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      Max Verstappen tight-lipped over replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes as F1 star prepares for season with Red Bull

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN is staying tight-lipped about his chances of taking Lewis Hamilton’s world crown – and he’s not the only one.
      The Dutchman got behind the wheel of Red Bull’s new motor for 2021 on Wednesday but is giving nothing away.

      Max Verstappen remained tight-lipped over replacing Lewis Hamilton at MercedesCredit: PA:Press Association

      Red Bull held a filming day at Silverstone, but only released images of their RB15 car from 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      And his team aren’t either after releasing 76 images from their official filming day at Silverstone – none of which show the RB16B, only the RB15 from 2019.
      Verstappen said: “Mercedes had the dominant car towards the end of the season so we know we have to keep improving.
      “We have made good steps with Honda but the competition does not stand still so we have to wait and see if it is competitive enough to fight for wins.
      “I am always very realistic and it makes no sense to talk about stuff now. I don’t like to talk it up.

      “We know where we want to be, and where we want to get to and that is what we have to now try to realise.
      “We worked a lot with Honda throughout the winter and it is all looking promising but it makes no sense at the moment trying to hype it up.
      “I want to stay low-key and we should do the talking on the track, not next to the track. We want to make it more difficult for Mercedes because they must be the favourites.”
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      The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt
      Verstappen was third behind Merc’s Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas last season, while Red Bull finished second in the constructors’ championship.
      He has been linked with a move to Mercedes should Hamilton call time on his F1 career at the end of this season.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner admitted his star driver would be at the top of Merc’s wanted list.

      But for the meantime the 23-year-old says he is not bothered about the speculation surrounding his future.
      He added: “At the end of the day, I don’t know what Lewis is going to do so I just focus on myself.
      “I am very focused on this year and making that a success. It is still very early in the season, so those kind of things I am not thinking about at this stage.”

      Max Verstappen drives Red Bull F1 car around Holland to celebrate what would have been first Dutch race in 35 years More

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      Mercedes dominance has KILLED what F1 is all about and Lewis Hamilton’s endless wins are boring, slams Haas team owner

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      THE DOMINANT Mercedes engine has ‘killed’ Formula One’s competitive foundation, Gene Haas has claimed.
      The 68-year-old and owner of the Haas team believes that races have become stale during the hybrid era, which has seen Mercedes claim seven consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ titles.

      Lewis Hamilton won 11 of the 17 races as he cruised to the 2020 titleCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Gene Haas (centre) has seen his team drop back amid Ferrari’s woeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Lewis Hamilton romped to the world championship in 2020 and is heavy favourite to do so again this year.
      Potential challengers Ferrari, who supply much of the Haas car, have floundered of late, starving the car of power and aiding the Mercs’ hegemony.
      Haas told Racer: “In 2020 when Ferrari had a reduction in their horsepower, it was pretty obvious that all of the Ferrari engine cars had horsepower deficits compared to Mercedes, Honda and Renault.
      “Our boat’s tied to the Ferrari ship, so when they’re going slow we’re going even slower – I don’t think there’s much you can do about that.

      “We have no control over the parts that we obtain from Ferrari. We have faith that Ferrari can fix the problem.
      “And not only does Ferrari have this problem, but so does Honda and Renault – everyone’s at a deficit to the Mercedes engine.
      “They built an extremely high performance, high fuel efficiency, durable engine that no other team’s been able to come close to.
      “To me, it’s really killed what Formula One’s all about.

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      “More power to Mercedes for being able to dominate so much of the thing, but who wants to go to a race when you know who’s going to win every friggin’ race that’s out there? That just gets boring.”
      The coronavirus pandemic has led to F1’s next rulebook shake-up being delayed to 2022, which will be the most likely window for a new challenger to emerge.
      Haas is content for his cars to leave Ferrari to fight for the title, noting that his team, the youngest on the grid, is financially stable and enjoying the brand benefits of being in F1.
      Confident that he will remain in the sport for ‘at least the next five years’, the American admitted that the coming season will be another tough one for the team that claimed just three points in 2020.
      He added: “I’m optimistic about the future.
      “I know that this year’s going to be difficult because we basically have the same car as last year, and the power plant from Ferrari is going to be very similar to last year, so we know that’s not going to give us any competitive advantage.

      It’s also participating in races and drivers and the whole other aspect of the glory of Formula One racing. Which is fun!”
      Gene Haas

      Haas are set for another tough year after finishing ninth in the 2020 constructorsCredit: Getty – Pool

      “So I think that we have the mindset of realizing our position is always going to be probably three of four positions behind Ferrari. It kind of tells us where we’re going to be racing.
      “And that’s OK, this is Formula One, the pinnacle of motor racing.
      “We know we’re not going to be beating any of the Mercedes teams, so we just have to take what we have and learn to make the best of what we’ve got, which isn’t bad.
      “This whole sport is a lot more than just the engineering challenges and the engine development and all that stuff, it’s also participating in races and drivers and the whole other aspect of the glory of Formula One racing. Which is fun!”

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      British GP hoping for record 140,000 F1 fans at Silverstone in July after coronavirus lockdown ends with plans in place

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      BRITISH GP bosses are hopeful of record-breaking crowds for this year’s race – providing it gets the green light from the Government.
      Boris Johnson laid out his roadmap for the UK to return to normal, saying he hoped all COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted by June 21.

      The British Grand Prix bosses are hoping for 140,000 people at Silverstone in JulyCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The British GP is scheduled for July 18th and Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle says a 140,000 capacity crowd is “is still absolutely on the table”.
      He said: “Silverstone is not a tight stadium in the same way that a football stadium is or a tennis court.
      “Our 70,000 grandstand seats are spread out over three-and-a-half miles.
      “We have got a lot of space, we are absolutely an outdoor venue, we have a lot of entrances and exits.

      “Anything is possible, but it has also been made clear it is far from guaranteed.”
      Silverstone hosted two F1 races last year behind closed doors due to the restrictions in place.
      The majority of the ticket holders decided to retain their tickets and rolled them over to use this season.
      Last year, Pringle told SunSport he wanted to recapture the atmosphere from 1992 – when Nigel Mansell won the world title – a period dubbed “Mansell Mania” when British F1 fans flocked to the circuit.

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      Lewis Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix a record seven timesCredit: EPA

      The ten greatest F1 drivers of all-time – according to SunSport’s motorsport correspondent Ben Hunt

      The 2021 Formula One World Championship starts with the Bahrain GP in March
      And it is entirely possible the circuit could break it’s record of 350,000 spectators over the four days.
      He added: “I want the 2021 British Grand Prix to take place with the largest number of fans attending as possible.
      “That is hugely important to Silverstone so we will do whatever it takes to play our part in proving it is safe to do so.
      “I see a strong pent-up demand for that from the public. They absolutely want to come so we have to create the environment where they are able to do so.”

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      Romain Grosjean back in cockpit just 86 days after fireball F1 crash for IndyCar with special helmet designed by kids

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      ROMAIN GROSJEAN got back in the cockpit just 86 days after surviving a fiery smash in Bahrain.
      After nine seasons in F1, the Frenchman has taken up a career in IndyCar.

      Romain Grosjean returned to the cockpit just 86 days after surviving his horror accidentCredit: IMS Photo – Joe Skibinski

      He got behind the wheel again at the Barber Motorsports Park in AlabamaCredit: IMS Photo – Joe Skibinski

      The Frenchman made a miraculous escape at the Bahrain GP when his car burst into flamesCredit: Splash News

      And he is getting up to speed with the new series – although admits he is still in some discomfort with his burned hands.
      Grosjean, 34, cheated death in a crash in the Bahrain GP that was measured at 52G when his Haas car stuck a barrier and was ignited into a fireball.
      But behind the wheel again at the Barber Motorsports Park he says he is adjusting to the new series with Dale Coyne Racing.
      He said: “After the first run my biceps started hurting a bit, and I thought, ‘Okay, okay. Now we’re talking.’ You really feel the car.

      “I guess you can drive it a little bit more with your driving style with the way you apply the brake and your turning and so on.
      “You can actually use different lines, whereas in Formula One you may be more stuck to the ideal line because of how the aerodynamics work.
      “[My hand] has actually done very well. I had a big snap and that was a bit painful. I expect those. I know it’s not fully recovered and is sensitive.”
      Grosjean wore a special helmet for the IndyCar test designed by his children Sacha, Simon and Camille and features their drawings of their pets.

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      He will now spend his time in the US series and he says he was surprised at just how friendly it was compared to the highly-secretive world of F1.
      Grosjean added: “It’s a different car, a different position, but apart from that, everything felt great and normal.
      “I just need to get used to a new car. It reminds me of when I was jumping from Formula Renault to Formula 3 and GP2. So far, I’ve been really happy with it.
      “The mechanical grip of the car has been really good. I can really understand why you can get the racing good. The way the team works is really good.
      “When I arrived, I was quite surprised to see that the cars are being set up here, and there’s no closed garage or tents.
      “I really like it. You get to go into the pit lane, and I was talking to Sebastien Bourdais, and Takuma (Sato) came over, and we had a good chat next to his car.
      “The talking is made on track, and whenever you remove your helmet it feels like everyone is friendly and likes to talk and chat.”

      Grosjean’s new helmet was designed by children Sacha, Simon and Camille and features drawings of their petsCredit: Instagram @grosjeanromain

      He admitted there is still some discomfort in his hands following the burnsCredit: IMS Photo – Joe Skibinski

      The driver was surprised at just how friendly IndyCar was compared to F1Credit: IMS Photo – Joe Skibinski

      Grosjean has joined Dale Coyne Racing for the US seriesCredit: IMS Photo – Joe Skibinski

      His new car has the No51 and his name and flag emblazoned on the sideCredit: IMS Photo – Joe Skibinski

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      F1 driver Romain Grosjean escapes as his Haas car bursts into flames at Bahrain Grand Prix More

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      Netflix ‘F1: Drive to Survive’ series three given March 19 release date following Hamilton’s path to seventh world title

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      NETFLIX have announced that the third installment of their popular Formula One show will be available to watch from March 19th.
      F1: Drive to Survive 3, will be a 10-part series recapping on the stories from the 2020 Covid-hit season.

      F1: Drive to Survive 3 will drop on Netflix next monthCredit: AFP

      It will kick off with stories behind why the opening race in Australia was cancelled.
      And go through to Romain Grosjean’s miraculous escape in Bahrain when his Haas car hit the barriers and burst into fire.
      The show will take in Lewis Hamilton’s record-equalling seventh world title and the drama behind the scenes.
      ‘Drive to Survive’ is produced by Academy Award winner James Gay Rees and Paul Martin for Box to Box Films.

      An F1 statement said series three is “the most dramatic season to date”.
      They also said “fans will once again be taken behind the scenes, to witness first-hand how the drivers and teams battle it out for victory in a year like no other”.
      Meanwhile, SunSport previously reported that Hamilton and Fernando Alonso will go head-to-head before a wheel has turned this season.
      Hamilton’s Mercedes team will launch their challenger for 2021 on March 2 – and now the newly-rebranded Alpine team have picked the same date.

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      It means both will be vying for coverage, as Alpine unveil their new livery since changing their name from Renault.
      Alonso, who drives for the French team, is recovering after undergoing surgery on a broken jaw following an accident on his bike in Switzerland.
      The 39-year-old is making his F1 comeback this year after quitting McLaren in 2018.

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      F1 could have a new joker in town as Oscar Piastri eyes F2 title and Norris and Ricciardo’s comedy crown

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      LANDO NORRIS and Daniel Ricciardo will have a new challenger for Formula One’s joker’s crown if Oscar Piastri has his way.
      The lively Aussie is preparing for a debut season in the F2 championship off the back of consecutive titles in the Formula Renault and F3 series.

      Oscar Piastri is preparing for his debut season in Formula 2Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      And fans online have instantly taken to 19-year-old Piastri’s self-deprecating social media antics.
      With F1 is plotting its way as a more fan-friendly sport, Piastri believes drivers with comic timing are vital to motorsport’s personality.
      He told SunSport: “I think in terms of my own social media that’s just how I am. Most of my tweets that got likes was when something was humorously going wrong.
      “They were fun to write but they were somewhat for my own sanity and also there’s no point in getting bogged down in negative stuff.

      “If you can take any kind of positive spin, whether that’s getting 5,000 likes on Twitter or whatever, that’s always going to be a positive.
      “I think we all know Lando [Norris] is a pretty funny character and he is very personable and quite jokey.
      “I think he said that maybe he should be a bit more serious, but in F1 there is definitely no harm in having those personalities on the grid. That’s certainly why fans gravitate towards certain drivers.
      “Daniel Ricciardo is a perfect example of that as well, F1 would probably be a bit less happy and smiley place without him, so it’s certainly a good thing.”

      Piastri has taken a couple of tips from Mick Schumacher since inheriting the German prodigy’s Prema seat for the season ahead.

      Quarantine, day number: somewhere in the middle.I have watched an unhealthy amount of darts being played on TV.
      — Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) December 22, 2020

      Already involved in an F1 Young Drivers’ test, the Melbourne native is very highly rated and yet was not afraid to rue his at-times bad luck on course to winning last year’s F3 title.
      Looking back over last season, he analysed: “My racecraft was something that carried me through, my qualifying performances were not amazing. I generally made life a bit more difficult for myself in the races.
      “Also keeping a calm head and keeping my confidence in myself, I knew I could still go out and win races even if I wasn’t on pole.
      “We had a few mechanical issues, it was getting a bit challenging. Being mentally resilient was a massive part of it.”
      Schooled in the UK throughout his teens, Piastri describes the ‘big sacrifice’ he took after leaving home to pursue his dream.
      He began his career as just a young lad in remote control car racing, taking any opportunity to step up before moving to Europe.
      He added: “I raced remote control cars from when I was about six, my dad’s business is a car tuning business anyway so motorsport has run in the family for a while. 
      “He came back from a business trip in America with a remote control monster truck and I started driving that around, he asked if I wanted to start racing it. 

      Setting myself a target of winning the championship is ambitious. It’s not impossible but it’s certainly not going to be easy.
      Oscar Piastri

      Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo are now team-mates after the Aussie joined McLarenCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      “We did that for a few years and it was pretty cool, then we went into electric on-road stuff, then we met someone who was in go-karts and that kicked it all off.”
      Piastri is signed to the Renault Sport Academy ahead of the French marque’s conversion to Alpine for Fernando Alonso’s arrival in 2021.
      A move into F1 is undoubtedly on the agenda but the ambitious youngster is well aware of the steep learning curve ahead of him.
      He continued: “Coming off the back of an F3 championship is very beneficial for a lot of things; my CV, my confidence.
      “I’m not expecting it to be easy by any stretch of the imagination – setting myself a target of winning the championship is ambitious. I don’t think it’s impossible but it’s certainly not going to be easy.
      “It’s very rare for someone to win F2 at their first attempt, so I’m keeping my expectations in check. But there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be confident.”
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      With a title in two years ‘realistic and achievable’, Piastri notes that he had the same plan in F3 before swooping to first place in his rookie year. 
      If that achievement is anything to go by, F1 fans may have yet another rocket-fast joker to add to their follows.
      Looking ahead to the new season, Piastri summarised: “I just like racing and driving fast cars so for me that’s plenty motivation and excitement.”

      Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo launch the new McLaren 2021 F1 car More

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      Mercedes staff ‘live in constant fear’ ahead of new F1 season as Lewis Hamilton’s crew worry about repeating success

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      MERCEDES Technical Director James Allison has revealed the team are living in ‘constant fear’ about replicating last year’s success the 2021 season.
      Despite the Silver Arrows winning seven consecutive Constructors’ Championships, the 52-year-old has stated there is always a worry their car isn’t fast enough.

      Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team are the ones to beat in the 2021 F1 ChampionshipCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Mercedes go into the 2021 season as the huge favourites for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship.
      And the team were boosted by Lewis Hamilton’s contract extension earlier this month to put an end to speculation over his future.
      But with Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine and Aston Martin all bringing in a new driver, Allison has opened up on the anxiety surrounding his team.
      In quotes obtained by Essentially Sports, he said: “We exist for one purpose.

      “And that is to produce a racing car that’s capable of fighting at the front, and hopefully, securing wins and championships.
      “At this stage of the year, you hope you’ve done enough work.
      “But we’re never certain until the cars are actually on a track, doing it for real.”
      Before adding: “Alongside all that excitement is the fear and that fear nagging away continuously at you.

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      “The moment you open your eyes in the morning, all the way through the day until you go to bed at night, the fear that you haven’t done enough.”
      Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes Max Vertsappen could be eyed up by Mercedes when Hamilton’s deal expires after this season.
      He said: “I am sure that should Lewis decide to stop, then Max will naturally be the driver at the top of the list.
      “Mercedes also have George Russell and other drivers available to them.
      “It is all down to relationships and us having a competitive car and there are no guarantees for 2022.
      “It is a complete clean sheet of paper so if there is going to be a significant mix-up of the order, one would assume it will come with that big regulation change.
      “The reality is, that yes of course, as there has always been, there is an element of performance-related clauses to Max’s contract.
      “It will be down to us to deliver a competitive car. That is what he wants and that is what we want, so we are in an identical situation.”

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      Mercedes staff ‘living in constant fear’ ahead of new F1 season as Lewis Hamilton’s crew worry about repeating success

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      MERCEDES Technical Director James Allison has revealed the team are living in ‘constant fear’ about replicating last year’s success the 2021 season.
      Despite the Silver Arrows winning seven consecutive Constructors’ Championships, the 52-year-old has stated there is always a worry their car isn’t fast enough.

      Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team are the ones to beat in the 2021 F1 ChampionshipCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Mercedes go into the 2021 season as the huge favourites for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship.
      And the team were boosted by Lewis Hamilton’s contract extension earlier this month to put an end to speculation over his future.
      But with Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine and Aston Martin all bringing in a new driver, Allison has opened up on the anxiety surrounding his team.
      In quotes obtained by Essentially Sports, he said: “We exist for one purpose.

      “And that is to produce a racing car that’s capable of fighting at the front, and hopefully, securing wins and championships.
      “At this stage of the year, you hope you’ve done enough work.
      “But we’re never certain until the cars are actually on a track, doing it for real.”
      Before adding: “Alongside all that excitement is the fear and that fear nagging away continuously at you.

      Lewis Hamilton is F1’s biggest earner
      “The moment you open your eyes in the morning, all the way through the day until you go to bed at night, the fear that you haven’t done enough.”
      Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes Max Vertsappen could be eyed up by Mercedes when Hamilton’s deal expires after this season.
      He said: “I am sure that should Lewis decide to stop, then Max will naturally be the driver at the top of the list.
      “Mercedes also have George Russell and other drivers available to them.
      “It is all down to relationships and us having a competitive car and there are no guarantees for 2022.
      “It is a complete clean sheet of paper so if there is going to be a significant mix-up of the order, one would assume it will come with that big regulation change.
      “The reality is, that yes of course, as there has always been, there is an element of performance-related clauses to Max’s contract.
      “It will be down to us to deliver a competitive car. That is what he wants and that is what we want, so we are in an identical situation.”

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