More stories

  • in

    Lewis Hamilton to wear Brazilian-inspired helmet for Sao Paulo GP after Mercedes F1 star became honorary citizen

    LEWIS HAMILTON will wear a Brazilian-inspired helmet in Sao Paulo in his second “home” Grand Prix of the season.The legendary British Formula One star is still searching for his first win of the campaign.
    Lewis Hamilton will wear a Brazilian-themed helmet tonightCredit: Avalon.red
    The British star will don it after receiving a British citizenshipCredit: Rex
    But he has secured second spot on the starting grid.
    And Hamilton will be confident that he can put this torrid run to an end in Brazil on the very same track where he came back from 10th to grab first place.
    Furthermore, the seven-time champion has more of an incentive to win after officially receiving a Brazilian citizenship ahead of the weekend.
    Now he has decided to celebrate that by wearing a special helmet this weekend to honour his “second homeland”.
    READ MORE F1 NEWS
    The 37-year-old posed with it earlier this week after it was unveiled.
    The helmet has the Brazilian flag donned along the outside of it with the colours of yellow, green and blue dominating it.
    Hamilton has become a beloved figure by Brazilian fans throughout his years of dominance in F1.
    And he has also spoken numerous times of how much he idolised the late, great Brazil icon Ayrton Senna.
    Most read in Sport
    JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
    The Brazil GP will start around 6pm on Sunday, UK time.
    Around 60,000 fans will be in attendance to see whether Hamilton can secure his first victory of the season.
    You can follow all of the action from the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace (Interlagos) in Sao Paulo with Sun Sport’s live blog. More

  • in

    George Russell makes pole in F1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton is investigated by stewards

    GEORGE RUSSELL will start Sunday’s Sao Paulo GP on pole after winning a thrilling sprint race.The Mercedes man, who is yet to win a GP, took the chequered flag in the short 24 lap race that decides the grid for the main race.
    George Russell will start the Brazil Grand Pix in pole position.Credit: Getty
    Carlos Sainz was second ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who is waiting for an investigation from the stewards for an infringement at the start.
    Meanwhile, world champion Max Verstappen had a shocker and was beaten by Russell on pace – and clipped by Sainz causing front wing damage, which dropped him to fourth.
    Kevin Magnussen, who took an unlikely pole position the previous day in his Haas when he benefited from a rain shower, made a good start but was soon reeled in by the quicker cars.
    The Dane was eventually passed by Verstappen on the third lap while Alpine teammates Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso made contact, leaving the Spaniard furious.
    READ MORE ON MOTORSPORT
    Russell moved up to second place behind Verstappen on lap four and set about catching the Dutchman.
    The Mercedes man made his move to pass Verstappen as the two kept it clean.
    The same could not be said when Sainz hit Verstappen on the way through on his way to second, while Hamilton also passed the Red Bull man five laps from the end.
    It was a good performance from Russell, who earned the praise from his teammate, who is poised for a front-row start.
    Most read in Motorsport
    JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
    After winning the sprint race, Russell said: “It was incredible. I was not expecting that much pace and shows all the progress we are making.
    “This is a sprint race and you have to manage risk/reward. I didn’t want to risk it too much and end up with no points.
    “It is crazy to think we are starting on the front row. Lewis did a great job from P8 and we are in a position switch strategy and go for the win.”
    Sainz has a five-place grid drop for an engine penalty which means that Hamilton could start in second place, so long as he escapes a penalty from the stewards.
    Hamilton was happy to see his teammate as he said: “It has been an incredible week. It was a difficult day starting from eight and make my way through.
    “Congrats to George and this goes back to the factory and all the hard world. To be on the front row is incredible and hopefully we can work as a team and hold off the guys behind.
    “We are going to try as hard as we can and I hope for good weather and I have fight on my hands, but a win here would be incredible.” More

  • in

    Ted Kravitz breaks silence on Max Verstappen’s Sky Sports F1 boycott and reveals they’ve had ‘chat’ ahead of Brazil GP

    REPORTER Ted Kravitz has broken his silence on Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s boycott of Sky Sports.The Dutch driver has ended his boycott of the sports broadcaster, which he had started after Kravitz suggested Lewis Hamilton was “robbed” of last year’s World Championship at the US GP in Austin.
    Max Verstappen has lifted his boycott of Sky SportsCredit: Getty
    However, after deciding to “bury the hatchet” after clear-the-air talks on Monday, Verstappen says he is happy for them to question him again ahead of the Brazil Grand Prix.
    Speaking in Mexico, Verstappen said: “It has been a constant kind of digging and being disrespectful, especially from one particular person. At one point it is enough and I don’t accept it.
    “You cannot live in the past and you have to move on. You keep disrespecting me and at one point I will not tolerate it any more and that is why I decided to stop answering.”
    Team principal Christian Horner added: “There were some derogatory comments made so we took a break from Sky for this race. Max was upset.
    READ MORE ON MOTORSPORT
    “We were upset and we made the decision to stand together as a team.”
    But the talks in Milton Keynes has helped to repair the relationship between the F1 team and Sky Sports.
    While Kravitz did not speak of the row during the Mexico Grand Prix, he did instead reveal that a “line” had been drawn under the incident.
    During his Notebook show after qualifying in Sao Paulo, he said: “I do want to tell you, just following up what happened with us and me and Max Verstappen in Mexico.
    Most read in Motorsport
    PLAY DREAM TEAM NOW FOR FREE WITH £100k IN PRIZE MONEY
    “Listen, we sat down, we had a good chat and, as Max said yesterday, we’ve drawn a line under it.”
    Verstappen also confirmed this, adding: “We drew a line under it. We keep on going, and I am looking forward to it.” More

  • in

    F1 star Pierre Gasly’s girlfriend Kika Cerqueira Gomes looks stunning in blue striped bikini

    MODEL Kika Cerqueira Gomes shows off her racing stripes ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.The Portuguese star, who wore a blue bikini, is dating French driver Pierre Gasly.
    Model Kika Cerqueira Gomes looked stunning as she modelled a blue striped bikiniCredit:
    Kika will be cheering Pierre on at the Brazilian Grand PrixCredit: Instagram
    Kika, 19, will be cheering on Pierre, 26, at Sunday’s race but his road to success will not be easy.
    The Alpha Tauri driver is going into the penultimate race of the year with just two points off a ban.
    He said: “I’m not going to lie.
    “It’s a very unpleasant situation and is quite delicate and, in some ways, quite embarrassing.
    READ MORE MODELS
    “To be standing in a position where I could be banned after the season I have done.
    “I don’t really feel I have been particularly dangerous over these last 12 months — and that would be definitely a harsh penalty.”
    Most read in The Sun
    Kika is cheering on French race Pierre GaslyCredit: AFP More

  • in

    Kevin Magnussen snatches shock pole position at Brazilian GP as chaotic qualifying session hit by rain and red flag

    KEVIN MAGNUSSEN took an unlikely pole position for Saturday’s sprint race in Sao Paulo.The Danish driver had set the quickest time in qualifying when George Russell slid off the track midway through the session.
    Kevin Magnussen took his first ever pole on his 100th appearance for Haas, sparking incredible scenes in the team’s garageCredit: Rex
    A red flag triggered by George Russell’s beached Mercedes set the stage for Magnussen’s unlikely poleCredit: Reuters
    Max Verstappen (left) and George Russell (right) qualified 2nd and 3rd but were overshadowed by Magnussen’s extraordinary featCredit: Reuters

    His Mercedes car was stuck in the gravel and the stewards red-flagged qualifying. But as the marshals recovered the car, the heavens opened.
    It meant that when it resumed, no other driver was able to set a quicker time, as they struggled with the wet conditions.
    It was Magnussen’s first pole of his career in his 100th appearance for the Brackley-based Haas team, who had also never been on pole before.
    He said: “The team put me on track at the right moment. I was first out on the track and to take pole is incredible.
    READ MORE IN F1
    “It is maximum attack tomorrow, let’s go for something funny!”
    It was a popular pole for the likeable team and their boss Guenther Steiner.
    Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc was left furious with his Ferrari team after they bungled their tyre strategy.
    At one point they did not have tyres ready for him and on another occasion they sent him out on the intermediate, rather than the slick tyres.
    Most read in Motorsport
    Max Verstappen will start in second place on the grid for the short sprint race which will determine the grid for Sunday’s Sao Paulo GP.
    Russell’s accident actually protected his third place on the grid and he will line up alongside Lando Norris while Lewis Hamilton starts in eighth.
    Russell said: “I am massively happy with P3 but congrats to Kevin.
    “I think we will have a good race tomorrow.” More

  • in

    Max Verstappen asks to ‘skip’ question ahead of F1 Brazil Grand Prix after Red Bull drivers’ second world title

    MAX VERSTAPPEN made it clear he wanted to “skip” a question he was asked ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend.The two-time F1 world champion declined to speak about about a crash in a virtual race.
    Max Verstappen asked to “skip” a question during a press conferenceCredit: Getty
    A break in the F1 calendar last week saw Verstappen, 25, compete in the Le Mans Virtual Series Six Hours of Spa event.
    But the Red Bull star couldn’t translate his real-life success into the virtual race.
    Verstappen joined the virtual race at Belgium’s Spa circuit behind the wheel of Team Redline’s then fourth-placed car, with just over three hours left to race.
    After moving up into third he was sent spinning at Eau Rouge corner, hitting the barrier, after making contact with a lapped GTE Ferrari.
    Read More In F1
    Verstappen was able to continue and battled back to finish second, but was left wondering what could have been had he not spun out.
    And he didn’t appear to be in the mood to answer questions about the virtual incident when quizzed in Brazil.
    Asked how the virtual race went, he said: “It was quite eventful to be honest.
    “Can we skip that? It was okay but I had a moment in Eau Rouge.”
    Most read in Motorsport
    JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
    Then when quizzed if it was a small moment, Verstappen replied: “No. It was quite a big moment, It happens.”
    Elsewhere Verstappen confirmed he has now dropped his Sky Sports boycott.
    The Dutchman has agreed to be questioned by the broadcaster again following clear the air talks.
    Verstappen returns to the real-life track in Brazil this weekend looking for a record 15th race win of the season.
    The Red Bull ace has already wrapped up the world title and victory in Mexico last time out saw him set the record for most wins in a single season. More

  • in

    Toto Wolff wants salary cap to be LOWER than what £40m-a-year F1 stars Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen earn

    MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff says F1’s plans to impose a salary cap on drivers should be LOWER than what top earns Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen currently get paid.The sport’s bosses are keen to reduce drivers’ wages as part of their push to reduce costs.
    Toto Wolff reckons the new salary cap should be LESS than Lewis Hamilton’s £40m a yearCredit: Getty
    How much F1 stars earn
    Hamilton and Verstappen earn around £40million a year, with their contracts running until the end of 2023 and 2028, respectively.
    Drivers reacted angrily to the proposal in Baku in June but Wolff, who is a three-way owner of the Mercedes team, says he is in favour of the cap.
    He said: “It certainly has come up as a controversial topic. We can see that we are facing a very difficult situation in F1 overall.
    “The sport is booming and F1 is earning more money and that trickles down to the teams.
    Read more in sport
    “But we have a cost cap. We have $140million for 1,000 people. With inflation, we haven’t been able to even pay the inflation.
    “The talk about $30 or $40m salary allowance is inadequate when you take that perspective.
    “Clearly the drivers will have an opinion on that. Maybe as a driver I would say the same thing, but the US American leagues that are the most successful in the world have introduced salary caps 15 years ago. It works pretty well over there.
    “We need to find a way of how we can act sustainably and become independent from sovereign funds or state-owned teams.
    Mercedes had a rainbow badge in BakuCredit: AFP
    Most read in Motorsport
    FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
    “Therefore it is certainly clear that this is going to be one of the main areas because you can’t simply have a salary bill in some of the top teams that is 30, 40, 50m when the rest of the team needs to be divided in 140m.
    “But having said that, they are tremendous superstars, they deserve to be among the top earners in the sport.
    “In terms of direct salaries they already are and then we need to find a way of unlocking the capability of doing endorsement deals which is two-thirds if not more for US American sports teams.
    “But certainly, direct salaries, F1 drivers are paid the most.” More

  • in

    Verstappen DROPS Sky Sports F1 boycott ahead of Brazil GP after Mexico snub over comment he’d ‘robbed’ Hamilton of title

    MAX VERSTAPPEN says he’s buried the hatchet with Sky F1 and has dropped his boycott of the broadcaster.The F1 world champion was upset with digs from one of the channel’s presenters, Ted Kravitz.
    Verstappen is looking to finish the season with two more winsCredit: Getty
    The final straw came at the US GP in Austin where Kravitz used the word “robbed” to insinuate the Red Bull racer had stolen the world crown from Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
    The Verstappen camp’s decision to ignore the channel was supported by his team, who also ignored the rights’ holders at the Mexico GP.
    However, after clear the air talks on Monday, Verstappen says he is happy for them to question him again.
    Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Brazil Grand Prix, he said: “We drew a line under it and we keep on going. I  am looking forward to [speaking to Sky].”
    READ MORE IN F1
    Meanwhile, this weekend will see the third and final sprint race weekend, where a short 30-minute race dictates the grid for Sunday’s actual GP.
    It is F1’s attempt to mix up the grid and increase the excitement over the weekend, but Verstappen is not a fan of the format, which will be at six races next season.
    He added: “I am honestly not a big fan of it because I feel like we don’t really race. There are a few points that you can get, but you know you can’t risk it because the main race is where you get the points.
    “You don’t really do a pitstop, you just put on a tyre that will last the distance. And you don’t see a lot of overtaking unless there is a car out of position.
    Most read in Motorsport
    CASINO SPECIAL – BEST NEW CUSTOMER SIGN UP DEALS
    “For me, it is not fun. I like one practice session and then into qualifying. I like that because you need to nail the set-up.
    “But when I go into a sprint race, you are risking a lot and wanting to play safe.”
    Brit star Lando Norris’ participation in this weekend’s action has been thrown into doubt after the McLaren driver came down with suspected food poisoning. More