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    Savvy Ryan Reynolds turning Wrexham stars into ‘money machines’ OFF the pitch with power of £273m Hollywood fortune

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    FEW football clubs have seen their fortunes change quite as dramatically as Wrexham AFC. But it’s not just the fans who are benefiting from Hollywood star owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, with the players punching way above their lower league status too – on and off the pitch.Ryan Renolds and Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham for £2million in November 2020Credit: AlamyFans believed they spotted Wrexham star Ollie Palmer (right) in the background of the new Deadpool trailerThe striker, 32, joined the football club back in 2022Credit: AlamyThis week, Reynolds appeared to confirm Wrexham star Ollie Palmer has a cameo in the star’s new Marvel film Deadpool & Wolverine. The actor, who is worth £273million, wrote “keen eyesight” in response to a fan’s social media post asking whether the striker, 32, was in the background of the movie trailer.   Brand and culture expert Nick Ede claims the A-list owners, as well as the popularity of doc series Welcome To Wrexham, could open “a golden door” for the club’s best players, who could become famous ‘money machines’ in their own right.Nick told The Sun: ““Ryan and Rob have made a massive impact, all eyeballs have been on the club because of them and their huge TV show. READ MORE ON SPORT“It’s enabled them to give a voice to the players but also gifted them a bigger following, meaning players can get other big opportunities.“We have seen Ollie get a cameo or an extra role in the new Marvel film but that’s just the beginning. Some of the standout stars will make a lot of money from endorsements and deals.”Here Nick takes us through some of the potential ways Wrexham stars could benefit – from striking “Beckham-style” modelling deals to landing £100,000 pay cheques.Building the brandIt proved a game changer for Wrexham when Ryan and Rob bought the Welsh club for a reported £2million back in November 2020.Most read in FootballThe team has since achieved two back-to-back promotions, meaning next year they will play in League One – two below the Premier League.  Many of the players, who would previously have only been known by lower league fans, are now famous and have supporters across the world thanks to the Disney+ show Welcome To Wrexham.Ryan Reynolds all but confirms Wrexham star’s cameo in new Deadpool movie as striker ‘spotted in bar scene’Ryan and Rob lifting the Vanarama National League trophy last year after Wrexham were promotedCredit: GettyOllie launched WXM Clothing in November 2022Credit: Instagram/olliep9_His business has been supported by Ryan and Rob who have posted snaps wearing his clothes onlineCredit: Facebook/VancityReynoldsIt’s enabled some of the players incredible opportunities, including Ollie Palmer bagging a part in the third Deadpool film.Away from his footballing career, the striker has also launched the brand WXM Clothing in November 2022, which could prove to be another wise money-spinner.Crucially, the business venture has been supported by Ryan and Rob, who have regularly worn his gear in pictures on social media, where they collectively have nearly 54million followers.Nick says: “Having the guys wearing Ollie’s actual brand is a great way of endorsing what he does and will definitely help him to build his brand.“He is one of the players who ticks every box and is a star in the making, whether he carries on in Hollywood, who knows, but I suspect he will be endorsing lots of different things.“I can see him doing modeling and it could lead to him becoming a bit like David Beckham.”All eyes are on him. He’s a really good player and there may be a bidding war for him in the next for years.Nick Ede, brand and culture expertNick also believes coming from “an underdog football team” could bag Ollie more fans and describes the footballer’s future as “very exciting”.  He adds: “Ollie is someone brands are going to want to jump on now while his star is on the rise because he will make money for them and will be loyal to them. But also he will make a lot of money for himself.“I could see someone like Ollie, who is a rugged, sexy man, doing an aftershave or a fragrance launch, which could demand good fees of around £100,000 up to £250,000 as he becomes a bigger star.” Incredible bond with players and city
    FANS have been won over by Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – and it’s no wonder after a series of generous and thoughtful acts to help others.
    Ryan helped the wife of Wrexham defender Anthony Forde get a second opinion after she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and given months to live. He arranged for Laura, who was planning her own funeral, to speak with one of the leading neurosurgeons in the US. They later confirmed the mass in her brain was benign and the initial diagnosis was wrong last year.
    Wrexham legend Martyn Chalk, who played for the club between 1996 and 2002, received money from the club owners to cover for his medical bills. They donated £1,000 each to a fundraiser after he broke his femur and fractured his legs in Thailand, in December 2023.
    The family of Louis Perrin, four, received a £10,000 donation to help convert their home to meet the disabled child’s needs. Parents Aaron and Charlotte were “blown away” by the sum, in February. They said it would help make life easier for their son who has TUBA1A, which causes leg spasms, limited mobility, epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
    Charity football match organisers were “overwhelmed with happiness” last year when Ryan and Rob donated £5,000. The money was being raised for the children’s ward at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. 
    Last year, it was revealed that Ryan visited a terminally ill fan in hospital and gifted them one of his original gloves from the film Deadpool. The other was gifted to the club’s goalkeeper Ben Foster.
    Former Wrexham footballer and Dementia sufferer Gareth Davies was invited to be a “guest of honour” at Wembley Stadium in 2022. Ryan and Rob personally reached out after spotting a post on Twitter. In response, Rob wrote: “He showed up for Wrexham AFC and we’ll show up for him.” 
    When footballer Jordan Davies and his partner Kelsey Edward’s’ son was stillborn, the Wrexham duo donated £10,000 to their fundraising page. They were raising money for the charity Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Society (SANDS) in 2022.

    ‘Stand-out star’While there’s much intrigue about Ollie’s future after his apparent Marvel debut, Nick believes there’s an even bigger “stand-out star”.Paul Mullin was listed as a GQ Men of the Year Honouree after a superb season with Wrexham last year when he netted an impressive 38 goals. Nick says some of the players could carve out David Beckham-style modelling careersNick tips Wrexham striker Paul Mullin as one of the ‘stand-out stars’ to watchCredit: PAIt’s led to the footballer writing his autobiography, Paul Mullin: My Wrexham Story, and a mural of him being painted on the side of a local pub.Nick suspects Paul will be a popular choice for brands in the next few years as he continues to prove himself at the club. “All eyes are on him,” Nick says. “He’s a really good player and there may be a bidding war for him in the next for years. We could even see a musical next, who knows? We’ve seen Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical and a play about The Three Lions so it could happen. Nick“I can see him landing great endorsements, commentary roles and various TV opportunities, as footballers are very popular on these shows.“Paul is an inspiration to a lot of people so he could earn good money from public speaking and while working with brands, whether that is alcohol or apparel.” Giant sponsorsThe club’s exposure has enabled them to land impressive sponsorship deals too, including a deal with US giant Gatorade earlier this month. Since buying Wrexham, the club went from having one shirt sponsor to three – and has pulled in huge names including TikTok, Expedia, United Airlines and Vistaprint. Nick explains that landing such big brands, who hope to take advantage of the club’s TV deal and international following, not only benefits the club’s finances but the players too.“Most of these clubs wouldn’t receive this kind of endorsement, they may get sponsored by a local business or business associated with the counties they are in.Wrexham AFC managed to land United Airlines as one of its sponsorsCredit: GettyThe clubs fanbase has grown since Welcome To Wrexham first aired in 2022He said: “To have huge brands associate with a minor club is brilliant and all down to the star power of Ryan and Rob. “Having a TV show, which is potentially watched around the world, is a good way for advertisers and sponsors to get good bang for your buck. “It’s a win-win for anyone who wants to be associated with Wrexham but also offers big opportunities for the club’s stars.”Movie spin-off?Nick says Ryan and Rob have delivered “absolutely genius PR” since taking over the club and believes part of the success is they are “credible and authentic”.He notes the multiple charitable donations made by the duo and investment in community projects to help the locals of Wrexham too. Nick says: “Who would have thought that this small Welsh town would suddenly become one of the biggest TV hits in the world and have all eyes on them.“I can compare it to what Taylor Swift has done when she’s gone to different countries and her concerts have helped to grow mini economies thanks to fans buying food and drink and celebrating.”He believes the Wrexham owners should continue “carrying on doing what they are doing” to draw attention to the club, which will in turn benefit the players.But Nick suggests other ventures that could increase the club’s popularity, spread their story to more fans and expand the interest around the area as a whole. “I can imagine they might make a movie about Wrexham’s rise, it’s such an interesting and compelling story,” he says. “It could focus on the regeneration around Wrexham, showing how the football club helped to rebuild the community, which would create even more of a buzz.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We could even see a musical next, who knows? We’ve seen Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical and a play about The Three Lions so it could happen. “Especially with Ryan Reynolds, he loves a good old singsong so it could next on the cards and they get an Oscar for it.”  More

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      in Soccer

      Biggest footballer broods – from Arsenal striker with 8 kids to four different mums to Brazil legend’s FOURTEEN heirs

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      NOT content with being part of a team on the pitch, many football players have chosen to create their own squad at home as well.Manchester City star Phil Foden is expecting his third child with girlfriend Rebecca Cooke at just 23 years old – meaning there’s plenty of time to build up to a full 11.Phil Foden is expecting his third child at the age of 23Credit: Sophie Eleanor Photography / Go PR & EventsKyle Walker has six kids – four with ex-wife Annie and two with Lauryn GoodmanCredit: AFPThe midfielder and his childhood sweetheart celebrated the exciting announcement with a lavish baby shower this week as they prepare for their new arrival.Foden and Rebecca, 22, posed for a cute snap with their two kids Ronnie, four, and True, one, in hand.At this rate, Foden is likely to be following in the footsteps of Man City teammate Kyle Walker – who recently welcomed his sixth child.And it’s not unusual for footie stars to have a lot of children, as we reveal the players with the biggest broods…READ MORE SPORTS FEATURESKyle Walker – six kidsKyle Walker welcomed his fourth child with estranged wife Annie Kilner earlier this month – and was said to be over the moon about becoming a father again.The couple, who also share three sons Roman, 11, Riaan, seven, and Reign, five, split in January after two years of marriage.It came after influencer Lauryn Goodman revealed her son Kairo, four, and eight-month-old daughter are both Walker’s children.Earlier this month, we revealed Lauryn is taking their two kids to the Euros — where the England ace’s ex-wife and four boys will also support him.Most read in FootballLauryn told a pal: “I am determined my children will get to see their daddy playing for the Three Lions this summer.”She told pals he invited them to Germany in June and she is determined to go.Kyle Walker risks explosive showdown between wife Annie and Lauryn Goodman after ‘inviting’ ex and two kids to EurosA source says Walker told Lauryn: “I want you there. And I want Kairo there to see me play.”But a source close to Walker insisted he had not invited her.Cristiano Ronaldo – six kidsCristiano Ronaldo – who named his CR7 fashion brand after his initials and his football shirt number – also confessed he wanted to have seven children because it is his “magic number” To date, the former Manchester United star has had six children – although, in April 2022, he tragically lost one of his sons shortly after he was born.Cristiano Ronaldo is father to six children – although one son tragically died after birthCredit: instagram/Cristiano RonaldoHis eldest son Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, 13, was born in the United States and brought up by Ronaldo.His mother has never been named.In June 2017, not long after he’d begun dating model Georgina Rodriguez,  it was revealed that Ronaldo had fathered twins, Eva and Matteo, now six, via a surrogate mother in the United States.The following month, Ronaldo confirmed he and Georgina were expecting a baby, who was born in November 2017, named Alana Martina.On April 18 2022, the couple sadly announced Georgina had given birth to twins but one had died, while daughter Bella survived.They said in a statement: “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away.”It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel.”Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness.”Baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you.”Ian Wright – eight kidsIan Wright and Nancy Hallam with daughters Lola and RoxanneCredit: GettyIan Wright has eight kids by four different women, and was just 19 when he first became a dad,  adopting girlfriend Sharon Phillips’ son Shaun, 42, who went on to play football for Chelsea and Man City.”I didn’t have a job, and no means, but I took him on because it was the right thing to do,” he told The Mirror.Ian went on to have two more children with Sharon – Bradley, 39, and Brett, 38 – making Ian a father of three by the time he was 21.A year after welcoming Brett, Ian and Sharon broke up, as he reconnected with a childhood friend named Debbie, who grew up down the road from him.They had a luxury wedding in Mauritius in 1993, before welcoming their first son together, Stacey, the following year.Three years later, Debbie kicked Ian out of the house when she learned he’d been having an affair – but took him back soon after, and they had daughter Bobbi-Lee.But in 2008, Debbie revealed Ian had been unfaithful again, and had fathered another child during a fling, a daughter named Coco, born in 2006.“I support her but play no other part in her or her mother’s life,” Ian confessed in his autobiography, A Life In Football.Ian went on to marry his second wife Nancy Hallam – who he met in a pub – in 2011, and has called her his “perfect woman”.They have two daughters together, Lola and Roxanne, who he says he “can’t stand to be apart from”.In his book, Ian says: “I didn’t set out for it to be like that. I wanted to get married just once and never planned to have so many children in so many different circumstances.”Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha – 11 kidsRoberto Carlos has 11 children with seven different women, and is a grandfatherCredit: Getty Images – GettyFormer Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos, 51, has 11 children with seven different women – and has one grandchild, Pedro, seven, who’s older than some of his aunts and uncles.Pedro is the child of the former Real Madrid player’s second daughter, Giovanna, 27.Including Giovanna, Carlos has three children with his first wife Alexandra Pinheiro – the other two are Roberta and Roberto Carlos Jr, who’s adopted. He also has four children with his current wife, Mariana Luccon – Manuela, 14, Marina, seven, and two younger ones.He also has four sons – Carlos Eduardo, Christopher, Junior and Luca – all from other relationships. In 2018, Carlos told a Brazilian radio station he  was suffering because he was unable to see some of his children.According to BeSoccer, three of his former partners took legal action against him after this, accusing him of lying and not attending to the needs of their children.Brazilian Barbara Thurler filed for neglect after not receiving alimony for his two children.She even alleged he had attempted to put his two children on the streets despite their young age, adding: ”My son asks me if his father has died.” Barbara’s pleas encouraged Hungarian Alexandra Phaedra to come forward too.Then Dora Robles, from Mexico, also claimed not to have received the child support stipulated by the judge. The three claimed that Carlos neglected his children on more than one occasion.Carlos denied the accusations and reiterated that the lack of contact with his kids was due to the distance between countries and a bad relationship with their mothers.However he agreed to meet financial deadlines eventually. Pele – seven kidsBrazil’s soccer legend Pele had seven childrenCredit: ReutersPele’s family gathered at hospital to be beside Brazilian World Cup legendCredit: InstagramHe died at the end of 2022, at the age of 82, but Brazilian legend Pele had a lot of children in his lifetime.In his Netflix documentary,  the football icon – who was married three times – even confessed to not knowing how many children he fathered due to the number of affairs he had.Pele married his first wife, Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi, in February 1996 and the pair had three children – Kelly, Edinho and Jennifer.However, after splitting up with Rosemeri, the goal-scoring machine had a fling with his housekeeper Anizia Machado which led to the birth of his daughter Sandra Machado in 1993.He refused to take a DNA test, leaving Sandra no choice but to file a lawsuit to be recognised as his daughter as well as publishing a book entitled The Daughter Pele Never Wanted.Pele lost the lawsuit as DNA evidence showed that Sandra was his biological daughter.Four years later, Pele had another daughter, Flavia Kurtz with journalist Lenita Kurtz.In 1994, Pele married his second wife, psychologist and gospel singer, Assaria Lemos Seixas and the couple had twins Joshua and Celeste.Pele never had children with his third wife, Marcia Cibele Aoki, who he married in 2016.Diego Maradona – Between five and 11 kidsDiego Maradona accepted five of his children as his but may have had up to 11Credit: EPANot long before Diego Maradona died in 2020, one of his daughters, Giannina, joked the Argentine could make up a full starting eleven with his brood.The football star accepted two sons and three daughters were his, but is alleged to have at least six other children from various flings and some have previously appealed for their dad’s love.Maradona accepted his two daughters with ex-wife Claudia Villafane – Dalma and Gianinna – along with his son Diego Fernando who he had with girlfriend Veronica Ojeda.He also had flings with bar worker Valeria Sablalin, who gave birth to daughter Jana Maradona, and Italian Cristinia Sinagra, with whom he had son Diego Sinagra.But Santiago Lara and Magali Gil also made appeals in the media to the football legend and both were said to have been trying to get a DNA test before he died.The star is also alleged to have fathered up to four children while he was living in Cuba, three of whom have been named as Joana, Lu and Javielito.Garrincha – At least 14 kidsGarrincha is believed to have fathered at least 14 children during his colourful lifeCredit: Getty – ContributorGarrincha was regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever, before he tragically drank himself into an early grave in 1983, at the age of 49.But he had a very scandalous lifestyle off the pitch, and is believed to have fathered at least 14 children.He had eight daughters with his first wife Nair Marques who he was married to from 1952 to 1965.Garrincha then married samba singer Elza Soares, after a scandalous affair but they separated in 1977, after he hit her during an argument.With his colourful lifestyle, Garrincha had many more affairs, including one with showgirl Angelita Martinez and it’s thought he fathered at least six more children on top of his eight legitimate daughters.Antoine Greizman – three kids born on same dayAntoine Griezmann has three children all born on the same day over five yearsCredit: INSTAGRAM/EriKA ChoperenaWhile it’s not unusual to have three children, Barcelona football star Antoine Greizmann welcomed all of his on exactly the same date over five years.The World Cup winning striker’s daughter Alba was born on April 8, 2021.READ MORE SUN STORIESMeanwhile, his daughter Mia was born on the same date in 2016, and son Amaro, was born on April 8 2019.Now THAT’S a hat trick! 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      in Motorsport

      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s close bond with brother Nicolas – including £70k gift before tragic slide into debt & addiction

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      GROWING up in the shadow of a world-famous sibling cannot be easy – least of all when that person is Lewis Hamilton. But according to his half-brother Nicolas, 32, the seven-world Formula 1 champion has supported him and his career at every turn… except for financially.Lewis and Nicolas Hamilton have always been ‘super close’Credit: GettyWatching Lewis race as a youngster inspired Nicolas to get into motorsportCredit: instagramNicolas has been Lewis’s plus-one for many star-studded and glamorous eventsCredit: GettyRecently, the 32-year-old hit out at claims his career in the British Touring Car Championships (BTCC) was being “bankrolled” by Lewis, who is reportedly worth £270million.Nicolas also spoke out about developing an “all-consuming” gambling addiction in 2017 that lost him thousands of pounds and left him feeling suicidal. To pay off his debts, he was forced to sell his “pride and joy” – a midnight blue Mercedes C63 gifted to him on his 24th birthday by Lewis.Nicolas, who told The Times “gambling is no longer an issue” last week, has faced many struggles throughout his life.READ MORE ON SPORTAnd it’s been his brother Lewis who has helped him to overcome many of the obstacles, as we reveal. ‘Didn’t treat me differently’At 18 months old, Nicolas was diagnosed with spastic diplegia – a form of cerebral palsy that affects his balance and movement.Doctors predicted he would never be able to run or walk but today, the 32-year-old can walk unaided and no longer uses his wheelchair.His many achievements include becoming the first disabled racer to compete against able-bodied racers at the BTCC in 2015 and achieving a career-best at Donnington Park last year.Most read in MotorsportNicolas believes Lewis played a part in him becoming the person his it today and much of his sibling’s help dates back to their childhood. While most brothers often bicker, fight and have a friendly rivalry that wasn’t the case for the Hamilton brothers – instead, the youngster felt encouraged by Lewis.  Nicolas Hamilton gives fans a tour of his specially modified British Touring Car for the 2019 BTCC seasonHe recalled: “We used to go outside and play basketball. He didn’t treat me any differently, so we would still run races, which I obviously wouldn’t win. “It never upset me, it actually spurred me on to either run faster or become more mobile. I don’t think that was his plan but it was the effect he had on me. “It has never been ‘I want to be better than him, bigger than him’, and I don’t think he ever wanted to be bigger or better than me.”Bully planNicolas’s school years weren’t easy. He recalled bullies regularly “taking the mick” out of how he walked and mocking him for being in a wheelchair. Nicolas has cerebral palsy, which affects the movement in his lower bodyCredit: InstagramLewis gave his brother tips to stop bullies from picking on himCredit: InstagramMost weekends, Nicolas and his family watched Lewis’s races in the UK and EuropeCredit: InstagramHe told the Independent: “Kids did not want to be my friend. I was getting pulled back in my wheelchair and wasn’t able to fend for myself”.On In The Pink podcast, Nicolas said it was Lewis – who took up martial arts after being bullied at school himself – who came up with a plan to help.He recalled: “[Lewis] said, ‘If people are laughing at this wheelchair that you’re in, then why don’t we make it cool and do some cool things in it?’“He taught me how to do wheelies and stuff in the wheelchair, and I almost became like a Tony Hawk skateboarder in my wheelchair.“I started jumping stairs and trying to be cool. That helped me through it. It was a character-building moment, so I’m glad I went through it.”‘Planted seed’Nicolas spent “every weekend” travelling with his family to watch Lewis’s races around the UK and Europe when he was younger.”I became a real racing nerd,” he admitted. “I knew all the drivers and talked about karting all the time.” It seems spending so much time in the motorsport world rubbed off on Nicolas and would help to shape his future career. He taught me how to do wheelies and stuff in the wheelchair, and I almost became like a Tony Hawk skateboarder in my wheelchair.Nicolas HamiltonLewis encouraged Nicolas to go into racing at 18 after spotting how naturally talented he was on a simulator.Nicolas told The Times: “Lewis could see that I was good on a simulator. He planted the seed in my mind.” Nicolas became determined to stop using his wheelchair in his teensCredit: GettyAt 18, his talent for simulator work was recognised by LewisCredit: AlamyThe Hamilton brothers at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2011Credit: GettyBy then Nicolas had stopped using his wheelchair after spending time strength training so he could walk unaided. In 2011, he made his racing debut at the Renault Clio Cup in a modified car. But that year – had it not been for his sibling – could have been his last in motorsport.While competing on the Thruxton Circuit, in Hampshire, known for being the fastest in the UK, he had a terrifying crash. Nicolas lost control of his vehicle and struck a tyre barrier at 100mph. He was knocked out by the collision and had to be pulled out of his smoking vehicle by a marshal. Pretty much everyone presumes that Lewis bankrolls me in my motorsport career, that he pays for everything and provides endless opportunities because of his wealth and success in the sport, but it’s just not true.NicolasMany would have lost their nerve after such a terrifying incident but not Nicolas, who four years later became the first disabled driver to compete in the BTCC.He revealed it was his brother’s wise words that kept him racing. After the crash, Lewis advised him to take the corner again “as fast as he could as if nothing had happened”. Sports car giftCurrently, Nicolas is on a break from the BTCC while trying “to find half a million pounds” to fund his racing career. For now, he is working as a developer for driving games and a motivational speaker.He explained Lewis has been supportive of his racing dreams but has “never put a penny into my motorsport”. I don’t go to his races anymore. I haven’t for a long time… To see Lewis I would have to take a lot of time away from my life.NicolasIn Nicolas’s memoir, Now That I Have Your Attention, he wrote: “I know pretty much everyone presumes that Lewis bankrolls me in my motorsport career, that he pays for everything and provides endless opportunities because of his wealth and success in the sport, but it’s just not true; it is also something that I would never want or accept.”While Nicolas says his brother hasn’t financed his career in any way, he has splashed out on his sibling.Nicolas had to sell the Mercedes C63 (above) that Lewis gave him for his birthdayCredit: instagramLewis describes himself as his brother’s ‘No1 fan’Credit: Instagram / @lewishamiltonFor his 24th birthday, Lewis gifted him a midnight blue C63 Mercedes – thought to be worth around £70,000.Nicolas recalls: “We went out to the car park and he said, ‘Wow, look at that car, that’s so cool.’ It was a midnight blue C63 Mercedes. “I think I described it as ‘amazing’ and then he held out the key and said, ‘Happy birthday.’ I was gobsmacked. I remember him saying, ‘It’s insured, it’s ready to go, just drive it home.’”The gift was Nicolas’s “pride and joy” but in 2017, he was forced to sell it to pay off a tax bill that he couldn’t afford due to blowing thousands of pounds on gambling.‘No1 fan’ In recent years, Nicolas has admitted he has been unable to follow his brother as he races around the world but remains his “No1 fan”.He said: “I don’t go to his races anymore. I haven’t for a long time… To see Lewis I would have to take a lot of time away from my life.”In 2020, when Lewis secured his 92nd career win, which surpassed the record of legendary racer Michael Schumacher, his sibling gushed with pride online.He wrote: “Although I was not there, I live your emotions with an immense amount of pride! I am speechless, but always knew you had it in you.“I’m so grateful to have you as my brother… Here is to many more victories to put that record out of reach! Love always, your number 1 fan.”The siblings regularly share throwback photographs celebrating each other’s achievements – often with the hashtag #HamBrothers, in reference to their surname.Undercover spectatorLewis covered up to avoid being a distraction at Nicolas’s race last yearCredit: InstagramNicolas achieved a personal best while Lewis watched on (left) from the sidelinesCredit: InstagramWhen Lewis isn’t on the racetrack, he has sneaked in trips to watch his sibling race but chooses to keep a low profile. The F1 champion has been known to cover up to avoid diverting attention from his sibling’s achievements. Last year, when Nicolas achieved a personal best finishing sixth at Donnington Park, Lewis was watching from the sidelines in a long black coat with his hood up, a hat and a dark facemask.Gushing with pride, Lewis later said: “He got sixth in the race and I was just standing in the crowd just watching as a fan. I was so excited!“And no one knew that I was there actually, I was just jumping up and down trying to support him.”Lewis was unable to spend time with his brother in the pitlanes after the race but fuelled his confidence in a touching call afterwards.WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
      Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
      Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
      Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
      Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
      Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
      Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

      Nicolas recalled: “He was like, ‘You drove f***ing amazing’ and for him to say that to me, it means so much. “After all these years of me watching him from the sidelines, him having success and that sort of stuff, now he’s watching me. It’s full circle.”Lewis regularly says how “incredibly proud” he is of his brother, who he lists as his inspiration, and praises him for being “such a great voice” for those with cerebral palsy.The F1 champ said: “He’s obviously racing in a series and a sport where there is not a lot of access… there is no access for people who particularly are disabled. And he stands for so much.“It’s been difficult – he’s been fighting to try and make up for the disability he has with his legs and it’s a continuous fight.”READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd the feeling is mutual, with Nicolas saying: “I could talk about him forever because my life has revolved around him – but not through hateful eyes, just pure pride. I’m his biggest fan.”Nicolas Hamilton’s memoir, Now That I Have Your Attention: 7 Lessons In Leading A Life Bigger Than They Expect, is out now.Nicolas details his gambling addiction and other struggles in his memoirCredit: Instagram More

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      in Motorsport

      My brother Lewis Hamilton made £24m while I sat crying & eating pot noodles as gambling debts forced me to sell my car

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      SITTING inside a dirty room, unwashed and slurping a Pot Noodle, Nicolas Hamilton broke down in tears before his computer screen. The 32-year-old – the half-brother of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis – had frittered away thousands on gambling in a six-month binge and spiralled into a deep depression that left him on the brink of suicide.Lewis Hamilton helped to inspire his half-brother Nicolas to get into racingCredit: Instagram / @lewishamiltonNicolas says he and Lewis remain each other’s ‘No1 fans’Credit: GettyThe 32-year-old made history at the 2015 BTCC racing against able-bodied driversCredit: SWNS:South West News ServiceWhat started as a £2 bet on Arsenal scoring developed into an “all-consuming” addiction to online casinos and blackjack that rarely saw him leave his room in 2017.Two years earlier Nicolas, who has a form of cerebral palsy, had made history as the first disabled driver to go up against able-bodied racers in the British Touring Car Championship. He was forced to sell off his “pride and joy”, a midnight blue Mercedes C63 gifted to him by Lewis, to settle a hefty tax bill that he couldn’t afford due to his gambling and “naivety” about finances.In his memoir Now That I Have Your Attention, Nicolas speaks out about that dark time, which left him on the verge of ending his life.READ MORE ON SPORTHe wrote: “I felt so ashamed, using this amazing gift to pay my tax bill. “It felt like I had practically stolen the money from my brother and I have never forgiven myself for that.“It destroyed me. I got a real wake-up call. I had no way of going forward because I’d lost everything. “I was stuck. I had a balcony at my flat and I was thinking what would I do if I just jumped off it.”Most read in Motorsport Inside glamorous life of Lewis Hamilton’s brother Nic with racing career and Instagram model girlfriendNicolas’ struggles came three years into Lewis’ racing career with Mercedes, in 2017, when he was paid £24million a year – not including funds from sponsorships and endorsements.Yet he felt unable to confide in his half-brother, or his parents, and relied on daily calls to Samaritans over a difficult two-week period. Nicolas has since overcome his addiction – even able to take a trip to Las Vegas casinos recently without having a flutter – and says he’s grateful that “gambling is no longer an issue”.Recalling his difficult moments, he told The Times: “I wanted more of the winnings – and the losing didn’t really deter me. It just got me in a cycle.Nicolas followed half-brother Lewis into racing but says he is always ‘compared’ to the F1 world championCredit: InstagramNicolas was diagnosed with a form of cerebral palsy at 18 months oldCredit: InstagramIt was Lewis who recognised Nicolas’ talent on a driving simulatorCredit: Instagram“I couldn’t stop thinking about it — I just wanted to go back to my computer. The whole day would go quite easily. “I could see it was a problem but I was too far in. I was scared to stop. I’d lost so much money that I felt like, if I stopped, I was in a hole that I wouldn’t get out of.” After admitting all to his parents, Nicolas says they were “supportive” and “felt sorry for me”. He’s never spoken to Lewis about selling the Mercedes, which was bought for him as a surprise 24th birthday present.’Lewis spurred me on’Overcoming gambling addiction was just one of many struggles Nicolas has battled throughout his life.In 1992, he was born two months premature and spent the first six weeks of his life battling to survive in intensive care. At 18 months old, Nicolas was diagnosed with spastic diplegia, which affects his balance and muscle movement in the lower half of his body. Doctors predicted he would never be able to walk or run.Even at my most vulnerable moment, when I was in the midst of experiencing the scariest, closest-to-death moment of my life, people will still compare me with himNicolas HamiltonGambling addiction: five warning signsIS someone you know gambling more than they can afford to lose? Are you concerned they may be addicted? If so, read GamCare’s list of five signs to take note of.

      1) Being withdrawn – Have they stopped socialising? Addicts can lose interest in their usual activities or hobbies. Often they choose not to spend time with family or friends – in favour of staying at home – and when they do they may constantly check their phone.  
      2) Mood change – Are they acting differently? There could be noticeable changes in their mood and behaviour, which could include looking worried, agitated or upset for no apparent reason. 
      3) Sleeping problems – Do they constantly seem tired? Chasing losses and losing money can cause sleeping issues. Anxiety or constant worry can lead plays to be up at all hours. Some gamblers play during the night, which can disturb their sleeping pattern. 
       4) Financial concerns – Has money gone missing from bank accounts or are they regularly short of money and need to borrow money? This could be a sign. Some feel pressure to take out loans to generate income. 
      5) Lying – Do they lie about what they do with their time? Many feel expected to provide for others. If they are hiding a gambling addiction they may be scared of their problem being found out and feel very low wrongly believing they have let people down. 
      Do these warning signs apply to your loved one? GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline. Freephone 0808 8020 133 or talk via web chat at: www.gamcare.org.uk. They provide information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling. Advisers are available 24/7, every day of the year. 

      The disability meant much of his teens was spent in a wheelchair, which led to bullying from classmates.He recalled them mimicking him while he attempted to walk with mobility aids and try to tip him over while in his wheelchair.Nicolas told The Independent: “I didn’t have a voice or a purpose in school – a disabled boy and only person of colour in my school… kids did not want to be my friend. I was getting pulled back in my wheelchair and wasn’t able to fend for myself.”Growing up, he had a strong bond with Lewis – admitting they “were super close” – and says his sibling would encourage him to take part in sports.Nicolas said: “We used to go outside and play basketball. He didn’t treat me any differently, so we would still run races, which I obviously wouldn’t win. “It never upset me. It actually spurred me on to either run faster or become more mobile. I don’t think that was his plan but it was the effect he had on me.” Lewis encouraged Nicolas to learn wheelchair ‘tricks’ to deter bullies from picking on himCredit: InstagramLewis in 2017 when he earned £24m a year with MercedesCredit: AlamyNicolas set a personal best last year, placing sixth in a BTCC raceCredit: AlamySimilarly, his parents instilled resilience, regularly telling him to “brush yourself off” after falls while walking and encouraging him to be independent and strong. Legs ‘like mush’At 16 years old, Nicolas’ life changed forever after a rude interaction in 2008 that encouraged him to work even harder than before to no longer need to use his wheelchair. He was travelling abroad to watch Lewis in a race with his mum when a lady at an airport check-in counter, refused to address him directly and instead spoke to his mum.“She just asked my mum whether I needed assistance or help,” Nicolas recalled during an interview with The Independent last year. Lewis has never put a penny into my motorsportNicolas“I had all the hormones of a teenager wanting to be a man. I was growing a beard. I wanted to talk to girls and go to the pub.“But I’d become lazy and I was in a wheelchair because it was easier for me. It was hard work to walk around. “Able-bodied people weren’t looking at me in the way I wanted to be perceived. That was when I got out of my wheelchair. And I haven’t been back in.”Nicolas starting regular strength training and physio to help him walk – despite it causing neck, back, pelvic and muscular pain – and says before his legs “were like mush”. He told The Times: “Pain will always be a part of my day. I do not take anything for it. I learn to deal with it.”At 16, Nicolas says his legs were ‘like mush’ but now he can walk unaided and no longer uses his wheelchairCredit: GettyHe’s focused on motivational speaking alongside his racing careerCredit: InstagramLewis celebrating with Nicolas at the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix back in 2008Credit: Getty’Bankrolled’ furyNicolas was encouraged to go into racing by his brother at 18 after noticing he was “good on a simulator” and says he “planted the seed in my mind”.In 2011, he made his racing debut at the Renault Clio Cup in a modified car and four years later, became the first disabled driver to compete in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Despite his personal achievements, Nicolas has regularly been compared to his famous brother including after a near-fatal crash in 2011 after he hit a tyre barrier at 100mph on the racecourse at Thruxton Circuit, in Hampshire.While being pulled out of the car, which had smoke coming from the bonnet and engine, he recalls a marshal telling him: “Oh dear, Lewis isn’t going to be impressed with this, is he?”Nicolas, who described it as “the most insensitive comment”, added: “Even at my most vulnerable moment, when I was in the midst of experiencing the scariest, closest-to-death moment of my life, people will still compare me with him.” It has been really hard being related to Lewis and trying to carve my own career in motorsportNicolasIn April last year, Nicolas recorded his best finish to date – sixth place during a BTCC race at Donnington Park – which helped to silence the critics who said he was only driving because of his famous brother. “To come across the line with that result, after everything I’ve been through – best day of my life,” he said. “To finally shut the critics up on 23 April was the best thing I could ever wish for. It was a load of relief and a lot of weight off my shoulders.”Nicolas has faced nepotism comments, online trolling and bullying throughout his racing career due to beliefs that his famous sibling helped him financially or with connections. Last year, he defiantly stated: “Lewis has never put a penny into my motorsport.” And has since addressed it in his memoir. Nicolas’s memoir Now That I Have Your Attention comes out this monthCredit: InstagramHe described Lewis as ‘the best human being to ever sit behind the steering wheel of a car’Credit: GettyHe wrote: “I know pretty much everyone presumes that Lewis bankrolls me in my motorsport career, that he pays for everything and provides endless opportunities because of his wealth and success in the sport, but it’s just not true; it is also something that I would never want or accept.”Nicolas revealed his father Anthony financially supported his first season as a driver but since then, he has had to find the funds himself.To do so, the 32-year-old has taken on a number of jobs including working for racing video games companies, where he spends up to eight hours analysing virtual cars.Nicolas is also a public speaker – working for nine different UK agencies – and has other one-off gigs including representing MGM as an ambassador at last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁 He remains passionate about racing and hopes to someday compete again after parting ways with Team Hard last year but first, he has to raise the money to compete. Nicolas explained: “I’d love to be back on the grid and I think I deserve to be but I’ve got to find half a million pounds.”Despite being compared to his F1 racing champion brother, whcih he calls “hard”, there is no sibling rivalry.Instead, Nicolas credits Lewis – who he describes as “the best human being to ever sit behind the steering wheel of a car” – as someone who helped to make him the man he is today. Nicolas adds: “He’s still a massive reason why I’m as strong as I am and why I’m out of my wheelchair. I’m still his No 1 fan…READ MORE SUN STORIES“But it has been really hard being related to Lewis and trying to carve my own career in motorsport.”Nicolas Hamilton’s memoir, Now That I Have Your Attention: 7 Lessons In Leading A Life Bigger Than They Expect, comes out on April 11 and is available to preorder. More

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      England WAGs rich list reveals the stunning influencers raking it in as models & fashion moguls…including star worth £4m

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      THE England football stars are pocketing thousands a week but it seems their wives and girlfriends aren’t short of a bob or two in their own right.England’s WAGS are planning to splash £100k on private bodyguards for the Euros in Germany this summer, we revealed last week.Dani wins the influencer race and is worth £4m in her own rightCredit: InstagramThe star has a successful career on the small screenCredit: InstagramLed by Harry Maguire’s wife Fern and Megan Pickford, wife of goal-keeper Jordan, the group intend to share the cost of their own personal security team.Their decision comes after the Sun on Sunday revealed the threat of terror attacks at the Euros is feared by the German Government to be high.We’re sure they’re not going to have to look far to find some cash to pay their own hand-picked heavies, but how much are the WAGs worth in their own right?Some have amassed huge followings of their own on social media, with the possibility to earn thousands on a single post.READ MORE IN FEATURESThe amount they can earn – estimated by Influencer Marketing Hub – is dictated by how many followers they have, average likes and the reach of their account.With her celebrity upbringing, Dani Dyer, wife of West Ham ace Jarrod Bowen, is the overwhelming front runner on the Instagram front.But who else is raking it in on social media or with other personal projects?Dani Dyer, wife of Jarrod BowenOne of the most popular Love Island stars of all time, Dani Dyer, 27, is estimated to be worth more than £4m in her own right.Most read in Euro 2024Since her triumphant time in the villa in 2018, Dani has emerged an influencer, amassing a whopping 3.7 million followers on Instagram.TV personality Dani, the daughter of film and TV star Danny Dyer, married West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen in 2021. Fans love Dani’s bubbly personality, down-to-earth attitude and humour.With her Instagram posts averaging 221.7k likes, Dani is allegedly able to demand a cool £5750 per paid post.UEFA Euro 2024: The glamorous life of WAGsThe mum-of-three will also be making a fair wedge with her recent collaboration with comfy clothing brand Lovall and also after being unveiled as an agony aunt for Netmums.Essex girl Dani has also written a book, appeared in an advert for washing powder Surf and made a podcast series with her famous dad.Records for her company, I Want It, I Got It, showed she earned £247,000 in the year to 2023.Katie Kane, wife of Harry KaneKatie is a qualified fitness instructorCredit: InstagramSports science graduate Katie has a successful career as a fitness instructor and also works closely with the Harry Kane Foundation, recently working on a children’s mental health school campaign with Bounce Forward.Katie and family are currently living in Germany as ex Tottenham star Harry is currently enjoying his first season with Bayern Munich.But it’s not known if Kate is currently working as a fitness instructor after the move abroad and recent birth of fourth child Henry.Katie has a large reach on Instagram with 294k followers and could potentially command an estimated £850 per paid Instagram if she wanted to.She and Harry were childhood sweethearts, with the emotional striker telling fans he had finally married his best friend in the summer of 2019.Sasha Attwood, girlfriend of Jack GrealishSasha is a model and had worked with many fashion brandsCredit: InstagramShe and Jack have been together since their teensCredit: Tim StewartStunning Sasha has been modelling since she was a teenager, with big-money contracts for clothing firms Boohoo, Lipsy and hair giant GHD already under her belt.The 28-year-old partner of Manchester City heartthrob Jack Grealish is also a popular influencer, regularly sharing skincare and make-up tutorial videos on Instagram with her 264k followers. It’s estimated Sasha can earn upwards of £700 for each sponsored Instagram post.The couple appear together at high profile events and have been muted as the new Posh and Becks after Jack was named an ambassador for Gucci.Sasha has been by Jack’s side throughout his career after meeting at school in Solihull when they were 15.Fern Maguire, wife of Harry MaguireFern is reported to have led the call for securityCredit: InstagramFern and Harry got married in 2022Credit: InstagramQualified physio Fern was awarded a first class honours degree in      Science and  Physiotherapy in 2017.Since then she’s also picked up 114k followers and emerged as an influencer due to her high-profile relationship with the England and Manchester United footballer.While also carving out her own physio career, Fern has been a rock to Harry as she’s helped support him through some tough moments.The 29-year-old has not updated her Instagram since last summer so she may be working on personal projects or simply enjoying motherhood.But her faithful following means Fern could still be earning approximately £300 per paid grid post.Olivia Naylor, girlfriend of John StonesOlivia is a beauty entrepreneurCredit: Instagram @olivianaylorShe has been dating the Man City star since 2019Credit: InstagramEntrepreneur Olivia has built up her own thriving beauty business, setting up the Olivia Naylor Clinic and also the Brow and Blade Academy. She is an eyebrow specialist and also a trainer for permanent make-up.Olivia has also branched out into fashion, and is involved with Moosh, a children’s clothing firm.While Olivia’s official clinic account has 41.2k followers and her Brow and Blade Academy page has 9.4k, her personal Instagram has just 4100 and it does not appear she does any paid posts.Olivia, who started dating Man City defender John in 2019, has a child from a previous relationship.Megan Pickford, wife of JordanMegan is married to goalie JordanCredit: InstagramMegan and Jordan pictured last year, before the birth of their second childCredit: Instagram / @meganpickford_Megan has a degree of Childhood Studies from the University of Sunderland but also has worked as a fashion model.Since giving birth to son Arlo George and daughter Ostara Haze the blonde Wag seems fulfilled with her life as a wife and mother of two.She has an impressive 113k followers on Instagram where she regularly shares pictures of her life as a wife and mother, often travelling to exotic locations. Her high stats indicate her estimated wealth per grid post could be £300. Aine May, long-term partner of Conor GallagherAine is a model and trained dancerCredit: InstagramAine moved to London from CorkCredit: InstagramGlamorous Aine moved to London to pursue a dream of becoming a professional dancer however plans changed when she was signed to Pulse model agency.She’s appeared in many fashion campaigns and has built up 53.3k followers on Instagram with her antics. It’s estimated Aine could make around £200 per paid Instagram post.The blonde, from Cork, is regularly in the crowd to watch Conor in action and will no doubt be cheering the Chelsea midfielder on in Germany.Lauren Fryer, girlfriend of Declan RiceLauren is Declan’s childhood sweetheartCredit: Lauren Fryer InstagramDeclan’s childhood sweetheart Lauren Fryer is a devoted mum to the couple’s son Jude.Not much is known about Lauren’s personal life since she keeps a very low profile.She is on social media but has never posted anything on her Instagram account, disappointing the 38.7k people who currently follow her page. If she ever did decide to share a paid post, it’s estimated Lauren could earn a potential £162 per post.No doubt she’ll be cheering Declan on and was seen with England flag face-paint at the Euros in 2021.Hannah Atkins, girlfriend of Trent Alexander-ArnoldHannah is a model and has been with Trent for four yearsCredit: BackGridModel Hannah is an up-and-coming star of the fashion industry, with previous collaborations with Boohoo and PrettyLittleThings.She’s been in a committed relationship with Liverpool defender Trent since 2020 and they are regularly spotted at high profile fashion events together.However despite her label as an influencer, stylish Hannah is low key on social media so her Instagram earnings are unclear.Anouska Santos, partner of Luke ShawAnouska has been with Luke since 2017Credit: InstagramThe couple now have three children, following the birth of a daughter two weeks agoCredit: INSTAGRAM @anouskasantosNot much is known about Anouska’s professional status, but she is currently enjoying life as a mum-of-three after the very recent arrival of her baby daughter.The 33-year-old, who went public with Luke in 2017, has amassed a following of 72.4k on Instagram by photos of her travelling experience, interior désign and other lifestyle content.Anouska could earn approximately £275 per post, judging by her number of followers and average reach.Manchester United star Luke is currently injured but one of the first names on the team-sheet when fit.Fingers crossed Luke and Anouska make it!Tolami Benson, Bukayo Saka’s partnerTolami is a fashion model with 39k followersCredit: InstagramMoney seems no issue for Saka’s long-term girlfriend Tolami Benson, 23, who regularly shares photographs of herself on holiday in far flung destinations.Fun-loving Tolami works as a fashion model and Instagram influencer, with a good engagement with her 39k followers, regularly attracting an average of 6000 likes per post.READ MORE SUN STORIESHer Instagram page doesn’t feature any photographs with Saka, but there are popular posts of Tomali wearing an Arsenal shirt.It’s estimated brands could pay her upwards of £220 per paid grid post as she shares photographs of herself living it up across the globe. Fair play! More

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      in Soccer

      How ‘Fascist’ football hooligans turn Rome into ‘Stab City’ with gangland executions & knife wounds ‘as common as pizza’

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      AS JUVENTUS fans travel to their away game against Lazio today, they will do so knowing they are taking their lives into their own hands.So many supporters have been injured, maimed or killed by hooligans backing Rome’s two main Serie A clubs, the Italian capital has become known as ‘Stab City’.Rome has become known as ‘Stab City’ due to knife-wielding Lazios hooligansCredit: AlamyLazio’s Paolo Di Canio salutes supporters to celebrate a winCredit: ReutersLazio has many fascist supporters who chant anti-semitic slogans at rivalsCredit: RexKnife wounds are as commonplace as pizza and rip-off ice cream in the Eternal city, with a “puncicate” – a jab in the buttocks, designed to cause pain but not to kill –the favoured method of attack.  Assaults with weapons occur so regularly that local newspapers no longer bother reporting on them – it is only when other European teams visit that the blade menace becomes clear.As part of our new series, League of Shame, The Sun examines how football hooliganism is seeing an unwelcome resurgence across the continent – and poses a worrying threat to fans ahead of this summer’s European Championships.And Lazio ultras, who until recently operated under the Irriducibili banner – meaning The Indomitable in Italian – are amongst the most notorious in the game.READ MORE FOOTBALL FEATURESInfested with fascists and with links to organised crime, they funded their feverish displays in the Curva Nord section of the Olympic Stadium by dealing drugs and carrying out bank robberies.Author James Montague wrote a book on extreme football fans called 1312: Among the Ultras.As part of his research, he befriended Lazio capos, or leaders, as well as those with arch-rivals Roma.  In a recent interview, he said: “English football culture – especially the hooligan scene of the 1980s and 90s – was incredibly influential on Italian ultra culture.Most read in Football“Roma, Lazio, Atalanta… all credited the English style of chanting, flags and violence as influencing how they approached things. Hooligans were the ultimate symbol of being against the authorities. Like punk. Even today that culture is influential.”He added: “The ultras who are there week in week out love their club, love football, and love their players when they put in the effort on the pitch comparable to the effort the ultras put in off the pitch.Lazio and Roma fans launch flares and fireworks at each other in shocking scenes before Rome derby “It’s a myth that they don’t love football. However, I’d met several capos who had very little interest in football. To them, ultras were a gang. It might as well have been a biker gang or a graffiti crew.”Admiration for English hooligans has not discouraged Lazio ultras from targeting British footie fans – if anything, it has made their attacks worse.Stitches in back of headIn 2019, Conor Weir was one of three Celtic fans set upon while celebrating the Glasgow club’s 2-1 Europa League victory over Lazio in Rome.He returned home with three stitches in the back of his head after masked men jumped out of a car and ran up behind him at around 2.30am.Celtic fan Connor Weir was left with stitches in the back of his headCredit: SuppliedLazio ultra fans in Glasgow with banner reading “Honour to Benito Mussolini’Trouble had been brewing ever since Lazio ultras marched through Glasgow two weeks earlier, making fascist salutes in tribute to deceased Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.Green Brigade fans responded with an anti-fascist protest, erecting a banner that depicted the tyrant hanging upside down and telling ultras to “follow your leader”.Conor, 20, from Bo’ness, West Lothian, said of his Rome visit: “I wasn’t wearing a Celtic strip, just a green t-shirt, but they must have been driving round looking for people to target and I was unlucky enough to get it.“It was cowardly. They weren’t looking for a fight, just to hurt somebody and escape without getting any comeback.“It was over so fast I hardly knew what was happening until I felt a sensation in my back and I felt blood on my top.“The other three people I was with scattered in panic and I tried to run myself but they grabbed me and stabbed me before I could break free. I’m ok and I’m lucky to escape with what I did.”Spurs fan knifed in groinSpurs fan Ashley Mills was knifed in the groin and left with head injuriesIn 2012, Tottenham Hotspur supporters were also fortunate to escape alive when they were surrounded by Lazio ultras before another European game.A group of Spurs fans were drinking at the Drunken Ship pub in Rome when 50 men – their faces covered and wielding knives, baseball bats and iron bars – stormed inside and launched a frenzied assault.Ten people were injured and two Italian supporters were later charged with attempted murder.Ashley Mills, 25, was knifed in a groin artery and suffered head injuries during what was described as a racist attack.I didn’t see the guy who stabbed me – there were too many of themAshley MillsSpurs fanHis life was saved by Alberto di Giovanni, 19, a law student, who had recently done a first aid course.Speaking from his hospital, Essex builder Ashley said: “They came out of nowhere. I didn’t see the guy who stabbed me. There were too many of them.”There was no physical violence inside the stadium, but antisemitic slogans were aimed at Spurs supporters due to the club’s historic Jewish links.Fanatical far right ultras chanted “Juden Tottenham”, using the German word for Jew, and a “Free Palestine” banner was unveiled.Three black players were subjected to monkey chants during the 0-0 draw and one fan said: “We felt in fear all the time.”It was not the first time Jewish supporters had been targeted by Lazio ultras.  In October 2017, thugs covered the Olympic stadium with stickers featuring Anne Frank wearing the shirt of their rivals, AS Roma, alongside an antisemitic message.Facist leader shot deadFabrizio Piscitelli, the leader of Lazio’s Ultra fans was shot in the head and killedPolice investigate the death of the ringleader, known as DiabolikCredit: RexThe Irriducibili’s long-time leader Fabrizio Piscitelli was a self-confessed fascist with links to the Albanian mafiaHe had a criminal record for drugs trafficking – in 2016 police seized £1.7m worth of his assets – and he ran the group like a paramilitary outfit, with members dressed identically in blue jeans and the black jackets once favoured by Mussolini.The group was the first in Italy to erect huge speakers in the terraces so that one ultra could dictate all the chanting and songs. They once ran a merchandising operation that sold their “Original Fans” label at 14 outlets.Italy star Paolo Di Canio, who later played in the Premier League with West Ham, was a well-known Irriducibili ultra. However, he had to keep his involvement secret at the start of his career.Too much blood, too many banning orders, too many arrestsIrriducibili ultrasHe once said: “I kept the club in the dark about my travels. If they had known that I spent my Sundays with the Irriducibili, visiting far-flung corners of Italy, they would probably have kicked me out of the youth academy.”The ultras’ power meant that during the 1990s they were often caught on video lecturing the players like schoolchildren at Lazio’s training ground.  Piscitelli’s reign came to an end when, aged 53, he was taken out in a gangland style hit in Acqueduct park in the Cinecittà area of Rome in 2019.His ultras then disbanded, releasing a statement saying: “Too much blood, too many banning orders, too many arrests. After 33 years, we have decided to disband the group.”But the shameful scenes witnessed before Lazio’s last 16 Champions League match with Bayern Munich earlier this month showed the far-right elements are still blighting the club.  On March 4, hundreds of Lazio fans gathered in the infamous Hofbräuhaus brewery where Adolf Hitler founded the Nazi party in 1920.Viral videos later emerged that showed them chanting and performing fascist salutes.Stabbings on a weekly basisStabbings linked to football in Rome occur on a weekly basis – and often in buttocksCredit: Corbis – GettyPartizan’s supporters celebrate during the Uefa Cup soccer match between Lazio and Partizan at Rome’s Olympic stadiumCredit: AP:Associated PressJohn Foot, professor of modern Italian history at University College London and author of Calcio: A History of Italian Football, says Roma and Lazio ultras are the only groups in Italy that still use weapons.And the situation has got so bad that stabbings linked to football games occur “on a weekly basis” in the Italian capital.  He said: “People are stabbed in Rome fairly often, but it is so common that it does not make the press.“It is worse in Rome, which has a particular problem with violence and stabbing.”Alarmingly, away fans have found they are most often stabbed in the buttocks.Between 2001 and 2009, around a dozen English football supporters were attacked in this manner whilst visiting Rome.READ MORE SUN STORIESFoot added of the Lazio ultras: “Puncicate is their speciality and is mainly about hurting rival fans but not killing them.”They target the buttocks because the victim is not likely to die. These people don’t want to kill and be known as murderers, they want to show they can hurt their rivals and get away with it.”Roma fans riot with police ahead the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Roma last yearCredit: AP More

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      in Motorsport

      Meet UK’s hottest F1 star! Rebecca Donaldson dated Kardashian ex before Carlos Sainz… and he’s already talked marriage

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      CARLOS Sainz pulled off an epic comeback at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend – and no one looked prouder than his glamorous girlfriend Rebecca Donaldson.The stunning Scot, 28, cheered on the Spaniard, 29, as he cruised his Ferrari to victory in Melbourne – just two weeks after undergoing emergency surgery to remove his appendix.Rebecca Donaldson was trackside to cheer on boyfriend Carlos Sainz at the Australian Grand Prix this weekendCredit: AlamyStunning Rebecca hails from ScotlandCredit: instagram/iamrebeccadRebecca and Carlos went public with their romance last yearCredit: AlamyThe loved-up couple shared a kiss following Carlos’ win yesterday, and were spotted by fans leaving a hotel hand-in-hand this morning.Model Rebecca is becoming a regular trackside since she and Carlos began dating last summer, having been spotted at races in Japan, Austin, Singapore, Las Vegas and Bahrain.Born in Scone, Perthshire, she burst onto the modelling scene as a teenager.She won her first beauty pageant aged 17 in 2011, which saw her entered into the Top Model UK competition.READ MORE F1 FEATURESAnd she has her mum to thank; she said at the time: “My mum entered me and I was really surprised when I found out.“We had to go to rehearsals to practise catwalk type dances before going in front of four judges at the Gardyne Theatre in Dundee.”The prize saw her win, among other things, a designer outfit from Debenhams – but Rebecca has since gone on to model for major agencies and grace the covers of Vogue and Marie Claire.She also starred in a glitzy Ferrari TV advert in May last year, which could be where she met Carlos, as the couple were first spotted together in Milan in June.Most read in MotorsportIt’s thought they then enjoyed luxurious holidays together in Sardinia in August and the Bahamas in November, with both sharing separate Instagram posts.The couple were spotted hugging and kissing ahead of the Mexican GP in October.Rebecca Donaldson stars in glitzy Ferrari adAnd Carlos appeared to confirm their relationship during an interview ahead of the Las Vegas GP three weeks later – with talk even turning to marriage!When grilled by teammate Charles Leclerc over who he’d marry in Vegas, Carlos replied: “That’s a trick question. My current girlfriend.”Famous exRebecca previously dated Kardashians star Scott DisickCredit: Getty Images – GettyThe model was spotted planting a kiss on Carlos at the Mexican GP in OctoberCredit: GettyCarlos and Rebecca at the Las Vegas GPCredit: GettyCarlos was previously in a long-term relationship with Spanish journalist Isa Hernáez from 2017 until they broke up last summer.While little is known about Rebecca’s dating history, she did have a brief two-month fling with Kourtney Kardashian’s ex, Scott Disick, after meeting him on a night out.She was spotted with the American reality TV star, who featured in every season of hit series Keeping Up With The Kardashians, at the premiere of Hulu’s The Kardashians in Los Angeles in April 2022.They held hands as they posed together on the red carpet, with Rebecca looking stunning in a green tight-fitting one-shoulder gown.Scott was reportedly “smitten”, but by June they’d split, with a source telling E! News the couple parted ways “amicably”.”Although they had a short-lived romance, it was definitely serious,” the source said. “He enjoyed his time with her but realised he is not in a place to seriously date right now.”Launched business ‘from her bed’Rebecca Donaldson as a young modelCredit: Andrew Barr – The Sun GlasgowRebecca regularly shares sizzling snaps to InstagramCredit: instagram/iamrebeccadAs well as her modelling career, Rebecca is an entrepreneur, having set up her own fashion brand during the Covid-19 lockdown.She launched MUSE Activewear, which sells gym wear for women, in October 2020 and has seen her firm grow in the years since.Explaining how she came to launch the brand, she explained: “I was spending many days and hours during lockdown feeling a little purposeless. So, I decided to pursue my dream of starting a clothing brand. “I knew I wanted to create something that not only I would wear and be proud of putting my name against, but also something that was missing from the market – affordable, good quality products that are also very wearable day-to-day, as I found I struggled to find items that covered all these aspects.”I started working with my laptop in bed, but before long, I found myself feeling very lethargic as I relate my bed to sleep. “So to keep focused and productivity levels high whilst working remotely, I recommend finding a place in your home and making it a dedicated work zone.”Rebecca, who has 209K followers on Instagram, has previously admitted she’d never had a 9-5 job.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt seems she’s won over Carlos’ family, as his sisters Ana and Blanca and mum Reyes were reportedly in the crowd when Rebecca walked the runway during Madrid Fashion Week in February.And she’s certainly proving a lucky charm for Carlos, who’ll be looking to replicate his winning form in Japan in two weeks’ time.Rebecca walks the runway at the Lola Casademunt by Maite fashion show during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week MadridCredit: GettyCarlos spent time with Rebecca while resting after undergoing his recent appendix operationCredit: BackGridGlamorous Rebecca has modelled for the likes of Vogue and Marie ClaireCredit: RexRebecca appears to be a lucky charm for CarlosCredit: instagram/iamrebeccad🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

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      in Soccer

      Meet the machete-wielding football hooligan gangs who chop off each others’ HANDS in blood-soaked ‘Holy War’ derby

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      PREMIER League fans are well-aware of the dangers of going to a game given the number of thugs hell-bent on violence.  But our hooligan problem pales in comparison to the one in Poland, where wearing the wrong colours outside a stadium could lead to you being MURDERED.Football fans in PolandCredit: AlamyUltras in clouds of smoke during a Polish Cup Final in 2016Credit: AlamyA Cracovia supporter during the derby match between Wisla Krakow and Cracovia KrakowCredit: GettyAs part of our new series, League of Shame, The Sun examines how football hooliganism is seeing an unwelcome resurgence across the continent – and poses a worrying threat to fans ahead of this summer’s European Championships.Krakow has been dubbed the ‘City of Knives’ because of its 30-year long history of violence, with supporters having been killed, stabbed and mutilated outside games.The two main hooligan firms there are said to be manned by 100-strong teams of highly trained UFC fighters that refuse to drink alcohol in case it impacts their combat skills.And both gangs, supporting rival teams Wisła Krakow and MKS Cracovia, routinely carry weapons having become deeply entrenched in organised crime, according to experts. READ MORE SPORTS FEATURESThe rivalry reaches boiling point every year during the annual derby match, which has been dubbed the ‘Holy War’ as the clashes are so extreme. Professor Radoslaw Kossakowski has conducted a number of studies on football hooliganism in Poland. He told The Sun: “Krakow is definitely the most dangerous city in Poland for football fans. “If you are a normal supporter you shouldn’t – and this is really important for your safety – show your club colours, your scarf or T-shirt. Most read in Football”That could be really dangerous if you go to the wrong place in the city.“Krakow has become an island of barbarians and gangster-style hooligans. People are killed and murdered.”Fans killed and hands chopped offPub-drinking England fans are most at risk at Euros from martial arts trained football ultrasViolence took place during a match between Wisla Krakow vs CracoviaCredit: AlamyDominik Luty reportedly chopped off a rival supporter’s handCredit: SuppliedWe can reveal that Polish hooligans are now considered to be among the most violent in the world – up there with Russian ultras and those supporting clubs in Latin America, where life is notoriously cheap.  Wisla fans are nicknamed “dogs” by their rivals as the club was previously run by the hated communist police for 40 years.Cracovia, meanwhile, are known as Pasy (Stripes) or Jews because of their supposed Jewish roots, which leads to antisemitic chants being sung by far-right rivals during games.The depth of hatred between the two is bottomless. So there was little surprise when both refused to sign the 2004 ‘Poznan Pact’ which banned the use of weapons.  Krakow has become an island of barbarians and gangster-style hooligans. People are killed and murderedProfessor Radoslaw Kossakowski Shocking incidents include eight fans being killed in the build-up to the 100-year anniversary match between Wisla and MKS Cracovia in 2006.Water cannons, riot vans, choppers, dogs, and nearly 1,000 cops were on hand during the game.In 2011, members of Wisła’s ultras ‘The Sharks’ were found guilty of brutally murdering a member of a Cracovia hooligan group called ‘The Jude Gang.’Four years later, Wisla fan Dominik Luty, 22, was reported to have chopped off a rival Cracovia fan’s hand with a machete when they were both out drinking in the city.Horrified passer-by Jakub Nowak, 34, said: “I came round the corner and saw this man covered in blood. “He was unconscious and had wounds to his legs and his hand was lying a few centimetres away.”Drugs and money launderingPawel Michalsk – who once threw a knife at a football player – led a Wisla firmCredit: PoliceDino Baggio was thrown a knife at by a rival supporterCredit: AlamyDino Baggio was almost hit by the blade mid-gameCredit: YouTubeViolence erupted between fans during a Wisla Krakow versus Cracovia matchCredit: AlamyIt is the strong links with organised crime that make Polish footie thugs so much more sinister than those in the UK.Incredibly, a Wisla firm called ‘The Sharks’ once became so powerful they effectively took over the club.Operating as the SKWK fan group, they were led by 39-year-old hooligan Pawel Michalsk, who was nicknamed ‘Teddy Bear’ and was once convicted of throwing a knife at Italian star Dino Baggio’s head during a UEFA Cup tie in 1998.From 2016, the firm took up key positions on Wisla’s board as they began using the club as a base for criminal activities, laundering drug money and siphoning off legitimate funds through fake supply contracts.Players and staff were abused and intimidated and even the biggest stars went months without being paid. Attacks were organised on rival fans, with flares handed out by club bosses in the stadium toilets.Wisla’s gym was used to train hooligans in street fighting, according to reports.By the time the gang’s leaders were arrested and a new, legitimate board installed in 2019, a debt of £7.95m – or 40m zloty – had been run up, putting the club’s future at risk.Machete attackA supporter holds a flare during the Polish PKO Ekstraklasa League match between Legia Warszawa and Warta PoznanCredit: SOPA Images/LightRocket via GettA huge police crackdown followed and fighting is much less common at Polish stadiums today. Yet hooligans continue to stage organised clashes in the countryside and in abandoned warehouses.In June 2020, a Cracovia supporter was hospitalised following a machete attack by Wisła fans.The following year, a group of young Wisla hooligans was caught on video attacking a more established firm on a housing estate after accusing them of co-operating with the police.Professor Kossakowski added: “Paradoxically, stadiums in Poland are really safe. I came round the corner and saw this man covered in blood. He was unconscious and had wounds to his legs and his hand was lying a few centimetres awayJakub Nowak”We have very restrictive laws dedicated to football so if you use pyrotechnics or do something illegal you are automatically banned – so there are no fights at the stadiums now.“But they do fight in the woods and abandoned places, sometimes on the street.”Szymon Jadczak, an investigative journalist that made a TVN documentary on Krakow’s gangster hooligans, warned: “People are still afraid. The bandits have not disappeared.“You can still see their influence in the club and the city. You can still buy anti-Semitic Sharks paraphernalia at the club store!”Poland’s hooligan problem started with the fall of communism in 1989. The previous regime ruled with an iron grip that kept football’s more thuggish elements under lock and key. Deadly weapons snuck inA sound cannon – a weapon used by Polish police in their battle against brawling football hooligansCredit: London Media PressSome hardcore football fans attended the Independence Day march in Warsaw, where some participants calshed with riot policeCredit: GettyBut the switch to a capitalist system led to a breakdown of law and order that the hooligan firms took full advantage of. By the 1990s, the terraces had become a dangerous place for ordinary fans.It was common for deadly weapons to be snuck into stadiums and when fights and rioting broke out, the police would respond with brutal force.Professor Przemysław Piotrowski is from Krakow but insisted “it is better not to publish” which team he supports.He said: “I’ve been inside the crowd when policemen shot at us with rubber bullets.I’ve been inside the crowd when policemen shot at us with rubber bulletsProfessor Przemysław Piotrowski“In the 1990s, it was easy for the fans to bring wooden sticks and other potential weapons in the stadium. When they started to clash, the police would try to stop them.“There are games when the tension is very high and in Krakow with the rivalry between the two teams it can be dangerous.“Outside the stadiums there are organised clashes that can be very violent. It’s hard to say how often they happen.“Krakow is known as the place where deadly weapons are used and there have been a few deaths.“Because of their association with the old communist party, there is a tradition of not speaking to the police in Poland. “So even when a person has lost their arm and is in hospital, he will say he fell down the stairs.”The Sun reached out to Wisła Krakow and MKS Cracovia for comment. A spokesperson for Wisła Krakow said: “The dynamics within the club have undergone substantial changes since 2019, subsequent to the pivotal “rescue operation” orchestrated by Jakub Błaszczykowski – a distinguished figure in the club and national team, in his capacity as the owner, alongside Jarosław Królewski, who assumes the roles of the majority shareholder and president of Wisła Kraków.”The sustained operation of Wisła Kraków would be unfeasible without the significant dedication exhibited by its supporters, who have been instrumental in ensuring the club’s survival. “Currently, they continue to offer their support, notably through initiatives like the Socios association.”The management of the club is in the hands of esteemed individuals who are committed to preserving Wisła as an emblematic football brand. “Our operations are founded on principles of transparency and wholesome support and we play a significant role in the community by presenting positive exemplars, including to our supporters.”Our stadium has become a welcoming venue for families, individuals with disabilities, and the youth, many of whom aspire to be future Wisła Kraków players. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Wisła Kraków stands as a paragon of fair play and healthy support, categorically distancing itself from any conduct that diverges from its ethical guidelines. “Legal actions are currently in progress against individuals whose past action placed the club in a dire predicament.” More

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      in Motorsport

      Rollercoaster life of F1 rookies like Oliver Bearman who must find MILLIONS to race – only to wait tormented in wings

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      THEY’RE the young adrenaline junkies set to take over the world of Formula One – if they can hold their nerve.After impressing on his debut in Saudi Arabia, where he filled in for teammate Carlos Sainz while he underwent surgery for appendicitis, Ferrari rookie Oliver Bearman is now tipped to receive a first-team call-up for rival Haas, where he’s also a reserve driver.Oliver Bearman is considered one of the ‘hottest’ young stars in F1Credit: GettyHe placed seventh during his first F1 race, while filling in for Carlos SainzCredit: GettyThe F2 driver from Chelmsford beat seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to finish seventh in Jeddah, and has now been tipped as one of the sport’s hottest young drivers.Oliver, who is dating glamorous TiKTok star Estelle Ogilvy, is reportedly already a millionaire at the age of 18, and can look forward to lapping up the spoils enjoyed by F1 stars if he makes the grid. But while his career appears to have gone from zero to 100mph in no time, it follows years of hard graft and sacrifice as a reserve driver. Contrary to what you might expect, the life of F2 stars is far from the glitz and glamour of a Formula 1 driver, says The Sun’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt.READ MORE SPORT FEATURES“What they do a lot of the time is the work that the F1 drivers don’t want to do,” he explains.“Where the F1 drivers will go home to Monaco after a race, the reserve driver will go to the factory and in the simulator and try to ascertain what went right and wrong to make changes and progress.“It’s a thankless task doing all the preparation and making the car better. “You’re not driving, so it can be dispiriting. You’re not getting the chance to show what you can do.Most read in Motorsport”It’s not necessarily a glamorous life.”Here we take a deeper dive into life behind the scenes of a budding F1 star – and the pitfalls that can derail their careers.British wonderkid Oliver Bearman, 16, joins Ferrari young driver academy Cheering him the Ferrari reserve driver on is glamorous girlfriend Estelle, who’s a law studentCredit: Instagram’£9million gamble’The majority of F1 reserve drivers race in the F2 Championship and are part of a team’s young driver programme. Ben explains that they are scouted from the age of 11 – sometimes younger – from go-kart tracks. But go-karting is an expensive hobby, with costs running into tens of thousands, which is why so few racers come from working-class families.Ben says: “We’re seeing less and less stories of people from humble beginnings, like Lewis Hamilton, getting into F1.“That’s because it costs thousands and thousands to race each year, and then hundreds of thousands to do it internationally, with all the flights and accommodation.”Ben estimates it would cost a driver £9million to get into F1, which rules out most budding racers who don’t have wealthy families.But that money can come from a variety of sources. Ferrari Academy driver Oliver during his go-karting career in 2014Credit: AlamyNico Hulkenberg was reportedly paid up to $500,000 a year as a reserve driverCredit: RexBen says: “That can be made up of their parents’ money, sponsorship money, or funds from the young driver programme, which covers most of the costs.“There is also private funding through companies where a business may be asked for £2million in return for a sum from a racer’s future earnings, which could get them many more millions – but that is a gamble for the business.”Working their way up to the F1 championship is a costly endeavour, too, with junior drivers in F2 reportedly needing to stump up around £1.5million to race in competitions. This, for the majority, is covered by the owners of the racing teams.Yahoo reported F2 drivers can make between £180 and £400 per day of work. Other sites have reported they can earn tens of thousands through sponsorship. Costly endeavourAlexander Rossi, who raced for Manor Marussia in 2015Credit: AP:Associated PressIf an aspiring youngster has what it takes they may be called up to serve as an F1 reserve, where they become salaried employees, though they could take home just shy of £20,000 a year. Should an F1 team’s regular driver be forced to pull out – due to injury or sickness – they are compensated, but the sums vary depending on the team. You drink a lot of cappuccinos, and you play a lot of Candy Crush on your phone, I’m going to be honest with youAlexander RossiUnlike their first-team racing counterparts, few reserve drivers live in glamorous locations like tax haven Monaco, instead settling in the country where their F1 team is based. Alexander Rossi, a test driver for two years until 2014 at Caterham F1 and then a F1 reserve driver for Manor Marussia in 2015, admitted it is an awkward waiting game.“You drink a lot of cappuccinos, and you play a lot of Candy Crush on your phone, I’m going to be honest with you,” he told The Athletic.  He added it was “a necessary role” as it gives hopeful racers their “first foot in the door” and a taste of what being a first-team driver is like.Who are the 2024 Formula One reserve drivers?RESERVE drivers are the budding F1 stars waiting in the wings for a chance to show what they can do on the race track.
      Often they are already front-runners in the F2 Championship and, alongside racing, carry out testing and simulation work to improve the cars for racing teams.
      Here are the 2024 F1 reserve drivers:

      Red Bull – Liam Lawson
      Ferrari – Oliver Bearman, Antonio Giovinazzi and Robert Shwartzman
      McLaren – Ryo Hirakawa and Pato O’Ward
      Mercedes – Mick Schumacher and Frederik Vesti
      Aston Martin – Felipe Drugovich and Stoffel Vandoorne
      Haas – Pietro Fittipaldi and Oliver Bearman
      Williams – TBC (Development driver: Jamie Chadwick)
      Kick Sauber – Theo Pourchaire and Zane Maloney
      RB – Liam Lawson
      Alpine – Jack Doohan

      Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan using the simulator to help improve the team’s F1 carCredit: InstagramThe F1 hopeful alongside girlfriend Ebony GoldCredit: GettyHaas’ reserve Pietro Fittipaldi acknowledged getting the opportunity to drive often meant misfortune had befallen his first-team racer palsCredit: Getty Images – GettyRossi explained they go into the weekend preparing and participating as if they are going to race the car – despite rarely receiving a call-up.Speaking of the other responsibilities, he added: “You go to all of the same briefings, you go to all the same meetings, you do the track walks, you train with the same physio, you eat the same food, you’re on the same schedule.“You just don’t get to drive. So while the guys were doing the cool things and driving, you’re sitting either in hospitality or on the pit stand, drinking your cappuccinos, playing Candy Crush.”McLaren reserve Pato O’Ward joked he was a “benchwarmer”, adding that the gig offers few thrills. “You get to jump into an F1 car from time to time, which is never a bad thing,” he said. “The rest of it is, it’s probably the worst part of the job.They can’t go out drinking or cheat on their diets. They really do have to be at the top of their gameBen Hunt, The Sun’s F1 correspondent“I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but it’s a lot of sitting down and just listening to experiences that, well, you truly aren’t experiencing. “You’re just hearing what someone else is kind of feeling.”Haas’ reserve Pietro Fittipaldi acknowledged getting the opportunity to drive often meant misfortune had befallen his first-team racer pals. “It’s for sure, strange,” he admitted. “You never want to wish anything bad on anybody, and then when something does happen, it’s like, you’re happy that there’s the opportunity, but at the end, you’re friends with the race driver.”He made his F1 debut in 2020, after his teammate Romain Grosjean cheated death in a horror crash at Bahrain.The Frenchman suffered burns on his hands and ankle when he was trapped in his burning car for 28 seconds after hitting a barrier at 120mph which ripped it in two before it burst into flames.’Absolute professionals’Reserve drivers like Mick Schumacher do ‘the work that the F1 drivers don’t want to do’Credit: Mick SchumacherThe reserve drivers have to be in ‘peak physical condition’The 24-year-old with his model girlfriend Laila HasanovicCredit: InstagramAs they could be called on to race at any moment, the reserve drivers need to remain in peak physical condition and train up to four hours a day during pre-season. Ben says: “Reserve drivers are ready-to-go professionals, so they need to be eating the right things, training a few times a week, and in peak physical condition.“That’s part of their role, so they can’t go out drinking or cheat on their diets. “They really have to be at the top of their game and are absolute professional athletes at that stage.”When it’s their time, they need to do really well. It’s like if a footballer comes on and has a stinker of a debut, that makes it hard for the manager to pick them againBen HuntWhen they hit the gym, F1 reserves aren’t looking to ‘get ripped’.Instead they need to hone a lean frame capable of withstanding the brutal conditions inside a cramped F1 car. The muscles that get the toughest workout are in their necks, which need to keep the racer’s head and helmet upright through the twists and turns on a track.Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso’s neck is reportedly so strong he can crack a walnut with it. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Sainz are said to have spent time lying horizontally with weights strapped to their head to strengthen their necks for races.These exercises are coupled with plenty of running, cycling and swimming to keep them fit and lithe.Liam Lawson with Daniel Riccardo in MelbourneCredit: RexWhen they are not hard at work, some F1 reserve drivers like Liam Lawson share snaps from enviable F1 race locationsCredit: Liam LawsonThe Red Bull reserve driver with his student girlfriend Charlotte MillerCredit: Liam LawsonBen adds: “The key is really being as light as possible but they also need to be strong. “Drivers are subjected to huge G-force in the cockpit that even the best drivers ache and have sore necks.” The reserves also follow strict diet plans from nutritionists – some include eating five to six small meals a day, that are full of greens and protein with minimal carbohydrates. It can come as quite an adjustment for some future F1 stars – before reigning world champion Verstappen hit the big time, the Dutch driver would scoff McDonald’s once or twice a week while racing in F3. ‘Next best thing’Ben explains that the biggest challenge for reserves is staying focused and up to speed on all systems and processes while waiting for their chance to shine. “Reserves can be thrown in at any minute,” he explains. “Driving in F2 is very different to F1, you’re competing in a slower car, so it’s very different.”He adds: “When it’s their time, reserve drivers need to do really well.”It’s like if a footballer comes on and has a stinker of a debut, that makes it hard for the manager to pick them again. Mick Schumacher had his chance but didn’t impress massively. Mercedes took him on as a reserve driver and now the reality of him making a comeback is very slimBen Hunt“With Oliver, he came in with a good attitude, made good qualifying times and had a good race, which led to people saying he deserved to be in F1. “The key is to take the opportunity and not to stuff it up – and if you can do that, like Oliver, you will be called ‘the next best thing’.” Ben says the Ferrari reserve is likely to expand upon his £1m fortune at the end of the season.He adds: “I think he could join Haas, it will be interesting to see what he can do. On the track, he proved he was ready for F1.”Wasted opportunityIt doesn’t always work out for all reserve racers – ultimately, results are key, as Mick Schumacher found out the hard way. The son of legendary driver Michael was dropped by Haas in 2022 after failing to impress, and is now back to being a reserve driver for Mercedes and McLaren.Ben says: “Mick had his chance but didn’t impress massively. Mercedes took him on as a reserve driver, and now the reality of him making a comeback is very slim.” Others become frustrated by constantly waiting in the wings and move on to other disciplines.Former F1 reserve driver Sam Bird decided to make the jump to Formula E – the motorsport championship for electric cars.Ben says: “Sometimes F1 reserve drivers don’t make it. Sam Bird was a good driver and had good F2 form, but never got an opportunity. “He moved to Formula E and has won lots of races. He’s become a success in his own right. READ MORE SUN STORIES”He never got the chance to fulfill his F1 dream because Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were both in the Mercedes team at the time.” While Sainz looks set to return to F1 for the Australian GP this weekend, Oliver will be ready and willing to jump in his seat should his teammate back out last minute…🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More