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      Lewis Hamilton fans given first glimpse of new Mercedes in action.. but have the team fixed 2022 porpoising woes?

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      MERCEDES have released footage of Lewis Hamilton’s first drive at Silverstone in their new W14 car.The Brit F1 legend is hoping this is the car to deliver him a record eighth world title.
      Mercedes have released footage of Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of the new W14Credit: Instagram / @mercedesamgf1
      Fans are cautiously optimistic about the car’s chancesCredit: Instagram / @mercedesamgf1
      Fans claimed that they didn’t think the car appeared to be porpoisingCredit: Instagram / @mercedesamgf1
      Hamilton is hoping the car will help deliver him a record eighth F1 world titleCredit: Rex
      The chassis of Mercedes’ car for 2023, which was launched last week, is mainly unpainted carbon fibre in a bid to save grams of excess weight.
      And footage of Hamilton behind the wheel of the car was posted to Mercedes’ Instagram account on Wednesday.
      Fans eagerly watched to see if the porpoising – bouncing in layman’s terms – issues that plagued the team last season were still present.
      Merc supporters will get a better idea of whether they have fixed the problem when testing gets underway in Bahrain on Thursday.
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      But, from the short on-board snippet that was revealed on Wednesday, fans believed there was reason to be excited.
      One wrote in reply to the video: “Bye bye porpoising.”
      Another delighted fan exclaimed: “NO BOUNCING PEOPLE! NO BOUNCING!!!”
      A third added: “Thank god porpoising is now a term I can wipe from my memory
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      And a fourth said tentatively: “I don’t want to be too optimistic but that looks and sound like a championship winning car.”
      Meanwhile, other more cautious fans refused to get carried away until seeing the car in testing.
      Hamilton ended the 2022 season without a win – the first time in his career that he went an entire campaign without finishing P1.
      This season marks his 17th in F1, and he is currently level with Michael Schumacher on seven world titles.
      An eighth crown this year would make him the stand alone record holder. More

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      Inside F1 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain as Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes aim to bounce back and new racers join grid

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      THE Formula One season gets the green light tomorrow as testing starts in Bahrain.Teams are limited to just three days of running around the 5.412 kilometre Bahrain International Circuit, which is home to the Bahrain Grand Prix.
      Sergio Perez (right) will be hoping to challenge his teammate and world champion Max Verstappen this seasonCredit: Getty
      Lewis Hamilton is targeting a record-breaking eighth world championshipCredit: PA
      Here SunSPORT takes a look at the main talking points as we get to see this year’s challengers hit the track.
      Why does F1 have testing?
      F1 teams have been spending months and many millions developing and building this year’s cars.
      However, they are not run on track at full speed until the designated three days of winter testing.
      Teams do have an allocation of shakedown and a filming days but these are limited to 100 kilometres and the tyres are usually demonstration models.
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      Therefore, it is only when they reach the official test can they run their cars at full capacity.
      It will allow them to test for reliability and performance and gives teams access to vital data, such as fluid temperatures in the engine or even airflow over the bodywork.
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      F1 cars are covered in around 300 sensors and monitored to see just how well they are performing or to spot any potential problems that need resolving.
      The data can then be used to compare with what the teams had been expecting over their winter development.
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      They can see how close the correlation is between their projected figures from their wind tunnels to a real-life scenario. 
      Why is it in Bahrain?
      Traditionally, F1 teams would test in Barcelona, however with the F1 calendar now taking in more races in warmer climates, the testing in Spain during February was not representative to conditions for the rest of the season. 
      The weather in Barcelona was often cold, there was even snow a few years ago, so Bahrain offers more stable, warm conditions so the teams are able to get in more running and tweak their cars’ performance. 
      The Bahrain circuit is also the host to the season-opening race, so logistically it makes sense as teams will bring their equipment for testing and then have it in place for the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5 a week on Sunday. 
      Staff are likely to stay out too, saving on travel costs. 
      The other aspect is that this year’s F1 test has a sponsor, Saudi oil firm Aramco are the title-partner.
      Why are most of the cars black?
      Mercedes have reverted to the black livery they had in 2020 and 2021Credit: PA
      It is all because of weight-saving. 
      Last year’s new rules, plus the hybrid engines have made F1 cars bigger and heavier. 
      There is a minimum weight requirement of 798 kilograms however, the majority of teams run way over that figure. 
      This season it is about honing last year’s designs and shaving weight wherever possible because a lighter car increases performance and efficiency.
      It is estimated that teams can save around six kilograms in paint by keeping a car unpainted and, given that carbon fibre, which is used for the majority of the car parts is black in colour, teams have simply opted not to paint them.
      Who are the new drivers?
      Much is expected of Alpha Tauri’s Nyck De Vries after his outstanding super-sub performance at Monza last yearCredit: Getty
      There are some new faces – and the return of an old one.Oscar Piastri will make his F1 debut after joining McLaren after a long legal tussle with his former team, Alpine.
      The Australian had a successful junior career and is highly-rated. He’s also managed by former F1 driver, Mark Webber. 
      He replaces Daniel Ricciardo, who is now a reserve driver at Red Bull.
      Logan Sargeant has joined Williams as a replacement for Nicholas Latifi. The American is making his debut too.
      Nico Hulkenberg is returning to F1 and driving for the Haas team. He replaces Mick Schumacher, who is now a reserve driver at Mercedes.
      Nyck de Vries, who filled in at Williams when Alex Albon was ill last year at Monza, has been given a shot with Alpha Tauri.
      Will we find out who is the quickest?
      Not necessarily, no.
      The lap times are rarely an indication as to who will be quickest when the season starts.
      What testing is good for is showing who is reliable, which in fairness should be all of the 10 teams given this year’s rules are stable.
      Therefore, despite however many hundreds of laps the drivers put in this week, we will not know who is quickest until Saturday March 4 and qualifying for the Bahrain GP.
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      This week, expect to see the glory runs for midfield teams looking to impress potential sponsors.
      Similarly, the big teams could be sandbagging in the sense of not revealing their true car’s potential until it matters. More

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      Max Verstappen snubs Lewis Hamilton as he names two drivers he would pick in his F1 team

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN has snubbed Lewis Hamilton when naming two drivers he would pick for his ideal Formula One team. The Dutchman, 23, was asked about creating a hypothetical dream setup ahead of the 2023 season.
      Max Verstappen shockingly did not choose Lewis Hamilton when creating a fictional dream teamCredit: AFP
      Speaking to Mobil 1 The Grid, he unsurprisingly selected his own team principal Christian Horner to take charge.
      And when it came to drivers, seven-time world champion Hamilton as well as Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez did not make the cut.
      The duo were overlooked while he attempted to mix youth and experience.
      When choosing who should get behind the wheel, Verstappen said: “I find that really hard, the drivers, because I think there are a lot of good drivers.
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      “I would go probably for an experienced one, so I would go for Fernando [Alonso].
      “And then I would take a young guy and I would put Lando [Norris] in the car. Yeah, Fernando and Lando.”
      Alonso has raced in F1 across 19 seasons and is a two-time world champion.
      The 41-year-old will feature in the approaching campaign for Aston Martin.
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      Meanwhile, Norris is about to enter his fifth season in F1, all with McLaren.
      The 23-year-old Brit is tipped for big things having made the podium six times in his career, finishing sixth and seventh in the last two years’ standings.
      It is unlikely that Verstappen’s dream team ever becomes more than a hypothetical idea as he has already made it clear he has no desire to lead a team once retiring.
      The winner of the last two campaigns previously said: “F1 has taken up a big part of my life for a long time. We have to travel a lot and there will be more races in the future.
      “That’s when the question comes up whether the pursuit of even more successes is worth spending so much time away from your own family and friends.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes have back-up plan car and willing to SCRAP 2023 car if they fall behind Red Bull again

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      MERCEDES are willing to scrap their 2023 car and introduce a back-up design if they fall behind Red Bull. That is according to Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz who believes the German-based team are putting in place measures to avoid last season’s slow start.
      If Mercedes get the car right, Hamilton could have a shot at a record-breaking eighth driver’s crownCredit: PA
      Mercedes engineers will have been hard at work during the winter trying to cut the gap to champions Red BullCredit: PA
      Mercedes installed a unique “zero sidepod” design to their car last year as F1 saw sweeping rule changes that triggered major adjustments across the grid.
      But the eight-times consecutive constructor’s champions quickly found themselves on the back foot with their bouncing car.
      Red Bull and Ferrari led the field with Mercedes trying to cling on amid some embarrassing results.
      Kravitz reports that Lewis Hamilton’s team are keeping faith with the car’s philosophy – but have other ideas on hand just in case.
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      He told Sky Sports: “They’re giving their big idea, which was a failure last year, one more go. But I believe they have a ‘Plan B’ in production.
      “If they need to, they can go to a Plan B – which is the Red Bull or Ferrari-style of doing things – in the middle of the season.”
      Mercedes are looking to be competitive again after a year out in the wilderness.
      They will get to put their car concept to test in pre-season over the next few days.
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      Testing last year gave the first sign that Mercedes had fallen from their perch with both Hamilton and teammate George Russell expressing frustration with the car’s flaws.
      Kravitz thinks the once dominant team will soon return to the forefront following their mini-revival towards the end of the season.
      He added: “These rules are what they are for a few years yet, so they’ve got to get it right at some point.
      “But at the moment they’re saying ‘Look we think we’ve got a proper handle on what went wrong last year, we still think our way – which is unique in the pit lane – having very slim sidepods is the way to go aerodynamically.
      “Most of the downforce is generated by the floor, which you can’t see, but they’re saying ‘Don’t expect anything too soon.'” More

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      Shocking pics show remains of F1 star Romain Grosjean’s car from dramatic Bahrain GP crash as it goes in exhibition

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      THE charred remains of Romain Grosjean’s Haas F1 car from the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix are being put on display for the very first time.The Frenchman cheated death when he hit a barrier at 120mph, ripping his car in two before it caught on fire.
      The remains of Romain Grosjean’s Haas can now be seenCredit: PA
      The charred car had been kept under wraps since 2020Credit: PA
      The Haas car looks scarcely recognisableCredit: PA
      Grosjean miraculously clambered out of the infernoCredit: Splash
      Grosjean somehow clambered out of the inferno, suffering burns on his hands and ankle having been trapped for 28 seconds.
      The wrecked car has been kept under wraps for three years but has now been released to the public to see at the F1 Exhibition in Madrid.
      Grosjean, who now races in IndyCar in the United States, said: “From my point of view, it was a big accident but I didn’t realise the impact or how violent it was from the outside.
      “It was only the next day when I asked someone to show me what it looked like that I realised.
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      “My wife was actually watching that race with my dad and my kids. They will remember that moment their entire life.
      “They were just spectators waiting to hear something… waiting to see something from Bahrain.
      “I had to break the headrest, punching it with my helmet and then I eventually managed to get my helmet through and stand up in the seat.
      “I realised my left foot was stuck into the chassis and I pulled as hard as I could on my left leg. My shoe stayed in the chassis but my foot came loose so I was free to exit the car.
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      Romain Grosjean came away with burns on his hands and anklesCredit: Instagram / @grosjeanromain
      The car can now be seen at an exhibition in MadridCredit: PA
      Grosjean was stuck in the burning car for nearly 30 secondsCredit: PA
      “It was 120 kilos of fuel plus the battery – both were on fire. Dr Ian Roberts, Alan van der Merwe from the medical car and one fireman were trying to open a gap in the fire to help me get out.
      “I believe that helped me at least to get a vision of where I had to go and where the exit was.”
      The 2020 Bahrain GP proved to be Grosjean’s final race in F1.
      He missed the final two races of that season, replaced by Pietro Fittipaldi, before not having his contract renewed by Haas and retiring from F1.
      Grosjean did subsequently make a full recovery, however, and has competed in IndyCar since 2021.
      Having been stuck in the burning wreckage for nearly 30 seconds, Grosjean later revealed what was going through his head.
      ‘I PUT MY HANDS IN THE FIRE’
      Appearing on Nico Rosberg’s podcast, he said: “It felt much longer than 28 seconds. I saw my visor turning all orange, I saw the flames on the left side of the car.
      “I thought about a lot of things, including Niki Lauda, and I thought that it wasn’t possible to end up like that, not now. I couldn’t finish my story in Formula One like that.
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      “And then, for my children, I told myself that I had to get out. I put my hands in the fire, so I clearly felt it burning on the chassis.
      “I got out, then I felt someone pulling on the suit, so I knew I was out.”
      The car hit the barrier at 120mphCredit: Reuters
      The race was red flagged for over an hour as the track was restoredCredit: PA More

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      England women Euro 2022 winners up for Laureus team of the year award against Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Real Madrid

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      THE LIONESSES have been recognised for their spectacular Euro 2022 triumph by being shortlisted for the Team of the Year category at the Laureus World Sports Awards.Head coach Sarina Wiegman masterminded England women’s stunning victory in extra time over Germany at Wembley last summer.
      England celebrate after winning Euro 2022Credit: Getty
      The squad have been nominated for the prestigious team accolade alongside World Cup winners Argentina, the France men’s rugby team, the Golden State Warriors basketball team, Red Bull F1 team and Champions League winners Real Madrid.
      England forward Ella Toone, who scored the first goal in the final against the Germans, said: “It’s amazing to be nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award Team of the Year.
      “It’s nice to have that recognition but we deserve it.
      “We deserve the attention we’re getting because of how well we did over the summer.
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      “We’re being recognised to show young girls that, yes, women can do it.
      “Women can put their mind to anything and achieve whatever they want to.
      “For us it’s about being role models to all those young girls starting out in their journey. We just hope that we can be role models to so many more.
      “We just want to show them that you can dream big and achieve your dreams.”
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      Manchester United midfield star Christian Eriksen returned to football last year after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch in June 2021 when he was playing international football for Denmark against Finland in Copenhagen.
      The playmaker, 31, is on the shortlist for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award alongside 15-time major-winning golfer Tiger Woods.
      Footballers Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, tennis icon Rafa Nadal and F1 world champion Max Verstappen are on the shortlist for the Laureus Sportsman Award.
      Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina is among the Breakthrough Nominees.
      The shortlists were compiled by a Laureus panel consisting of more than 1,400 global sports media.
      Winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards will be revealed in the next two months.
      2023 LAUREUS SPORTS AWARDS
      World Sportsman of the Year: Steph Curry (Basketball), Mondo Duplantis (Athletics), Kylian Mbappe (Football), Lionel Messi (Football), Rafael Nadal (Tennis), Max Verstappen (F1)
      World Sportswoman of the Year: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Athletics), Katie Ledecky (Swimming), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Athletics), Alexia Putellas (Football), Mikaela Shiffrin (Alpine Skiing), Iga Swiatek (Tennis)
      World Team of the Year: Argentina men’s football team, England women’s football team, France men’s rugby team, Golden State Warriors, Oracle Red Bull Racing, Real Madrid
      World Breakthrough of the Year: Carlos Alcaraz (Tennis), Tobi Amusan (Athletics), Nathan Chen (Figure Skating), Morocco men’s football team, Elena Rybakina (Tennis), Scottie Scheffler (Golf)
      World Comeback of the Year: Francesco Bagnaia (Motorcycling), Christian Eriksen (Football), Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Athletics), Klay Thompson (Basketball), Annemiek van Vleuten (Cycling), Tiger Woods (Golf)
      Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Diede de Groot (Wheelchair tennis), Catherine Debrunner (Para-athletics), Declan Farmer (Para ice hockey), Cameron Leslie (Para-swimming and wheelchair rugby), Oksana Masters (Para cross-country skiing), Jesper Saltvik Pedersen (Para alpine skiing)
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      World Action Sportsperson of the Year: Justine Dupont (Big wave surfing), Stephanie Gilmore (Surfing), Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing), Chloe Kim (Snowboarding), Rayssa Leal (Skateboarding), Filipe Toledo (Surfing) More

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      F1 star Lance Stroll suffers bike accident in training and OUT of pre-season

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      ASTON MARTIN driver Lance Stroll will be forced to miss this week’s pre-season testing after having an accident while riding his bicycle.The Silverstone-based team say the Canadian suffered a “minor accident and sustained injuries which will result in him sitting out the pre-season test in Bahrain”.
      Stroll is into his seventh season in F1Credit: Rex
      Aston Martin announced the unfortunate news this afternoon
      The 24-year-old, the son of the team’s owner Lawrence Stroll, is expected to be fit for the season-opener in Bahrain on March 5.
      Stroll said: “I’ve had an unfortunate accident whilst training on my bike in preparation for the season. 
      “I am determined to get back in the car and I am excited about the season ahead with the team. I am motivated to bounce back from this setback as quickly as possible.”
      Aston Martin confirmed the news on their Twitter page this afternoon.
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      They said expect Stroll to make a quick recovery and said they will issue an update ahead of the opening race of the season.
      The news means new driver Fernando Alonso, who made a dramatic switch from Alpine last year, is now set to have all three days to himself to become acquainted with the new machinery.
      While this season won’t see the sweeping rule changes of last year, each team will still be looking to make tweaks to their car to find lap time.
      Pre-season testing gives fans the first chance to see who has gained some pace relative to their rivals and who needs to go back to the drawing board.
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      While Alonso is new to the team, Stroll is now into his fifth season with Aston Martin, who were called Racing Point until 2021.
      Along with his initial years at Williams in 2017 and 2018, this is now the Canadian’s seventh consecutive season in F1.
      While he has developed a reputation for crashing, the star has also demonstrated genuine skill and pace and picked up some surprise podiums along the way.
      He is also known for his wet weather driving skills and grabbed his sole pole position in wet and slippery conditions during 2020 Turkish Grand Prix qualifying.
      After having to pit his wits against four-times World Champion Sebastian Vettel last season, Stroll will now need to show the same resolve against two-times F1 winner Alonso when the season kicks off next month.
      Max Verstappen is widely deemed to be the favourite heading into the season. More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s salary dwarfed by Max Verstappen’s but Mercedes ace still second-top earner as F1 stars’ wages revealed

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN topped F1’s pay league last year with a staggering £45million.The two-time world champion maximised his contract with Red Bull in the 2022 season.
      Max Verstappen earns £16million more than Lewis Hamilton per year
      Max Verstappen earns more than any other driver in F1Credit: Getty
      Lewis Hamiltonis reportedly on £29m per yearCredit: AP
      His deal included bonuses for winning races, taking podiums and winning both the drivers’ and teams’ championship titles.
      Verstappen’s earnings dwarfed that of Lewis Hamilton, who is in the process of negotiating a new deal with his Mercedes team.
      Hamilton, who went winless for the first time in his F1 career last season, is understood to have earned around £29million, claim RacingNews365.
      He has now had first talks with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff over a new deal with the contract is expected to be a formality.
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      Hamilton, 38, is likely to be offered similar terms to his last contract.
      However, in the long-term he is seeking an ambassador position with Mercedes for when he eventually does call time on his racing career. 
      Both Hamilton and Verstappen have private endorsements too with the Dutchman having just signed a deal with Heineken.
      Meanwhile, Jenson Button expects Hamilton to come out of the blocks flying when the season starts next week in Bahrain. 
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      However, Button, who was Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren between 2010 and 2012, said when he struggled with an uncompetitive car, it led to him contemplating retirement.
      Button said: “It’s something we all go through in our careers. It’s a reason why a lot of people retire, they are not in a winning car anymore. That’s why I left.
      “You can deal with the pressure you put yourself under and the calendar, if you are in a winning car. When you are not, you are like ‘I’ve had enough, I want to get out’.
      “Mercedes have given him a winning car for so many years. Last year obviously they didn’t but the car did win a race last year [with George Russell], so you would say at the end of the year they were strong.
      “I think he’ll start this year flat-out. He’s going to be on it from the word go, so I look forward to seeing that.
      “It’s going to put a lot of pressure on George; it’s a good pairing. But Lewis will be on it from the word go and I look forward to that fight.” More