mendip Broadwalk FC proudly on display in a family home on the street where he lives.
      “People ask me why I still do it after 20 years,” says 57-year-old Andy. “Seeing the little faces of the junior team players at the end-of-season awards is why. It makes it all worthwhile.”
      People are struggling – we do our best to put a smile on their faces
      Mendip Broadwalk FC is based in Knowle West, one of Bristol’s most deprived areas. Money is tight here, and there are social issues and gangs. So Tesco’s grant made a real difference.
      The club is a focus for the community and an outlet and a haven for youngsters. However, subs and affiliation fees are a challenge for some players and parents.
      “People are struggling, so we do our best to put a smile on their faces,” says Andy.
      “We don’t pressurise anyone about money. No one is refused to play. We look to help them as best we can.”
      The fact that over 5,000 schools and groups, just like Mendip Broadwalk FC, have already applied to Tesco Stronger Starts since its summer launch, shows how much these schemes are needed right now.
      “The grants we allocate this year mean we can help over 1 million young people to thrive in thousands of schools, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and sports clubs, and create positivity across our local communities,” says Christine Heffernan, Tesco group communications director.
      Every Tesco store provides information about applicants, with customers able to vote using blue tokens given out at checkouts.
      Anyone can apply, including customers and staff. The more detail in the application – particularly how the funds will be used – the better.
      Every three months the group that receives the most blue tokens is given a grant of up to £1,500, with the lucky winner invited to the store to receive a cheque and celebrate the moment.
      “Our stores have always been at the heart of every community we serve,” says Christine.
      “We’re proud that, together, we can help make a difference in our customers’ communities and to their friends and family.”
      It is hoped that with funding every child in Britain can play football if they wish
      The supermarket has also teamed up with The Sun’s Footie For All to help identify the local clubs most in need.
      The newspaper launched the campaign after charity Sported revealed that 94 per cent of clubs nationwide are struggling and that young players were dropping out because their parents could not cover costs.
      “We know there is a demand in many areas of the country for resources to help kids get into football,” says Christine.
      “So we felt it was important to team up with The Sun to extend the reach of our Stronger Starts funding to grants that ensure any child can play football if they wish, taking away the worry about paying for subs or kit.”
      Clubs like Mendip Broadwalk FC do a vital job in keeping kids off the street, encouraging them to play sport and to get fit, things that can sustain them for life.
      The club has also just started a girls’ side for under-sevens (some older girls play in mixed sides). Even better, the under-18s will soon have the chance to play under the senior side’s floodlights.
      “There’s a lot of pride in this place,” says Andy. “Sometimes I walk down the road, and players you coached ten years ago come up and have a chat.
      “They’re still very fond of the club, even if they’re no longer playing football.”
      “It’s incredibly important to us that children aren’t missing out on opportunities to exercise, stay healthy and try out activities or sports because the options they have are limited or they don’t have the financial means,” says Christine.
      Every club is a winner with Tesco Stronger Starts.

      To find out more, head to tescoplc.com/strongerstarts More

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      How a scheme to support local football clubs is benefiting whole communities

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      BECAUSE of a developmental disorder, 11-year-old Sean had been rejected by every local football club. Until, that is, his parents took him to Bangor Saints FC, where he was welcomed with open arms.“At Bangor it doesn’t matter who you are or what level you’re at, because we see our job as supporting young people,” says Daf Roberts, 46, a postman whose roles at the club include coaching coordinator, safeguarding officer and equality champion.
      Daf Roberts (right) with one of his many hats at Bangor Saints FC
      Daf tried Sean in various positions, then one week he gave him the goalkeeper’s gloves. Sean was outstanding, and that season he won the club’s Golden Gloves award.
      “When we announced it at the presentation, his joy was overwhelming,” Daf recalls.
      “His parents cried. They told me Sean’s dream was to be accepted and be part of a team, and he is – he’s a fantastic lad.
      “People join the club thinking it’s about scoring goals, but in fact they learn to mix regardless of background.
      “They learn respect, teamwork and life skills, and their fitness improves,” adds Daf, who was named 2023 FAW (Football Association of Wales) Grassroots Spirit of Football Award winner.
      Founded in 2014, Bangor Saints has expanded from two to seven teams; these range from under-sevens to under-17s, and the club numbers around 100 players.
      The value of a local sports club to a community is enormous, but it’s not cheap to run.
      There are league and FA affiliation fees, pitch hire, kit, referees… the list goes on, especially for those with clubhouses and changing rooms to heat and maintain.
      When Bangor was expanding in 2018, it needed funds and applied for a grant through the Tesco Bags of Help scheme (now called Tesco Stronger Starts).
      Working in partnership with the charity Groundwork, the supermarket has awarded over £100million to more than 50,000 local projects through its funding programmes.
      These include 6,000 schools, over 2,000 sports teams and 2,300 other youth organisations.
      Customers can participate by voting in their local stores to support projects, or even nominate them.
      “Community is the central pillar of our purpose at Tesco,” says Christine Heffernan, the company’s director of group communications.
      “We’re proud that together we can help make a difference in our customers’ communities and to their friends and families.
      “We’ll provide information about the projects so they can vote for them in every store and support their favourite cause.”

      An allocation of £1,000 to Bangor Saints meant the club could buy new portable goalposts and enough kit to run new teams.
      “Schemes like Tesco’s are a massive bonus for clubs like ours in an area where the cost of living crisis is biting,” says Daf.
      “Parents can’t really afford much. Fundraising and awards like this take the pressure off parents and enable the club to flourish.”
      Tesco recently launched its new grant programme, Stronger Starts, which is committing £5.3million to schools and children’s groups, funding healthy food and activities.
      It has already received over 5,000 applications for the first round, showing the scale of support needed.
      For help reaching local clubs and causes that could benefit from support, the supermarket chain has teamed up with The Sun’s Footie For All campaign.
      The newspaper launched Footie For All after it was revealed that 94 per cent of clubs nationwide were struggling and that many young players were dropping out because their parents could not cover costs.
      “It’s clubs like Bangor who see first hand the difference these opportunities can make to young people’s lives when they’re moving, motivated and mentally energised,” says Christine.
      “That’s why it felt right to extend the reach of our Stronger Starts funding to grants to ensure any child can play football, and take away the worry about paying for subs or kit.
      “Ensuring children thrive means we’re also ensuring our communities thrive. By encouraging mental, physical and social skills in an environment where there is a sense of enjoyment, participation and teamwork, we’re benefiting the wider future population and locality too.”

      Apply for a Tesco Stronger Starts grant now
      Tesco Stronger Starts is open to any local club or charitable scheme. Add your support by voting for local groups using the blue tokens in your Tesco branch
      To find out more head to tescoplc.com/strongerstarts
      Hear all about The Sun’s Footie For All opportunities here. More

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      in Soccer

      The football team that’s about more than winning

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      “WINNING is fantastic but it’s not our goal – it’s supporting each other on the pitch that counts.”It’s not exactly your typical manager’s pre-match huddle talk, but then South London’s Saving Souls FC aren’t your typical football team.
      Kerry Phillips founded Saving Souls FC to help bring people together
      While winning is a bonus, the real focus of the team, who are supported by National Lottery funding, is scoring victories over issues men face with their mental health.
      “I’m an Arsenal season ticket holder – I go by myself, home and away, and end up talking to so many different people,” says Kerry Phillips, Saving Souls’ founder, manager and “head of laundry”.
      “During lockdown, I realised that for me football is about more than 22 men kicking a ball.
      “It’s a point of connection with other people that nurtures my soul.” 
      Kerry, 36, from Catford, felt isolated during lockdown and reached out to friends on the phone.
      He sensed they were experiencing loneliness too but he couldn’t broach the subject. 
      “It was frustrating. It’s that ‘Men don’t talk about their feelings’ thing.”
      Kerry did some research and realised there was a problem. According to mental health charity Mind, 43 per cent of men regularly feel low but 28 per cent say embarrassment stops them seeking help.
      Most read in Football
      Men from minority ethnic groups are even less likely to access help than their white counterparts.
      “In 2017, I had therapy and that helped me understand my own mental health issues,” Kerry says.
      “As a child and young man I was overweight and lacked self-esteem, masking it with an outgoing persona.
      “Even after I lost 14st in my mid-twenties, I lacked confidence. Finally, turning 30, I faced up to my issues. That gave me tools for dealing with things.”
      National Lottery funding helps pay for the pitch hire
      Lockdown knocked his sense of self all over again. He wondered if there was something he could do to improve the mental health of men in his community.
      A couple of years earlier he’d organised a charity football match for his church – over-thirties versus under-thirties.
      “It was an intergenerational bonding session,” he says. “Was there a way of replicating that on a regular basis?”
      Kerry contacted the London Football Association and enquired about setting up a club with the aim of encouraging men to talk.
      Next, he rang Bellingham Leisure Centre, close to his home, and asked about hiring a pitch.
      Within weeks he had bagged a spot in the South London Grassroots Football League. Now all he needed was a team.
      The team are all about encouraging men to talk
      TALKING A GOOD GAME
      “I came up with the name Saving Souls FC and set up an Instagram account and promoted the first training session in 2021,” he says.
      “Sitting there on my own, I was nervous people wouldn’t turn up. But ten showed. Now Saving Souls has 88 members in its WhatsApp group.”
      Training takes place every other Friday evening, matches mostly on weekdays. And on the last Thursday of every month, Saving Souls holds a men’s forum.
      If people have specific problems they want to discuss, Kerry can signpost them to organisations like Citizens Advice and StepChange, the debt charity. 
      “We’re very diverse, with different religions and cultures,” he says. “Ages too – our oldest member is 58 and his son is the youngest at 18.
      “Friendships form – two members went into business together, while another felt strong enough to come off antidepressants through the boost playing gave him.”
      The team are achieving on the pitch too, winning the Grassroots League in 2022 with a goal difference of 137 and being named London FA Grassroots Project of the Year.
      Last year, Kerry successfully applied for National Lottery funding.
      “The FA gave us funding but I was spending my own money too,” he says.
      “We pay to hire the pitch, for example, but people might be struggling so sessions are free. National Lottery support was a lifesaver.”
      National Lottery players support health and wellbeing projects near you, like Saving Souls FC – the club helping people to improve their wellbeing and mental health through free weekly football matches.
      The National Lottery is also the proud sponsor of The Sun’s Who Cares Win Awards 2023, celebrating people, like Kerry, who put caring into everyday action.
      This season, Saving Souls FC have taken a break from the Grassroots League. “To give other teams a chance,” Kerry jokes.
      Instead, they’re organising matches with community groups, including teams of asylum seekers and Forces veterans.
      The club are welcoming women too, with free self-defence classes and plans for a women’s team.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Saving souls through winning and, as importantly, cheerfully conceding goals: it’s a simple concept but it works.
      Back of the net, Kerry and team. More

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      WIN tickets to Man United v Man City and join Rio Ferdinand behind the scenes

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      FANCY winning tickets to the ultimate Manchester derby and joining a legend in the game for an insider’s scoop behind the scenes?We’ve teamed with GoodGood, a charity that gives people the chance to win one-of-a-kind experiences in return for a donation.
      Enter for your chance to join Rio behind the scenes!
      Thus far, GoodGood have managed to raise over £177k for some truly amazing causes.
      For the latest competition GoodGood have partnered with football legend, Rio Ferdinand and The Rio Ferdinand Foundation.
      Together they are offering you and a lucky friend the chance to win tickets to the Manchester United vs Manchester City game at Old Trafford.
      But the prizes don’t stop there.
      You’ll also join Rio behind the scenes with BT Sport, get accommodation at Hotel Football and return flights from anywhere in the world.
      It’s the ultimate treat for a pair of football fans if you ask us.
      How to enter
      All you have to do is enter here from £10 and you’ll be in with a chance to win.
      The experience will take place on the weekend of the 14th January 2023.
      The competition closes on January 3rd 2023, a winner will be announced within seven days of this date.
      You can find terms and conditions here.
      A once of a kind experience could be yoursCredit: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
      Funds raised from this competition will go to The Rio Ferdinand Foundation.
      The foundation was setup by Rio in 2012, with the aim of supporting young people to tackle inequality and achieve their potential through different mediums including sports, media, arts and education. 
      Each ticket bought makes a difference to the lives of young people and the communities they live in so that they can continue to thrive in all aspects of life. More