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      Major rule change to F1 as jobsworth stewards clamp down on CELEBRATIONS ahead of Australian GP

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      FORMULA ONE teams have been told they can no longer celebrate drivers’ victories on the pitwall in another barmy ruling by the FIA.The sport’s governing body, who bungled the outcome of the last race in Saudi Arabia by taking FOUR HOURS to award Fernando Alonso third place, have taken issue with teams climbing on the fencing.
      Drivers will no longer be allowed to celebrate on the pitwallCredit: Getty
      The celebrations have long been part of the end of F1 races but nit-picky stewards are clamping down.
      It comes after they turned their attention to Lewis Hamilton’s nose stud and drivers wearing non-regulation underwear.
      Ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, FIA race director Niels Wittich reminded F1 teams that climbing on the pitwall is not allowed.
      In his pre-weekend event safety notes, he said “it is forbidden to climb on the pitwall debris fence at any time”.
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      The FIA’s International Sporting Code states: “The pit wall signalling platform should be forbidden to all except authorised officials or race team personnel, having a special pass.”
      It adds: “It is forbidden for personnel to climb on pit wall debris fences at any time.
      “Any action by a team breaching this ban will be reported to the stewards.”
      Meanwhile, the FIA have amended the rulebook after Alonso’s Aston Martin team failed to observe a time penalty.
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      In Jeddah, the team placed a jack under his car and then waited five seconds before working on his car. 
      While Alonso was eventually cleared and allowed to keep third place, the rules now say it IS illegal to place a jack under the car during such instances.
      Instead, they have to wait for the time penalty to be served before doing anything, including putting a jack in position. More

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      I felt I was missing a lung after fighting virus during Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, reveals Max Verstappen

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN says he felt like he was “missing a lung” when he raced in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.The Dutchman, who was battling a virus, went from 15th on the grid to finish second behind team-mate Sergio Perez.
      Max Verstappen has opened up on his health ahead of the Australian Grand PrixCredit: Alamy
      He also set the fastest lap of the race to score a bonus point that means he leads the drivers’ championship ahead of this weekend’s Australian GP.
      The reigning world champion says he is still not fully-fit and will use the three-week break before the Azerbaijan GP to get back to full health.
      Verstappen said: “I was not looking forward to the break but then I got really ill and I have just been struggling since that time.
      “I refused to believe in myself for a long time because, at home, I was really ill. I could barely walk around and I felt like I was missing a lot.
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      “I got to Saudi Arabia believing that the virus was gone because normally when you get sick, after two or three days you are alright and you can do your workouts.
      “But then I jumped into the car for practice, and even after just one lap, I felt like I had to recover for two laps to be able to breathe normally.
      “It felt like I was missing a lung.
      “It definitely did affect me, which I didn’t like because it was one of the first races where I felt like I was physically limited.
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      “That’s really frustrating when you’re out in the car, but since then I’ve been trying to work on it, trying to improve it, and it has improved a lot.
      “But for me now these next three weeks are just about getting back to full fitness. Hopefully for the rest of the year it should be okay.”
      Verstappen is hoping to make it three world championship wins in a row this season and his car is supposedly the fastest ever, according to rival Lewis Hamilton. More

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      Lewis Hamilton reveals he will NOT speak to Michael Masi as F1 director returns for Australian GP after title loss

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      LEWIS HAMILTON said he will not speak to Michael Masi – the sacked Formula One race director – because “there is nothing to say”.Michael Masi will make his first return to the Formula 1 paddock at the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.
      Masi’s presence at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix could evoke bad memories for HamiltonCredit: Getty
      Verstappen controversially overtook Hamilton to win the dramatic title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand PrixCredit: AFP
      According to The Mail, the seven-time world champion will refuse the opportunity to receive an explanation from Masi for his mishandling of the 2021 season decider.
      Masi was the man in charge when Hamilton and Max Verstappen took their fight for the 2021 world title to the last race of the season.
      The Mercedes driver looked to be cruising towards Championship number eight until Nicholas Latifi’s crash brought out a safety car.
      In an astonishing turn of events, Masi appeared to incorrectly interpret the regulations regarding a safety car restart.
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      One swift decision wiped out Hamilton’s lead as the group of lapped drivers between him and Verstappen was ordered to pass through.
      When the safety car was pulled in with one lap remaining, Verstappen overtook Hamilton on fresher tyres to seal his maiden title.
      The subsequent FIA report blamed “human error”, but did not alter the result.
      The investigation also saw the race director relieved of his duties, and he has been absent from F1 race weekends ever since. 
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      Masi left the FIA last summer before moving home to Australia and being appointed chairman of the V8 Supercars Commission.
      When asked by reporters whether he would seek out an explanation from Masi, Hamilton replied: “I don’t [plan to]. I am just focused on my future. I am focused on trying to get back to winning. There is nothing to say”.
      The 38-year-old is facing up to the prospect of another challenging year, with his Mercedes unable to compete against Verstappen’s superior Red Bull.
      Hamilton finished fifth in the opening two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. More

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      Lewis Hamilton breaks silence after Nelson Piquet is fined £780,000 for vile racist and homophobic remarks about F1 star

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has praised the decision to fine Nelson Piquet for his racist and homophobic language.It was confirmed earlier this week that three-time F1 world champion Piquet, 70, has been slapped with a £780,000 fine after footage emerged of his remarks about Hamilton in a 2021 interview.
      Lewis Hamilton has commented on the Nelson Piquet fineCredit: Reuters
      Piquet’s horrid racist and homophobic language has seen him receive a fineCredit: Getty
      Piquet was commenting on Hamilton’s British Grand Prix crash with Max Verstappen, who is dating Piquet’s daughter, Kelly.
      The decision was made by a Brazilian court after charges were brought against Piquet by four human rights groups.
      Now Hamilton, who became an honorary citizen of Brazil last year, has given his response to the punishment.
      Speaking in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open Grand Prix this weekend, he said: “Back when it happened I made comments on it – I still believe that we generally shouldn’t be giving people that are just full of hate a platform.
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      “I’d like to acknowledge the Brazil government. I think it’s pretty amazing what they have done in holding someone accountable, showing people that it’s not tolerated.”
      Piquet, who was also seen using racist and homophobic language when discussing Hamilton’s 2016 title loss to Nico Rosberg, has apologised to the Mercedes driver, but also insisted his words were mistranslated.
      Hamilton is the only black driver in F1.
      He went on to add: “Racism and homophobia is not acceptable and there is no place for it within our society.
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      “I love that they (the Brazilian government) have shown that they stand for something.
      “I wish that more governments out there would do that, such as you’ve just seen in Uganda, and there are other countries in Africa and the Middle East – there’s a lot of that can be learned from that.”
      In his decision, Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said the amount of compensation was given “in the sense that one should not only appreciate the reparative function of civil liability but also (and perhaps mainly) the punitive function so that, as a society, we can someday be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobia”.
      Meanwhile, Hamilton is preparing for the third race of the 2023 season in Australia this weekend.
      He has managed back-to-back fifth places in the opening two Grands Prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
      But Mercedes are still a long way off the pace set by Red Bull. More

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      Lewis Hamilton given worrying update over his car by Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff ahead of Australian Grand Prix

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      TOTO WOLFF says Mercedes “won’t get carried away” by their “promising” result in Saudi Arabia.George Russell was fourth while Lewis Hamilton came home in fifth place in Jeddah.
      Merc boss Toto Wolff isn’t getting carried awayCredit: Rex
      But despite the solid result, it is not enough to convince Wolff from ditching this season’s car in favour of some sweeping design changes.
      Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Australian GP, Wolff said: “The progress we saw in Saudi Arabia was encouraging.
      “We maximised the package we had and scored some solid points.
      “More importantly, we continued to learn and understand more about our development direction.
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      “Everyone back at base has been hard at work to turn these learnings into performance.
      “The signs we are seeing back at the factory are promising.
      “We have got to take it step by step, though, and won’t get carried away until we see performance translated into lap time on track.
      “The competitive order behind Red Bull is tight, with small margins having a big effect on points scored.
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      “There remains a significant gap to the front and that is ultimately what we are interested in closing.”
      Wolff, 51, previously warned that Mercedes remain half a year away from competing back at the top of the order.
      He said: “I think the lag is probably between six and 12 months, because that’s the time it really took for us to figure out what was actually happening with the [2022] car.
      “That means we just need to double the development speed, a stronger development slope which the logic and rationale speaks for it, that we could have [it].” More

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      Mercedes ‘could end relationship with Lewis Hamilton at end of season due to staggering salary’

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      MERCEDES could reportedly part ways with Lewis Hamilton at the end of the F1 season.The decision could come as the British driver has earned a staggering £60million-per-year from his contract.
      Mercedes could let Lewis Hamilton’s contract expireCredit: AP
      According to The Times, the Brackley-based team could move on from the seven-time world champion once his current deal expires.
      The report suggests that the prospect of this has been raised by “many Hamilton detractors”.
      While there is still every chance that the 38-year-old could extend terms with Mercedes.
      In January it was reported that he was set to be offered a two-year extension worth £62m-per-year.
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      The deal is also rumoured to include a 10-year ambassadorial role for when he does eventually retire, worth £22m-a-year.
      Mercedes’ main sponsor Ineos, founded by potential Man United owner  Sir Jim Ratcliffe, will reportedly pay 90 per cent of the contract.
      Meanwhile, Hamilton was recently told Mercedes are up to 12 MONTHS in development behind rivals Red Bull.
      Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have secured one-two finishes in the opening two races of the season.
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      Indeed, Hamilton claimed he had “never seen a car so fast” after Verstappen breezed past him on lap 12 of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
      Consequently, Mercedes have admitted they need to look at changing their W14 car concept altogether, with “radical” changes set to be introduced.

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      Lewis Hamilton admits ‘some days I feel like stopping’ but quells F1 retirement talk with beach run before Australia GP

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      SIR LEWIS HAMILTON has admitted that he feels like “stopping some days” but urged fans to keep on fighting in an uplifting message. The F1 legend has struggled over the past year in an uncompetitive Mercedes car after years of dominating the sport.
      Rpped racer Lewis Hamilton worked out on a beach in Australia as he sent a message to followersCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
      The Brit has shared his positive worldview with fans on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
      Hamilton has finished 5th in the opening two races of the seasonCredit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
      The 38-year-old has had to watch helplessly while Max Verstappen begins his own era of success in an unstoppable Red Bull car.
      Few will be surprised if the Dutchman waltzes to another race win at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.
      But ahead of the third Grand Prix of the season, Hamilton took to Instagram to inspire his fans with a stirring post about not giving up.
      The star jogs shirtless across a beach as he tells his fans to “have a good week”.
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      And in the caption he adds: “Some days I feel like stopping. When I start to feel this way I dig deep and remember I’m on a mission. 
      “Whether you realise it or not, you’re on a mission too. We’re all chasing something.
      “Some dream or goal that will make us better people, make our lives more fulfilling, and make us proud of ourselves.
      “Some days it’ll feel impossible to get there, but it’s not. We can get it. We will get it.
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      “I know you’re with me, I feel the love and support and just know I’m sending it back to you tenfold. We got this.”
      Hamilton was within a lap of securing a record-breaking eighth F1 title in the final Grand Prix of 2021.
      But then one of F1’s most controversial moments ever occurred as safety car rules were not followed by former race director Michael Masi and Verstappen overtook the Brit on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi race.
      Since then sweeping technical changes has seen Mercedes fail to engineer a car that can keep up with rivals.
      Rumours have swept through the paddock in the recent weeks of a potential Hamilton switch to Ferrari or even Verstappen’s Red Bull team. More

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      Lewis Hamilton told Mercedes are 12 MONTHS behind Red Bull with Brit’s contract up at end of season

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has been told Mercedes are up to 12 MONTHS in development behind rivals Red Bull.The Brackley-based team have struggled to keep pace with reigning constructor champs Red Bull across the last two seasons.
      Toto Wolff has warned Mercedes are ‘six to 12 months’ behind Red Bull’s car developmentCredit: Splash
      It comes with Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes deal up at the end of the seasonCredit: AP
      Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have secured one-two finishes in the opening two races of the season.
      Indeed, Hamilton claimed he had “never seen a car so fast” after Verstappen breezed past him on lap 12 of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
      Meanwhile, the 38-year-old has finished P5 in both races, while team-mate George Russell has finished P7 and P4 in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively.
      Consequently, Mercedes have admitted they need to look at changing their W14 car concept altogether, with “radical” changes set to be introduced.
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      However, team principal Toto Wolff has warned the team remain at least half a year away from competing at the top of the order.
      Wolff told reporters in Jeddah: “I think the lag is probably between six and 12 months, because that’s the time it really took for us to figure out what was actually happening with the [2022] car.
      “That means we just need to double the development speed, a stronger development slope which the logic and rationale speaks for it, that we could have [it].
      “[Red Bull’s] gains are going to be incrementally smaller if their concept is mature.
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      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
      “Aero-wise, wind tunnel time can help a bit but not hugely, and we’ve just got to get our act together.
      “If we fundamentally understand where we need to put the car, then the steps are going to be large, but we need to be perfect.”
      This time scale comes with Hamilton’s Mercedes contract up at the end of the season.
      The seven-time world champion has been linked with Ferrari and Red Bull, though Christian Horner shut down such rumours from Red Bull’s camp.
      Hamilton has so far DISMISSED talk of retirement, at least until he wins his eighth world title.
      Hamilton will be hoping for better fortunes when the lights go out for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend. More