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    ‘Through blood, sweat and tears’ – Lewis Hamilton’s brother makes surprise return to motorsport after two years

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    LEWIS HAMILTON’s brother, Nicolas, has made a stunning return to motorsport after almost two years out.Hamilton has been announced as a driver in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for Un-Limited Motorsport in a Cupra Leon as the team expands to a third car for the season.Lewis Hamilton’s younger half-brother, Nicolas, has returned to motorsport after a 20-month breakCredit: GettyThe offer to join Un-Limited Motorsport for the 2025 BTCC surprised Hamilton ahead of his 33rd birthdayCredit: InstagramHe celebrated by testing his new wheels and enjoying some red velvet cakeNicolas has cerebral palsy but wants to promote inclusivity for disabled people in motorsportCredit: AlamyThe younger half-brother of the seven-time Formula One champion had been without a seat for a season-and-a-half, a 20-month period.He previously raced for Team Hard from 2021 to 2023 before the team collapsed in July 2023.However, in an unexpected twist, he will now join fellow BTCC returnee Dexter Patterson and 2024 Mini Challenge runner-up Max Hall behind the wheel this season under team principal Bob Sharpless.Hamilton, who has cerebral palsy, told Autosport: “To be brutally honest, I wasn’t planning to race this year.READ MORE IN MOTORSPORT”We didn’t even know that I’d ever get back on the BTCC grid, but Bob and his team got in touch at the end of December, which is very late to be able to go and get sponsors and everything that you need.“He gave me a real good deal that I thought would be possible to get in terms of the funding, and I said to him, ‘Yeah, why not? I’ll give it a go.’“I get all my funding and budget myself, so it was just one of those situations of ‘let’s see how I get on over the next couple of weeks, and if I get the budget together then I’d love to join.’“Fortunately through blood, sweat, tears and some late nights, and thanks to my partners that believe in me, I got the budget together and I’m back on the grid!”Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHamilton made his debut in the sport in 2015 with AmD Tuning but did not start actively racing in the series until 2019.His best result was a sixth-placed finish at Donnington Park with Team HARD.’I’m about to cry’ – Fans praise Lewis Hamilton’s dad for classy gesture as he consoles F1 rookie after debut crashHamilton, who turned 33 today, revealed he celebrated the occasion by testing his new BTCC car at Brands Hatch circuit and by tucking into some of his favourite cake, red velvet.The season does not start until April 26-27 at Donnington, with official testing starting at Croft next week.Like his older brother Lewis, Hamilton is socially conscious, with the pair sharing a close bond.But while the F1 star is driven towards empowering young people under his Mission44 foundation, Nicolas wants to ensure there is a place in motorsport for disabled people.He added: “I want to make the world realise that motorsport is inclusive, that disabled people should be proud, and that motorsport can accept them.”You don’t necessarily have to be a racing driver to be a part of the industry. A lot of people just take pictures next to their car and say that they’re back racing. “This year I really wanted to use my platform to help inspire the industry to bring more disabled people into the sport.”On the move, Sharpless said: “He [Hamilton] is hugely determined to get back on the BTCC grid, and I’m proud that we could make it happen.“Nic is not just an incredibly well-known driver – he’s an inspiration worldwide. The fact that he’s put his trust in our team speaks volumes about how far we’ve come in such a short time.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We’re excited to support him on this journey and can’t wait to see what we achieve together.”It has not been an easy ride for Hamilton over the years, having previously opened up on his gambling addiction and mental health struggles. More

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      Does Lando Norris have a girlfriend? What we know about McLaren F1 driver’s relationships and dating history 

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      LANDO Norris’ racing career is going from strength to strength, with it looking like 2025 could be his year.The McLarens have been setting the pace and the Brit is sitting at the top of the standings after two races. Here we take a look at Lando’s dating history.As of March 2025, Lando Norris appears to be singleCredit: PADoes Lando Norris have a girlfriend?As of March 2025, Lando Norris is reportedly single.The 25-year-old was last seen publicly with his ex Margarida Corceiro on February 15, 2025 — the day after Valentine’s Day — sparking rumours they had rekindled their romance.But as they both have remained tight-lipped about their time together, no confirmation was forthcoming.Appearing on Sky Sports F1 with a lie detector in May 2024, Norris was asked whether he had a girlfriend.read more on lando norrisLando replied, “No,” which came up true on the detector.Host Simon Lazenby then asked: “Do you have many girlfriends?”Norris cracked a nervous chuckle before answering: “Yes.”The results of the detector once again revealed he was telling the truth, leaving Simon shocked.Most read in MotorsportThe British racing star has had a couple of relationships in recent years, which we look at below…Margarida Corceiro (2023-2024)Margarida Corceiro and Lando Norris pictured together in 2024Margarida Corceiro was previously in a relationship with Prem footballer Joao FelixCredit: magui_corceiro/InstagramLando’s most recent relationship was with Portuguese actress and model Margarida Corceiro.The pair were first spotted together in Monaco in May 2023, sparking dating rumours.Throughout 2023 and early 2024, Margarida was seen supporting Lando at various racing events, including the 2024 Miami Grand Prix.However, their relationship ended in August 2024, with Norris confirming he was single by saying: “I don’t have a girlfriend.”They broke up before he claimed victory in the Dutch Grand Prix.Pals of theirs exclusively told The Sun: “Lando and Margarida had a fun time together and hung out a lot.“But it wasn’t working out so they cooled off. He’s free and single and just wants to focus on his sport.”Luisinha Oliveira (2021-2022)Lando and Luisinha Oliveira pictured in 2022Prior to Corceiro, Lando dated Portuguese model and social media influencer Luisinha Oliveira.Their relationship began in 2021, before being made public in January 2022 through an Instagram post.The couple was often seen together at public events and featured on each other’s social media accounts.Lando dated Portuguese model Luisinha Oliveira from August 2021 to September 2022, leading to abuse from trolls who took offence at the relationship.Luisinha even suffered death threats, with Lando saying: “Whether it’s about my personal life, me and my girlfriend, especially the amount of hate pages dedicated to Luisa now, it is pretty horrific.Lando and Luisinha snapped on vacation in Ibiza on August 8, 2022Credit: Splash“They are on Instagram and Twitter, they are the main ones.”He has called on social media to do more to tackle the trolls, but insists he does not let it bother him.He said: “What I find the funniest in a way is people are actually spending their one life on Earth just sat behind a computer trying to ruin and bully someone.“When people are creating fake pages and fake chats, and fake Whats-App messages, then I am like, ‘You’re actually spending your life doing that?’ They’re wasting their life.“Not enough gets done. I report the things I see but there are so many, I don’t have time to go through them all.”The race ace’s relationship with stunning Luisinha hit the skids after he was exposed closing in on another beauty ahead of the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix.Lando was romantically linked to Randi HartmanCredit: Not known, clear with picture deskBrit McLaren driver Norris urged a mystery model in leaked messages from his Instagram account: “Ordering McDonald’s come join.”He begged the Dutch woman, who had told him they had met at last year’s race in Zandvoort, to join him at his luxury hotel on Tuesday for burgers and fries and told her: “I’m single now.”When his flirty messages ended up online, Lando privately pleaded to the model “please delete them haha”.In September 2022, he shared on his Instagram that he and Luisinha had “mutually decided” to go their separate ways after eight months together.READ MORE SUN STORIESRumoured relationshipsThere have been speculations about other potential romantic interests in Lando’s life:There were also rumours Lando was involved with Katerina BerezhnaCredit: Instagram/@katerinaberezhna/ More

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      ‘We know Max is not happy’ – Red Bull F1 chief breaks silence after Verstappen likes post slamming Liam Lawson axe

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      RED BULL chief Helmut Marko admits that Max Verstappen is “not happy” with Red Bull’s brutal axing of his team-mate Liam Lawson.The ruthless move to drop Lawson to sister team Racing Bulls and promote Yuki Tsunoda after two races was announced on Thursday.Liam Lawson has been brutally ditched by Red Bull after two races this seasonLawson has been replaced by Japan’s Yuki TsunodaMax Verstappen is frustrated with the decision to sack team-mate LawsonThe writing was on the wall after Lawson finished P15 at the Chinese Grand Prix and qualified last in both the sprint and the race in Shanghai.Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was immediately asked, and gave no assurances, about Lawson’s future after the race – won by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.Lawson’s nightmare season began with him dropping out in Q1 at the Aussie GP, before crashing out of the opening race in Melbourne.Reports immediately suggested that Red Bull superstar Verstappen didn’t want Lawson so harshly replaced after two poor weekends in the RB21.READ MORE F1 NEWSThe Dutchman, 27, has been left disappointed and disagreed with the decision before it was made.He subsequently liked an Instagram post accusing Red Bull of “bullying” Lawson after the news was confirmed. And now Marko has broken his silence and accepted that the four-time world champion disapproves of the move.Horner’s advisor told De Telegraaf: “We know Max is not happy. But we need two cars at the front. Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Not only for the constructors’ championship, but also to help Max to his fifth world title. Then you can achieve more strategically in races.”We can use Yuki’s experience and form now. That counts. At the end of the day, that is to the advantage of the team. “And that also means to the advantage of Max.”Red Bull chief Helmut Marko admits that Max Verstappen is ‘not happy’ with their decisionMax Verstappen takes to the stage at F1 launch event at the O2 Tsunoda – who has far greater F1 experience than Lawson – will suit up for Red Bull for the first time at his home Grand Prix in Japan next weekend.Meanwhile, Lawson will return to second team Racing Bulls as team-mate to French rookie Isack Hadjar.The New Zealander, 23, broke his silence in a moving social media post hours after the decision was announced.He wrote: “Being a Red Bull Racing driver has been my dream since I was a kid, it’s what I’ve worked towards my whole life.”It’s tough, but I’m grateful for everything that’s brought me to this point. “To every one of you who’s stood by me, thank you for all the support it means the world.”Thank you to Visa Cash App Racing Bulls for the warm welcome, I’m excited and ready to go to work at one of my favourite places.”Lawson was the latest in a line of drivers dating back to Pierre Gasly in 2019 – followed by Alex Albon and Sergio Perez – who have struggled to emulate Verstappen in taming the mechanical beast created by the Red Bull engineers.Horner said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions: to retain the World Drivers’ Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors’ title, and this is a purely sporting decision.”We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well.” More

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      ‘Dream since I was a kid’ – Liam Lawson breaks silence on Red Bull axe with emotional statement and posts childhood pics

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      LIAM LAWSON has broken his silence after being dropped by Red Bull.The 23-year-old has had a nightmare start to the Formula One season after failing to score any points in the first two weekends.Liam Lawson has broken his silence after being axed by Red BullCredit: APLawson said it was always his dream to be an F1 driver and shared childhood photosLawson shared a drawing he did as a young boy, predicting he would be an F1 driverRed Bull chiefs confirmed this morning they would be swapping the Kiwi driver for Racing Bulls star Yuki Tsunoda, with Lawson heading back to the team he had driven 11 races before across two stints in 2023 and 2024.Much has been said of the move, with Max Verstappen appearing to not be too happy about the situation after liking a social media post comparing it to “bullying”.Lawson was the latest in a line of drivers dating back to Pierre Gasly in 2019 – followed by Alex Albon and Sergio Perez – who have struggled to emulate Verstappen in taming the mechanical beast created by the Red Bull engineers.However, following his demotion to the sister team, Lawson has addressed the situation with a heartfelt social media post.READ MORE IN F1Taking to Instagram hours after the news was confirmed, Lawson posted a photo of himself as a kid in school with an old drawing he did outlining his dream of becoming an F1 driver.Lawson captioned his post: “Being a @redbullracing driver has been my dream since I was a kid, it’s what I’ve worked towards my whole life. “It’s tough, but I’m grateful for everything that’s brought me to this point. “To every one of you who’s stood by me, thank you for all the support it means the world.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”Thank you @visacashapprb for the warm welcome, I’m excited and ready to go to work at one of my favourite places.”Tsunoda, 24, had said he would welcome a team switch if offered because the Red Bull car was faster.Meet F1 2025 rookies including star gifted first go-kart by Michael Schumacher and Brit teen who’s already a millionaire Lawson has been replaced by Japan’s Yuki TsunodaCredit: PAChristian Horner believes Red Bull made the right decision in replacing Lawson with TsunodaCredit: GETTYLiam Lawson recently gloated about getting the better of Yuki Tsunoda in F3Credit: GETTYHowever, Lawson seemed to not take the comments too well, saying after the Chinese Grand Prix: “He can say whatever he wants. I’ve raced him for years, raced him in the junior categories and beat him.”If I look back over our careers, I was team-mates with him in F3 and I beat him. In Euroformula I was team-mates with him, [and] in New Zealand, and I beat him there.“Then in F1 last season I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no. He’s had his time. Now it’s my time.”The pair were team-mates in the motorsport last season, with the Japanese driver out-qualifying Lawson 6-0 and going 4-2 in their head-to-head race finishes.On the decision, team boss Christian Horner said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.”We came into the 2025 season, with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers’ Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors’ title and this is a purely sporting decision.”We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki’s experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. “We welcome him to the Team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.”The Japanese Grand Prix is the next race on the calendar on April 6. More

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      F1 mechanic reveals running joke in pitlane about Nicole Scherzinger and Lewis Hamilton’s on-off relationship

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      A FORMER Lewis Hamilton Formula One mechanic has revealed a running joke in the pitlane about his tumultous relationship with Nicole Scherzinger.Hamilton dated the former Pussycats Dolls singer between 2007 and 2015 in what was a highly publicised on-off relationship.Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger had an on-off relationship between 2007 and 2015Credit: GettyFormer F1 mechanic Marc Priestley has revealed how there was a joke about how the relationship impacted his performancesCredit: RexHamilton openly called Scherzinger ‘lucky’ for him at the timeCredit: Getty – ContributorAnd Hamilton was clearly impacted by the shifting circumstances of his love life, with ex-McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley revealing there was a running joke about how it changed his performances on track.Speaking on the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast, Priestley revealed: “When he first came into this sport, we used to joke amongst the team that Lewis’s performance was so intrinsically linked to the state of their relationship.”As in, on a good day, he performed well. When their relationship was in the doldrums, and they were so off and on, it was a bit like an emotional roller coaster.”When he was in these low points in the relationship, you could clearly track the performance in the car to the way their relationship status seemed to be.READ MORE IN F1“We joked that there seemed to be more lap time in keeping those two together than there ever could be with anything we could do with the car!”Hamilton and Scherzinger announced their first split in 2010, three years after they started dating months after his McLaren debut in 2007.They were then back together months later, which sparked a famous Hamilton win at the Turkish Grand Prix that season – his first F1 win in 245 days.Hamilton said at the time Scherzinger was “lucky” for him before they decisively split up in 2015.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKHer eventual final showing in the F1 paddock came at the 2014 season finale in Abu Dhabi when he won his first driver’s championship with Mercedes.Priestley continued: “But there was a serious point to that, in that it was about understanding and appreciating that Lewis’s emotional state clearly affected his performance…Yuki Tsunoda explains why he is the right driver for Red Bull’s Formula 1 team “Lewis is a guy who’s quite emotional. He wears his heart on his sleeve so, without the ability to really control those emotions to the level that some other people might be able to do or might find easier to do, we were faced with an unbelievably talented racing driver whose performance was, in some way, affected by how his emotional state was, which varied greatly at different times over a race weekend or a season.”Priestley explained how Hamilton’s mental state could lead to him coming across as petulant in press conferences with one-word answers before “disappearing” during the evening.He added: “As engineers, our only goal was to try and improve things so that it could be better the next day or the next time out.”To get the driver, who’s a key part of that debrief, in a state where he’s just throwing petulance [with] answers that are unhelpful to you because he’s so down, that’s not in any way productive and doesn’t help us get closer to a solution.”But he’d often go away on a Saturday night, he’d disappear, and I wouldn’t see him on a Saturday evening. He would sometimes even cancel commitments to sponsors and partners. “He would disappear and shut himself in a room, and he probably pondered over it for quite some time, digging himself into an even bigger and deeper hole, is how he’s described it to me in years gone by.”He mulled it over in his mind and continued to tell himself that same story – that he wasn’t doing a good enough job. He would beat himself up emotionally. “He would completely reiterate the negative thought processes that he’d been having that afternoon right through into the night until he went to sleep.”However, Hamilton has always had an amazing ability to shake off negativity and bounce back. One of his most famous phrases is “still we rise”, and Priestley believes that has been one of the biggest parts of his success.He said: “But one thing he was quite good at was waking up the next day with a fresh perspective. He always said to me that this was a new day, a new set of opportunities.””This was a case of coming in to try and do it better. If you ever see a TV interview on a Sunday morning after a Saturday afternoon where he struggled in qualifying, even today, that’s generally what you get.”You get a new Lewis Hamilton where he’s no longer down. He’s no longer struggling with emotions. He’s now got this fresh perspective where he sees nothing but opportunity in front of him.“He may not have expectations that he might have had going into Saturday. His expectations might have had to be reset but, in doing so, he takes away some pressure. “He relieves himself of that burden that was overwhelming him on a Saturday. And we go into Sunday with a Lewis that’s there, ready to take the opportunities, to push like crazy.“How often do we see a way better Sunday than we see him have on a Saturday? That was the same quite often, even way back when he first came into the sport working with us at McLaren.”Hamilton’s final year with McLaren would come in 2012 before he joined Mercedes.He would go on to win six driver’s titles with the Silver Arrows before he joined Ferrari in 2025, ending the most successful partnership F1 has ever seen.The now 40-year-old has had a hit-and-miss start to life with the Scuderia, finishing P10 at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix before winning his first Ferrari race in the Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix a week later.READ MORE SUN STORIESHamilton finished P6 in the feature race before disaster struck as Ferrari suffered a double disqualification, with the Briton’s car being found to have excessive wear on its skid block.The next race will be at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Yuki Tsunoda has now been confirmed to have swapped with Liam Lawson to be Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull team-mate. More

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      Max Verstappen likes bombshell Instagram post comparing Christian Horner’s Liam Lawson axing to ‘bullying’

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN has liked an Instagram post accusing Red Bull of “bullying” Liam Lawson. It came after Lawson was dropped to Racing Bulls in favour of Yuki Tsunoda, who has been promoted to race alongside team-mate Verstappen.Max Verstappen liked an Instagram post accusing Red Bull of ‘bullying’ axed Liam LawsonLiam Lawson has been brutally ditched by Red BullCredit: APLawson has been replaced by Japan’s Yuki TsunodaCredit: PAVerstappen, the four-time world champion, is understood to be unhappy about the team’s decision to axe Lawson so fast.Many believe Lawson, 23, should have been given more than two races to prove himself and get used to the RB21.The Dutchman’s actions raise further questions about his relationship with the Milton Keynes-based team.Tensions grew last year after allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” from a female employee aimed at team principal Christian Horner.READ MORE IN F1Horner has since been cleared of those allegations by two separate internal investigations, but Verstappen’s future with the team has been questioned.Red Bull confirmed on Thursday morning that Lawson and sister team driver Tsunoda would switch roles for the Japanese Grand Prix.The New Zealander will return to second team Racing Bulls as team-mate to French rookie Isack Hadjar.In a statement, Red Bull said Lawson was pulled out of the firing line after his “difficult” start to the campaign.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSLawson’s nightmare season began with him dropping out in Q1 at the rain-swept Aussie GP, before crashing out of the opening race in Melbourne.A week later, the Kiwi again qualified last in both the sprint and race for the Shanghai GP – despite sitting in the second-best car in F1 last season.Red Bull’s Christian Horner gives low down on car before F1 season kicks off with Australian Grand Prix The RB21 might be tailored for Verstappen, but mustering a P15 finish in Shanghai was too much for Horner.Meanwhile, Tsunoda – who earns nearly double Lawson’s £800,000 salary – qualified fifth in Australia and ninth in China but finished outside of the top 10 for both races due to strategy calls.The ruthless call has drawn criticism from the F1 world.Former Dutch F1 driver, Giedo van der Garde – who drove for Caterham in 2013 – was one who has been particularly critical of the shock move.Van der Garde took to Instagram to share his disgust, writing: ” Yes, you gotta perform. Yes, the pressure is insane. “But in my opinion this comes closer to bullying or a panic move than actual high athlete achievements. “They made a decision – fully aware – gave Liam two races only to crush his spirit.”Don’t forget the dedication, hard work and success Liam has put in his career so far to achieve the level where he is now.”I remember my own blood, sweat and tears – and that was to reach F1. Let alone driving for an absolute top team. “Yes, he underperformed the first two races – but if anyone’s aware of that it’s himself.”Former F1 star Giedo van der Garde has launched a scathing defence of LawsonCredit: GettyVerstappen, interestingly, liked the post but it seems he has since un-liked it.Lawson was promoted to Red Bull in the off-season, succeeding Mexican driver Sergio Perez.Tsunoda is expected to become Verstappen’s sixth different partner at Red Bull since he made the step up in 2016.That is after Daniel Riccardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez and Lawson.Red Bull said they were making use of their unique position as the only team on the grid with four race seats, arguing it was a kindness to Lawson.Team principal Horner said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and, as a result, we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.“We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start.“It makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well.”Horner is hoping 24-year-old Tsunoda’s experience will help with the team’s developing of the RB21.The decision will surely make things awkward between rivals Lawson and Tsunoda, who have shared fiery words in recent days.Tsunoda was more than pleased when quizzed about a potential swap before the news was announced on Thursday.The Japanese star said: “Yeah, 100 per cent. The car is faster, I’m sure.”But a fuming Lawson hit back, saying: “He can say whatever he wants.”I’ve raced him for years, raced him in the junior categories and beat him.”If I look back over our careers, I was team mates with him in F3 and I beat him.“In Euroformula I was team mates with him, [and] in New Zealand, and I beat him there.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Then in F1 last season I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no.”He’s had his time. Now it’s my time.”Lawson and Tsunoda have been team-mates in junior and senior teams More

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      Christian Horner takes no prisoners after ‘sext’ scandal as Red Bull boss swings axe in bid to avoid another horror year

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      CHRISTIAN HORNER is taking no prisoners just one-year on from his ‘sexting’ scandal.The Red Bull boss’ ruthless axing of Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda after just two races showed he will do anything it takes to avoid a repeat of last year’s horror show.Christian Horner is taking no prisoners at Red BullCredit: GettyHe has axed new ace Liam Lawson after just two F1 racesCredit: APYuki Tsunoda has now been promoted as No2 to Max VerstappenCredit: PAAs Horner said in the very first episode of the latest series of Drive to Survive: “The buck stops with me.”Red Bull finished third in the constructors’ championship last season, as the team was rocked after Horner was accused by a female colleague of “inappropriate behaviour”.The 51-year-old was twice cleared by an independent investigation, but there was then a string of high profile exits, including legendary designer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley.And Max Verstappen had to block out his dad Jos’ explosive rows with Horner over the scandal – and deal with a shoddy car – to seal a consecutive fourth world title, and spare the team’s blushes.READ MORE IN F1Horner wanted to leave that sordid season behind him, but he was savagely reminded when he was booed by thousands at the O2 F1 live event in February ahead of the new season.The paddock hasn’t forgotten either, with Horner’s rival, McLaren boss Zak Brown, recently saying he should be feeling “vulnerable” in his position.Horner has overseen eight drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships as Red Bull team principal, but both are already looking under threat this season.Sergio Perez and Alex Albon have found before Lawson that driving a car tailored to four-time world champion Verstappen is no easy ride.Most read in MotorsportThe hiring and firing policy of the brutal Red Bull system under Horner and senior adviser Helmut Marko has been hit or miss over the years.Christian Klein, Scott Speed, Sebastien Bourdais, Sebastien Buemi, Jaime Alguersuari, Jean-Eric Vergne, Daniil Kvyat, Brendon Hartley, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon have all been chewed up and spat out since the team started out in 2005.Red Bull’s Christian Horner gives low down on car before F1 season kicks off with Australian Grand Prix Horner was accused by a female colleague of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ last seasonCredit: AFPThe Red Bull chief, married to Geri Halliwell, was twice cleared by an independent investigationCredit: GettyHorner is hoping Verstappen can win another title with a new team-mateCredit: GettyIn recent years the second driver at Red Bull walks into the team knowing full well they will always be the bridesmaid and never the bride to Verstappen, who along with Sebastian Vettel, is the only driver unscathed so far by Horner’s ruthless policy.Sometimes Horner has made on paper the right decision, with Perez finishing a whopping 285 points behind Verstappen before he was replaced by Lawson.If the Mexican driver had raced in only the first two grands prix of the season, and none of the other 22, Red Bull would still have finished third.Kiwi driver Lawson, 23, suffered a dreadful start, being knocked out at the first stage of all three qualifying sessions including for the sprint and also failed to pick up a single point.Verstappen is still said to be unhappy with Red Bull’s decision despite them already being 42 points behind the reigning champions, McLaren, while Verstappen is second in the drivers’ championship, eight points behind Lando Norris.Horner said in a Red Bull statement confirming the news on Thursday morning: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result, we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.“We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki’s experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car.“We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.”READ MORE SUN STORIESRed Bull chose to promote Lawson from their junior squad Racing Bulls after just 11 Grand Prix appearances in two short spells across 2023 and 2024, despite Tsunoda having more experience.Only time will tell if history repeats itself for Tsunoda. More

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      Inside Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda’s bitter six-year rivalry as Red Bull become first F1 team to axe driver this season

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      THINGS are about to get a lot more awkward between long-term rivals Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson.Habitually ruthless Red Bull have dropped Lawson for sister team driver Tsunoda after just TWO races of the 2025 season.Liam Lawson has been brutally ditched by Red BullCredit: RexLawson has been replaced by Japan’s Yuki TsunodaCredit: GettyLawson, 23, has been dumped by Red Bull chiefs after failing to get to grips with the RB21 during the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.With the structure set up between Red Bull Racing and sister team Racing Bulls, driver rotations are possible among the four seats.Lawson’s nightmare season began with him dropping out in Q1 at the Aussie GP, before crashing out of the opening race in Melbourne.A week later, the Kiwi again qualified last in both the sprint and race for the Shanghai GP – despite sitting in the second-best car in F1 last season.READ MORE IN F1The RB21 might be tailored for Max Verstappen, but mustering a P15 finish in Shanghai was too much for team principal Christian Horner.Meanwhile, Tsunoda – who earns nearly double Lawson’s £800,000 salary – qualified fifth in Australia and ninth in China but finished outside of the top 10 for both races, due to strategy calls.The decision to overlook Tsunoda for Lawson when replacing Sergio Perez – who endured a nightmare 2024 season- before Christmas was a strange one.Having already spent four years in F1, Tsunoda is significantly more experienced than Lawson, who had entered only 11 grands prix in two short spells across 2023 and 2024.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSTsunoda, 24, will be given a baptism of fire on home soil as he’ll officially replace Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend.Meanwhile, the New Zealander will return to second team Racing Bulls as team-mate to French rookie Isack Hadjar.But there appears to be no love lost between Lawson and his replacement driver, who have known each other since their teens.SunSport takes a look inside their growing rivalry.Law and order showdownIn the past week, there has been a fiery war of words between the pair, who have raced each other all the way back to junior formula.Tsunoda was more than pleased when quizzed about a potential swap before the news was announced on Thursday.The Japanese star said: “Yeah, 100 per cent. The car is faster, I’m sure.”But a fuming Lawson hit back, saying: “He can say whatever he wants.”I’ve raced him for years, raced him in the junior categories and beat him. “If I look back over our careers, I was team mates with him in F3 and I beat him.“In Euroformula I was team mates with him, [and] in New Zealand, and I beat him there.“Then in F1 last season I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no.”He’s had his time. Now it’s my time.”Lawson cited his regular wins over Tsunoda as the reason being picked ahead of himCredit: GettyJunior yearsTsunoda and Lawson were team-mates many times during their junior careers.The New Zealander outscored Tsunoda in the 2019 Euroformula Open, where both drove for Motopark.The order was reversed in the FIA F3 series that year, though they drove for different teams.They faced each other again in the New Zealand Toyota Racing Series the following year. Lawson narrowly failed to reclaim the title he won the year before while Tsunoda, making his debut in the series, finished fourth.McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is among those who queried Red Bull’s decision to promote Lawson instead of Tsunoda.Lawson said he “couldn’t care less” about his opinion.He added: “I think he’s still hurt because I talked about his national anthem.” The pair have been team-mates in junior and senior teamsCredit: GettyRacing Bulls and AlphaTauriTsunoda had been at Red Bulls’ junior team AlphaTauri since 2021 -having been the top rookie in F2 – before his foe joined in 2023.AlphaTauri has since transitioned into Racing Bulls.They raced against each other in the latter stages of 2024 after Lawson replaced Daniel Ricciardo at the then-named RB team.The Japanese driver out qualified Lawson 6-0 and went 4-2 in their race finish head-to-head. Tsunoda was the 12th best driver on the grid last season, finishing with 30 points – which was 12 behind Pierre Gasly.Meanwhile, Lawson finished 21st, with a respectable four points picked up across his 11 races.The advantage on the timesheet lies with Tsunoda – perhaps inevitably, given he has raced in 89 F1 races compared to just 13 for his rival.Yuki Tsunoda will represent Red Bull in his home GP in Japan on April 6Horner’s Red Bull rejectsLawson will be advised that his demotion is an opportunity for him to rebuild his career, in the same way as earlier Red Bull rejects Gasly and Alex Albon have done.Gasly was demoted to the second Red Bull team after just half a season in 2019 in a swap with Albon, who was given a season and a half before being demoted to reserve driver in place of Perez.The Frenchman has since moved to Alpine and Albon to Williams, and both have thrived.Perez no longer has an F1 seat after being dropped at the end of last season with a multi-million pound pay-off.The decision to ace Lawson has been described as “performance-based” and the team’s “duty of care” to take him out of the firing line.Verstappen is second in the F1 Drivers’ Championship on 45 points, whereas Lawson has not scored any.Christian Horner said it was a ‘sporting decision’ to drop Lawson for TsunodaCredit: RexTeam principal Horner said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.”We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions: to retain the World Drivers’ Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors’ title, and this is a purely sporting decision.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki’s experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car.”We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well.” More

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      Who is Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf? F1 driver turned Sky Sports commentator 

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      THE name Schumacher rings a massive bell in motorsport – but seven-time champion Michael isn’t the only one in the family to have don an Formula One overall.While Michael Schumacher dominated F1 for a decade and a half, his brother Ralf was also a factor on the grid at the time.Ralf Schumacher spent a decade racing in F1Credit: GettyThe Schumacher brothers are the only siblings to have both won Formula 1 races in the sport’s historyCredit: GettyRalf Schumacher still works in the sportCredit: GettyRalf may have been the inferior driver throughout the pair’s time, but he still managed to have a very good career in the sport.Although they were never team-mates, the siblings are the most successful family pairing in F1 as the only siblings to have both won races in the sport’s history.Career on the tracksBorn and raised in North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany, Ralf is the second son of Rolf Schumacher, a bricklayer, and his wife Elisabeth.He started karting in his formative years and was a prodigious racer in junior karting.READ MORE IN F1He won the NRW Cup, the Gold Cup and German Junior Kart Championship across two years before moving up to senior level, where he finished runner-up. Ralf later finished third in the 1994 German Formula 3 Championship which catapulted him into the Formula Nippon Series, driving for the Team Le Mans.He was the first driver to clinch the championship in his rookie season.A spot in F1 was inevitable and after testing with McLaren in the autumn of 1996, Schumacher signed a three-year contract to drive for Eddie Jordan’s team, Jordan.Most read in MotorsportThe following season he would secure the first podium of his career in Argentina with a third-place finish.The arrival of Damon Hill in the 1998 season would complicate Schumacher’s relationship with Jordan as a team orders scenario denied him his first race win.Older brother Michael then bought him out of his £2million contract, with Mick then joining Williams. He finished the 1999 season sixth and was rewarded with a three-year deal worth £31m – despite a campaign littered with race retirements.His six-year association with the Oxfordshire-based team saw five wins, two fourth-place finishes and two fifth-place finishes.Ralf’s final season with the team, 2004, saw him race just 12 times and finish only ninth in the standings.He next signed a three-year deal with Japanese manufacturer Toyota, finishing sixth in his first season but then slipping down to 10th and 16th.Attempts to return back to the sport, notably with Red Bull sister team Toro Rosso, and Force India never materialised.A stint in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) series – return back to sports car racing – would merely signal official retirement from competitive racing, which came in 2012. Post-racing venturesFollowing his retirement from active motorsport in March 2013, Schumacher remained within the industry. He took up a management role at auto racing Mucke Motorsport which sees him assists in the mentoring of young drivers signed with Mercedes-Benz.In 2019, Schumacher became a pundit and co-commentator at Formula One races for Sky Sports Germany.Personal lifeSchumacher was married to German model and media personalty Cora-Caroline Brinkman. The pair giving birth to their son David a couple weeks after marriage in October 2001.David now also competes in motorsport with Haupt Racing Team.READ MORE SUN STORIESSchumacher married on October 2001 in a private civil ceremony at the couple’s home in AustriaCredit: GettySchumacher first shared he was gay when he took to social media to share the storyCredit: InstagramHowever, the two would divorce after an acrimonious period of separation in 2015. Nine years on, Schumacher announced on social media that he has been in a same-sex relationship with his partner of two years, 34-year-old Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne. More