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    Mick Schumacher ‘could QUIT F1 for new sport’ amid struggles at Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes

    MICK SCHUMACHER could reportedly quit Formula One after struggling at Mercedes.The son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher had long hoped to become a regular driver, however he appears to have had a change of heart.
    Mick Schumacher could swap F1 for the 24-hour Le MansCredit: PA
    He is the son of F1 legend Michael SchumacherCredit: AFP
    Schumacher, 24, is a reserve driver for Mercedes but has struggled to get a chance behind Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
    He is also a reserve for McLaren.
    He has recently admitted that he was looking at alternative options.
    However, he seems to have a more specific plan in mind, according to Motorsport Aktuell.
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    The report claims that the German driver could join the Alpine group and participate in the 24-hour race in Le Mans, France.
    Alpine Motorsport vice president Bruno Famin is believed to have contacted Schumacher about taking a test drive.
    Schumacher spent two years at F1 team Haas but left in 2022.
    He was replaced by fellow German driver Nico Hulkenberg.
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    Father Michael has not been seen in public since his horror ski crash in 2013.
    His former team-mate Johnny Herbert suggested that his friends do not hear much “positive news” about the retired driver.
    He said: “There’s never any news.
    “What we do know is we never hear any positive news.
    “That’s the horrible thought that he is still not able to be close to the Michael that we all remember. And that is very sad.” More

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    F1 fans distraught as Fernando Alonso RUNS OVER giant lizard dubbed ‘Godzilla’s kid’ during Singapore GP practice

    THIS is the incredible moment the Singapore GP was invaded by a giant LIZARD – forcing champ Max Verstappen to swerve around “Godzilla’s kid.”But the reptile paid the ultimate price as he was eventually run over by Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso, leaving fans in tears.
    Max Verstappen was forced to swerve to avoid a lizard at the Singapore GPCredit: Sky Sports F1
    The giant reptile, dubbed ‘Godzilla’s kid’, calmly crossed the tarmac during practiceCredit: Sky Sports F1
    The cheeky lizard was eventually run over by Fernando AlonsoCredit: Getty
    Verstappen and Alonso were caught off guard as Formula One stars warmed up for this weekend’s race in Southeast Asia.
    With temperatures in the low 30s, many exotics animals are thriving in Singapore’s humid climate.

    And one cheeky heat-loving creature appeared to want a close-up encounter with Verstappen and Co.
    The huge reptile, believed to be a monitor lizard, left pundits and drivers stunned as it sauntered across the track during Friday’s practice THREE times.
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    The beast took little notice of the zooming cars while crossing the tarmac.
    And one racer who had a close encounter with the lizard was none other than Red Bull superstar Verstappen.
    It wasn’t his first face-off with one of the creatures in Singapore, with Verstappen facing off against a lizard in 2016.
    But this time the double world champ was forced to swerve to avoid making contact while turning a corner, forcing yellow flags to be deployed.
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    Verstappen previously encountered a lizard in Singapore seven years ago
    Verstappen exclaimed on the Red Bull team radio: “There’s a lizard again on the track! A smaller one this time.”
    His team responded: “Ok understood. Maybe Godzilla had a kid.”
    Verstappen laughed: “That makes sense!”
    Williams star George Russell also encountered the lizard as he zoomed past, declaring it was the second one he’d seen that day.
    He said on his team radio: “Another lizard but a different one this time!”
    Fans certainly found the incident hilarious, with one saying: “Them lizards love that race.”
    Another declared: “Best seat in the house.”
    One added: “Who let him onto the track?”
    However, it later emerged the innocent lizard had been squished by Spanish star Alonso as the Aston Martin man zoomed around at 70mph.
    One heartbroken fan said: “Aint no way, did someone actually run over a lizard.”
    Another declared: “The lizard got run over? I am heartbroken.”
    One added: “Finding out there was a lizard on track and someone run him over…”
    As far as practice went, it was a one-two for Ferrari as Charles Leclerc finished 0.078 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz.
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    Verstappen came third, with Lando Norris fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth.
    And all eyes will be on tomorrow’s qualifying round to see if any more cheeky lizards make an appearance. More

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    F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023: Start time, stream, TV channel, full schedule as Hamilton looks to stop Verstappen’s run

    MAX VERSTAPPEN is arguably one of the best F1 racers to have lived – but he has never had success in Singapore.The Dutch superstar secured the all-time record in Italy by winning his 10th consecutive race.
    Max Verstappen recorded a 10th consecutive win at the Italian GPCredit: Rex
    And as a result, Verstappen is now 145 points clear of his second-placed Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
    But the F1 icon will need to break his Marina Bay duck if he is to continue this incredible form.
    However, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have other ideas as they battle it out for third place on the leaderboards.
    When is the F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023?

    The F1 Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 17.
    It is expected to get underway from 1pm UK time – 8pm local time.
    Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore will be the allocated track for this race and it can host a staggering 90,000 supporters.
    Sergio Perez clinched first place on the podium in the 2022 edition.

    Read more on F1
    What TV channel is the F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023 on and can it be live streamed?

    The Singapore Grand Prix will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports F1.
    Subscription members of Sky Sports can stream the entire action on the Sky Go app or Sky Sports website.
    The race will also be available to NOW TV users via all mobile devices and tablets.
    Alternatively, SunSport will have lap-by-lap coverage of the whole race including podium reaction.

    FULL schedule
    Friday, September 15

    Practice One – 10:30am BST
    Practice Two – 2pm BST

    Saturday, September 16
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    Practice Three – 10:30am BST
    Qualifying – 2pm BST

    Sunday, September 17

    Grand Prix – 1pm BST

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

    Driver standings
    Here are the current F1 Driver standings:

    Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing / 364
    Sergio Perez / Red Bull Racing / 219
    Fernando Alonso / Aston Martin / 170
    Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / 164
    Carlos Sainz / Ferrari / 117
    Charles Leclerc / Ferrari / 111
    George Russell / Mercedes / 109
    Lando Norris / McLaren / 79
    Lance Stroll / Aston Martin / 47
    Pierre Gasly / Alpine / 37
    Esteban Ocon / Alpine / 36
    Oscar Piastri / McLaren / 36
    Alexander Albon / Williams / 21
    Nico Hulkenberg / Haas / 9
    Valtteri Bottas / Alfa Romeo / 6
    Zhou Guanyu / Alfa Romeo / 4
    Yuki Tsounda / Alphatauri / 3
    Kevin Magnussen / Haas / 2
    Logan Sargeant / Williams / 0
    Daniel Ricciardo / Alphatauri / 0
    Nyck De Vries / Alphatauri / 0 OUT More

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    Heartbreaking Michael Schumacher health update as ex-teammate reveals how stricken star is ‘not close’ to his old self

    MICHAEL Schumacher is “not close” to his former self following his horror ski crash, his ex-teammate has revealed.The F1 legend has not been seen in public since the shocking 2013 accident, and little is known about his condition.
    Michael Schumacher suffered devastating injuries in a ski accident in 2013Credit: AFP
    His former teammate Johnny Herbert said ‘there is never any news’ on the starCredit: Getty
    Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, ex-Sky Sports pundit Johnny Herbert, who used to be the German’s teammate, hinted that even his friends are kept in the dark.
    He said: “There’s never any news. What we do know is we never hear any positive news.
    “That’s the horrible thought that he is still not able to be close to the Michael that we all remember. And that is very sad.”
    Seven-time world champion Schumacher suffered catastrophic injuries in a devastating ski accident in the French Alps in 2013.
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    He has been undergoing rehabilitation at his home in a lakeside mansion in Lausanne, Switzerland, ever since.
    It has also been reported that he has been spending more time at his family’s luxury £27million villa in Majorca.
    In 2021 his wife, Corinna, shared a rare update during his Netflix documentary, revealing Schumacher is “different, but here”.
    Herbert also told how the star’s condition has affected his brother in particular.
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    He said: “When Ralf Schumacher was with Sky Germany we often met.
    “Ralf has had to do a lot of things for and with the family given what happened to Michael.
    “He has matured. He is very different now to the person he was as a driver.
    “He is a good human being now. He has changed a lot having had to cope with the ongoing situation with his brother.”
    Reflecting on his friend, Herbert said Schumacher would’ve made a good pundit after retiring from racing.
    He said: “He would have been outspoken. He was always very aware of what you can and can’t do. 
    “His character was always in your face, telling you directly if you had done something to him on the track.
    “Remember Spa with David Coulthard.  He would have been very good.”
    Schumacher poses with his wife Corinna in 2005Credit: AFP More

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    F1 legend Sebastian Vettel hints at shock comeback aged 36 as he claims ‘I can’t say no’

    SEBASTIAN VETTEL has refused to rule out a sensational return to Formula One.The four-time world champion retired from F1 last season.
    Sebastian Vettel has refused to rule out a return to F1Credit: AFP
    The four-time world champion retired from the sport last yearCredit: Getty
    However, he has now hinted at a possible return to the grid in 2024.
    Speaking to Sky Sports, Vettel was asked whether he was keeping himself race ready.
    In response he said: “Yeah, but because I want to, not because I’m like, come back or if somebody falls out I’m going to [step in], not because of that.
    “But so I guess my neck is not up to speed. No, it can’t be, but everything else is pretty, pretty good, I would say.”
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    The green-fingered Vettel was a popular figure in the sport before his retirement.
    The 36-year-old won the title four times in a row with Red Bull, before driving with Ferrari and Aston Martin in the latter stages of his career.
    Past world champions have made returns to the sport following an exit.
    Kimi Raikkonen, Niki Laudu, Alain Prost Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso are a few prominent examples.
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    Indeed, when Lance Stroll injured his wrist in pre-season testing, Aston Martin flirted with the idea of bringing the German back into the fold.
    On a return, Vettel added: “I can’t say no, because that you don’t know.
    “I think it’s something that if you asked all of them, probably some of them would have said ‘no’.
    “And some of them I don’t know, but in the end all of them came back, so I can’t exclude it.
    “I think it’s something that if you asked all of them, probably some of them would have said ‘no’.
    “And some of them I don’t know, but in the end all of them came back, so I can’t exclude it.
    “It probably will depend much on when, and obviously it’s not endless, because 36 is not like, ‘yeah in 10 years’ time’.”
    He continued: “Maybe I think about it when time has passed but it will depend on the challenge, whatever, but it’s not in my head right now.
    “And I’m enjoying the sort of outlook of the challenge of what to do next.
    “It will be the way I see it, the biggest challenge for any racing driver and the biggest challenge for any sportsman, sportswoman, what do you do after?
    “Because naturally you will be like 30-35, 40-45 – depending on your sport and discipline. And then what?
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    “There’s a lot of life left and life can be great even though you’re not racing, you know, the absolute limit in the fastest car in the world, but you can still do lots of great things that give you great pleasure.”
    F1 visits Singapore this weekend for the next race in its calendar. More

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    Michael Schumacher update as F1 pal reveals how horror ski crash and health battle ‘changed’ his brother Ralf

    MICHAEL Schumacher’s tragic health battle has had a severe impact on his brother Ralf, a close friend of the F1 legend has revealed.Former Formula One driver Johnny Herbert has explained that Michael’s younger brother has changed a lot since the star’s horror ski crash.
    Herbert said Michael’s accident has changed and matured his brother RalfCredit: AFP
    The former F1 driver said his pal Michael would have made a great punditCredit: Getty
    Herbert used to be Michael’s number 2Credit: Getty
    The 2013 accident sent shockwaves through the motorsports world at the time as the seven-time world champion was placed in a medically-induced coma in hospital.
    Little is known about Michael’s condition ever since as his family maintains strict privacy.
     Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, ex-Sky Sports Johnny Herbert, who used to be the German’s teammate, described how the star’s condition has affected his brother in particular.
    He said: “When Ralf Schumacher was with Sky Germany we often met.
    read more on schumacher
    “Ralf has had to do a lot of things for and with the family given what happened to Michael.
    “He has matured. He is very different now to the person he was as a driver.
    “He is a good human being now. He has changed a lot having had to cope with the ongoing situation with his brother.”
    Herbert branded “horrible” a comment made by journalist Roger Benoit that Schumacher is a “case without hope.”
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    He added: “There’s never any news. What we do know is we never hear any positive news.
    “That’s the horrible thought that he is still not able to be close to the Michael that we all remember. And that is very sad.”
    The former F1 driver also disagreed with Benoit’s statement that the stricken legend should be stripped of the controversial F1 title.”
    Speaking about his pal, Herbert said he would have made a good pundit.
    He said: “He would have been outspoken. He was always very aware of what you can and can’t do. 
    “His character was always in your face, telling you directly if you had done something to him on the track.
    “Remember Spa with David Coulthard.  He would have been very good.”
    The F1 legend has not been seen or heard since his accident in the French Alps in 2013 where he suffered catastrophic injuries.
    He has been undergoing rehabilitation at his home in a lakeside mansion in Lausanne, Switzerland ever since.
    Even Schumacher’s close friends and family are believed to have been left in the dark about his condition.
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     In 2021 his wife, Corinna, shared a rare update during his Netflix documentary.
    She revealed that Schumacher is “different, but here”.
    Herbert said Ralf is a different person now than since he was a driverCredit: AP:Associated Press More

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    Abandoned race track is haunted by ghost of motorsport icon who died on Halloween trying to regain his land speed record

    THE ghost of a dead motorsport icon is said to haunt Brooklands Motor Course in Surrey.The track, located in Weybridge, was opened way back in 1907 and hosted the first ever British Grand Prix 19 years later.
    Parts of Brooklands Motor Course are still there todayCredit: Colin Smith CC BY-SA 2.0
    Bits of the straight and banking can be seenCredit: Alan Hunt (Creative Commons)
    It is a legendary British race track located in SurreyCredit: Getty
    Percy Lambert died attempting to set a new speed record in 1913Credit: Getty
    But the circuit is perhaps best known for witnessing the death of British driver Percy Lambert in 1913.
    The iconic racer became the first ever driver to cover 100 miles in an hour.
    But when Frenchman Jean Chassagne set a new benchmark of 107.95 mph, Lambert set himself the task of reclaiming the record.
    However, tragedy ensued as he took to the Brooklands track to try and beat Chassagne’s distance.
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    One of Lambert’s tyres burst and his car veered off course.
    He was found lying face down halfway up the banking by Members’ Bridge, unconscious but breathing.
    Lambert was whisked off to Weybridge Cottage Hospital but died on the way there.
    The spot where he died remains there to this day, although the track has been left abandoned.
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    The race track hosted two editions of the British Grand Prix in 1926 and 1927Credit: Getty
    Racing stopped at Brooklands after the Second World WarCredit: Getty
    Some iconic cars and racers competed at BrooklandsCredit: Getty
    It is now said to be haunted following Lambert’s death more than 100 years agoCredit: John Chapman CC BY-SA 3.0
    Racing stopped there following the outbreak of World War II, with the final meeting held less than a month before the war started in 1939.
    Bombs also fell on the track during the conflict.
    But the haunted aspect of the circuit stems from one evening in the 1970s when a British Aircraft Corporation security officer was looking towards the hill and saw a large spot of “blackness” floating above.
    He claims to have then heard the sound of “crashing, splintering metal or wood”.
    He went on to say: “Test Hill was still overgrown at that time, but two days later, when I plucked up courage to investigate, not a blade of grass, nor a branch of a tree had been broken.
    “There is definitely something strange in that area, and I’m a level headed chap who doesn’t imagine things.”
    The “haunting” of the area has been attributed to Lambert’s tragic death.
    Parts of the banking where he died remain standing.
    Fans can still visit parts of the track more than a century on from Lambert’s deathCredit: Mike Smith CC BY-SA 2.0 More

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    Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were close to being TEAM-MATES says Mercedes boss as he reveals what blocked move

    TOTO WOLFF says he missed out on signing Max Verstappen as a youngster – because he could not offer the Dutchman a guaranteed seat at Mercedes.Verstappen is poised to win his 11th race in a row at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix as he closes in on his third successive title.
    Toto Wolff says he missed out on signing Verstappen as a youngsterCredit: Rex
    The F1 stars could have been team-matesCredit: Getty
    However, it could have been a different story had Mercedes boss Wolff managed to sign him up to the Silver Arrows before he joined Red Bull’s junior team in 2014.
    Wolff says that back then, Mercedes were happy with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and without having a second team on the grid, could not promise Verstappen a space.
    “Max was very good in karting, was good in F3, and it was clear that there’s a big one that’s growing,” Wolff told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.
    “We talked to them in the initial phases, and it was a nice discussion with [dad] Jos and with Max involved as well.
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    “But it was clear that we couldn’t give him a seat because we had Nico and we had Lewis.
    “We offered the support in F2 but, since Red Bull was able to offer them the AlphaTauri seat, or Toro Rosso back in the day, it got Max into the seat.”
    Verstappen was offered a drive at Toro Rosso in 2015 while Rosberg unexpectedly quit racing the following year after winning the title.
    And Wolff says he can’t be certain if Verstappen would have picked Mercedes had he not already joined Red Bull.
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    He added: “Maybe but, you know, if I knew where the stock market is next year, I would decide to invest in it or not.
    “We would be very happy and rich people if we would know what happens 12 months on.”
    Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo will be in Singapore for this weekend’s GP despite his broken hand.
    The Australian underwent an operation after breaking bones in his left hand 20 days ago after crashing at the Dutch GP.
    He is now undergoing rehab while helping the team with engineering duties while Red Bull’s reserve driver Liam Lawson fills in at AlphaTauri. More