More stories

  • in

    Toto Wolff addresses Lewis Hamilton retirement speculation and whether Mercedes chief has ‘Plan B’

    TOTO WOLFF has insisted that Mercedes does not have a “Plan B” should Lewis Hamilton leave the Formula One team.The British driver’s contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of the season.
    Toto Wolff has admitted there is no ‘Plan B’ should Lewis Hamilton leave MercedesCredit: Rex
    However, there appears to have been little progress on renewing the seven-time world champion deal with the F1 giants.
    And Hamilton has recently been hinting that he could retire from racing.
    This is cause for concern for Mercedes as team principal Wolff admitted there is no backup plan should he leave.
    He said: “I think it may sound naive, but I really struggle to think of a Plan B, if my Plan A is still the one that is my favourite.
    READ MORE IN F1
    “I don’t want to engage in discussions with other drivers, because I’m happy with the ones that are in the team, that’s for sure.
    “At the moment, there is no Plan B. It’s Lewis.”
    The Austrian also insisted that should Hamilton leave the team then he would be given plenty of notice.
    He added: “I think that he would tell us early enough.
    Most read in Sport
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
    “I don’t think that Lewis would say, ‘I can’t do this anymore. I’m out of here tomorrow.’
    “He would always feel the responsibility for the team. He wouldn’t leave the team alone. Drivers can always take decisions [like that], but he wouldn’t let us down.
    “But then, I think if you believe that you’re a team that is attractive for others, you will find solutions.”
    Meanwhile, Mercedes technical director James Allison believes there is reason to be optimistic about the performance, with the team now “quietly” believing they are the second-best car in the field.
    Reflecting on the Australian GP, Allison said: “Overall, [there is] a sense of quiet satisfaction that we have moved the car forward.
    “That, from a performance point of view, we probably got as much as it is able to give right now.
    “That happiness, of course, is tempered by the disappointment that we only got one car to the flag and that George [Russell] was not able to show what he was capable of in the car on race day, having performed very strongly up to that point in the weekend.
    “We didn’t have huge breakthroughs, but we moved forward a little bit.
    “We put a small amount on the leaders Red Bull, and we are starting to get on terms with, and maybe just nose a whisker in front of, the Ferraris and the Aston Martins.” More

  • in

    Lewis Hamilton ‘picks Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie’ in major update after actors put through gruelling auditions

    LEWIS HAMILTON has selected Brad Pitt’s co-star for his upcoming Formula One movie, according to reports. Seven-time world champion Hamilton has been working on an as-yet-untitled F1 movie.
    Brad Pitt’s co-actor has been selected for the upcoming F1 filmCredit: Getty
    Lewis Hamilton is acting as a producer on the movieCredit: Rex
    According to Deadline, prospective actors have been put through a gruelling selection process.
    This has included auditioning and several days of driving tests.
    And now Hamilton – who is acting as a producer – and filmmakers Jerry Bruckheimer and Joe Kosinski have reportedly made their selection.
    Damson Idris is the person who reportedly has been picked to star alongside Pitt.
    READ MORE IN F1
    The 31-year-old played the co-lead in Netflix’s sci-fi action film Outside the Wire and currently stars in crime drama Snowfall.
    The British-Nigerian actor, who was born in Peckham, South London, has also starred in Black Mirror and Casualty.
    On the film selection process, Hamilton told Autosport: “We’re going through a process right now of selecting the character that will be alongside Brad, which is exciting,
    “Basically that’s the process of watching [the auditions]. We have recordings of them doing certain scenes and we got through it.
    Most read in Motorsport
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
    Outside the Wire star Damson Idris will reportedly star in the movieCredit: Getty
    “I’ve sat in the office with Jerry, Joe and Brad and we’ve been watching them and kind of given our inputs and what we think.”
    Hamilton, an outspoken advocate for diversity and inclusion, said he felt a “responsibility” to make his cast diverse.
    He added: “I want to make the movie, in terms of like having diversity and representation, I want it to be as Formula One should be in the future – or should be now, but will be in the future.
    “I want to see female mechanics. We would love to see a female driver. We haven’t gotten to that point just yet. But why not?
    “Right now, we’ve still got the script. We’ve gone through quite a few different iterations of it.
    “We’re still waiting for a new rewrite, and that’s the whole process. But I was doing that throughout Christmas.
    “It’s exciting. I’m excited to get the next end of the script. I was talking to Brad last night about the characters that we have coming.”
    Hamilton launched his entertainment company, Dawn Apollo Films, in October last year.
    Apple have already thrown their support behind the venture.
    Following the move, Hamilton told Deadline: “I’ve always been into movies. I watch a lot. I find it a real escape. There are a lot of movies I find inspiring…
    Read More on The Sun
    “The goal is to make impactful stories and ultimately to inspire people through movies and storytelling.
    “A big part of the new company will be about social impact, community and causes.” More

  • in

    I was one of Sky Sports F1’s biggest names before brutal sacking… I still have no idea why they got rid of me

    JOHNNY HERBERT has revealed he has no idea why Sky Sports decided to sack him from their F1 presenting team after 11 years.Herbert joined the broadcaster during the 2012 season when it won the rights to show the F1 action in the UK.
    Johnny Herbert was a central figure in the Sky Sports F1 commentary teamCredit: Getty
    The pundit raced in Formula 1 himselfCredit: AP:Associated Press
    He became a central figure in the coverage of the sport, often reminiscing about his own time in Formula One with teams like Jaguar and Sauber.
    However, Sky Sports decided to axe him from the commentary team two months before this year’s coverage started, along with fellow pundit and former driver Paul di Resta.
    Both were at the end of their respective contracts but were not offered extensions.
    It was speculated that cost-cutting was behind Sky Sports’ decision not to have the two back.
    READ MORE IN F1
    Herbert posted a photo of the Sky Sports F1 team to Instagram to confirm his departure from the broadcaster.
    It was captioned: “Going to miss this team.”
    Speaking to The Mirror, Herbert has now revealed that he still doesn’t know why the broadcaster decided against renewing his contract.
    He said: “I didn’t decide to step away – I thought everything was going ahead!
    Most read in Motorsport
    FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
    “And then I got a call in December, I think it was, when I was told things were changing.
    “It wasn’t really explained why or what was changing. There was a mention of social media stuff and that was about it, really. I really don’t know.
    “I was always aware – at Sky they do these subscriber checks where you’re given points out of 10 – and I’ve always known I was always quite popular on that side.
    “It’s a shame, but I’m over it. Moving on.”
    Herbert is now presenting his own podcast called Lift the Lid, which he co-hosts with fellow racer Billy Monger.
    The two give their opinions on current F1 stories, and were brought together through their own near-fatal crashes.
    Herbert said about the podcast “This is great to do with Billy, for example.
    “There are other opportunities out there, once again just proving that if you work hard you can find different avenues to carry on being involved in the sport we love.
    “So there’s other things going on, which is fine.
    “Yes, it’s disappointing, but I’ve moved on.”
    The 58-year old added that he didn’t think he would be returning to TV screens this season.
    He added: “I did my 11 years at Sky and it was good. Now there are other things I am doing.
    Read More on The Sun
    “Because it was in December it was all quite late in terms of sorting other things out.
    “There are a lot of other opportunities but, in terms of seeing me on a TV screen, there’s probably nothing planned on that front.”
    Herbert posted that he’d miss the team after he was axed
    Herbert now co-hosts a podcast with former British F4 racer Billy Monger, who suffered a horrific crash in 2017Credit: PA More

  • in

    Mercedes chief offers bleak assessment of Lewis Hamilton’s F1 title chances but insists team remain ‘quietly satisfied’

    LEWIS HAMILTON has been told Mercedes are on the up, but remain some way short of Red Bull. Seven-time world champion Hamilton finished P2 at a chaotic Australian Grand Prix to score the team’s first podium of the season.
    Mercedes chief’s are ‘quietly satisfied’ about Mercedes improvementCredit: Rex
    Team-mate George Russell had also shown strong pace before his car set on fire after engine failure.
    And Mercedes technical director James Allison believes there is reason to be optimistic about the performance, with the team now “quietly” believing they are the second best car in the field.
    Reflecting on the weekend, Allison said: “Overall, [there is] a sense of quiet satisfaction that we have moved the car forward.
    “That, from a performance point of view, we probably got as much as it is able to give right now.
    READ MORE IN F1
    “That happiness, of course, is tempered by the disappointment that we only got one car to the flag and that George was not able to show what he was capable of in the car on race day, having performed very strongly up to that point in the weekend.
    “We didn’t have huge breakthroughs, but we moved forward a little bit.
    “We put a small amount on the leaders Red Bull, and we are starting to get on terms with, and maybe just nose a whisker in front of, the Ferraris and the Aston Martins.”
    Aston Martin currently sit in second in the constructors championship – nine points ahead of Mercedes – after three back-to-back podium finishes for Fernando Alonso.
    Most read in Motorsport
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
    However, Red Bull remain the team to beat this year, with Max Verstappen and under-threat Sergio Perez sitting P1 and P2 in the drivers standings after the opening three races.
    And Allison is refusing to allow Mercedes to let their guard down, insisting they only got close to Red Bull due to them being “off form”.
    He added: “Was [our performance] expected? Broadly yes, because the performance level in Australia was not markedly different to that in the other two tracks so far this year.
    “Different yes to Red Bull, but not a completely different animal compared to the rest of the field.
    “I think the biggest shift in Australia was that Red Bull were a little bit more off form in qualifying compared to the rest of the grid, and that sort of closed up the field.
    “But if you look at the relative pace of our car to the Ferrari, our car to the Aston Martin, it’s been close-ish all year.

    Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
    “Yes, we are a little bit on the better side, but it wasn’t seismic.
    “So, was it expected? Well, we expected to be in the fight with Ferrari and Aston Martin and pleased to have our noses in front, but we did expect to be there.
    “Time will tell [whether performance was track specific]. We’ll go to some more very different tracks in the next few weeks.
    “We’ll see whether this was the sort of initial bellwether of general uptick in our performance which we hope for, or whether it was related to the quite unusual track conditions that we saw this weekend in Melbourne.”
    In terms of further improvements to the W14, Hamilton and Russell will be forced to wait until May’s Imola Grand Prix.
    Read More on The Sun
    There are still two races, Azerbaijan and Miami, USA, before the race in Italy rolls around.
    In the meantime, Hamilton tried his hand at snowboarding, but ended up going for a freezing bath after falling into some water. More

  • in

    Fernando Alonso reveals biggest ever F1 rival as two-time world champ snubs Lewis Hamilton despite epic McLaren battles

    FERNANDO ALONSO singled out Formula One legend Michael Schumacher as his greatest ever rival.Alonso snubbed famous foe Sir Lewis Hamilton, with whom he had such an intense feud when they were team-mates at McLaren for one season in 2007 that he quit the team.
    Alonso snubbed Sir Lewis Hamilton when naming his greatest ever rivalCredit: Splash
    Marco Alonso named Michael Schumacher as his fiercest ever rivalCredit: Getty
    The Aston Martin driver has instead opted for Schumacher, whom he beat to the top in 2005 and 2006 to win both of his world titles.
    The 41-year-old admits it is “difficult” to choose his fiercest ever opponent but the Ferrari legend’s dominance in the mid-2000s ranks him above everyone else.
    Alonso told Bang & Olufsen: “It is difficult to choose one because they were all great rivals and very talented drivers as well.
    “When I came to this sport, Michael Schumacher was dominating the races and everything, probably that fight with him would still be the one I would choose.
    Read More on F1
    “Fighting against Michael was very special, so I would say that.”
    Alonso and Hamilton rekindled their rivalry last year after the crashed at the Belgian Grand Prix.
    The Spaniard put the seven-time world champion on full-blast as he branded him “an idiot”.
    The ex-Renault star also claimed the British great “only knows how to drive and start in first” in a petulant attack.
    Most read in Motorsport
    BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
    But the Mercedes superstar cooled their rift by insisting he is trying to “be a better driver”.
    The 38-year-old then joked on social media that he’d offer Alonso a signed cap as a peace offering.
    Hamilton said: “It’s not a thing for me. It doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t really affect me in the slightest.
    “With the cap it was just a little fun thing. It’s good to have fun sometimes with these things. For me, I am always trying to be a better driver.
    “Also, I know there are a lot of young kids that are following me and it’s important the steps I try to take in my behaviour, so I am always trying to learn and be better.” More

  • in

    Toto Wolff joins billionaire’s club with Tiger Woods and Lebron James despite horror F1 season for Hamilton and Mercedes

    TOTO WOLFF has become a billionaire – according to the latest Forbes rich list.The Mercedes boss has taken his place in the 2023 World Billionaires list, which includes fellow sportspeople Tiger Woods and basketball star LeBron James.
    Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has officially become a billionaireCredit: Getty
    Forbes have listed the Australian’s net worth an $1billionCredit: EPA
    Wolff and Mercedes have struggled to keep pace with Red Bull over the last two seasonsCredit: Rex
    The report lists Wolff’s net worth at $1billion, with Forbes saying Netflix’s F1 series, Drive To Survive, turned Wolff “into a celebrity billionaire with [its effect] on the value of Formula One teams”.
    Wolff arrived in F1 when he bought a share of the Williams F1 team in 2009 and joined its board of directors, before selling them off after he joined Mercedes.
    In 2020, Wolff also purchased a stake in Aston Martin, who have close links with Mercedes.
    Mercedes have struggled to keep pace with Red Bull over the last two seasons, although Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are currently fourth and seventh respectively in the Driver Standings.
    READ MORE F1 NEWS
    The team’s shortcomings have prompted calls for Wolff’s departure.
    But the Austrian has remained bullish in the face of criticism, saying: “Whether it is good or bad, I really enjoy being the team principal of the team.
    “I think I can contribute. But, if one day I come to the conclusion, or people that are close to me are going to tell me that I’m not, then I will consider giving the baton to somebody else.
    “I would have no shame that I’ll criticise from the sidelines, from a TV screen and know it better.
    Most read in Motorsport
    FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
    “But, until then, I think I still have fun doing it. And obviously turning the ship around, after so many successful years, that’s really a good challenge.
    “The people in charge in Mercedes and in INEOS, they are high-performance individuals within the core business or in sports.
    “We have all been through downs and ups and there is not a millimetre of doubt.
    “There is so much support from them in order to get us back on track.”
    The F1 season resumes on April 30 with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit.

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

  • in

    Lewis Hamilton becomes latest star to support Lukaku after racist abuse at Juventus as F1 legend follows Mbappe

    FORMULA ONE star Lewis Hamilton has become the latest star to show his support to Romelu Lukaku after he was on the receiving end of racist abuse. The Inter Milan striker was the subject of vile chants from Juventus fans in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg that finished 1-1 on Tuesday.
    Romelu Lukaku was targeted by racists during Inter Milan’s clash with JuventusCredit: AP
    Lewis Hamilton has rushed to support Romelu LukakuCredit: EPA
    Kylian Mbappe has also showed his solidarityCredit: Getty
    Lukaku scored his team’s equaliser and celebrated by putting his fingers on his lips in front of the home supporters.
    He consequently got a second yellow card for the “excessive celebration” and was sent off.
    The Belgian has since released a statement explaining what happened and demanding an apology from Juve and action from the authorities.
    Meanwhile, Hamilton took to his Instagram story and posted a picture of Lukaku shushing the racist fans.
    READ MORE IN F1
    The seven-time world champion has been the victim of disgusting slurs in the past.
    Former F1 driver Nelson Piquet was slapped with a £780,000 fine for his racist and homophobic remarks.
    Hamilton is not the first huge sports star to show their support for Lukaku after Kylian Mbappe expressed his solidarity with him.
    The Paris Saint-Germain ace wrote: “2023 and still the same problems. But we’re not going to let it keep happening.”
    Most read in Football
    HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
    Mbappe suffered racism after France were knocked out of the European Championship in 2021.
    It led to him questioning whether he should retire from playing for the national team.
    Romeulu Lukaku’s gesture sparked a brawl between playersCredit: Getty More

  • in

    Watch ‘legend’ Lewis Hamilton get soaked as he snowboards into freezing Antarctic water.. then hike up hill to try AGAIN

    LEWIS HAMILTON swapped his Formula One car for a more basic mode of transport, but ended up getting soaked in the process. The 38-year-old tried his hand at snowboarding with three-time Olympic gold medallist Shaun White.

    Lewis Hamilton wringed out his clothes after going for a freezing bathCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqqM6DeNvde/?hl=en
    But he was praised for climbing up the hill and trying againCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqqM6DeNvde/?hl=en
    And White was left impressed by Hamilton’s desire to succeed, even if his snowboarding skills were not always up to scratch.
    White posted a video to his Instagram page of him snowboarding over freezing Antarctic water after coming down a hill.
    Hamilton then followed suit, but was unable to adjust as he hit the water, losing his balance and consequently falling in for a freezing bath.
    After getting up and wringing out his wet clothing, the Brit incredibly hiked back up to the top of the hill to try again.
    READ MORE ON LEWIS HAMILTON
    And on the second go he succeeded in copying White’s move.
    White captioned the video by saying: “@lewishamilton is such a legend.
    “He had the guts to follow me over the Antarctic water, and after not making it he immediately hiked back up, soaking wet and freezing to do it again!
    “That’s the champions mind set and I loved seeing it.”
    Most read in Motorsport
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
    His trip to the bottom of the world comes just days after his F1 race Down Under for the Australian Grand Prix.
    Hamilton finished P2 behind championship leader Max Verstappen during a chaotic race which saw EIGHT drivers retire and three red flags. More